New York State Restaurants $$$

    Brasserie 8 1/2, New York City

  9 W. 57th Street - (5th-6th Aves.) - New York, NY           
Nestled in Skidmore, Owings' celebrated "Bell-bottom" building on 9 W.57th Street, in Midtown Manhattan, Brasserie 8½ offers notable "nouvelle" French cuisine in a super-plush atmosphere. Accessed by a spectacular sweeping staircase, the restaurant is accented by original works by Henri Matisse and a one-of-a-kind glass sculpture by Fernand Leger.
    Church Lounge, New York City
  2 Sixth Ave. - (White Street) - New York, NY           
Located in the center of the hotel’s soaring atrium, the Church Lounge is the contemporary incarnation of the classic New York hotel bar. An intimate gathering place by day, and a downtown destination by night, Church Lounge TriBeCa’s long, glossy bar, plush armchairs, and softly glowing lighting provide the ultimate in sophisticated downtown socializing. From a classic American menu designed exclusively by Tribeca Grand chefs to some of the best signature cocktails New York City has to offer, the stylish Church Lounge provides guests with a flash of downtown city life at its best. Weekends keep up the pace with a leisurely buffet-style Grand Sunday Brunch, a brunch both New York City locals and hotel guests call their favorite.
    Lure Fishbar, New York City
  142 Mercer Street - New York, NY           
American style sliced, marinated and perfectly prepared seafood and other cooked classics. Well crafted 250 bottle wine list.
    L'Absinthe Brasserie-Restaurant, New York City
  227 E. 67th Street - (2nd-3rd Aves.) - New York, NY           
L’Absinthe Brasserie-Restaurant, nestled in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side is a world outside of the every day.  Chef-Proprietaire, Jean-Michel Bergougnoux’s classic and nouvelle French cuisine merges harmoniously with the timeless and traditional Parisian Brasserie décor and attentive, friendly service.
    Water Club, The, New York City
  East River - Between 28th and 32nd Street - New York, NY            
The Water Club serves wonderful classic American cuisine in a beautiful waterside setting against sweeping river views. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, lunch Tuesday through Saturday and an exceptional brunch on Sunday. A seasonal rooftop bar, The Crow’s Nest, sits atop the main dining room and features a moderately priced menu and refreshing drinks from mid-May through late September. The Water Club also has three private party rooms, a lounge with a wood burning fireplace, and piano music nightly in the dining room. The restaurant has complimentary valet parking in the private lot and the first floor is handicapped accessible.
    Ocean Grill, New York City
  384 Columbus Avenue - New York, NY           
Directly across from the Museum of Natural History, Ocean Grill has been exciting Upper West Side seafood lovers for many years. Sample our titanic daily selection of oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp and lobster cocktails and our new sushi menu. Rest your sea legs in our candle-lit bar lounge. Enjoy one of our featured wines or specialty cocktails such as the Passion Fruit Cosmo along with a Crunchy Calamari, Avocado and Spicy Tuna Roll or the Salmon and Tuna Tartare with Avocado, Lemon-Ginger and a Sesame Crisp.
    Atlantic Grill, New York City
  1341 Third Ave. - (76th-77th Streets) - New York, NY            
Ride the tide to Atlantic Grill, our Upper East Side neighborhood favorite! Atlantic Grill is the place to go for your seafood and sushi fix. Bright, 200-seat space complete with bistro chairs, framed photos, baby blue walls and skylight might make you feel like you sailed into Cape Cod. You may not have left New York's harbor, but one thing is sure: our seafood is just as fresh.
Choose from among crowd-pleasing favorites from the Atlantic - or the Pacific - like our Maryland Crab Cake with Grilled Corn Salsa topped with Chipotle Remoulade, or the Cajun Lobster and Sea Scallops over Shrimp Risotto, Oven Dried Tomatoes, and Herb Nage.
Or sample our daily selection of Oysters and Clams on the Half Shell from our raw bar and our unique Sushi, Sashimi and Rolls. Our Sushi Chefs are constantly "rolling" out new creations, such as our Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass Maki Roll with Red Ginger or our BBQ Eel Roll with Crunchy Sweet Potato, Avocado, and Toasted Almonds.
    Smith & Wollensky, New York City
  797 Third Ave. - (49th Street) - New York, NY           
Smith & Wollensky is one of the most trafficked restaurants in New York and among the most celebrated steakhouses in the world. Specializing in fresh seafood and lobster and assorted steaks and chops, Smith & Wollensky is well recognized for its healthy portions, seasoned service staff and pop Americana ambience. The surnames, Smith and Wollensky, were chosen from the local telephone directory by the restaurant’s founder Alan Stillman, of T.G.I. Friday’s fame. Wollensky’s Grill, a small but spirited bar room installed in the side of the famed midtown restaurant, is open until 2 a.m. Catering to night owls, Wollensky Grill offers a late night bill of fare featuring lighter supper versions of items from the grander Smith & Wollensky steakhouse menu and plenty of high-end red wines by the glass to choose from.
    Palm One, New York City
  837 Second Avenue - New York, NY            
At The Palm, our philosophy is simple: Treat guests like family, serve great food, and always exceed expectations. That philosophy was born in 1926, when Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi opened the first Palm in New York City. From day one, Pio and John shared their commitment to quality and generosity of spirit with every guest who walked through their doors. What began as a restaurant became a legend – a place to not only enjoy an excellent meal but also catch up with old friends, meet new ones, close business deals, and celebrate family milestones.
    Sardi's, New York City
  234 West 44th Street - New York, NY            
In the heart of New York's Theater District, Sardi's has been the toast of Broadway for 82 years. Located at 234 West 44th Street, the restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Late supper is served from Tuesday through Saturday.
    Bobby Van's Steakhouse, New York City
  25 Broad Street - Financial District - New York, NY           
Bobby Van's Steakhouse and Grill located across from the New York Stock Exchange uses the original 1898 structure to create lush and evocative dining rooms filled with dark wood, cream-colored walls and beautiful chandeliers. Pass through the glass entrance of the steakhouse into the grand dining room with 20' ceilings to face a gorgeous 20-foot bar and a floor-to-ceiling wall of wine and liquor. Dine under the soft lighting of the grand chandeliers and enjoy succulent 28-day dry-aged prime steaks and the freshest seafood.
    Craft, New York City
  43 E. 19th Street - (Park Ave. South-Broad-Way) - New York, NY            
Tom Colicchio's Craft received the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant nationwide in 2002, and has since spawned a host of imitators for its unique marriage of the finest ingredients, haute cuisine and family-style service.
Against the award-winning architectural design of Bentel and Bentel, and under the glow of filament bulbs, diners share from dishes that celebrate 'single' ingredients, expertly and simply prepared. "Simple doesn't mean simplistic," Tom says in his book, Think Like a Chef, and the food at Craft - under the execution of Chef Damon Wise - serves as proof. Favorites include Pan Roasted Day boat Scallops, Roasted Foie Gras, Braised Short Ribs of Beef, the famous Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms, and what many diners describe as the finest Porterhouse Steak in New York City.
    Blue Hill Restaurant, New York City
  75 Washington Place - New York, NY           
Blue Hill restaurant opened at the end of April 2000. Blue Hill is dedicated to creating a new category of neighborhood restaurant that maintains the classic attributes of warmth and affordability, while delivering superior food and service.
    Sparks Steak House, New York City
  210 East 46th Street - New York, NY           
Sparks Steak House was established in 1966 on East 18th street by brothers Pat and Mike Cetta. They turned Spark's Pub into steak house and in 1977 they moved it to its current location. Sparks' worldwide reputation for great steaks and fabulous wine cellar was assured in 2001 when the New York Post rated them "the greatest steak house in Manhattan". Sparks' wine list, with its incredible range and reasonable prices, has been awarded the Wine Spectator magazine's Grand Award every year since 1981.
    Sequoia, New York City
  Pier 17, South Street Seaport - (Fulton Street & East River) - New York, NY            
Breathtaking harbor and city skyline views complement Sequoia’s savory seafood menu and wooded nautical décor. During the warmer months enjoy delicious food at an outdoor table on the terrace. Sequoia offers three nautically – designed private dining rooms for special occasions featuring spectacular views of historic ships and the waterfront.
    Avra Estiatorio, New York City
  141 East 48th Street - New York, NY           
Open since February 2000, Avra's reputation is spreading like Brushfire. Innovative Greek architect Yianni Skordas has turned the spacious Avra's interior into a cozy space evocative of an Ionnian home. Everything about Avra is homey. From the flowers to the Jerusalem limestone floors, stonewash walls of the interior remind one of the traditional white walls and blue roofs often seen in postcards of Greece and its famous islands. The large wooden, framed, French doors were open to an outdoor patio creating a most pleasant country spring breeze.