i'm trying to think of a good place in the city to take my foodie boyfriend out for dinner on his birthday. i'd like to keep it in manhattan - preferably the west side (uptown/downtown doesn't matter as much), but the trek to the east side is doable too. nowhere too large and easily crowded, but somewhere we can eat super deliciously for about $20 or less each, as we are poor art-type students. do places like this exist? and do they take reservations? i was thinking along the lines of maybe the jim lahey pizza place in chelsea or 26 seats on the lower east side, but i'd love more suggestions if you guys have them.