Decked out with more flowers than a royal wedding, this lovely and luxurious French restaurant is the kind of place where you’ll want to wear your aunt’s most ostentatious estate jewelry and carry a French phrase book in your Chanel handbag so you can converse with the waiter. La Grenouille—which means “frog” in French, though this is actually a prince of a place—is where the most glittery and powerful personalities (Truman Capote in years past, Martha Stewart today) have dined since 1962, enjoying the polished service that is the pinnacle of attentiveness. Just as the cashmere twinset and diamond studs worn by the socialite at the next table will never go out of style, neither will the French classics on the menu here, from frog's legs to Dover sole. Notoriously pricey, La Grenouille has added an affordable $55 pre-theater menu (before 6:30 p.m.), making it—at last!—a viable upscale dining option even for those on a budget.

La Grenouille Information:

• French menu. Lunch (Tuesday-Friday), dinner. Closed Sunday-Monday.