建议 vs. 推荐
Hello,

If you're at a restaurant but not sure what to order and want to ask the waiter/waitress for their recommendation, do I use the verb 建议 or 推荐? Or would you use some other verb?

Thank you.

Question

建议 vs.  推荐
Hello,

If you're at a restaurant but not sure what to order and want to ask the waiter/waitress for their recommendation, do I use the verb 建议 or 推荐? Or would you use some other verb?

Thank you.

Answer

I think you'd better use 推荐.
推荐 emphasis on what he has known much about and then give the suggestion.
建议，no matter whether he knows it , he could give his own opinions.
Example:
我推荐你去那个餐厅。（He had been to that resturant)
我建议你去那个餐厅。（Maybe he knows that resturant,maybe not）

Answer

建议 = suggest/suggestion
推荐 = recommend/recommendation
So you should use 推荐 in this case.
你能给我推荐一些特色菜吗？ Can you recommend me some signature dishes? 
你有什么好的推荐？ Do you have anything to recommend?

Answer

我向你推荐这道菜。
我建议你吃这道菜。

Answer