New York's Best Family-Friendly Dining 2008

Thin-crust pizzas with a cult-like following in the Village.

Reviews:

• “Best of the Best!!!”
• “Way overrated”
• “Good Pizza. Prob best in NYC but NOT better than NJ Pizza.”
• “best of citysearch and the food network???”
• “Simple and Amazing – From a Locals Point of View – And a correction for the mistaken”

Tips: John’s serves pies only; you’ll have to go elsewhere for a slice.

John’s of Bleecker Street or email John’s of Bleecker Street

Fresh cooking and a guaranteed scene are what’s behind this Tribeca brunch institution.

Reviews:

• “Big Breakfast!”
• “Changed for the worst.”
• “Bad Service”
• “Great brunch spot……”
• “Great Matzah ball soup & Mac N Cheese, Very Crowded though.”

Tips: Find more top-rated brunch spots around town.

Bubby’s

Big crowds, big servings, big flavors—the ultimate in family-style dining.

Reviews:

• “Decent Italian”
• “Big Place, Big Tasting Food”
• “VERY GOOD FOOD,A BIT CROWDED AT SHOW TIMES”
• “Best marinara sauce and most generous portions in town”
• “Food is awesome but the service is fleeting”

Tips: After 6pm, reservations may only be made for parties of 6 or more. If you’re turning up without a reservation, get there before 5pm or be prepared to wait (fortunately, the bar area is quite generous).

Carmine’s Midtown

A casual spin-off of the meat-happy Lexington Avenue restaurant serves superior burgers in the Village.

Reviews:

• “Cool spot.”
• “RARE is great!”
• “YUM! Burger Heaven! and great "
• “tasty burgers”
• “Hands Down Worst Service”

Tips: The restaurant’s Lexington Avenue location has rooftop dining in the summer.

Rare Bar & Grill or email Rare Bar & Grill

Pan-Asian with a dash of Korean and a heaping portion of Times Square.

Reviews:

• “Boring menu, Waste of money”

Tips: Even a New Yorker couldn’t find this place without an address. Enter the Renaissance Hotel, go up one floor on the elevator, walk though the lobby bar to the left and keep walking until you run into the hostess desk (hidden behind a pole).

Chop Suey or email Chop Suey

Reviews:

• “Excellent Pizza In A Houston-esque Setting”
• “Try the pepperoni”
• “Great Pizza!”
• “Avoid – Terrible Service”
• “Great find – GREAT prices”

Dean’s Family Style Restaurant

A sincere barbecue joint with something for everyone.

Reviews:

• “Good Old BBQ”
• “Great Place for a Birthday!”
• “Cheap beer and good eats if you don’t mind frat houses”
• “fabulous ribs, very friendly and attentive waitress Melissa”
• “oh snap its good”

Tips: The best value in the joint is a bucket of rib tips—the best part of the ribs—for cheap.

Brother Jimmy’s BBQ or email Brother Jimmy’s BBQ

What you get in this sprawling smokehouse—besides stuffed—is a heady tour of barbecue across America.

Reviews:

• “WOW!!”
• “Did not live up to expectations.”
• “GRAND SLAM BBQ’S—-CITY’S BEST!”
• “Great way to kick off the unofficial start to summer!”
• “These other reviewers are crazy….”

Tips: Check out more great barbecue joints across town.

Virgil’s Real BBQ

New Japanese cuisine in a fanciful re-creation of a ninjitsu mountain village.

Reviews:

• “Great food, terrible service”
• “Great special occasion place”
• “What a blast!”
• “WORST NYC EXPERIENCE EVER!!!!!!”
• “Overpriced, lame and below average food.”

Tips: Sake, wines from the Pacific Rim and cocktails are available.

Ninja New York or email Ninja New York

The decor looks like a Western theme park, but it’s the juicy Texas-style cue’ that provides the thrill ride.

Reviews:

• “Annoying Atmosphere / Bad "System""
• “Yuppy Back Country Paradise”
• “Great pork ribs, fun atmosphere, helpful staff”
• “Guess I’ll have to live without it.”
• “A real kick!”

Tips: Once you get your meal ticket, load up your tray at the meat, side, and dessert stations, and then find an open table. Note: If you lose your ticket, you’ll be paying a hefty minimum charge.

Hill Country

Cowgirls and cowboys saddle up in this Village corral for comfort food and fun.

Reviews:

• “Waitstaff and management is so hip it hurts”
• “Faboo Food and Fun”
• “Help them go out of business!”
• “Huh???”
• “Very good margaritas”

Tips: Check out the restaurant’s “general store,” where you can buy Western kitsch, from pony figurines to Gold Rush gum to clothing for cowbabies.

Cowgirl

Bright Latin flavors and an energetic crowd at this colorful Upper West Side favorite.

Reviews:

• “service weak – food bad – go to another new uws place”
• “Restaurant Week Loser”
• “Mediocre at best… "
• “Great Latino Food in the Upper West Side”
• “Spice up your evening!”

Tips: The large lazy Susan-laden table in the semi-private nook in back seats 12 to 16 comfortably without isolating parties from the lively main dining room.

Calle Ocho

Main Street meets Chambers Street in this quaint homage to Americana.

Reviews:

• “Not like on TV”
• “Underwhelmed”
• “Love this place!”
• “Cute place. Basic food done a little better.”
• “What a New Yorker Needs After a Hard Day”

Tips: Try classic fountain creations like the egg cream, a frothy combo of chocolate syrup and seltzer or a lime rickey, a mix of lemon soda, lime juice, seltzer and cherry.

The Soda Shop

Po’ boys and pizza pies in a funky, friendly neighborhood restaurant.

Reviews:

• “Decent food for eat-in — Avoid delivery at all costs”
• “Overall excellent breakfast/brunch place”
• “Great food, solid service, awesome for kids!”
• “Local eatery”
• “kids will love it”

Tips: On the weekends, there’s usually live music, so call for a schedule of events.

Two Boots Brooklyn

Casual, fun pan-Asian eats in the Theater District.

Reviews:

• “INCREDIBLE FOOD, AMAZING VARIETY!!!!”
• “Good Location! "
• “No good anymore!”
• “One of the only GOOD restaurants in Times Square!”
• “Nice atmosphere, friendly staff, overpriced sushi.”

Tips: When the Broadway shows begin, the restaurant clears out, so wait until after 8pm to snag a table without having to wait.

Ruby Foo’s Times Square or email Ruby Foo’s Times Square

After tackling fine-dining, steak and seafood, Laurent Tourondel turns his eye to that most hotly contested American food: the burger.

Reviews:

• “This place is Awesome! Great Burgers, Great Fries.. I love it”
• “Great hearty burgers and SPECTACULAR spiked shakes”
• “what a dissapointment”
• “Decent food, awful service”
• “Good”

Tips: Beverages include everything from Boylan’s sodas to the unusual on-tap Ommegang Witte Beer to Kahlua-spiked milkshakes. The $3 cans of Pabst and Schlitz add a real touch of Americana.

BLT Burger

I’ve-had-a-rough-day comfort food draws crowds, especially for weekend brunch.

Reviews:

• “Impressed by a juicy burger”
• “Good Food, Bad Service”
• “Average Entree Tasty Cake”
• “WHY SUBMIT YOURSELF TO THE ABUSE "
• “A good breakfast/brunch spot.”

Tips: Be prepared to wait in line during weekend brunch. Reservations are not taken. You can avoid crowds by coming for a late brunch, served until 4pm.

Good Enough to Eat or email Good Enough to Eat