Can someone provide a list of the best public school in Manhattan?

Try this:
go to urbabnbay.com and search for ps234 ps41 ps6 ps3 ps199

This will get you a lot of discussions on the best public schools.
There seems to be consensus on some of those schools plus others which you will find with that search.

I think this is the best way to get a lot of opinions in a short time in a manner (normal UB histrionics notwithstanding of course) that will help you narrow down the list.

Sorry typo
http://www.urbanbaby.com

do a search - there are several threads on SE that talk about this

oh, and the site is urbanbaby.com - also search for 87 (not known for being as strong as some others in math/english scores, but very much loved by parents and students alike)

For the UWS, this should be helpful: http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/talk/discussion/9987-can-anyone-offer-insight-into-uws-elementary-schools

http://www.Insideschools.org has a lot of detailed info about NYC public schools

There are G&T schools/programs as well. Hunter for Manhattan, Anderson and NEST are citywide, (lower lab in the UES), upper lab, delta, Columbia Secondary school, (PS9 G&T, PS166 G&T, PS163 G&T in the UWS), and there are zoned schools in Chinatown not mentioned above with top scores with Mandarin instruction, plus magnet schools like Manhattan school for children, Central Park East 1, Earth school, Midtown West, etc. Many UES zoned schools are good, though not mentioned above. And schools in Tribeca, Battery park city and other downtown nabes also have great zoned schools.

urbanbaby is CRAZY PSYCHO. it raises my anxiety level just thinking about it.

I have been very happy with www.insideschools.org. I am sending my son to PS 130 in Chinatown now, and we are thrilled and impressed with it. He is in the gifted program, and it is outstanding. Insideschools is good because it explains the application process for the gifted program, and provides lots of info about unzoned, charter, gifted, and other schools as well as about the regular neighborhood schools. Good luck! @uwsmom, the whole UWS parent scene is crazy psycho...

haha uws mom - me too - I get so depressed after reading the school boards there and their all private nonsense. Here is a good list of the ones I know
41,3,234,116, 40,290,6,158, 183 - these are all district 2. I know there a few in D3 but I am not familiar with them. Also gt but you can't count on them