NYC trip

[LisaInNc]

I won a trip to NYC and we are leaving 2-12 through 2-15.m It covers airfare, transportation to the hotel, the hotel and theater tickets. So we got Lion King tickets for 2-14. I need help with the rest of the trip.

I am really disappointed that it doesn't cover any food. We are going to Le Bernadin the first night, a restaurant that I have wanted to go to for a while now. It's not going to be cheap at all.

So can anyone help me with restaurants for the other nights. Especially 2-14 I know that is a terrible night to dine out, we are going to the theater that night so it will be a later dinner. What I am looking for is something near Broadway but not right there. A smallish place that will have great food and a nice atmosphere.

I don't want to dine in any chain restaurants the entire time. I want to try the smaller awesome places so if anyone has any tips for other meals. We are staying in Times Square.

Thanks so much....

oh one more thing, anyone ever gone and stood in line to see The View? The only day that we are there where they are filming is Monday so we get just one shot.

Lisa

 

[Bren's Mom]

NYC is so much fun!

But Feb 15 is President's Day AND the day after Valentine's Day. I'm going to guess that there will be alot of people visiting in the city that day. Not sure what that means for the View. When we went a few years ago tickets were required. And that still wasn't a guarantee. I'd check their website for the current policy and confirm that they are filming on 2/15. If they say they allow people without tickets to 'standby' on the day of, I'd be sure to get there really early as my guess is there will be a larger than normal crowd.

Good luck!

 

[DebMcDonald]

Something fun is Carnegie Deli, it's not all hype the food is GREAT!

I also love Mama Mia, a little mexican resturant that makes guacamole at the table, I can't remember where it is, but I know that they have a website.

 

[Ava]

For restaurants, walk over to 9th Avenue. There are so many good places along 9th Ave in the 40s and 50s. Here are some I like, sorry I'm horrible at remembering exactly what street things are at, but these are all along 9th Ave. You can probably find the menus & exact address for most of them on menupages.com as well.

5 Napkin Burger
Tiny Thai
Arriba Arriba
Film Center Cafe
eatery (good brunch)
Vynl (also good brunch & fun decor)

And my favorite Italian restaurant in the Times Square area is Daniela Trattoria on 8th Ave between 45th & 46th. (The desserts are not that good, fyi, but the food is.)

Also if you like theater you should check out the Edison Cafe inside the Edison Hotel. It's just your basic NY diner, but they have good reasonable breakfast food & (my personal favorite) matzoh ball soup. The place is covered in theater posters and a lot of Broadway performers eat there.

You are right to stay away from the chain places while you're here, they are all overpriced, especially the ones in Times Square. You can find much better food elsewhere. Have fun!

 

[mommycrawford]

There is a good italian restaurant in the theater district called Pietrasanta...I believe it is on 49th street and 97h avenue. Daisy Mae's Barbeque is in the area, but a bit pricey.

Go to restaurant.com and put in the zip code of where you are staying to get local spots, and possibly purchase discount offers.

NYers, (I being a lifer,) don't tend to do traditional valentine's things, so you should be able to get dinner without a problem...many places don't take reservations as well. If you dine before 6 you should really have no problem!!

I could recommend a lot of places if you give me more info on how/what part of town you'll be spending your day.

PS There's a site called opentable.com where you CAN make reservations in advance and be locked in, if you are nervous to be w/o ressies.....In NY you will always find a place to eat.

PM me if you have specific likes, and know what area you'll be in, and want suggestions.

 

[clj1410]

John's Pizzeria, it is at:

260 W. 44th St
(between 8th Ave & Shubert Aly)
New York, NY 10036

We love this place, it is an old converted church. The food is amazing and for being in NYC it is really inexpensive.

 

[Tina]

We found a great little Mexican place on W 44th called Viva Pancho. Its only one block off Broadway and the food was fantastic. Our bill for 2 (prior to adding in the cost of our multiple margaritas!) was only about $10 per person (maybe less). We loved this little place and can't wait to go to NYC again and go back.

I also second the suggestion of the Cafe in the Hotel Edison. We ate breakfast there 3 days in a row. Great prices and good food!

 

[micheleq]

The last place I ate in the theater district was Osteria al Doge, 142 West 44th St. Great Italian food, reasonable prices!

Have a fantastic trip! You can checkout menupages.com & NY magazine's website for restaurant rec's too.

 

[bamor]

HI
www.menupages.com is a great site.
Look in the west 40's and 50's for the theater district.
One place I wanted to try next time we go is Akdeniz.

 

[LisaInNc]

Thank you all. What I want for Valemntines Day is something a little dressy, not like Victoria and Alberts but more like a regular signature restaurant.

Lisa

 

[disney4us2002]

We love those NYC diners and family italian pizza parlors. Absolutely get a huge black and white cookie - almost a cross between a cookie and a cake. They are the bomb. I would suggest checking your library for The Unofficial guide to NYC or NYC for dummies. The name escapes me right now but we ate at a restaurant either in Times Square or near the theatres that had dancing and singing waiters. It was a lot of fun. It was recommended in the UG. Another awesome restaurant but a bit off the beaten path is Serendipity. If you decide to go, save room for dessert - frozen hot chocolate. Totally delicious! 234 E. 58th St. (Upper East Side).

 

[marcyinPA]

We love those NYC diners and family italian pizza parlors. Absolutely get a huge black and white cookie - almost a cross between a cookie and a cake. They are the bomb. I would suggest checking your library for The Unofficial guide to NYC or NYC for dummies. The name escapes me right now but we ate at a restaurant either in Times Square or near the theatres that had dancing and singing waiters. It was a lot of fun. It was recommended in the UG. Another awesome restaurant but a bit off the beaten path is Serendipity. If you decide to go, save room for dessert - frozen hot chocolate. Totally delicious! 234 E. 58th St. (Upper East Side).

That would be Ellen's Stardust Diner. The servers are all aspiring Broadway actors. Really fun place!!

I've also been to Serendipity...a kitchy kind of place, food was OK (not great in my opinion) but the frozen hot chocolate was really good! You definitely need reservations...we had them, but the line for those who did not was out the door.

 

[sharonW]

You won a trip!! WOW! I recommend Rosie O'Gradys,
its a smaller restaurant with good food, I think its
on 51st street. Lion king is a great show..if you get
a chance I recommend Mama Mia and Jersey boys!
I think its hard to get tickets for the view, not so
much for Kelly/Regis. Sat in on Live last april and it
was fun, regis and kelly are so nice, talk and sign
autographs during each commercial break.
HAVE FUN!!!

 

[sk!mom]

That would be Ellen's Stardust Diner. The servers are all aspiring Broadway actors. Really fun place!!

I've also been to Serendipity...a kitchy kind of place, food was OK (not great in my opinion) but the frozen hot chocolate was really good! You definitely need reservations...we had them, but the line for those who did not was out the door.

Ellen's is a lot of fun. We usually go at least once for dinner and then for dessert every night after seeing a show.

I highly recommend Billy Elliot- saw it in August and it was possibly our favorite ever.

 

[bamor]

Bar Americain
Becco
OTTO
Roberto Passon
Akdeniz
Angus McIndoe

 

[LisaInNc]

Thank you everyone. I am making a list and I want to work on my plans this week. The anal side of me want to have a basic outline of what we want to do.

Lisa

 

[gasman61]

Taking our dd 16 and 3 of her friends to NYC with us for spring break and love these suggestions. Keep the suggestions coming!

 

[MeganFyne]

Oh if you want to have fun, stay away from Times Square. Any address in the 40s around Broadway is to be avoided if you want to have fun, avoid headaches, and leave without being totally in debt. I used to work in Times Square and honestly I don't know how I did it for so long. I work on 33rd now and it's 100 times better! My BF and I generally go somewhere small on VDay (if I'm not working) because we like to avoid crowds. Last year we had Chinese and watched "Up" but there are places to go and make your reservations Right Now if you want a bigger restaurant.

Nicer Places I Like:
Beppe
Artisanal
Broadway East (it's downtown)
Otto


Oh heavens I can't remember all the little places I like but I'll think about it and get back up here for you!

Don't forget to be sweet to your server! Servers and nurses are people too!