These are the best restaurants near Columbus Circle, where you may even go out of your way for a few of these spots.
The Restaurant: Jean-Georges + Nougatine
Cuisine: French
Rating: 7.8/10
What to Order:
Jean-Georges is the OG as far as best restaurants near Columbus Circle go. Before Columbus Circle was even a destination (aka pre-Whole Foods), there was Jean-Georges. We admittedly don’t drop in too often at the formal restaurant, but Nougatine is solid for everyday food. The Tasmanian sea trout on crispy rice, the caviar egg toast, warm shrimp salad and steamed Maine lobster always hit the spot. They also have a solid cheeseburger at Nougatine.
The Restaurant: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar + Grill
Cuisine: Sushi and Grill
Rating: 7.2/10
What to Order:
Is it weird to recommend the fried chicken at a sushi joint? Also the wild mushroom roast which is a dark horse on the menu, not enough people know about. Sushi doesn’t excite us too much but it’s all solid and if you’re in a pinch around Columbus circle, a good option.
The Restaurant: Bourbon Steak
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Rating: 7.8/10
What to Order:
This is a new entry to best restaurants near Columbus Circle because it’s a new restaurant, and a welcome one to the neighborhood. When we’re feeling like ballers who just don’t care, the seafood tower and the seafood cart have our name all over it. Also that lobster pot pie for when all caution is really thrown to the wind.
The Restaurant: Marea
Cuisine: Italian
Rating: 8/10
What to Order:
When it’s truffle season there’s nothing that separates us from a bar seat and a $250 plate of pasta. Regardless though this is one of the best restaurants near Columbus Circle anytime of year, especially when you can snag a seat at the bar. The branzino tartare, lobster with burrata, and the spaghetti with clams are favorites. We would like to take this opportunity to also say they need to bring back the roasted sunchokes to the side dish menu.
The Restaurant: Bar Masa
Cuisine: Japanese
Rating: 7.9/10
What to Order:
This is the more casual sister restaurant of famed Masa that has been around so long, we forget how long it’s been around. Sushi is top quality as you would expect, but it’s also the cooked dishes that stand out. Few places do soba this well where the mushroom soba or the cold soba with tempura shrimp is a favorite. In fact the tempura is a favorite in general on the menu.
The Restaurant: Quality Italian
Cuisine: Italian
Rating: 7.5/10
What to Order:
Quality Italian may not get the applause like its sister restaurant Bad Roman and cousin Don Angie, but the food is, well, quality. Yellowtail and scallop crudi and lobster scampi toast all have a little extra something something in their preparation. Also with a little extra is the black truffle cacio e pepe and spicy lobster rigatoni alla vodka.
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FAQs
Q: How long as Jean-Georges been open?
A: Jean-Georges restaurant has been open since 1997, and has always been one of the best restaurants near Columbus Circle.
Q: Is Bar Masa an Omakase menu?
A: Bar Masa has an a la carte menu, and it’s not nearly as expensive as its sister restaurant Masa. Though gentler on the pocket, Bar Masa is still one of the best restaurants near Columbus Circle.
Q: What are the best restaurants near Columbus Circle that serve Italian food?
A: The best restaurants near Columbus Circle that serve Italian food are Marea and Quality Italian.
