What's everyones favorite restaurant in NYC?

Balthazar in Soho, 80 Spring St, great french food.

Gramercy Tavern. (It's at 42 East 20th St). Some of the best meals I've had have been here. Look at any rating site like Zagat (or Yelp) and most agree.

Bubba Gump Shrimp in Times Square!!! Seriously, I had no idea that restaurant chain started because of the movie. I thought the chain was around before the movie.

AJ

Restaurant Daniel - the most amazing dining experience I have had anywhere in the world. They have the best white truffles from Italy. Its located at E 65th between Madison and Park.

2nd vote for the Gramercy Tavern, if you say it's your anniversary they look after you extra special! (champagne and extra desserts)

I think blt prime is the best steak I have ever had. As far as classic new york dining goes it does not get any more classic than the Spanish stalwort El Quiote in the Chelsea Hotel. The waiters still serve in white linen jackets and the decor and the menu probaly hasn't changed in 50 years.

In Vino for great Italian (East Village) and also Dumpling Man for dumplings on at St Marks - oh yeah dunplings!!

http://www.dumplingman.com/

I agree depends on what food you are after! If I had to eat at one restaurant it would have to be Daniel on the Upper East side. It's pretty fancy pants!

If i had a second choice it would the local hot dog guy around the corner from my work...im filthy like that.

Adriancheekyo, Daniel's is amazing. Have you been to his other restaurant, Cafe Boulud, it's on East 76th?

I have been to Daniel but found it unremarkable maybe my tastes are not that refined ..I still like Union Square Cafe for special occasion dining and a ton of others like Il Riccio and Sandro's on the Upper East Side and Chef Beatrice's Il Bagatto in the East Village for more casual fare.

I really don't have a favorite restuarant in NYC. My favorite restuarant outside the city is Cracker Barrel.

I will be in NYC in early January - anyone been to Aureole? (near Times Square?).

Jason I havent yet been to Aureole but check the reviews on yelp-http://www.yelp.com/biz/aureole-new-york.

Azul Bistro in the LES is pretty awesome. The atmosphere is cool for dinner with friends and it doubles as a good place to bring both a first date or an old flame.

'inoteca is a great wine bar, though it's always pretty packed. The food is amazing and worth a wait though. And I've never had a bad experience with the service there.

To answer the original question, Balthazar!

Though better think ahead and make a reservation--

Hey, JVS, I haven't been to Aureole either but would be interested to find out what others think. Write in after you check it out?

Wait, how could I forget--Cipriani, baby!

I have a new contender from the Upper West Side, Telepan (72 West 69th Street, New York, NY 10023 (212) 580-4300) www.telepan-ny.com

The food was amazing, duck ravioli, lobster bolognese, great deserts - apparently popular with celebrities, sitting next to us was actor John Leguizamo.

Telepan? Now that is an interesting name. I will need to stop by and check it out sometime. What are the prices like?

Interesting. So many restaurants. So little time to get to them. This is why each one of us probably has a favorite restaurant to go to. Otherwise, we would be spending the majority of our time finding places to eat at.

True. At least you have a wide choice of what restaurant to go to. You are not restricted to only one kind. What diversity.

Favorite local - Island in Carnegie Hill - great New American fare, convivial atmosphere.
Favorite for food alone - Banjara in the East Village, the now-defunct Bambou in the East Village,
Favorite for decor/food: Park Avenue [Winter/etc], but the crowd is really obnoxious in a yuppie showoff sort of way
Favorite for atmosphere: Trattoria dell'Arte in Midtown

Honestly though I find the best food in NYC to be at low-key family-owned or ethnic restaurants, not the famous ones!

@ajadedidealist I tend to agree with you, the over hyped NYC restaurants are the worst!

@Ajadedidealist and @Uptowngirl: The most over-hyped restaurants seem to be the pricier and most flamboyant ones.

I went to Daniel for my birthday some years ago and found it really disappointing. The $10 entrees at places like Holy Basil, etc, are so much better!

Sometimes newer restaurants have better quality service and food because they're trying to win over customers, whereas the famous establishments can just rest on their reputations. So you end up waiting forever and don't even have a good dining experience...