Trip Ideas
Change Forum
We find that we will be in NYC for Xmas eve and day. Where can we have festive dinner both nights? Thank you!
Book Your Next Trip
Check hotel rates and airfares around the world.
Find a great deal?
Tell us about it.
Hotels
Flights
Packages
Cars
Cruises
Each website you select will open a new window in your browser.
Holidays in the Big Apple
6 Replies | Jump to last reply
|6 Replies |Back to top
|Sign in to comment.
Recent Activity
View all United States activity »
- 1 Help me plan 10 nights in SF, Sonoma and Monterey
- 2 where I can get in my love for hiking and my hubby can relax at a beach?
- 3 Dead of August-Utah Bound
- 4 First time to LA area. Where should we stay?
- 5 please review my NYC itinerary
- 6 Durango to ABQ
- 7 Timing for Spring South Atlantic trip?
- 8 Best way to see the Grand Canyon when flying from Australia
- 9 Help - the plane to the train
- 10 Surprise December visit from our Brit rellies: what to do in Boston?
- 11 Hotel bargain of the day - $79 instead of $229!
- 12 New Years Eve in Manhattan
- 13 New Itinerary-Durango/ABQ
- 14
The 100 Best Free Things to Do in New York City
by
Katie_H
|
88 responses; most recent on Dec 2, 09 at 11:20 PM
- 15 condo rental in maui, and kauai
- 16 Snorkel Maui in Jan 2010
- 17 Philly Teen Experience
- 18 Jazz clubs/restaruatns in Manhattan
- 19 Best route across Everglades?
- 20 NY - Decent Midtown Bars
- 21 San Fran restaurants, we're foodies, brother and wife are not, hmmmm
- 22 New England Ski & Stay Spots???
- 23 Itinerary advice Washington/Oregon
- 24 Anyone have feedback about car rental with Advantage?
- 25 Texas in December
You don't mention your price range, which I think is crucial, nor do you mention your likes and dislikes, another crucial thing. However, I can tell you the two traditional meals in NYC.
The traditional Christmas Day dinner (eaten early) in New York is Chinese. The place to go is Shun Lee West, on West 65th near Lincoln Center (or Shun Lee Palace on East 55th). But you need to make reservations as soon as they are allowed. It's a particularly busy day for that restaurant. There are certainly other cheaper Chinese restaurants, but this is the traditional place.
For Christmas Eve, you want an Italian seafood meal. I'd seriously consider a place in an old-time Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, but I don't know the restaurants well enough (and I'm not sure you'd want to travel that far). But there must be some place in Manhattan. Can anyone help? Again, make the reservations exactly 30 days out.
opentable.com is a booking site for a lot (but not all) restaurants. Many won't take online reservations more than 30 days in advance though. BUDGET and location are critical to give you decent recos. Would also help to know if kids are involved, size of party etc. Rolf's is a German restaurant know for it's kitsch over the top Xmas decorations but the food's not great. There are loads of wonderful restaurant options from an inexpensive meal in Chinatown to a full multi-course feast at some of the best restaurants in the city.
If you want a traditional dinner on Christmas Day consider Fraunces Tavern. the food is fine - not great, but very little is on Christams Day and it's very traditional (dates from colonial times and is where Washington bade farewell to his troops at the end of the revolution.
Chinese on Christmas Day is a tradition primarily for those who don;t celebrate Christmas (many, many people here).
Thanks for your thoughts. We are thinking not Chinatown or Chinese meal for Xmas day if possible (one member of our party is not a fan, alas.) Would definitely love the Italian seafood meal for the night before. Will consider options for all budgets, and it involves no young children. Thanks!
If you want the 7 fishes dinner, I know the Mario Battali restaurants do that with Lupa probably the best option but also probably difficult to book. I know Barbuto also did it in previous years. Here's an article from last year's NY Times on the subject. http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/finding-a-christmas-eve-dinner-in-manhattan/
thank you for above rec and link to nytimes article - very helpful!