Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in New York City

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in New York City? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar

5.0

5 (191)

$31 to $50

Seafood

East Village

About the restaurant

Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar puts what it does right in its name. This is a place custom designed for fans of local small-batch brews and a well-stocked raw bar. The inside of the restaurant is as cozy and comfortable as one would expect, as it is a relaxed atmosphere similar to a sports bar in the off-season. One of the keys to Upstate's success is its commitment to freshness. So much so that there isn't even a freezer in the building as everything is brought in fresh daily.Obviously, the oysters and clams are what most patrons come for, and Upstate's selection of west and east coast varieties changes every day, depending on what is available. That's certainly not the only thing on the menu, though. Guests can try out shared plates of house cured salmon, crab cakes, squid salad and even sea urchin.

Top review

AndrewVIP

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

For beer and seafood lovers only. Both are excellent. No salads, no fries, no frills. But the staff is friendly, the selection of oysters is impressive, and the prices are very reasonable.

Neta Shari

5.0

5 (131)

$50 and over

Sushi

Bensonhurst

About the restaurant

Omakase Sushi Restaurant located in the hearts of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

https://www.netashari.nyc/menu

Top review

Ellenge

Dined on Dec 1, 2024

The customer service alone is worth the experience! I look forward to returning!

Giano

4.9

4.9 (1543)

$30 and under

Italian

East Village

About the restaurant

Please call us if you are running later than 10 minutes after your reservation time. We may contact you about this reservation, so please ensure your email and phone number are up to date.
Please know that we have a grace period (15 min) .
All of our outdoor seating have heaters for your dining comfort but we ask that you dress accordingly for a New York winter.
This is the story of Paolo and Matteo, two guys from Milano who had an idea. Let's take the heart of our tradition and fuse it with the exciting innovations happening in Italian cooking, they said. Inspired by the Roman deity Janus who looked to the future as well as the past, Giano respects tradition and embraces the future. We like to think of our little corner in the east village as quite special, and hope you will too

Top review

Franco

Dined on Dec 10, 2024

Everytime I come, it’s always a 10/10 service, ambiance, and the food tastes just as good as the last time you’re there.

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Popular dish

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Popular dish

Tagliatelle alla Tirolese

Popular dish

Toasted Ravioli

MoCA Asian Bistro - Queens

4.9

4.9 (276)

$30 and under

Asian

Forest Hills

About the restaurant

Founded in 2006, MoCA formed a philosophy of dining and cuisine guided by the dynamic balance between the cherished traditions of Asian cultures, with thousands of years of history, and the universally human spirit of innovation that is nourished best by these great traditions.

The name “MoCA” comes from “Modern Concept of Culinary Arts.” The MoCA team approaches cooking as an artistic endeavor, devoted to presenting modern, healthy dishes with artistic principles of color, fragrance, balance, and overall presentation.

Top review

LennyVIP

Dined on Dec 8, 2024

Everything was delicious and the service was excellent

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Experience

Tuesday Live Music Nights

Osteria 106

4.9

4.9 (701)

$30 and under

Italian

Upper West Side

About the restaurant

If your preferred dining hour is not available on line, please feel free to call or email for availability. Please also note that for parties of 5 & more, you must please call us for availability. We look forward to seeing you!

PLEASE NOTE BEFORE BOOKING…we reserve all rights to limit table time as necessary. Please do also note “allotted table time” in your booking, it is very much appreciated.

GRAZIE!

OSTERIA 106, AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DINING SPACE IN MANHATTAN'S UPPER WEST SIDE.
OUR HOPE IS TO BRING A RELAXED, COMFORTABLE & TRULY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE TO OUR GUESTS, PRESENTING A FRESH APPROACH TO THE
FAMILIAR LANDSCAPE OF ITALIAN CUISINE.

Top review

BriannaVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Love coming here every time. Amazing service and even better food. So cozy

Sushi on Me - Williamsburg

4.9

4.9 (116)

$50 and over

Sushi

Williamsburg

About the restaurant

Sushi On Me is a secret hideout where customers can enjoy premium omakase in a speakeasy vibe. Our chefs and staffs are committed to delivering not only the best omakase sushi but also the best omakase experience to all the guests!

Guests can enjoy the premium 15-course omakase and the relaxing, speakeasy vibe in the 1-hour seating for the price of $99/person (Not including tax and Gratuity). For parties of 5+guest there is a 20% service charge. Please mention any food allergies or Food restrictions when making the reservation. [No vegetarian and celiac options, Can’t accommodate pregnant guests]

We have 4 dine-in slots as follows:
5.00pm - 6.00pm
6.30pm - 7.30pm
8.00pm - 9.00pm
9.30pm - 10.30pm

Private party and at-home omakase are also available, all inquiries can be made via sushionmenyc@gmail.com For parties of 6+ guest 50% deposit is required as booking confirmation. Please contact the restaurant regarding the deposit and more details.

Top review

Sam

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Fun, fast, friendly, with a nice bit of creativity!

Fiorentina Steakhouse

4.9

4.9 (120)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Throgs Neck

About the restaurant

Come join us at Fiorentina Steakhouse on 3617 E Tremont Ave, The Bronx, NY 10465

Top review

andy

Dined 7 days ago

FIORENTINA doesn’t disappoint. Love this restaurant in our neighborhood. The steaks are delicious cooked exactly how we ordered it. We had the surf and turf this time which was outstanding. The drinks are delightful. The wine is very nice. Desserts are great too. Can’t wait to come back. It’s worth every dollar.

L'Antagoniste

4.8

4.8 (429)

$31 to $50

French

Bedford-Stuyvesant

About the restaurant

Dear Guests,
FOR BIG PARTIES 10 AND UP OR BUY OUTS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 917-966-5300
Due to a Statewide mandate, we can only accept vaccinated costumers. We are saddened that this situation has worsened to this point. Please have your App ready!

Classic French fare in the heart of Bed-Stuy. For parties of twelve or more, please refer to our website for our three prix-fixe options.

Don't forget, we're open for Christmas and New Year's! They're some of our busiest days of the year, so book your table today!

BYOB and Poulet en Vessie every Monday, and Duck à la Presse every Sunday! Come experience these timeless French classics for yourself in a friendly neighborhood setting!

follow us on Facebook and Instagram, L'Antagoniste

Top review

Michael

Dined 1 day ago

Hosted a dinner with 12 friends in their wine cellar. Was excellent food, excellent service - we had a blast!!

Ernesto’s

4.8

4.8 (9)

$31 to $50

Basque

Lower East Side

About the restaurant

Ernesto’s is the acclaimed Basque-inspired restaurant from veteran chef Ryan Bartlow, who has worked at world-renowned restaurants, including Akelarre in Spain, Alinea in Chicago, and Frenchette in New York City. At Ernesto’s — which has been named one of The New York Times ‘best new restaurants’ of the year, among other accolades — Bartlow offers a menu inspired by his years spent cooking and living in the Basque region of Spain, mixing signature traditional dishes with seasonal riffs on classic flavors.

Ernesto's is open for dinner Monday from 5:30-9:30pm and Tuesday-Thursday from 5pm-9:30pm with the kitchen closing at 9:45pm, and Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm with the kitchen closing at 10:30pm. We accept reservations and walk-ins. We take reservations up to two weeks in advance with our books opening at midnight.

**Our outdoor tables are WALK-IN ONLY. Please call on the day of your reservation to check for availability.

Top review

Robert

Dined on Nov 15, 2024

Ernesto’s is a wonderful spot. Authentically both Basque and Lower East Side, it was truly soulful and differentiated in a too often homogenized world. Delicious and interesting food, an incredibly deep and educational Spanish wine list, and friendly, knowledgeable service to guide diners along the way. Very grateful to have dined here.

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Experience

New Years Eve

Fresco's Grand Cantina

4.8

4.8 (124)

$30 and under

Mexican

Astoria

About the restaurant

**** Please note this page is for our 28-50 31st St, Queens, New York location.****

Beautiful Mexican-Fusion establishment with old-world accents and very Instagram-able throughout the restaurant. We pride ourselves with fresh locally sourced ingredients for our Authentic & Modern Mexican fare.

Best Happy Hour around from 3pm to 8pm from Tuesday to Friday. The strong & delicious cocktails and amazing service will keep you coming back week after week for any of our numerous events. Follow us on Instagram to stay in the loop.

If you'd like to make a reservation at our other location ( Fresco's Cantina ) located at 12-14 31st Ave Astoria, NY 11106 - Please call (347) 808-7338.

Thank you!

Top review

Lizzette

Dined 7 days ago

I LOVE the drag show at Fresco’s! It’s the best!! I have also had dinner and lunch there on separate occasions and the food was delicious, great tacos. The sangria was ON POINT, and def delivers a great buzz! lol! My only disappointment this time around was that I ordered the churro French toast and despite letting my server know that I wanted my eggs cooked well with crispy bacon, my order did not come out that way, my friend had the same issue with her order and when she asked if the eggs could be cooked more,the waiter was visibly annoyed and told her it would take 20 minutes. I did not eat the eggs or the bacon on my plate. I don’t usually complain about things like this but if I ask for my food a certain way it’s because I like it that way, and I always let the server know when I order so I won’t have to send things back, as I know it adds work to an already busy kitchen.Everyone else at my table received their food the way they ordered it and were pleased with their meals, guess I won’t order that dish again. I will def return because I love this establishment and will always support, but I was underwhelmed with my meal this time around. Next time I’ll have the tacos!

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