The Four Seasons was the brainchild of master restaurateur Joe Baum, who created some of New York's most popular restaurants in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. This is the only one of his creations
The Odeon was the restaurant that popularized the modern New York brasserie. The space has a much more industrial vibe than other McNally dining rooms like Balthazar, but it still bristles with energy, f
For Gramercy Tavern, Bentel and Bentel created a dining room with a grand, rustic American feel. The space is enhanced by the massive, always-changing flower displays by house florist Roberta Benda
The food is the most important thing at Momofuku Noodle Bar. The design of the dining room drives the point home: it's spare, brightly lit, and a large portion of the space is devoted to an ope
The dining rooms at Peter Luger are brightly lit, boxy, and somewhat uncomfortable. But when you enter the space, you also feel like you're stepping back in time to old, German Brooklyn. It's a timele
The dining room at Per Se features a panoramic view of Columbus Circle that's interrupted by a roaring fireplace. There's a remarkable amount of space between tables, and the room is laid out so that each s
With Balthazar, Keith McNally created a Parisian brasserie unlike any that actually exists in Paris. It's big, bright, and the room is full of energy. The sense of cinema is heightened by the fact that t
At Strip House, David Rockwell created an over-the-top, old-school steakhouse space filled with red banquettes and photos of burlesque dancers. It's fairly busy space, but the tables are laid out in s
In terms of design, Freemans is one of the most influential restaurants to open in the last 10 years. The lodge-like space -- which includes plenty of warm woods, spare fixtures, and taxidermy on the walls
The dining room at Daniel, which got an update in 2008 from Adam Tihany, is an elegant, comfortable space, that features wonderful light. The restaurant feels like ground floor of a grand European estate.
McNally borrowed ideas from Balthazar for the design of Schiller's, but the dining room also has a wholly original feel. The space is casual, but sexy, and it looks great no matter when you stumble in.
The dining room at Lure Fishbar feels like the cabin of a huge luxury yacht. The subterranean space has a mid-century modern design that's comfortable and chic, and each and every corner features fla
Marlow & Sons has the quintessential modern Brooklyn dining room. It's boxy, cozy, dimly lit, and almost everything is fashioned out of re-used materials. On a busy night, Marlow feels like some s
Although Le Cirque's dining room has a few modern flairs that seem a touch of out place, it's still a stone cold classic. The dining room has incredibly high ceilings the give the effect of being under s
When you step into Vinegar Hill House, you feel like you're in a different time and a different place that you can't quite pinpoint. It's homey, just a tad funky, and completely American. A lo