ZAGAT REVEALS FAVORITE UWS RESTAURANTS
Machiavelli on 85th and Columbus made the list of top restaurants in the West 80’s and got one of the best decor ratings in the neighborhood.
Zagat has published its list of best restaurants for 2015, with rankings for various sections of the Upper West Side. The restaurants are ranked by their food scores, although Zagat also publishes decor and service rankings and lists the estimated price of a meal. Check out the rankings below, and let us know in the comments what you think they got right or wrong!
Check out the list below:
Above 90th street (some of these are way above the West 90th)
1. Gennaro
2. Pisticci
3. SzechuanGourmet
4. Dinosaur BBQ
5. Xi’an Famous Foods
6. Thai market
7. Indus Valley
8. Numero 28 Cucina
1. Luke’s Lobster
2. Celeste
3. Barney Greengrass
4. Peacefood Cafe
5. Machiavelli
6. Kefi Restaurant
7. Candle Cafe West
8. Mermaid Inn
1. Dovetail
2. Gari Columbus
3. RedFarm
4. Cesca
5. Salumeria Rosi
6. Piccolo Cafe
7. Fishtag
8. Ocean Grill
1. Jean-Georges
2. Telepan
3. Picholine
4. Boulud Sud
5. Lincoln Ristorante
6. Bar Boulud
7. Rosa Mexicano
8. Atlantic Grill
I wish they’d included Tessa, on Amsterdam by 77th. It’s not a cheap eat, but the space is beautiful (I think it’s the old Time Out arcade, totally transformed), and the menu is pretty great. Nice for a fancy-ish night.
Also how does zagat leave Isabella’s off the list? Gah!
I agree with you on Tessa. Delicious food and good service (btw, was Time Out, and before that it was Boomer’s Sports Bar).
With regards to Zagat , , , as resident of NYC for all my life, I’ve always considered that guide to be a joke and more or less meant for tourists who don’t know dining. I can think of severla more restaurants (Isabella’s for one) who deserve to be on the list. But better that I keep the true gems close to my heart; otherwise, I’ll be in crowded circus trying to enjoy my dinner 🙂
Zagat reviews and guides are pieced together by “reviewers” that have visited the restaurants. It is the original Yelp, but Zagat reviewers tend to be vigilant with their notes/reviews. In my experience, their reviews are pretty spot on, as they don’t include the outliers.
And before those two places it was Prime Time… a great neighborhood hang out bar back in da day.
Agree on Tessa, though a bit on the expensive side – for some reason can’t seem to get comfortable paying the same prices as I would at Boulud Sud or 80% of the price I would pay at Lincoln. The food is superb, the portions are appropriate, the ambiance is nice…
Funny not to see very popular places like Jacob’s Pickles or Cafe Luxembourg on the list.
Yep, Jacob’s Pickles was one of the biggest surprises to me too. Avi
Ugh, Jacob’s Pickles is the most overrated restaurant on the UWS. I’ve given them so many chances – constantly underwhelmed (and terrible service to boot).
Cannot understand why Jacob’s Pickles is popular, other than for drinking. Worst food I’ve ever had in my life!
I have been to most the restaurants listed in the 60’s and rate Andanada as top 3.
Very surprised it is not listed.
Maybe it is a good thing. I don’t want to wait for my table next time I go there.
There is also an Indian restaurant Sapphire.
One of the best in the city. Try their lamb chip and goat curry.
The “problem” with Andanada is the spot – feels like you are in a dark basement, because you are!
I couldn’t agree with you more about Andanada. Certainly it deserves mention over Rosa Mexicano or Atlantic Grill. I’ve never felt any ‘basement’ vibe, in fact we love the decor!
Sushi Yasaka on 72nd is probably the biggest omission. It’s one of the UWS’ few destination restaurants that isn’t fine dining. No way it’s not in the top eight in the 70s.
No way! We love this place but it’s nowhere near a top sushi place in NYC, not even on the UWS where you have Sushi of Gari.
Not saying it’s at the level of Masa & Nakazawa, just that it’s better than some of the other Zagat favorites in the 70s, such as Fishtag and Piccolo.
Absolutely. Fishtag is mediocre at best and Piccolo not even that.
also Henry’s on 105st, La Mirabelle on 86st and Café Lalo on 83street.
Henry’s is terrific, how did they miss that?
Vai on Amsterdam just south of 81st on the east side of the street is hands-down, the Best food on the upper west side!
If they are going way upper west – what about Community?
community has gotten very bad
What’s with Community’s line? Seriously! Can’t be that good to wait an hour on a Sunday in the rain.
No Jacob’s Pickles? Despite living down the street from them I can only get in to eat there about twice a month without an hour wait. Also, no Land Thai? That’s a bit surprising as well.
Isabella’s is where all my visiting family ask to be taken for bday/other nice-ish meals and it’s lovely to sit outside there on a slightly chilly night with the heat lamps on.
Bistro Citron on Columbus at 83rd should be on this list.
Machiavelli, really? What about Bustan?
Bustan, Cafe Luxembourg, Lincoln, Boulud Sud, Shun Lee, Land Thai Kitchen, Tessa, Sushi Gari, Caffe Storico, Dovetail, Telepan, Sushi Yasaka, Barney Greengrass, The Smith, Celeste, Fairway Diner…some of the best options on UWS.
Love seeing Celeste and Gennaro. What great spots. Surprised no Tessa, Land Thai…
How is Ouest not included in the 80s? It is by far the best restaurant in that vicinity.
That’s not really saying much – its five blocks – and frankly Ouest is not all that great. It got a lot more attention for being the first restaurant in the area than for having great food.
As the title says “favorite” restaurants, goes I think we are missing Gray’s Papaya! Okay you may not call it a restaurant, but I bet it’s sales tops most of the places on the list.
Always fresh and made to order! 🙂
You hit the nail on the head.
It’s a great place and their $4.95 for 2 dogs and a papaya juice is an ace!
What about Ouest?
Another one that should be on this list!
What about McDonald’s on Broadway between 81 and 82?
(I don’t particularly like it, but since every other food service establishment on the UWS has its advocates in these comments, I didn’t want it to be left out.)
What??????????
No Cafe Luxemburg? Are you kidding?????
What no 3 star coffee shop?!
3 Star has been closed most of the year.
We have found The Smith in the West 60’s to be a great addition to the neighborhood. The food is delicious with a friendly staff and reasonably priced compared to its two overpriced neighbors.
So true about the Smith’s neighbors. The one place that always blows my mind with prices is Fiorello’s .. I just don;t understand why people would pay those prices for OK food. I’ve been a few times but only on the “corporate dime” . It is truly the most overpriced resturant in NYC
LANDMARC
in time warner center.
can’t go wrong.
I think that Spring Natural deserves to be mentioned, I had a great meal there, but have been consistently disappointed at Isabella’s, nothing special. Cafe Lux should of course be mentioned, makes one the best burgers in the neighborhood, although the price keeps going up. As for Zagat’s, I did some work in a restaurant back in the day, and saw a huge stack of Zagat review forms that staff had filled out…so I don’t think of them as neutral at all. All of my meals at Sushi of Gar have been amazing…looking forward to trying some of those mentioned by these comments!