Gene's Restaurant

On our list of the best special-occasion restaurants in New York.

A white-tablecloth Italian spot in Greenwich Village since 1919, this restaurant still keeps its servers in vests and neckties. Up front, a wood-paneled bar draws regulars elbow to elbow; the dining room in back sits under fading murals of Venetian canals. The kitchen turns out garlicky baked clams under a thick crust of breadcrumbs, veal parmigiana, chicken francese, and manicotti, the kind of red-sauce staples the neighborhood built its reputation on. It's full most nights, even midweek, and a seat at the bar is worth grabbing if the dining room has no tables.