I’ve been to several on the list. Seems to miss a lot of places that are just as or even more expensive. Frenchette doesn’t come close to the most expensive.
Oh, by the way, their roast chicken is pretty fabulous. Among the best I have had in the city.
Uber works pretty well for me. Heck sometimes I even walk or take the subway. Crazy wreckless fool that I am. 
I went to Torishin once a few years ago (maybe 2018 or so), and it was sublime. 11 Madison Park was a disappointment, but that was a long time ago (I went with my parents and brother, and my mother has been dead since 2010; this was probably at least 5 years earlier). Very much ditto for Le Bernardin, but that was even much longer ago (the 1990s, I think!). I went to the Modern a couple of times for Restaurant Week, and I was happy; I think one of those times was the Bar Room. Again, a long time ago (I don’t believe I’ve done Restaurant Week since 2009 or so). I went to Peter Luger years ago, too, maybe around 2004. Buttery steak; pearls before swine for me. I prefer marinated Argentinian steak or spicy Korean barbecued beef.
And what all these meals except for the one at Luger and the ones at The Modern have in common is that someone else treated me to the meal.
I also prefer St. Alselm, in Williamsburg. Have you tried their steak, wine, etc.?
Yeah, I used to love to go to Jean-George for lunch. I dressed in my performance suit (I’m a musician) and a nice tie, and I almost always got gracious, helpful service. I can’t imagine when I’ll go back, though: Pricing aside, they’re in the Trump International Hotel.
If that’s how you think, you should hire the same people to go to your local mall and place of worship (if any), and that’s all I’ll say about that, except that New York doesn’t really feel very dangerous to me, compared to the way it used to be from the 70s to the 90s, and statistics bear that out. And most of us weren’t murdered in those bad old days…
No, never been - I don’t get out to Brooklyn much. I agree with you about Jean-Georges, though - was always a treat, especially when it was $29 for lunch!
It was a joke.
Always nice to have generous family and friends. I am usually the one treating now a days. I remember the first time I was able to take my parents out to a nice dinner and pay for everyone.
I had one of the worst ‘service-related’ dining experience at Jean George a few years back. Our party was a group of 3 Oriental gentlemen. For wine, we decided to splurge and ordered a bottle of USD 450+, Ramonet White Burgundy to pair with our seafood-centric menu.
The female Sommelier, with a strong European accent, upon hearing our order, responded with a condescending tone and remark that stunned us by saying,… ’ You do realise this bottle costs over 450+ ’ ( or something like that! ). Man! What an insult!
BTW, the meal was good but not great! However, the white Burgundy was wonderful!
Sigh. That’s appalling, but not unfamiliar.
I’ve not had a bad experience at JG or Nougatine, but I would have asked for the manager when that comment was made, so the somm did not do it again to another person.
(The only possible benefit of the doubt I can think of is to confirm if there’s a big price difference by vintage and multiple are available, or if the table is visibly not sober already, but even then it’s a stretch.)
The question could have been smoothly asked by pointing to the wine on the list and simply asking, “This wine, sir?”
Yes, I think it IS a good idea to confirm the purchase of an expensive item. But there has to be a way to do it without implying that the customer can’t afford said item. Maybe bring the bottle over for approval with a big ol’ price sticker on it!
Pointing it out on the wine carte does this. Even asking the client to confirm the vintage on the carte. No discussion involved, just a finger point and a nod of confirmation.
eta, in noisy situations or foreign dining rooms, there is often need to confirm one’s choice. I’ve sent back bottles that were misunderstandings.
That’s very disappointing to hear. I’m sorry.
When the list is extensive, somehow our body language invites the sommelier to look with us as we place a finger on our selection.
Frenchette at $122 does NOT belong on this list. New Yorkers who regularly dine out are used to spending that for dinner. This list seems quite dated. There are many more that should be on it - especially the amazing omakase we have right now. Looking at you SHION 69 Leonard Street, Amane, Noz etc. There’s also Brooklyn Fare, Atomix. Really odd list, actually.
I’ve been to many of them - some several times - with no regrets.
I hate lists. Let me list the reasons (see what I did there?). And this list is on top of my list of stupid lists. As you and others have already said, there are dozens of restaurants that are higher priced than Luger & Frenchette in NYC, there are an additional hundred or so restaurants that are at the same price point as they are and, as importantly, their price point wouldn’t be considered expensive in many other cities either. And, to think that these are the “best” expensive places is to be completely unaware of the NYC food choices we have. I have now officially moved msn.com’s review way down on my list of trusted sources. And, I’m getting listless.
Lists are made to create comparisons and generate outrage or agreement. Otherwise without them we would all be listless. 
Be careful of saying $250 or more for a dinner for two isn’t particularly expensive. I caught a bit of flack on another thread when I pointed out what I think a typical dinner costs and what a fine dining spot charges in NYC. The prices were in line with the OP’s list. Apparently being able to afford an “expensive” meal puts one in a category of “otherness” that “regular” people don’t approve of or maybe it was just jealousy.
I saw that. More than a few like to think that their “normal” is (or should be) the universal benchmark & judge others’ spending habits accordingly. I tend to be more judgmental about where the money might’ve come from than where its being spent. And, of course, I’m just as imperfect with those assessments.
The other day, I passed on buying a bag of cherries because they were $5/lb. I weighed the bag & it was just over 3 lbs. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy it for $15+, even though I really like cherries. I got home and realized that I had bought a 1 lb bag of assorted Japanese rice crackers for $8. I don’t like rice crackers half as much as I like cherries. I clearly have internalized more than I want to. Sitting here, typing and eating rice crackers instead of cherries, just reinforces that message.
