197184 Wed Oct 02 16:50:55 -0700 2002 14 18 Manhattan 0 1052189 I have a gift certificate to either one. Which would you choose? I'm a seafood eater, my husband is the steak eater. Thanks. Wed Oct 02 16:50:55 -0700 2002 0 ESAP 1 1052191 cite is actually french influenced so you might have more luck in variety of seafood than wollensky. Wed Oct 02 16:55:48 -0700 2002 1052189 0 halo 1 1052200 smith and wollensky is one of the top three or four steak places in the city; cite is a good, but hardly spectacular, all-around dining option. if you abstain from beef entirely, i'd steer (no pun intended) you to the latter,. if it's merely not your first choice, i'd recommend S & W. Wed Oct 02 19:54:12 -0700 2002 1052189 0 david sprague 1 1052201 Cite. It's about my favorite spot in midtown. Fun, not stuffy, not one of those stuffy "guy" steakhouses. I've always liked the food and the service, and yes, you'll have much better non-steak meals at Cite. In fact, I think I've only had steak there once in 10 years. Wed Oct 02 21:15:55 -0700 2002 1052189 0 xavier 1 1052203 Use the chowhound search engine to do a search for Smith and Wollensky. I'll bet you'll find lots of complaints about how overrated it is, how rude the service can be, etc. I've had a few bad experiences there and will never return; I'm sure I'm far from the only one. The restaurant seems to exist primarily to syphon buckets of money from the expense accounts of suits who find rude waiters "quaint." Wed Oct 02 22:01:28 -0700 2002 1052189 0 Tom from NC 1 1052204 S&W is way overrated IMO -- And with mediocre welcome and service, I'd much rather eat steak at Spark's, which I prefer, all around. I didn't find the food anything special at all. -- I'd never go again if I had to pay. Cite is nice. I've eaten there a number of times. The last two which were some time ago I had the filet au poivre, which I think is pretty good. I also like the corn and leek chowder and like the creamed spinach at Cite better than, dare I say, Peter Luger's. It was more tasty. Also have never felt rushed at Cite. But at S&W, as soon as your main is dropped on your table, you feel you should complete your meal within a few minutes and run out the door. You also might want to check out the wine dinner at Cite, a nice alternative to sitting in S&W, again IMO. You can view the fish options and menu on their site - http://www.citerestaurant.com/ Wed Oct 02 23:11:24 -0700 2002 1052189 0 TR 1 1052208 You can probably use the gift certificate at S&W Grill, which is around the corner in the same building. A particular favourite (especially their roast beef hash, which is amazing). The service is much better there and it is more laid back. You can get the regular menu in the grill, but I would advise the Colorado ribeye special (not the cajun), which is their best steak. The cold seafood platter is amazing. Thu Oct 03 06:24:05 -0700 2002 1052189 0 Mogsob 1 1052210 e Thu Oct 03 08:44:42 -0700 2002 1052189 0 AKR 1 1052224 If the noise from a large crowd bothers you in any way, avoid S&W. Thu Oct 03 10:44:26 -0700 2002 1052189 0 MichaelZ 1 1052239 Here's an interesting paradox: I hate Smith & Wollensky's but love Wollensky's Next Door. Same food, entirely different dining experience. I only ate there once and found S&W stuffy and impersonal--not terrible but vastly overrated. WND, with a separate entrance on the side of the restaurant, is a bit cozier and the waiters there are much more friendly. You don't have to get dressed up either, although I wouldn't go in wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Plus, it's open till 2 a.m. whereas the main restaurant closes several hours earlier. If your gift certificate works at Wollensky's Next Door, I say go that route. Otherwise check out Cite. Thu Oct 03 12:51:50 -0700 2002 1052189 0 Dave O. 2 1052252 Well you and I are on the same page. I like Wollensky grill a great deal but hate the main restaurant. Had a grizzly, simply awful steak last visit and service was downright rude. Cite is good but nothing special. The unlimited wine dinner is indeed fun. have a great time Lisa P Thu Oct 03 14:30:46 -0700 2002 1052239 0 Lisa P 2 1052256 [cue the music] ******************************************************* ******************************************************* ****************CONGRATULATIONS!*************** ******************************************************* ******************************************************* ...on posting the 50,000th message on this board (notice the URL of your posting)! ciao Thu Oct 03 14:39:50 -0700 2002 1052239 0 Jim Leff 3 1052270 Get that man a Chowhound Passport!!! By the way, what do I get for posting the 50,037th post? I think congratulations are in order for you, too, Jim - not many people can say their baby just turned 50,000. THM Thu Oct 03 16:27:42 -0700 2002 1052256 0 THM 4 1052278 Passport? Why not! Dave, email me your address and I'll send you your prize! Note...it's not just my baby. Bob(TM) has been vitally integral to every aspect of this site since its creation. And we have a bunch of other hard-working folks keeping it all going. ciao Thu Oct 03 17:05:07 -0700 2002 1052270 0 Jim Leff 1 1052247 although the beef may not be as good at cite, i would recomend it. the food is in general very good, the service is much nicer than at s&w, it is a very comfortible, plesent restaurant and i am a big fan of the wine special. for (i think) $65 you get a 3 course meal and unlimited wine. they select 4 wines a night (one sparkling, one white and two red) not top notch, but good selections and you can drink as much a you like. makes for a fun evening, just don't drive home afterwards. Thu Oct 03 14:06:47 -0700 2002 1052189 0 jgirl