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There are no bad seats at the Rainbow Grill; nearly every chair faces floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the skyline. But with its crowds of tourists snapping photos and locals celebrating special occasions, the understated Art Deco room can feel a bit like Grand Central at rush hour (if Grand Central had a coat check). The menu ticks off all the fancy foods of yesteryear—jumbo shrimp cocktail, veal Milanese, tiramisu—along with a few nods to modernity, like an appetizer of seared tuna with fennel. Avoid the latter. Meat and pasta dishes fare better, especially if you like your portions Midwestern-sized. Unlike the Rainbow Room, its more expensive, exclusive neighbor, the Grill is a regular full-service restaurant, and the white-tuxedoed waiters are surprisingly eager to please even if it means compensating unhappy diners with free drinks. That can work in your favor. After a stiff martini or a tart Bellini, you're liable to forget about the hustle and bustle as you just gaze delightedly if drunkenly at the city. — Melena Ryzik

Daily, 5 p.m.—6:15 p.m.; $65 three-course pre-theater prix-fixe dinner.

Bellini, $20; zabaglione cake, $13