The Dining-Out Habits of NY Metro Area eGulleters

[Fat Guy]

I'm not interested in gathering statistics or hard data, but I'd be interested, for the purposes of planning future content initiatives, in getting a general idea of the dining-out habits of NY Metro Area eGulleters.

Share as much as you feel comfortable sharing: How many times a week do you dine out? At what level of restaurant? How many of the New York Times 2/3/4-star and Zagat-Top-50-type restaurants do you visit in a given week, month, or year? Do you tend to be a regular at just a few restaurants, or do you try to go someplace different almost every time you dine out, or a mix? Do you mostly dine near your home or do you use restaurants as destinations, or a mix? You may also answer other questions, even if they haven't been asked.

Thanks.

[tommy]

i hate quizzes.

on average, i eat at restaurants about 5-10 times a week. mostly 1/2 star type places.

i'll visit "3 star" (my definition might not agree with the NYT) restaurants perhaps 15 or 20 times per year, and 2 or 3 four star.

my choice of restaurants is usually based on convenience and desire: if i'm going out in the east village, i'll pick somewhere down there, etc. however, some of the better restaurants fall under the "destination" category (most trips outside of the NYC area are based on/around restaurants).

i'm a "regular" at just a few restaurants. perhaps 10 know me by face. although i may frequent other places very often, just not in a way that would make me a "regular" (i don't go out of my way to engage servers/chefs/reservationists/etc at some places).

i have no other answers. may i be excused?

[Fat Guy]

No you have to stick around. Of the following, how many have you visited in the past year?

Alain Ducasse

Aquavit

Artisanal

Asia de Cuba

Atelier

AZ

Aureloe

Babbo

Balthazar

Blue Water Grill

Bolo

Bouley

Cafe Boulud

Cafe des Artistes

Chanterelle

Craft

Daniel

Danube

Eleven Madison Park

Fiamma Osteria

Fifty-Seven Fifty-Seven

Four Seasons

Gotham Bar & Grill

Gramercy Tavern

Honmura An

Il Mulino

Jean Georges

Jo Jo

Judson Grill

Kuruma Zushi Restaurant

La Cote Basque

La Grenouille

Le Bernardin

Le Cirque 2000

L'Impero

March

Montrachet

Next Door Nobu

Nobu

Oceana

Olica

Park Bistro

Patria

Peter Luger

Picholine

Pico

RM

San Domenico

Sugiyama

Sushi Yasuda

Tabla

Town

Union Pacific

Union Square Cafe

Veritas

WD-50

[scamhi]

No you have to stick around. Of the following, how many have you visited in the past year?

Alain Ducasse–1

Artisanal–3

AZ– 1 lunch

Babbo-6

Bouley-2

Cafe Boulud–1

Craft–2

Eleven Madison Park–1

Gramercy Tavern-2 the grill only

Honmura An–1

La Cote Basque–1 lunch

March–1 lunch

Nobu–2

Pico–1

RM–1

Sugiyama-2

Sushi Yasuda–1

Town–1

Union Square Cafe-1 lunch

Veritas–1

I've eaten in some of the others but not within the last year.

[MichaelZ]

FG - on your list, I've got the following "attendance record"

Artisanal -1

AZ -1

Craft -4

Eleven Madison Park -2

Four Seasons -6 (business, not my choice)

Gramercy Tavern -3

Jean Georges -1

Kuruma Zushi Restaurant 2

Le Bernardin 2

Le Cirque 2000 2(business, not my choice)

Montrachet -1

Oceana -2

Pico -1

Sushi Yasuda -3

I generally dine out twice a week at lunch, and about the same for dinner, including weekends. My favorites range from San Pietro to the Queen in Brooklyn.

I enjoy good food, and am not enamored (usually) of overly fancy places.

[alacarte]

How many times a week do you dine out?

- probably 2 or 3 times a week. More if you include delivery & take-out.

At what level of restaurant?

--Usually two- or three-star. For special occasions, maybe a four-star. Mostly, a diner that doesn't make it on the star scale. I've been to only a few of the restaurants on your list in the past year, Artisanal, Patria, Blue Water Grill, and Gramercy Tavern (but just the walk-in bar, not the restaurant).

Do you tend to be a regular at just a few restaurants, or do you try to go someplace different almost every time you dine out, or a mix?

-About half and half. I'll go back to someplace I like, but I try to sample new places too.

Do you mostly dine near your home or do you use restaurants as destinations, or a mix? Mostly near either home or work.

[tommy]

Artisanal - 3

Babbo - 3

Balthazar - 1

Blue Water Grill - 10

Eleven Madison Park - 2

Gramercy Tavern - 2/3

Le Bernardin - 1

March - 1

RM - 1

Tabla - 5

Union Pacific - 8

yikes. it's been a slow year.

[Bux]

Blue Hill is most curiously missing from that list. While I don't dine much on the UWS, Ouest seems a distinct omission. It looks like a random list, perhaps it is.

[Fat Guy]

It's not a random list, but it's also not meant to be an exhaustive list of the best restaurants in town. The idea was just to throw out 50 or so of the top names to get an idea of what percentage the average New York eGulleter who bothers to answer here has visited this year. If there are 20 names to add to the list (and several to take away) in order to make it into a valid "best restaurants," list it doesn't really affect this kind of information gathering.

[tommy]

more than just blue hill is missing from the list.

edit: yeah, what fg said.

Edited June 30, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Bux]

I stopped at two and before I got to midtown.

[EJRothman]

I generally eat out 1-3 times a week. I always go to "bang-for-the-buck" local places because I am a poor college student. When the parents are buying it tends to get a little more upscale, but still moderate.

I have not been to any of the listed restaurants. Last year I went to Bread Bar at Tabla, I have been to Mesa Grill, Gotham Bar and Grill way back when I was young (early teens), and maybe one notable restuarants.

I usually dine near home, but also find restauarants around the city if I happen to be in the area.

I have a few places I go regularly to, but am always looking for a new good bargain place.

[SobaAddict70]

El Gordo, your questions in order:

1. At least once a week. Less if I'm busy at work.

2. As much as my wallet can absorb sticker shock. Range is from cheap eats to the occasional high end splurge. I'm afraid that ADNY shall forever be relegated to the realm of Christmas dinner, however.

3. Zagats? What Zagats? I don't see no stinkin' Zagats around here. Seriously, I don't use Zagats, and like tommy, my definition of 2 and 3 star restos differs from the Times. Haven't yet done any of the 4 star places so I can't comment.

4. A mix. I'd say I'm a regular at about seven or eight, and the rest of the time I'm open to a lot of places. On the other hand, there are places that I'll NEVER return to...not even kicking and screaming, while being dragged by wild horses.

5. I prefer restos downtown than near my neighborhood (midtown east). I prefer locations south of 34th Street, and definitely in Manhattan. (Sorry, but after living in the outer boros for over a third of my life, I couldn't be dragged to the Bronx, SI, Queens or Brooklyn unless I was bribed, or in the company of good friends.)

Alain Ducasse -- 0; see above

Aquavit -- 1

Artisanal -- 0

Asia de Cuba -- 0 (not because I can't afford it but because I'm NOT a fan of fusion and Asia de Cuba is fusion in the worst possible way IMHO)

Atelier -- 0

AZ -- 1 (it was ok, but I won't be returning any time soon for the same reason as not going to Asia de Cuba)

Aureloe -- 0

Babbo -- 2

Balthazar -- 0

Blue Ribbon Sushi -- 2

Blue Water Grill -- 0

Bolo -- 0 (basically anything that's fusion-y and Flay is definitely fusion-y is an automatic out)

Bouley -- 0

Cafe Boulud -- 0

Cafe des Artistes -- 0

Chanterelle -- 0

Craft -- 1 (and hopefully a return will be soon...!!!)

Daniel -- 0

Danube -- 0

Diwan (the midtown one) -- 2

Eleven Madison Park -- 1

Esca -- 1

Fiamma Osteria -- 0

Fifty-Seven Fifty-Seven -- 0

Four Seasons -- 0

Gotham Bar & Grill -- 0

Gramercy Tavern -- 1

Honmura An -- 5

Il Mulino -- 0

Jean Georges -- 0

Jewel Bako -- 4

Jo Jo -- 0

JUdson Grill -- 0

Kuruma Zushi Restaurant -- 0

La Cote Basque -- 0

La Grenouille -- 0

Le Bernardin -- 0

Le Cirque 2000 -- 0

L'Impero -- 0

Lupa -- 3

March -- 0 (this is one of those exceptions for fusion. March is next on my "to do" places to go, since I've heard so much about it and tommy is clearly a fan of Wayne Nish's concept)

Montrachet -- 0

Next Door Nobu -- 0

Nobu -- 1

Oceana -- 0

Olica -- 0

Otto -- not yet, but hopefully soon

Park Bistro -- 0

Patria -- NEVER!!!

Peter Luger -- 0

Picholine -- 0

Pico -- 0

RM -- 0

San Domenico -- 0

Sugiyama -- 1 (will go back again soon I hope)

Sushi Yasuda -- 0

Tabla -- 2

Town -- 0

Union Pacific -- 0

Union Square Cafe -- 3

Veritas -- 0

WD-50 -- 0

Do I get a passing grade?

Soba

Edited June 30, 2003 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[Fat Guy]

A+

[tommy]

March -- 0 (this is one of those exceptions for fusion.  March is next on my "to do" places to go, since I've heard so much about it and tommy is clearly a fan of Wayne Nish's concept)

it's not "fusion." regardless of what zagat's says.

[Brian23]

Alain Ducasse 0 - (but I've been 2 times and greatly prefer his place in Monaco so I find it hard to go back)

Artisanal - 1

Babbo -2

Blue Water Grill -2

Bouley -1

Chanterelle -1

Craft -3

Daniel -0 (I swore off all Bolud restaurants after some awful service abd very avegae food at my last meal at daniel)

Four Seasons -1

Gotham Bar & Grill -1

Gramercy Tavern -6

L'Impero -1

March -1

Montrachet -1

Patria -1

Peter Luger -1

Picholine -1

Sushi Yasuda -6

Town -1

Union Pacific -1

Union Square Cafe - 20+ (I'm a regular for weekend lunch)

WD-50 -1

I usually eat out 4-6 times a week and usually 1-2 star type places in the union square area (where I live) or further downtown. I probably make it to a 3 star place once a month and 3-5 4 star meals a year.

I try to visit lots of different places and am a regular at a few top places and few more neighnorhood casual type places. There is also a long list of places that I won't pay to go back because I just don't think its worth the $$$ (Daniel, Bouley, Le Bernadin, AZ, Esca and many others).

Also, some of my favorites, Blue Hill and Tasting Room should be on this list.

[fnydm4]

I generally dine once a week at a 2 or 3 star caliber restaurant and since I live in NJ often make the restaurant a destination place for visiting the city. Not really a regular at any one restaurant although frequent Babbo's the most.

Aquavit - 3

AZ - 1

Aureole - 6 (lunch only..work nearby)

Babbo - 6 (my favorite overall)

Balthazar - 1

Bolo - 3 (Enjoyed it each time and am puzzled by the reaction to the 3 star designation on this site)

Bouley 3 (best meal I ever had)

Cafe Boulud - 2 (lunch and dinner)

Craft - 1

Daniel -1

Gotham - 2 (lunch and dinner)

Gramercy - 2

Il mulino - 1

Jean Georges - 2 (lunch and dinner)

Mesa Grill 4 (I find its an easy place to take out-of-towners who are not foodie types)

Montrachet - 1

Nobu - 1

Nobu Next Door - 1

RM - 1

Tabla - 1

Union Pacific - 2 (Lunch and dinner ..2nd to Bouley in best meal I've had)

Union Square Cafe - 1 (Had to try once since it remains NY's perenial most popular..not that impressed however)

[Pan]

How many times a week do you dine out?

Hmmm...3-4? (I guess takeout doesn't count.)

At what level of restaurant?

Usually "$25-and-under" (though I think some of those deserve 2 stars) and sometimes places that are up to $40-something. I don't know if the NYT has given any place like Il Bagatto 2 stars, but I think most are 1-star.

How many of the New York Times 2/3/4-star and Zagat-Top-50-type restaurants do you visit in a given week, month, or year?

1-3 a year, I guess.

During the past year, I had lunch at Bouley (and posted an unfavorable review here) and that's it from your list. Of course, this doesn't include the Michelin-listed and -starred places I ate at in France last summer, but that's about a year ago, anyway.

Do you tend to be a regular at just a few restaurants, or do you try to go someplace different almost every time you dine out, or a mix?

I have regular takeout places; otherwise, it's a mix. But honestly, I do have a rotation of places that I go to regularly, even if it's a somewhat long list and susceptible to enlargement and shrinkage.

Do you mostly dine near your home or do you use restaurants as destinations, or a mix?

Mostly either within a 25-minute walk of my home or near someplace I have to be for work or some errand. It sure helps to live in the East Village (and, therefore, also close to Chinatown). When I lived on the Upper West Side, various other neighborhoods were restaurant destinations.

[elyse]

2-3 times a week I get a slice. Not at any of the above mentioned.

[Msk]

Not counting lunch which I eat out every day near my office, I generally eat out 3 - 5 times per week, more if you include takeout. (Unless I'm eating the rubber chicken at any one of NY's finest restaurants for a business function).

I have been to 15 of those restaurants in the last year, 25 in the last 18 months.

The types of restaurants I go to vary greatly from Burger Joints to 4 Star restaurants. (though my my opinions also do vary from the NYT and Zagat's as well). However, I tend to go to lower scale places to satisfy cravings.

During the week I tend to go to neighborhood Places (Murray Hill), during the weekend the whole city is fair game.

I tend to like to try new restaurants, I have a soft spot for supporting entrepneurial restraunteurs.

I love food and wine (as with most eGulleters)

Msk

[Aquitaine]

2-3 times a week I get a slice.  Not at any of the above mentioned.

Whew! I was getting eat-out envy....

I'm not a typical New Yorker, I guess. I rarely do takeout, and I don't see eating out as a "regular thing to do." Perhaps it's the Yankee in me: I still think of eating out as a treat, so I am particularly picky about how to spend my money. Some of the places I've been that cost $40 per person and other people go to just for a casual dinner I think of as a complete waste of money.. I would rather invite friends over and spend the money on good ingredients and wine. Which is what I did for a big birthday last year. My friends at first thought I was nuts, and then realized that being able to relax and take all the time in the world and not have to listen to other diners, etc., was great.

Even when I was making quite a decent salary (not Wall Street, however ), I thought twice about dropping a lot of money on a meal. One of the few splurges I remember being worth every cent of the $75 per person (this was back in 1980) was La Tulipe.... Took someone out for a tasting menu at Nobu last year and thought it was highly overrated, but I gather my perception is anomalous...

Most apt to eat out in Japanese restaurants, partly because sushi is something I can't do well and it's very different... I do have a wishlist, including some named on your list....but I guess that doesn't count!

[anil]

How many times a week do you dine out?

Do not cook - So 15 meals/wk

At what level of restaurant? How many of the New York Times 2/3/4-star and Zagat-Top-50-type restaurants do you visit in a given week

About once a week

  Do you tend to be a regular at just a few restaurants, or do you try to go someplace different almost every time you dine out, or a mix? Do you mostly dine near your home or do you use restaurants as destinations, or a mix? 

Regular at some - Dine nearby during bad weather.

Destinations ? I fly to destinations I want my miles

[Eric_Malson]

I eat out 5-7 times a week (um, in restaurants, that is....). Although I love to cook, my work tends to be mostly in the late afternoon/early evening and by the time I'm finished I generally don't feel like breaking out the cookware.

I usually end up traveling, because in my neighborhood (Columbia U. area) there just aren't that many restaurants I want to visit more than about once a month (La Rosita and, extending a bit, Pampa, are the only exceptions).

Since I generally eat later than most of my friends (during the week, anyway), for me a restaurant not only needs to have food that appeals to me, but I need to feel comfortable dining there alone. Most of these restaurants are in the $25-and-under category. However, what I feel like eating on the evening in question is the paramount consideration!

I tend to be a "regular" at a handful of restaurants (there are 5 or 6 of these), but try a very wide range of places. If there's good food to be had, I'm up for it!

Haven't been to so many places on "the list", but it's actually more a question of coordinating schedules with dining companions than a lack of desire to go there. In the last year or so, I've been to:

Bolo (didn't like that at all)

Cafe des Artistes

Eek....that's ALL?? I must make a more concerted effort.....

[mikeyrad]

Breakfast/Brunch: 6x per week

Lunch: 5x

Dinner: 4x

Artisanal: 1

AZ: 2

Babbo: 1

Balthazar: 2

Cafe Boulud: 1

Craft: 1

Fiamma Osteria: 2

Gotham Bar & Grill: 2

Gramercy Tavern: 1

L'Impero: 1

Patria: 1

RM: 2

Union Pacific: 1

Veritas: 1

WD-50: 2

[elyse]

2-3 times a week I get a slice.  Not at any of the above mentioned.

Whew! I was getting eat-out envy....

Just keepin it real.

(deny temptation).