1980 NYC Restaurant Survey
The following ratings of New York City restaurants reflect the views of over 100 people who eat out at least three times a week in the City. Under the categories of FOOD, DÉCOR, SERVICE or CLEANLINESS, a rating of 30 is the maximum a restaurant can receive (i.e., perfection), 20 means very good, 10 means good, and anything below 10 means fair to poor.
In the "COST" column, "VE" means very expensive - above $40 per person, "E" is expensive - $25 to $40 per person; "M" is medium - $15 to $25 per person, and "I" is inexpensive - below $15 per person. Prices include one drink.
Under "COMMENTS", "U" means comments tended to be uniform; "M" means they were mixed.
| Restaurant Name | Food | Decor | Service | Cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfredo's | 15 | 14 | 12 | E | M: From low key delight to don't bother - Columbus Circle dining |
| Algonquin, The | 8 | 17 | 13 | M | U: Circle gone; nothing left; bad food but nice for a drink |
| Barbetta | 16 | 24 | 16 | E | M: Favorite setting & garden to overblown, overpriced, pretentious |
| Brasserie | 8 | 8 | 9 | I | U: Sole virtue – open 24 hours; really a pretentious coffee shop |
| Café des Artistes | 18 | 26 | 21 | E | U: Pleasant dining among naked ladies with not bad continental food |
| El Faro | 15 | 7 | 9 | I | M: Hearty and solid Spanish food; College stuff |
| El Parador | 17 | 13 | 16 | M | M: Top Mexican; often crowded & less than reliable |
| Four Seasons, The | 23 | 27 | 23 | E | M: Excellent imaginative cuisine; not everyone a fan but a NYC must |
| Gavroche | 12 | 10 | 16 | E | M: Insufficient privacy, to others warm surroundings; French |
| Giambelli | 16 | 12 | 15 | E | M: Good Northern Italian, Noisy, ebullient to some, crowded to others |
| Grotta Azzurra | 19 | 9 | 12 | M | E: Earthy and ethnic; Little Italy; So. Italian; crowded in evenings |
| HSF | 15 | 12 | 17 | I | U: Best Dim Sum in town; fun if you fill up a table - great buy |
| La Grenouille | 25 | 25 | 24 | VE | U: Highly rated & improving in past year - watch out Lutece! |
| Le Cirque | 23 | 25 | 20 | E | M: Very upper Eastside French; question - is it worth the tab? |
| Le Perigord Park | 18 | 19 | 20 | M | M: Quality uneven; better buys elsewhere - but still good french |
| Le Veau d’Or | 15 | 11 | 15 | E | M: Old standby with loyal following; critics say: Crowded; noisy; |
| Nanni | 21 | 10 | 13 | E | M: Grand Central Italian; views range from tops to mediocre |
| One If By Land.. | 15 | 19 | 16 | E | M: Village place; romance depends on fireplace on wintry nights |
| Oyster Bar | 19 | 12 | 12 | M | M: Outstanding seafood selection; try oysters & stews; lge & noisy |
| Palm and Palm Too | 22 | 9 | 12 | E | U: Not for everyone; top steak & lobster; sawdust floors; bustling |
| Peter Lugar | 22 | 9 | 17 | E | U: Uniformly praised Wmsburg steakhouse; super steaks & no more |
| Phoenix Garden | 20 | 3 | 13 | I | I: Very simple & good Cantonese; formica tables; crowded on wkends |
| Pietro's | 18 | 7 | 13 | E | M: Uneven midtown steakhouse with fans and foes |
| P. J. Clarke's | 8 | 13 | 7 | I | M: E. 50's, old NYC bar; beer & burger; loved & hated' crowded |
| Raoul's | 17 | 15 | 12 | E | M: Early reviews went to its head; uptown prices; cute bistro |
| River Café, The | 12 | 23 | 13 | E | U: Great view from Bklyn of Lower Manhattan, but mediocre food |
| Russian Tea Room | 15 | 18 | 15 | M | M: An institution; fun after concerts; blinis; sometimes mobbed |
| Sardi's | 10 | 16 | 12 | M | M: An institution with boring food; touristy has been |
| Shun Lee Palace | 21 | 12 | 17 | M | M: NY Mag's favorite Chinese; can be excellent; uneven menu |
| Tavern on the Green | 8 | 25 | 9 | E | U: If only food equalled setting; amateur service; lovely outdoor |
| "21" Club | 14 | 18 | 18 | E | U: Good schmaltz; still favored by pols, press & VIPs; uneven food |
| Victor's Café | 13 | 8 | 8 | M | U: Good Cuban; Maitre'D is a S.O.B. |
| DaSilvano | X | X | X | M | Popular Greenwich Village Italian |
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