Le Bernardin

"Le Bernardin is Eric Ripert's Manhattan restaurant that continues to rack up accolades as one of the best in the world."

"You could make the argument that old-school fine dining is boring and antiquated. And that would be a pretty compelling argument, if it weren’t for Le Bernardin. This Midtown institution, which has been open for over 30 years now, is a well-oiled machine that’s been fine-tuned to perfection. The service here skews north of impeccable, and the sprawling dining room's soft spotlights hit exactly where your plate goes. But the actual glamor of this restaurant—and the main reason why it's still an amazing place to eat after some three decades—comes via the seafood. Geoduck chawanmushi with uni and soft-crunchy sea beans in pork dashi, langoustine and buttery leeks in uni sauce americaine that tastes like New Orleans, slightly smoked sea trout tartare—you book a reservation at Le Bernardin primarily to get your hands on these." - bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah

"The Dish: Thinly Pounded Yellowfin Tuna This light yet decadent starter is a constant on the menu at French seafood titan Le Bernardin in Midtown, and we hope it never leaves. First, yellowfin tuna is pounded thin, until it resembles stained glass, or possibly the world's most expensive Fruit Roll-Up. The translucent fish is draped over a precise rectangle of toasted baguette spread with foie gras mousse, and finally brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with chives. It's rich, earthy, sweet, bright, yet totally balanced—and even in the face of foie, the tuna improbably remains the star. This is what surf and turf was always meant to be." - bryan kim, sonal shah, willa moore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja

"Price: $325 Are you a fan of fish? Do you like it when servers anticipate your every need as if they’ve been shadowing you since birth? If you answered yes to both of those questions, or even if you have a mild interest in seafood, plan a special meal at Le Bernardin. Their eight-course tasting consists almost exclusively of impeccably prepared dover sole, langoustine, and other oceanic items swimming in fussy French sauces. " - bryan kim, willa moore, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick

"Eric Ripert’s temple of fine dining has held a rare four-star status since 1986, the year it opened, from the New York Times. The classic French restaurant is a celebration of seafood, with a tasting menu that includes tuna tartare, sea urchin, Dover sole, and halibut. And yes, there is a vegetarian tasting menu that rivals the pescatarian one, with courses centered around hearts of palm, artichokes, and white asparagus." - Eater Staff