VIBE

This ambitious Michelin-starred seafood shrine embraces expense-account-level luxury. A reported one million dollar renovation rendered a luxe, airy dining room with glossy rosewood and leather accents, as well as a sleek onyx bar that is used as the staging point for the bottles of fine spirits that are whisked around the room on silver carts. Tables are consistently filled with business folk, well-heeled tourists, and local foodies, all savoring the elegantly presented (and delicious!) Italian seafood.

CROWD

Sophisticated business professionals, quiet conversationalists, and posh couples.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

Elegant; try a colorful blouse, sleek pencil skirt, smart heels, and subtle but fine jewelry.

GO HERE WITH

Coworkers; significant other; a date; family

WHY WE LIKE IT

The painstaking attention to detail: everything from the glasses to the tableware is chosen with utmost care, and carefully selected exotic species of fish are flown in from all over the world. And oh, that spaghetti with crab and sea urchin…we find it hard to try new things here because we can't get enough of it.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

The location and scenery are prime (with views of Central Park), but we wince a little at the prices.

GOOD TO KNOW

The restaurant occupies the Columbus Circle space formerly held by San Domenico. If you’re trying to save a bit of dough, the lunch prix fixe is more gently priced than the dinner menu, and it offers the most popular dishes. Impeccable service rules here, but don’t expect stuffy formal waitstaff; the service is friendly and attentive without being obtrusive.

CLOSEST COMPS

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