I've always like Tout Va Bien at 51st and 8th. Nothing fancy in terms of decor, but the food is very good and very reasonable.

There are lots of good places along 9th Avenue from 42nd and north. I might suggest you can find a good place just by walking along. But, if looking for a place with a recommendation, I like Uncle Nick's for Greek at 9th and 51st.

If looking for an Irish pub with good food, Langan's at W 47th between 6th and 7th is pretty dependable (in a good way.) Relatively friendly bar crowd, no problem eating at the bar.

Cafe Un Deux Trois is about 3 doors down. It's ok. I like it as much as Tout Va Bien. Or if you want something more casual, I love the burgers at HB Burger on 43rd Street.

Great! Thanks Ryan and Doug so much. Looks like I have lots of options. This may seem like a dumb question but, I assume ok to walk to all of them at night? Appreciate your replies!

Statistically speaking, you have a lower chance of being a crime victim in New York City than you do in cities like Minneapolis, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma City.

That isn't to say you can ignore your surroundings, but the area around Times Square has a very large police presence. I would suggest your biggest risk is getting your purse or wallet taken. Just make sure you keep your purse zipped or wallet in your front pocket when walking through a crowd.

But, as these statistics show, New York is relatively safe. If you were to isolate Times Square and Midtown for New York, the crime rates are very low considering how many people pass through on a daily basis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cities_by_crime_rate

For psychological piece of mind, the north/south avenues usually have people, the numbered crosstown streets can vary. Whenever possible look for the crowds and streets that are well lit.

It is not a stereotype that NYC is 24 hour town and as Ryan noted there is always a large police presence in Times Square. I think you will surprised by the number of people at all hours that crowd Times Square.

And there are other neighborhoods where the night time is busy including West Village, East Village, Meatpacking District, and Lower East Side. And there are stretches of Third and Second Avenues where there are more bars and restaurants than re-runs of Law & Order.

Hi starfish, you'll be perfectly fine walking around the area at night by yourself. There will be lots of people all around you. Two ideas for meals. I did a lot of research for theatre district restaurants before a trip, using recommendations from Fodorites. The one place I didn't get to is right by your hotel. It would be a great choice. Check out the website and reviews -
http://www.osteria-doge.com/

Another idea is Blue Fin. http://www.bluefinnyc.com/
The last time I was there on a solo trip I decided to duck into Blue Fin to see if I could be seated in the bar area. I was seated at a table right in front, next to the windows. It was a great place to eat a solo meal. I really enjoyed the parade of people walking by. It's smack dab in the middle of Times Square, overlooking Duffy Square and the TKTS booth - the best people watching place I can imagine. I ordered sushi and it was fabulous but the menu is varied. I was there mid-afternoon and the place was not that busy. I'd walked past the restaurant a thousand times and it's always crowded at meal times. I really enjoyed the experience and the food.

Enjoy your trip! So much to see and do.

Thank you thank you everyone! Starrs, great suggestions and as you say, I think I shall have to stay longer than three nights now! Ryan and Aduchamp1,thank you also for all the links provided for my safety and eating pleasure. So many choices, so little time but really looking forward to our visit. Greatly appreciate the info and advice.