Where to eat in New York City this summer

FINDING a good place to eat in New York at the time and place of your choosing is not for the faint of heart.

- By Kate Krader

Popular restaurants are invariably packed — and the top ones are literally impossible to get into. The food at non-jammed places isn’t always worth the easy table. Here, then, is a monthly guide offering five superb dining options, in and around New York City, that speak to the questions we get asked all the time: What’s a great new restaurant? Where should I go to celebrate (a deal or an anniversary)? Where can I get in tonight? And, especially, where can I get a great meal that won’t cost a fortune?

We'd also like to introduce you to the Bloomberg Index, where you'll find what’s ranking high on the Bloomberg Terminal’s DINE guide among all the movers and shakers there.

NEW: LE CHÊNE, WEST VILLAGE

If you're looking for a way to transport yourself back to the heady 1990s evoked in Graydon Carter’s recent memoir, When the Going Was Good, book a table at the fabulous Le Chêne. The crowd is very West Village: Within the compact, cream-colored space, guests whose haircuts cost more than many people’s outfits are seated next to a table of personal trainers. The place is loud and oh, so fun — you will see a diner dancing in their seat to a Hall & Oates classic before the end of the night.