NYC RESTAURANTS
ASIAN
Grill 21 (Filipino): $$, Probably the most authentic Filipino food in Manhattan that I’ve tried. No fusions, no elaborate gimmicks, just straightfoward, reliable, homecooked Filipino food. The Kare-Kare (braised oxtail in peanut butter sauce) is my favorite and is as close to my mom’s as I’ve tasted.
Mama Fina’s (Filipino): $$, A variety of sisig options! The squid and bangus sisig are my favorite.
Gugu Room (Filipino): $$, An interesting twist to elevate Filipino food. Some dishes were top notch, straight up deliciousness, while other dishes were lacking in quality. For cocktails, get the calamansi margarita and the ube babe. For food, the skewer sampler was good, the beef bone marrow salpicao was chef’s kiss delicious, the soft shell crab palabok was probably my favorite dish. The palabok was traditional but the fried soft shell crab added a salty, briney, crispy addition to a very traditional dish.
Cho Dang Gol (Korean): $$, They make their own tofu in-house! The eggplant, buckwheat pancakes along with their spicy baby octopus and bulgogi are my personal favorites. The lines can get quite long. They don’t take reservations. But their online waitlist helps estimating the wait time.
Jongro (Korean): $$$, Jongro is where many of my Korean friends have said they go when they miss the authentic Korean BBQ back home. You can choose from different platters of meat or pick and choose a la carte. You can’t go wrong because the quality is top-notch.
Gaonurri (Korean): $$$, A Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant set in the penthouse of a skyscraper. They have a la carte and tasting menu options so you’re sure to eat luxurious food in a luxurious setting with luxurious views.
Lao Jie Hotpot (Chinese): $$, All you can eat hotpot that doesn’t sacrifice quality for quantity. At Lao Jie, you get both!
Chili (Chinese)***: $$$, My favorite Chinese food in Manhattan! I have so many favorites here: Beef Pancake Wrap (yummm), Mr. and Mrs. Smith (I love tripe), Pork Dumplings in Chili Oil, and the Spicy Soft Shell Crab (so crispy and savory).
Hop Kee (Chinese): $$, This is my and my family’s go-to restaurant in China Town when we want some family style, Chinese food with a casual and delicious vibe. Their seafood pan-fried crunchy noodles, sweat and sour pork, and even their snails are some of the dishes we normally order.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor (Chinese)***: $$, This is a legendary spot in the heart of New York City's Chinatown, offering a nostalgic and authentic dim sum experience since 1920 as one of the city's oldest dim sum restaurants. Nom Wah is renowned for its variety of dim sum offerings, which come freshly made to order instead of traditional cart service, ensuring that each bite is hot and flavorful. Some of my favorite dishes are the Original Egg Roll, Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), Shrimp & Snow Pea Leaf Dumplings (my personal favorite ***), Turnip Cakes, and Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns).
Jing Fong (Chinese)***: $$, Jing Fong in Chinatown, NYC, is a must-visit for anyone craving authentic dim sum. With a lively atmosphere and the traditional touch of dim sum carts weaving through the dining area, the experience feels like stepping into the heart of Hong Kong. The variety is exceptional, and every dish bursts with flavor. It’s the perfect spot to gather with friends or family for a truly authentic and tasty meal. My personal favorite is the crispy noodles with beef, the crystal shrimp dumplings, and the crispy turnips.
ITALIAN
Sam’s Place: $$$, Your local, reliable, neighborhood Italian restaurant. I’m always surprised why it’s never packed because the food is so good! The Calamari Marinara is cooked perfectly. The Veal Marsala is my go-to entree with a side of pasta (mmm, mmm, mmm!).
Villa Berulia: $$$, Eggplant Rollatini, Grilled Calamari for starters. Any of the pasta dishes or the steak dishes are just perfect. Their dishes are Italian with some Croatian ingredients. It’s my ideal dinner place on Friday nights after a long work week.
Carmine’s: $$, This long-established Italian eatery is perfect for entertaining large groups of people. Their family-style portioned meals make delicious and affordable options for dining out. I cannot get enough of the Chicken Marsala. So buttery, creamy and savory. Yum, yum, yum.
MIDDLE EASTERN
Halal Guys: $, You can find this fast casual, food cart, NYC staple at all hours at the corner of 53rd St. and 6th Ave. Particularly, it’s heavily frequented after a night of drinking and dancing. This place never disappoints. The gyro platter with just a splash of white sauce is my go to. Eater beware, their red sauce is incredibly spicy! You can find their OG cart on 53rd and 6th Ave.
AMERICAN / STEAKHOUSE
Gramercy Tavern: $$$$, It has a Michelin star for a reason! The dining table side which has the tasting menu is where you want to make a reservation. It’s a 5 course tasting menu. Don’t let the title “tasting menu” fool you. The portions are substantial. The chef specializes in vegetables so the tasting menu has 2 options for each course - one that’s vegetable base and one that’s meat based. You can’t go wrong with either option.
The FlatIron Room (Nomad): $$$, A dark, lounge, jazz bar with delicious food. They have live music nightly which you’re sure to appreciate with your tasty food. The Tomahawk and the Short Rib are my favorites from their menu.
Empire Steak House East: $$$, The cuts of meat are so fresh and juicy. They’re consistently cooked to a perfect medium-rare. It’s my go to during restaurant week.
Wolfgang Steak House (Park Avenue): $$$, So good. So good. So GOOD! The steak cuts are much larger than you’d imagine so anticipate larger portions than you’re expecting. Try to get a table in the back room, because the main dining area gets really loud.
Keens Steakhouse: $$$, The mutton was tender, juicy and packed with flavor. Don’t skip out on the mint-citrus jelly it comes with!
Delmonico’s ***: $$$, My favorite steak house in Manhattan so far. It’s the first fine dining restaurant in the US and still makes delicious food to this day. The interior is elegant with fun murals on the walls. The food is stellar. Particularly, the Maine Crab Cake (huge chunks of crab meat encased in a crispy fried potato strip shell), the Short Rib Tortellini (sweet, savory, creamy, crunch deliciousness), and of course, the Delmonico Steak (the restaurant’s signature rib eye - tender, juicy and packed with flavor) were the standout dishes for me. Watch my YouTube short video about my first time eating here.
COFFEE SHOPS
Ariston Coffee Bar: $$, The front part of the store is an elegant flower shop with beautifully decorated bouquets of flowers, while the back part is a chic and cozy 2 floor cafe that’s perfect for some solo time or catching up with a friend. Check out my YouTube short about this cafe here.
Remi 43 Flowers: $$, I don’t have a green thumb, but maybe that’s why I love these cafe flower shops so much. Remi Flowers has too locations but the one on 43rd is my preference. It’s bright, airy, and has flower decorations all throughout. Their lattes are also delicious and very Instagrammable.
Intelligentsia Coffee at the High Line Hotel: $$, The outdoor space is like an enclosed garden that feels like an escape from the city. I love coming here during the summer and getting a nice, refreshing iced-coffee from the outdoor truck!
DESSERTS
Grace Street Cafe: $, A casual cafe that’s perfect for post-meal sweets. The Burnt Cheesecake is everything - so sweet and creamy! The Mango Madness shaved ice is my go-to on a hot NYC summer day.
Mango Mango: $, I’m biased because Mango is my favorite fruit. The mango desserts here are rich and tasty.
Lady M: $$, Their famous mille crepes are so velvety smooth and creamy. The chocolate cake and the green tea cake are my favorites. My next to try on their list is the black sesame.
Bibble & Sip: $$, A whimsical and artistic bakery with delicious exotic fruit combinations and playful decorations.
BARS
J.Bespoke (Speakeasy): $$, A cool, hidden and chic speakeasy
Oscar Wilde: $$$, An ostentatiously and eclectically decorated bar with a fantastic cocktail menu. The interior decorations are even more elaborate during certain occasions like Halloween and Holidays.
The Ophelia: $$$, posh and luxurious. This penthouse bar offers stunning views worthy being pinned on your instagram page. The plush, red velvet couches, the delicious bar snacks and the dizzying cocktails make this bar one of my favorites for a romantic date night.
GAY BARS
While there are many gay bars and clubs scattered throughout Manhattan, the main gay neighborhoods, or “gay-borhoods”, in Manhattan are Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, and the West Village.
Hell’s Kitchen
HK is fun and probably where we go out most often in the gay scene. Here are a couple of my recommendations.
RISE: great music, straightforward drinks separated in to 2 spaces
VERS: classic, modern, gay club
HARDWARE: a longstanding gay bar, it’s smaller compared to others. The dance floor can get pretty tight, but that’s half the fun, right?
INDUSTRY: the music here is more EDM and clubby. It’s not my favorite in terms of music, but I love the decor and the crowd usually ends up here after a fun night of bar crawling
FLAMING SADDLES: a unique, country-themed gay bar. Expect to see the staff strutting on the bars with their clunky cowboy boots and pouring shots directly in patrons’ mouths.
DBL: aka Dive Bar Lounge is just that. A reliable gay dive bar. Cheap drinks and great music make this place a common starting spot in a long night of bar crawling.
Chelsea
Chelsea also has some fun, gay night life. I used to play in Gotham Volleyball - an LGBT volleyball league - and this is where we would usually hang out after games
GYM BAR: On any given weeknight, you’ll find locals and members of gay volleyball and soccer clubs relaxing here after a fun work out.
REBAR: I love the layout. During the day, it’s great for getting drinks and catching up with friends. At night, it gets closed off and the space becomes a classic bar with your classic pop music.
BOXERS: they have a great happy hour deal, large space and fun music. Their TVs are almost always playing RuPaul’s Drag Race.
LE BAIN: a more upscale, bougie bar at the rooftop of the Standard Hotel. It’s not necessarily a gay bar but it’s LGBT friendly. They throw great event parties, especially on Pride.
THE EAGLE: it’s more of an IYKYK bar that heavily features leather wear. Don’t be afraid to try everything once!
West Village
The West Village gay scene is a little more sophisticated and old-school. That makes sense considering you can credit the Stonewall Inn as the start of the gay rights movement.
STONEWALL INN: an iconic bar that started the gay rights movement in 1969. If you don’t know about it, I encourage you to read up on this pivotal moment in gay history.
DUPLEX: Love of show tunes + love of drinks = love of Duplex. Explore the fun piano bar. Come, grab drinks and belt your favorite show tune! They have a great happy hour menu. The upstairs is more clubby, so you can get the best of both worlds.
MONSTER: another fun piano bar with a basement for clubbing.
JULIUS: considered as the longest standing gay bar in Manhattan, Julius is more of a relaxed pub bar than a club bar.