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Balthazar’s grand dining room with a mirror in the back and gold lighting.
Balthazar’s grand dining room.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

14 Tourist Trap Restaurants in NYC That Are Actually Good

Worth the time for visitors and locals

by Eater Staff Updated
View as Map
Balthazar’s grand dining room.
| Nick Solares/Eater NY
by Eater Staff Updated

Folks traveling to New York often want to live like a local for a few days, visiting the restaurants and bars where they can just blend in and avoid anything too touristy. But plenty of places across the boroughs blur the line between tourist trap and local safe haven.

The places on this map fill up regularly during primetime with tourists, but locals in the know will sneak in, too. Here now, a list of some of the biggest tourist destinations in New York that are worth a visit. Consider them the next time family or friends come to visit.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Arthur Avenue Retail Market

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This food hall and retail market has been open in the Bronx’s Little Italy since 1940, focused on classic Italian-American goods. Food runs from fresh mozzarella to overstuffed heroes, but Eater critic Robert Sietsema most highly recommends eating at charming Sicilian counter Café al Mercato for some focaccia sandwiches, tripe soup, baked pastas, and other hot entrees. Beyond food, find freshly rolled cigars, tons of dried pasta, craft beer, and even gardening supplies. To make the stop a full tour of the neighborhood, follow Sietsema’s walking guide.

2344 Arthur Ave, The Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 220-0346
(718) 220-0346
An indoor retail market with lots of food on display and customers sitting at wooden benches.
Arthur Avenue’s bustling food hall and retail market.
Alex Staniloff/Eater NY

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Sylvia's

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Open since 1962, Sylvia’s is a Harlem tradition — an essential restaurant, period, for classics like ribs, cornbread, fried chicken, and collards. What started as a luncheonette has expanded to over 200 seats with catering and remains a go-to for politicians and celebrities. Since founder Sylvia Woods died in 2012, the family has been running the business.

328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
(212) 996-0660
(212) 996-0660
The packed, red-walled dining room of Sylvia’s with chairs and tables covered in white tablecloths.
Sylvia’s is a Harlem tradition.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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Gray's Papaya

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The dogs at Gray’s, on the Upper West Side and open 24/7, have been widely loved for decades, particularly as a popular drunken stop for locals. With its Recession Special still going strong — two franks and a medium drink for $6.95 — it’s little wonder why.

2090 Broadway, New York, NY 10023
(212) 799-0243
(212) 799-0243
The Gray’s Papaya sign shines in its bright yellow color while patrons inside order hot dogs.
A Gray’s Papaya dog alone is worth an NYC trip.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

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Magnolia Bakery

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Magnolia has a reputation for cupcakes after Sex and the City made it famous. But that’s the rookie move — instead, go for the decadent banana pudding or an airy icebox cake.

200 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023
(212) 724-8101
(212) 724-8101

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The Halal Guys

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Lines snake down the block constantly at this chicken and rice phenom. Its flagship cart sits on West 53rd Street off Sixth Avenue, prime location for tourists going to the Museum of Modern Art and the Midtown lunch crowd. Get the combo platter, and get the sauces.

W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
(347) 527-1505
(347) 527-1505

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Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

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This oyster bar has reigned inside Grand Central’s subterranean space since 1913, and it welcomes commuters just as much as tourists daily. The smart move is to sit at the bar with a plate of raw oysters during the late lunch hour. Order the love-it-or-hate-it oyster pan roast, and decide which side to choose.

89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
(212) 490-6650
(212) 490-6650
A long underground bar with backed bar stools is set up under an arching tunneled ceiling with yellow glowing lights.
Slurp oysters under the glowing arches.
Grand Central Oyster Bar

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Chelsea Market

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An anchor of West Chelsea for more than 20 years, Chelsea Market is one of the city’s best food courts. It’s always a mob scene and it’s hard to find seating. But it’s a market that locals actually use, for both its stellar restaurant vendors — Ayada, Los Tacos No. 1, and Miznon rise above — and market stands.

75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
(212) 652-2110
(212) 652-2110
Diners sit at a crowded counter enjoying Lobster Place’s raw bar.
Diners line up at the Lobster Place at Chelsea Market.
Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

John's of 12th Street

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This red-sauce spot opened in 1908 and remains a restaurant from another era that we’re happy to revisit in real life and on TV (by way of “the Sopranos” and “Boardwalk Empire”). This onetime speakeasy made wine and booze in the basement and today pays homage to Italian American items like pasta fagioli, clams oreganata, chicken parm, or spaghetti and meatballs. It’s also a super vegan friendly menu.

302 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 475-9531
(212) 475-9531

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Veniero's Pastry

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This Italian pastry shop has been going strong since 1894, where cannoli, tiramisu, sfogliatelle, and gelato are all required orders. Devotees of the bakery know to grab a table under the stained glass ceiling just before Veniero’s closes (midnight during the week, and 1 a.m. on weekends).

342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 674-7070
(212) 674-7070
Dozens of assorted fruit tarts sit in a display case at Veniero’s in the East Village.
You can’t go wrong with ordering one of everything at Veniero’s.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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Dominique Ansel Bakery

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Ever heard of a little pastry called the Cronut? Suckers line up at 6 a.m. for the croissant-doughnut hybrid that took the world by storm — but locals know to go later in the day for pastry chef Dominique Ansel’s stellar kouign amann, frozen s’mores, or any of the other pastries in the case, really.

189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 219-2773
(212) 219-2773
Pastry chef Dominique Ansel stands behind a counter while customers watch him assemble a dessert.
Dominique Ansel in his element.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

Also featured in:

Balthazar

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This behemoth French brasserie from restaurateur Keith McNally has had a huge influence on the NYC dining scene. Its red leather banquettes, soft lighting, and bistro fare keep it serving one million meals every year. Rather than sit down for a full meal, head to the bar for some steak tartare and frites, wash it down with Champagne, and drink in the Balthazar experience.

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-1414
(212) 965-1414
A black and white photo of a server moving through a crowded dining room.
Balthazar is always a scene.
Daniel Krieger/Eater NY

Also featured in:

Russ & Daughters

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Four generations of family ownership and over one hundred years of business give this place a certain sense of gravitas, but it’s the quality that keeps people coming back. Consider the Classic, a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon (maybe with tomato, capers, and onion, too). Take a peek behind the long counter as staff assembles your order. And if you want to try and pass for a local, don’t order your bagel toasted.

179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
(212) 475-4880
(212) 475-4880
Pieces of salmon jut out of a bagel sandwich sliced in half, that’s placed on a white cermaic plate. A sign for Russ & Daughters hangs in the background.
The bagel with lox and cream cheese at Russ & Daughters.
Bess Adler/Eater NY

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Katz's Delicatessen

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Few sandwiches are as famous as a pastrami from Katz’s, and perhaps none have had quite the Hollywood treatment. Sure, it fills up to the brim in here daily, but New Yorkers know to file in near closing time, 11 p.m. most weekdays, midnight on Friday, or any time of night on Saturday (the only night it’s open 24 hours). Katz’s also serves one of the city’s best hot dogs, properly topped with sauerkraut and mustard.

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
(212) 254-2246
(212) 254-2246
The exterior of a lit-up Katz’s Delicatessen at night.
Katz’s Delicatessen at night.
Daniel Krieger/Eater NY

Also featured in:

Nathan's Famous

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It’s a fact that the dogs served at the original Nathan’s are superior to any from its many franchise locations. They are also better than many of the other hot dogs found in New York. Go on any day that isn’t the Fourth of July.

1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 333-2202
(718) 333-2202
Customers wait in a line that wraps around the corner of the colorful Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island.
A line wraps around the corner of Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

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Arthur Avenue Retail Market

2344 Arthur Ave, The Bronx, NY 10458

This food hall and retail market has been open in the Bronx’s Little Italy since 1940, focused on classic Italian-American goods. Food runs from fresh mozzarella to overstuffed heroes, but Eater critic Robert Sietsema most highly recommends eating at charming Sicilian counter Café al Mercato for some focaccia sandwiches, tripe soup, baked pastas, and other hot entrees. Beyond food, find freshly rolled cigars, tons of dried pasta, craft beer, and even gardening supplies. To make the stop a full tour of the neighborhood, follow Sietsema’s walking guide.

2344 Arthur Ave, The Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 220-0346
(718) 220-0346
An indoor retail market with lots of food on display and customers sitting at wooden benches.
Arthur Avenue’s bustling food hall and retail market.
Alex Staniloff/Eater NY

Sylvia's

328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027

Open since 1962, Sylvia’s is a Harlem tradition — an essential restaurant, period, for classics like ribs, cornbread, fried chicken, and collards. What started as a luncheonette has expanded to over 200 seats with catering and remains a go-to for politicians and celebrities. Since founder Sylvia Woods died in 2012, the family has been running the business.

328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027
(212) 996-0660
(212) 996-0660
The packed, red-walled dining room of Sylvia’s with chairs and tables covered in white tablecloths.
Sylvia’s is a Harlem tradition.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Gray's Papaya

2090 Broadway, New York, NY 10023

The dogs at Gray’s, on the Upper West Side and open 24/7, have been widely loved for decades, particularly as a popular drunken stop for locals. With its Recession Special still going strong — two franks and a medium drink for $6.95 — it’s little wonder why.

2090 Broadway, New York, NY 10023
(212) 799-0243
(212) 799-0243
The Gray’s Papaya sign shines in its bright yellow color while patrons inside order hot dogs.
A Gray’s Papaya dog alone is worth an NYC trip.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

Magnolia Bakery

200 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023

Magnolia has a reputation for cupcakes after Sex and the City made it famous. But that’s the rookie move — instead, go for the decadent banana pudding or an airy icebox cake.

200 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023
(212) 724-8101
(212) 724-8101

The Halal Guys

W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

Lines snake down the block constantly at this chicken and rice phenom. Its flagship cart sits on West 53rd Street off Sixth Avenue, prime location for tourists going to the Museum of Modern Art and the Midtown lunch crowd. Get the combo platter, and get the sauces.

W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
(347) 527-1505
(347) 527-1505

Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

This oyster bar has reigned inside Grand Central’s subterranean space since 1913, and it welcomes commuters just as much as tourists daily. The smart move is to sit at the bar with a plate of raw oysters during the late lunch hour. Order the love-it-or-hate-it oyster pan roast, and decide which side to choose.

89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
(212) 490-6650
(212) 490-6650
A long underground bar with backed bar stools is set up under an arching tunneled ceiling with yellow glowing lights.
Slurp oysters under the glowing arches.
Grand Central Oyster Bar

Chelsea Market

75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

An anchor of West Chelsea for more than 20 years, Chelsea Market is one of the city’s best food courts. It’s always a mob scene and it’s hard to find seating. But it’s a market that locals actually use, for both its stellar restaurant vendors — Ayada, Los Tacos No. 1, and Miznon rise above — and market stands.

75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
(212) 652-2110
(212) 652-2110
Diners sit at a crowded counter enjoying Lobster Place’s raw bar.
Diners line up at the Lobster Place at Chelsea Market.
Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

John's of 12th Street

302 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003

This red-sauce spot opened in 1908 and remains a restaurant from another era that we’re happy to revisit in real life and on TV (by way of “the Sopranos” and “Boardwalk Empire”). This onetime speakeasy made wine and booze in the basement and today pays homage to Italian American items like pasta fagioli, clams oreganata, chicken parm, or spaghetti and meatballs. It’s also a super vegan friendly menu.

302 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 475-9531
(212) 475-9531

Veniero's Pastry

342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003

This Italian pastry shop has been going strong since 1894, where cannoli, tiramisu, sfogliatelle, and gelato are all required orders. Devotees of the bakery know to grab a table under the stained glass ceiling just before Veniero’s closes (midnight during the week, and 1 a.m. on weekends).

342 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 674-7070
(212) 674-7070
Dozens of assorted fruit tarts sit in a display case at Veniero’s in the East Village.
You can’t go wrong with ordering one of everything at Veniero’s.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Dominique Ansel Bakery

189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

Ever heard of a little pastry called the Cronut? Suckers line up at 6 a.m. for the croissant-doughnut hybrid that took the world by storm — but locals know to go later in the day for pastry chef Dominique Ansel’s stellar kouign amann, frozen s’mores, or any of the other pastries in the case, really.

189 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 219-2773
(212) 219-2773
Pastry chef Dominique Ansel stands behind a counter while customers watch him assemble a dessert.
Dominique Ansel in his element.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

Balthazar

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

This behemoth French brasserie from restaurateur Keith McNally has had a huge influence on the NYC dining scene. Its red leather banquettes, soft lighting, and bistro fare keep it serving one million meals every year. Rather than sit down for a full meal, head to the bar for some steak tartare and frites, wash it down with Champagne, and drink in the Balthazar experience.

80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-1414
(212) 965-1414
A black and white photo of a server moving through a crowded dining room.
Balthazar is always a scene.
Daniel Krieger/Eater NY

Russ & Daughters

179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Four generations of family ownership and over one hundred years of business give this place a certain sense of gravitas, but it’s the quality that keeps people coming back. Consider the Classic, a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon (maybe with tomato, capers, and onion, too). Take a peek behind the long counter as staff assembles your order. And if you want to try and pass for a local, don’t order your bagel toasted.

179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
(212) 475-4880
(212) 475-4880
Pieces of salmon jut out of a bagel sandwich sliced in half, that’s placed on a white cermaic plate. A sign for Russ & Daughters hangs in the background.
The bagel with lox and cream cheese at Russ & Daughters.
Bess Adler/Eater NY

Katz's Delicatessen

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Few sandwiches are as famous as a pastrami from Katz’s, and perhaps none have had quite the Hollywood treatment. Sure, it fills up to the brim in here daily, but New Yorkers know to file in near closing time, 11 p.m. most weekdays, midnight on Friday, or any time of night on Saturday (the only night it’s open 24 hours). Katz’s also serves one of the city’s best hot dogs, properly topped with sauerkraut and mustard.

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
(212) 254-2246
(212) 254-2246
The exterior of a lit-up Katz’s Delicatessen at night.
Katz’s Delicatessen at night.
Daniel Krieger/Eater NY

Nathan's Famous

1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224

It’s a fact that the dogs served at the original Nathan’s are superior to any from its many franchise locations. They are also better than many of the other hot dogs found in New York. Go on any day that isn’t the Fourth of July.

1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 333-2202
(718) 333-2202
Customers wait in a line that wraps around the corner of the colorful Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island.
A line wraps around the corner of Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island.
Nick Solares/Eater NY

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