Io Restaurant (CLOSED)

The formal dining room of this 100-year-old waterfront building looks out on the magnificent Manhattan skyline, but the food just can’t live up to that view. The nominally eclectic dishes were standard-issue, with the added gimmick that they come in two sizes—an individual portion and a larger family-style serving. The original oak bar and tin ceilings add a touch of historical spirit. Depending on your mood, you can chill in the back garden, hang at the bar, or join the Thursday-night karaoke and weekend dancing to DJs. The crowd tilts old-school outer-borough, away from the nabe’s slacker cool.