The most romantic restaurants in NYC you should be booking

One thing about Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, you will always feel taken care of. His first steakhouse is no different. Hostesses whisk away coats upon entering and red-vested waiters wheel prime rib trolleys around the Art Deco-inspired dining room, spooning gravy right at the table. 

Try this: End the meal over a shared swirl of ice cream, which you can jazz up with a few well-placed cranberry meringue kisses, that may just lead to a few of your own. 

Originally opened in 1879, the city's long-lasting love affair with this chophouse might just rub off on you and your date. The bartenders wear jackets, the chandeliers catch the dimmed light and you can't go wrong with a pair of martinis and oysters from the raw bar. 

Try this: The baked Alaska, filled with chocolate and cherries and finished with a golden meringue, is portioned for two so you won't end the night in a squabble over who gets to lick the spoon.

Beautiful tiled floors transition to well-worn wooden floors. Up above, handsome wooden ceilings are studded with glowing globes. Arched windows are carved right into the brick. Simply put, Le Crocodile is beautiful. And the food matches just as well, with Bistro Steak Frites with a wonderful herby butter and a Roast Chicken that is just done right. 

Try this: Spark converstaion over the house sparkler, the Spritz au Crocodile.

Sailor, a navy-hued, brick-covered Brooklyn bistro, is so buzzy that just scoring a reservation will get you halfway to impressing your date. If you can’t nab a 7:30 table, don’t fret. Hit up nearby BAM to catch a movie and then find a seat at Sailor’s bar, where the truly excellent cocktails make for a romantic nightcap. 

Try this: The half chicken is the go-to order, but everything on the menu invites sharing, like the spiced mussels, the crisp sweetbreads and the poached radishes, which are as pink and plump as little hearts.

This cozy, honey-hued French-American bistro has been serving sumptuous fare to couples exchanging seductive glances and hushed innuendos since 1975. Slide into a roomy crimson booth in the back for oysters and cold white wine, or fortify yourself for the night ahead with roast rack of lamb, steak au poivre and a full-bodied French red.  

Try this: Start with the French Ham and Comte Beignets. 

When the evening demands a world-class restaurant with luxuriant service and menu items—the kind where the star in the kitchen shines as bright as the stars in your eyes, only one of NYC's top fine dining destinations will do. 

Try this: Memorable nights are made for reservations in The Skybox, the glass-encased private table that overlooks the kitchen.

With all the charms of a classic French bistro, Buvette’s location on a quaint stretch of Grove Street adds to the allure of its outdoor dining space. On some evenings, you'll even catch a cellist on the corner and it feels like you're being serenaded with your own concert. Buvette is open until midnight Friday and Saturday, so you can snuggle up to your sweetie for a late-night rendezvous.

Try this: Build your own cheese plate with selections from Massachusetts to fromage from New York's very own Finger Lakes.

Picture it: You're cuddled up to your date, swinging in a gondola, gazing down at the water below, on your way to a romantic dinner on...Roosevelt Island. From the 18th floor of the stunning Panorama Room, you can gaze across the East River at a picture-perfect Manhattan skyline. 

Try this: Order from the seafood-forward menu and sip a lychee martini while the two of you take in some of the city's best views.

Airy and bright during the day, Theodora’s Old World-inspired interior warms in the evening with soft lighting by the bar and a roaring fire near the rear. Admire the flame and the hopefully fiery companion you brought with you over wood-fired pitas and smoked skewers of swordfish belly. 

Try this: Dry-aged fish is the game here, the Hiramasa crudo being one of the finest. 

Back when it opened in 2015, June helped put natural wine on Brooklynites’ radar. Today, interesting bottles continue to add to its allure. With its curved oxblood banquettes, globe light fixtures and stemmed glasses hanging over a marble bar top, June is endlessly romantic—even if you're outdoors in the garden.

Try this: Spoon up the burnt caramel custard and ask for a wine pairing while you are at it. 

With shabby-chic ceramics holding your fluffy crêpes and velvety curtains draped over the front entrance, La Mercerie has a cozy, very French feel. Chef Marie-Aude Rose’s gem of a menu is a soul-soothing experience whether you’re digging into boeuf bourguignon or sorbet, and the outdoor space full of stylish diners will make your magical evening unforgettable.

Try this: Remember the night by purchasing one of the dishes or glassware right from the restaurant. 

The food, drinks and ambiance at Crown Shy all rival more formal venues, sans any stuffiness. Its beautiful Art Deco building at 70 Pine Street also hosts sister spots Saga and Overstory. 

Try this: Gruyère fritters. Nuff' said. 

The raw bar at Marea offers up plenty of oysters, those famous aphrodisiacs. The restaurant is located right on Columbus Circle, so after dinner, you can take a romantic walk around the Central Park reservoir or, if you absolutely must, propose on Bow Bridge.

Try this: With a name that means “tide” in Italian, the seafood-focused menu features house-made pasta with octopus, bucatini with jumbo lump crab and grilled lobster.

Located in a basement storefront on Forsyth Street, you might just miss Wayla at a glance. The semi-secluded space is dark and handsomely appointed, with plenty of tricks up its sleeve to set it apart from the pack. One sleight of hand is the secret yard, one of the best places to dine outdoors in town.

Try this: Share the Whole Fried Branzino with a bed of shallots, mint and lime.  

Chef Cédric Vongerichten and his wife Ochi’s Indonesian/French restaurant is elegantly designed outside and in with ornate details. The steamed black sea bass with chili-calamansi vinaigrette and chicken satay are menu favorites.

Try this: If the date is going well, extend the good times with the Pandan Custard. 

Dishes change daily at this Williamsburg spot owned by LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy—the perfect conversation starter for a date. Pair your plates with studiously curated wine pours to really get the romance flowing.

Try this: You can't quite know what will be on the menu of the moment, but you can sure cross your fingers that the Braised Leek Toast will be up for grabs.

This vibey Thai spot from the Fish Cheeks team has an intimate, late-night feel. Big horseshoe-shaped booths are perfect for canoodling (you might catch some celebs doing just that), and the neon light in the window casts a warm red glow, like a scarf thrown over a lamp to invite romance. 

Try this: Order truffle, uni, foie gras and tongue, and pair them with a smoky cocktail for that exclusive, just-for-us supper club feeling. 

Curl up with your date as you twirl any of the stellar pastas from Lilia. It’s easily one of the best bowls of carbs you'll have this year—that is, if you can snag a reservation to score a little Lady and the Tramp-style spaghetti smooch.

Try this: Pasta reigns supreme, from the ravioli puffed with jammy, caramelized onions to the Fettuccine with lamb sausage.