Carne Mare

We like Carne Mare for a last-minute business meal—especially if your crew likes rolling in to restaurants that look like the dining area of a cruise ship, complete with warm wood paneling, leather seating, and a grand staircase. The signature $135 gorgonzola-cured Wagyu striploin is also one of the best steaks we’ve ever had. We only wish it was bigger—think of it as the beef equivalent of Beluga caviar. The rest of the food at this Andrew Carmellini (Locanda Verde, The Dutch) "Italian chophouse" is a mixed bag. We’re fans of the impossibly soft (and free) milk bread, and the spicy crab lettuce cups, but other dishes can be inconsistently seasoned. If it's nice out, sit on their umbrella-covered patio, or request a table upstairs if you want the best views of the East River.

photo credit: Emily Schindler