I've been to 45 or 46 states, and seven foreign countries, but I've never been to New York City, except to change planes at JFK. We're thinking of going there in June for 4 or 5 nights.

Any one have some restaurant recommendations? We'll probably do one nicer restaurant, but I could use some economical suggestions too.

Are there any historic drinking places we should visit? Any good Irish bars?

And, dare I ask, where's the best pizza in NYC? Note: I'm not asking for good pizza, just the best NYC has to offer. Also, don't tell me Chicago pizza is better; I already know that.

Thanks for any tourist advice.

Babbo's is great, Becco's is pretty good.

both are on restaurant row, both are Italian.

Thanks for any tourist advice

Do not stand in the middle of 34th street and look up at the empire state building. (someone will try to steal your luggage).

if you're female, start growing your mustache now so you can fit in!

wow...here are some of my eating suggestions, been to all, would go back to all:

Pizza -

Patsy's (Spanish Harlem)
Numero 28 Pizzeria (Village)
John's Pizza of Bleeker Street (Village)
All 3 kick Chicago style pizza's rear end...

Breakfast
Westway Diner (10th street in Hells Kitchen)
Ellen's Stardust Diner (Times Square - and really neat as they are all trying to break in to broadway so they sing and dance teh entire time)

High End eating
Post House (E 63rd between Park and Madison, steak joint...bring plent of money, but worth it)
Del Frisco Steakhouse (although a chain, so I'd go with Post House)

Lunch
Shake Shack (in Madison Square Park in Flat Iron District)
Chock Full O'Nuts (W 24th, also in Flat Iron, good for breakfast as well)
Heartland Brewery (several in the city, and good beer too)
Sylvia's Queen of Soul Food (Harlem)
The Orignal Nathan's (Coney Island Boardwalk)
5 Napkin Burgers (Hells Kitchen)

Desserts
Ferrara's (Little Italy)
Magnolia Bakery (Grand Central Station food court)
Pasticceria Rocco (Village)
There was a really good ice cream place and another bakery both in Chelsea Market, but can't recall the names

Didn't spend much time pub crawling, sorry, can't help you there...

Tourist advice - wear tennis shoes

If doing the Empire State Building, go early on a Sunday, no one is in line

Too many musueums to choose from, but MOMA and Natural History are both awesome (and we spent 8 hours in each and barely made a dent)

Pick up Fodor's or a comparable tour guide book, they have walking tours with sights of interest by locations in the city

Use the subway

Catch a Broadway Play (or 2 or 3)

Try and get tickets to David Letterman...

walk the Brooklyn Bridge, Chinatown, Little Italy, The Village, Soho, window shop on Park, 5th, Madison, Central Park. In June they show Friday night movies outside in Bryant Park. Coney Island does free fireworks every Friday from June - August.

If going to Brooklyn or Queens, but a velour track suit, the brighter the color the better, so you can fit in and not look like a tourist! Lots of heavy gold chains are an added plus.

Wonder the Strand bookstore near Union Square, 18 miles of books...

Definitely use the subway - much easier than you'd think. Times Square and Broadway are wonderful - and you should see a play if possible. I also highly encourage a visit to Central Park.

Where are you staying? That may help on the planning, too. We took the subway down to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty - didn't go out to Ellis Island. Walked down Wall Street and over to where the Twin Towers had stood.

For June it may be hot so plan accordingly. Enjoy yourselves. We had a blast.

Thanks, Happy, those are great lists. I'll get to Kmarts and look for the velour.

Skittles, because we use Starwood points, we would be staying at the Element Times Square, 39th St and 8th Ave.

We'd like to see a play, maybe Spiderman.

Tickets can be expensive - but get the best seats you can if you make it to Broadway. You won't regret it. We went two years ago and saw the Addams Family - and really wished we had seen the Lion King also. Luckily the Lion King is coming to Nashville in May and we've already purchased the tickets.

Be prepared to walk - a lot. Did the Empire State Building at night. I'm afraid of heights and it was easier for me. Went to Macy's, The Shake Shack, and walked through an area where they were getting ready to film a segment of 'Men in Black III'. That was kind of cool - and no we didn't see anyone interesting. Got a picture of my husband (also a banker) in front of a 'Wall Street' sign - and we also saw a game at Yankee Stadium. We crammed a lot into three days including visiting with a friend of mine from high school. She's lived there for over 30 years now.

If you're not invested in any specific show, hit the TKTS booth in Times square - you never know what they're going to have, but the deals are usually pretty good. (And don't count out the Fantastiks just because it's Off-Broadway, it's one of the best!)

I second John's Pizza in the Villageand the Heartland Brewery, and if you're a Chocoholic like we are you have to go down to Union Square and eat at Max Brenner's (Chocolate breakfast - need I say more?)

Have fun!

Happy I am going to fix your post up a bit:

if you're female, start growing your mustache now so you can fit in!

wow...here are some of my eating suggestions, been to all, would go back to all:

Pizza - Avoid it all together, NY Pizza is pretty much the worst


Breakfast - Expect to pay a ton of money for what you could make at home
Westway Diner (10th street in Hells Kitchen)
Ellen's Stardust Diner (Times Square - and really neat as they are all trying to break in to broadway so they sing and dance teh entire time)

High End eating - Bring tons of $$$$
Post House (E 63rd between Park and Madison, steak joint...bring plent of money, but worth it)
Del Frisco Steakhouse (although a chain, so I'd go with Post House)

Lunch - best bet is to find a trashcan and just eat out of it or...
Shake Shack (in Madison Square Park in Flat Iron District)
Chock Full O'Nuts (W 24th, also in Flat Iron, good for breakfast as well)
Heartland Brewery (several in the city, and good beer too)
Sylvia's Queen of Soul Food (Harlem)
The Orignal Nathan's (Coney Island Boardwalk)
5 Napkin Burgers (Hells Kitchen)

Desserts - Expect long lines
Ferrara's (Little Italy)
Magnolia Bakery (Grand Central Station food court)
Pasticceria Rocco (Village)
There was a really good ice cream place and another bakery both in Chelsea Market, but can't recall the names

Didn't spend much time pub crawling, sorry, can't help you there...

Last night at dinner, I started a conversation with, "I've been thinking..." and got that panicked look from my wife, then I mentioned NYC. She spent the rest of the night reading reviews of Broadway plays. So, I must have had a good idea for once.

Herring - the breakfast locations listed cost no more than breakfast back home, walked out of both locations with breakfast and tip for under $20 for 2.

Long lines for dessert only if going right at "normal" meal times.

NYC Pizza is much better than you give it credit for, but I understand you were hoodwinked into eating at Domino's when there and were told "it was the greatest" so your expectations weren't met.

There have been a couple of places we ate that I would not return to, as much about poor service and/or the food was just okay. Obvioulsy they were left off this list.

Ferrara's (Little Italy)

enough said

I've got to say, the financial district has some of the greatest/strangest eateries around, (Taka Taka comes to mind - Mexican Sushi and Japanese Tacos, and now one of my favorite places.)

If you spent a fortune on the show, feel free to stop at a food cart in or around Times Square for lunch. The Falafel carts are always good, my kis love the "dirty-water hot dogs," and I love the little dumpling shack (although I forgot the name of it...)

For dessert, don't forget Rice to Riches if you even think you may like Rice Pudding. I'm a junkie now, to the point of pretending the calories don't exist and running an extra 5 miles the next day. ')

I keep thinking of other places I like - don't mind if I reply to this thread 50 times. I don't live in NYC, but it's about a half-hour car ride and my kids are both Broadway junkies, so we make the ride often.

I found that if you prefer a bit more certainty, or really want to see a show that TKTS will not have tickets to (Wicked and Book of Mormon come to mind), Stub Hub has great deals too for Broadway shows.

i highly recommend Wicked...Aadams family was a hoot

Totally agree about Addams Family, Happy. Just found out yesterday it's coming to Louisville in October. We might have to venture up that way.

The problem with picking a play is that we go to the theater several times a year. We've seen Addams family, and we've seen Wicked twice. We just saw Book of Mormon last weekend, and it's hilarious, as long as you're not easily offended.

The only thing worse than visiting Manhattan is living there.

The commuting is worse than both.

Ran the NYC Marathon in 2011 and stayed in the Times Square area (Hilton Garden Inn). Could not believe how easy the subway worked (I think it was the #1 line? that ran all the way down the western side of Manhattan down to Battery Park. Kept using that to get around. Streets are very easy to navigate as well. Ruby Foos in Times Square has been around forever, if you want Asian cuisine. Central Park was fun as was visiting Rock Center, Empire State and Staute of Liberty/Ellis Island.

We got home last night after six days in Manhattan. We're worn out. We saw "Once" and "Vanya, Sonja, Masha and Spike." Also saw the Cardinal and the Mets.

We ate at the much acclaimed John's of Bleeker Street and we thought the pizza was just a pizza. I don't get the hype.

The subway system was easy to use, and we bought 7 day unlimited passes the first day, and so we often jumped on for just a stop or two to save some walking. But we still walked miles and miles, including the Brooklyn Bridge and the High Line.

The variety of architecture in the city is incredible. I spent a lot of time looking up.

You don't realize how big Central Park is until you spend a couple hours walking and realize you've only covered a small part.

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. After watching the Tony's last week my hubbie and I are ready to go back. LOVED Central Park - we went twice and walked and walked and walked.

Not according to a lot of people who live and work and visit there.