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Restaurants worth the wait

By Karen Tina Harrison | Special to amNewYork

4:39 PM EST, January 23, 2008

New Yorkers hate to wait ... unless it's to get into the restaurant du jour. In which case it's all part of the fun. These blazing-hot eateries don't take reservations, so go early or late, or give in to cooling your heels with fellow trend-setters.

Boqueria Decorated in handsome organic-modern style, this Flatiron hangout offers a wine bar, tapas bar, communal tables and sociable nooks. It's an ultra-happening place, and chef Seamus Mullen's Spanish tapas are tops. (53 W. 19th St, 212-255-4160, boquerianyc.com, Tapas $4-$8)

Shorty's.32 Chef Josh Eden, a Manhattan native and Jean-Georges Vongerichten protégé, is behind this comfy 32-seater that serves New York comfort food with a smart Soho twist. (99 Prince St., 212-375-8275, shortys32.com, Entrees $18-$25)

Momofuku Ssam Bar/Noodle Bar Momofuku's David Chang is a wonder boy of New York cuisine. At his twin East Village hotspots, you can sample his quasi-Asian, quasi-NYC bits and bites. All of the food is great, and you will feel very in the know. (Ssam Bar: 207 Second Ave., 212-254-3500, Entrees $10-$25; Noodle bar: 171 First Ave., 212-777-7773, momofuku.com, Entrees $9-$17)

Jimmy's No. 43 Jimmy Carbone's popular East Village lair boasts a way-cool crowd and cozy, cavernous atmosphere. And its style is backed up with a great beer list and chef Phillip Kirschen-Clark's homey, yummy chow. (43 E. 7th St., 212-982-3006, jimmysno43.com, Entrees $10-$22)

Cantina Globe-trotting DJ and restaurateur Jason Swamy has done up his East Village hipster magnet with sweet flea-market finds and an intriguing menu of Cuban dishes to munch on while you take in the scene. (29 Avenue B, 212-228-0599, cantinanyc.com, Entrees $16-$17)

The Spotted Pig Chef April Bloomfield brought her belly-warming "gastopub" cuisine from Manchester, England to the West Village, where locals and foodies line up for her Roquefort burger and ricotta dumplings called gnudi. (314 W. 11th St., 212-620-0393, thespottedpig.com, Entrees $16-$32)

Bacaro The latest haunt from downtown toque Frank DeCarlo is this inviting Italian spot in suddenly-cool Chinatown. Head straight for Bacaro's seductive cellar, rustically elegant with wood beams, chandelier and a marble bar. (136 Division St., 212-941-5060, Entrees $12-$18)