While the French—and particularly those clever culinary Parisians—have the market cornered on bistros, they're not the only game in town. Here are a few of our favorite bistros, French and otherwise.
Prohibition is an upscale restaurant/bar where one can come with a date and have an intimate dinner, or with friends just to hang out and listen to live music. They offer an eclectic and sophisticated menu that accommodates both the serious diner and the casual sampler. The inter...
503 Columbus Ave (Between 84th and 85th Streets)Café Luxembourg has been an Upper West Side institution for over thirty years. No doubt due to the beautifully prepared french bistro food with professional, yet unpretentious service at reasonable prices. The menu changes seasonally and offers many classic French bistro dishes a...
200 West 70th Street (Broadway)French comfort food in an intimate setting, a survivor of the 1980s keeps on producing Tribeca's most beloved bistro menu. Just as the atmosphere of the Odeon benefits from the intersection of early 20th century aesthetic sensibilities and modern dining accoutrements, it also exc...
145 West Broadway (bet. Duane & Thomas Sts.)Established in 1975 by Guy and Serge Raoul, Raoul's Restaurant serves French cuisine in an authentic Left-bank bistro setting. Even after 30 years, Raoul's is very popular, and frequented by a well-traveled New York set that desires the kind of restaurant you'd normally only find...
180 Prince St (bet. Sullivan & Thompson Sts.)One of SoHo's worst-kept secret's, Keith McNally's Balthazar is perhaps the best appropriation of Parisian fin de siecle brasseries that American can or will ever manage, with decor that includes the signature red leather banquettes one would expect, striking, aged mirrors, and a...
80 Spring St (bet. Broadway & Crosby St.)Papillon is a stunning classic French Bistro featuring an elegant rustic decor that brings you back through time to a provincial town in France. The exquisite decor is the perfect setting for Papillon's culinary delights.
22 E 54th St (bet. 5th & Madison Aves.)Keith McNally waved his magic wand and updated this old stalwart to new glory. The stylish bistro now seats 85 in a classic setting defined by the same cohesive, subtly transporting aesthetic that has made McNally's other ventures, like the Odeon and Balthazar, deviously attracti...
113 MacDougal St (bet. Bleecker & W. 3rd Sts.)Chinese bistro in Williamsburg with Shanghai-style dumplings, noodles, soup, wonton, and shu-mai.
292 Grand St (bet. Havemeyer and Roebling Streets)Great Boerum Hill restaurant with nice garden and fine wine selection.
409 Atlantic Ave (Bond & Nevins Streets)This quiet and quaint bistro evokes those neighborhood haunts that make Paris the cuisine scene that it is. Far from the glam and glitter that marks so many eateries in this town, Madison Bistro evokes Parisian culinary tradition, comfort food and the joy of sitting down to a fin...
238 Madison Ave (37th St.)