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Formal at lunchtime and romantic by night, the wood-paneled room at Le Bernardin (155 W. 51st St.; 212/489-1515; dinner for two $150) is as elegant as ever, with Eric Ripert's barely cooked haute seafood riffs—tartares, ceviches, carpaccios—tasting more vibrant and fresh with each bite.
The power lunch at Grill Room at the Four Seasons (99 E. 52nd St.; 212/754-9494; lunch for two $158) is still the one by which all others in the country are measured. Go for Philip Johnson's majestic Modernism, the decent roast duck, and more kingpins and bigwigs per square inch than you'll see in Davos.
Well into its third decade, the Odeon (145 W. Broadway; 212/233-0507; dinner for two $75) remains timelessly and effortlessly cool—with its much imitated Formica tables, vinyl banquettes, and easy-eating brasserie menu. Drop by for a late-night frisée aux lardons and a martini—or three.
Danny Meyer fans are evenly split between Union Square Cafe loyalists and the supporters of Gramercy Tavern (42 E. 20th St.; 212/477-0777; dinner for two $75). The latter swear by the creative cocktails, the succulent seafood stew, and the seductive aromas of grilling that waft from the open kitchen. The no-reservations front room is our favorite way to go, but get there early to snag a table.
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