Most "Liked" Restaurants in NYC

Seeing as we”re currently experiencing Restaurant Week here in New York, it seemed like a good idea to dive into the city”s cuisine scene on Facebook. Looking at how some of our favorite Manhattan eateries fare when it comes to social media, we researched hundreds of restaurant pages to determine who”s doing a great job, and, well, who”s not.

Here are the top 10 most liked New York City Restaurants:

1. Eataly

Recently opening on August 25 of 2010 in Manhattan”s Flatiron District, celebrity chef Mario Batali”s mega-marketplace of all things Italian has become an instant success.  This must-visit mecca for any foodie is the place to shop for imported Italian specialty items: enjoy a bottle of vino on a date, try a cheese sampler, or eat dinner at one of a dozen eateries (including a gelateria!). The Facebook number speaks for itself: 12,000 likes in only 6 months!

2. Lavo

Another new restaurant makes the list, having opened in September of 2010 in Midtown East. It has already achieved Facebook success with over 11,000 likes!  It only makes sense, given that the hospitality gurus behind this Italian restaurant and lounge have delivered time and time again, with their Las Vegas hotspots Tao and Lavo, and popular NYC restaurants Stanton Social, Rue 57, and Avra.

3. Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar

The combination of wine and chocolate speaks for itself – and so does the popularity of this Midtown French wine bar. With over 90 international wines, fine french cuisine, premium local chocolates, and live music – you tell me – what”s not to like?

4. Carnegie Deli

Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli…almost 6,000 Facebook fans! This 1937-established restaurant is sure acclimating well to modern times, with regular Facebook status updates, photos, videos, and even a Twitter account. But can someone please tell them to claim their vanity URL?

5. Wafels & Dinges

We couldn”t decide whether or not to include this one on the list, being that it”s a food truck and not an actual restaurant. However, with the , why not? And almost 6,000 Facebook fans apparently agree with us.

6. Angelo & Maxie”s

What”s a top 10 restaurant list without a steakhouse? And with the seemingly endless number of high-end steakhouses popping up all over Manhattan, we have to give them credit for achieving over 5,000 Facebook fans. Oh, and they have good steak too.

7. Brother Jimmy”s BBQ

Attention recent college graduates living in Murray Hill: If you haven”t experienced a Brother Jimmy”s fishbowl, stop reading this article, grab some friends, and go now. Then come back, sober up, and like them on Facebook.

8. GustOrganics

It gives us hope to see that New Yorkers still like to eat healthy. With the bragging rights to being the only certified organic restaurant in New York, this eco-friendly establishment is doing a great job of making a name for itself in the social media space. It”s the only one on the list that is also a Facebook Places page. So, check-in and have some empanadas!

9. Per Se

While Per Se”s Facebook page is not quite awe-inspiring, we”re happy to see that Thomas Keller has an online presence. Because who doesn”t love Thomas Keller.

10. STK

Rounding out our list is another NYC steakhouse, except this one is “not your daddy”s steakhouse“. It”s a trendy restaurant, located in a trendy location (Little West 12th Street), serving trendy cocktails. And we New Yorkers love to be trendy, with almost 2,600 of us liking them on Facebook.

We had to exclude some restaurants from the list (such as Sushi Samba, Nobu, Palm). It didn”t seem fair to include New York restaurants with a national presence competing based on the number of likes their page has. If we”ve missed out on any restaurants deserving to be here, let us know in the comments. We”ll be writing more about restaurants and social media as Restaurant Week transitions into Social Media Week.