I'm not really into the trendy cool places. I like places where people are friendly, I can get good food, and everyone can just relax and not worry about being 'cool'.
I love a place on St. Marks called 'La Palapa'. Its real mexican, and sooooo good! We always have fun there.
'L'Orange Bleu' on Crosby and Broome is a fun place. Its Algerian, and they have these fantastically sexy gallic waiters that are so much fun! Every monday night they have live middle eastern music, and a bellydancer. Sometimes youcan't get service for twenty minutes or so, because the waiters are dancing around the restaraunt with her. But that's ok, because half of the customers are usually right up there with them!
'Luca Lounge' is down the street from my apartment, and they have the best pizzas. Really good salads as well. Their sangria is crap, and sometimes the waitresses are in their own little world, but its still great.
'Max' in the east village is also great food. Family style italian, I get so fat when I eat here!
'Johns' is another EV italian place that isn't bad.
'Planet Thai' in Williamsburg is soooo good! Its a bit trendy (I'm not a fan of the average Williamsburg resident-too many 'artistes' and 'hipsters' for my liking. Some nice people, but you have to weed your way through the throng of pretention to find them), but the chicken pad thai is awesome.
'Le Bonne Soupe' in midtown east. Cute little french bistro, with this wonderfully ecentric looking french girl in a red pleather dress and matching WWI pilots hat, who plays Edith Piaf songs on her accordion. Good fondue.
'Pastis' is probably the trendiest place I can tolerate. Its kind of ******** in that the place runs on pretention, but its fun to get a croque monsieur and laugh at all the people pretending to be 'sex and the city'. The waitstaff is quite nice once you get to know them.
I have so many more,but I will leave itat that.