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just me in nyc- dine alone spots near hotel
I'll be in NYC for a conference (AALS) and have the day before the conference to myself. Staying at the Sheraton New York (811 Seventh Ave at 52nd St)- conference is at the NY Hilton Midtown (full). If I end up on my own for dinner, and I don't decide to resort to the hotel-I'm looking for somewhere in the area where I'd be comfortable dining on my own. Suggestions?
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What makes one place comfortable to dine alone and another not comfortable?
You haven't bothered to mention cuisine or price range desired. www.menupages.com is a nice source. |
You are close (2 blocks?) to my favorite French Bistro - a fun place to dine and they will take care of you. Tout Va Bien - http://www.letoutvabien.com/
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Of course - you are also close to the fabled Le Bernardin - tres upscale - where I trust they would also take good care of ye. http://le-bernardin.com/
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Many people dine alone in NYC so any place is fine!
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This place, http://donantoniopizza.com/, has a good reputation, and is only a few blocks away.
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Toloache for Mexican on 50th Street E&E's on 49th Street. Lots of possibilities. When is the conference?
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You might want to consider a place where thye serve meals at the bar as well as a tables - since then many diners are singles.
But agree that there's no reason not to ear alone anywhere except a spefically romantic spot. cuisine and budget info will help a lot. |
Thanks for all the suggestions. Looking forward to it.
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Perhaps you may wish to look for places where you can eat at the bar without a reservation? Two of the more famous in NYC are Gotham Bar & Grill and Union Square Cafe. Both are fairly expensive and both are near Union Square. Also nearby, Gramercy Tavern is a beloved institution that has an excellent bar/cafe area at the front with a very reasonably priced menu. Obviously these all require a trip but are definitely worth the trouble of taking the subway to Union Square. Or try Maialino in the Gramercy Park Hotel, which has a nice bar area.
A big further away is Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, which serves at small tables in the bar. Some of the pastas directly across from it at Cipriani Dolce aren't horribly expensive, and they often get solo diners. Both are in Grand Central Terminal. There's also a Junior's and another Shake Shack downstairs, though only the former has sit-down service. Closer to your hotel are Brasserie Cognac, which tends not to be very busy and has lots of tables for 2. During store hours, you can also eat at Fred's at Barneys or any of the restaurants at Bloomingdale's. Again, not cheap but single diners are common at all of these. Any of the burger restaurants in the Times Square area are also good bets: Five Napkin Burger, Shake Shack, HB Burger, or The Burger Joint (at Le Meridien Hotel) if you just want fast food. For barbecue, Virgil's also serves at the bar, though it's not my favorite any longer. The bar at Marseille (recommended by Rhea58) is also a good place, either right at the bar or at one of the bar-area tables. You could also try Avra Estiatorio, an elegant (and not cheap) Greek restaurant where I see individual diners all the time, though less so for dinner. The recommendation for Le Bernardin may seem out of the blue, but the restaurant now has a lounge area at the front and a special menu of light dishes that would give you a taste of the wonders of the main dining room, which generally requires reservations at least a month in advance. |
Doug - at Le Bernardin - hasn't the lounge been there for a couple years? I remember about 3? years ago when Eric Ripert appeared on a "foodie" show and proudly noted they were going to provide an option to their relatively pricey/Prix Fix Menu.
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Yes, it has been there since the restaurant reopened after its big renovation a couple of years ago, but people who don't frequent the restaurant may not know about the lounge menu, which is why I think it's a great idea. Otherwise, Le Bernardin isn't a good restaurant for singles or those who haven't already made reservations a month in advance and not a useful recommendation at all without a bit of explanation.
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Really? I have had friends just drop by and fortunately be seated when there was a cancellation. Certainly not all the time but if one is close by and wants to try that first when going out - it could work?
But as you note - some "singles" may not feel like dining alone at a table even if they were able to procure one. |
My favorite place to eat solo is at Blue Fin - right in the middle of Times Square. I eat in the bar, ask to be seated at a window and just watch the parade of people outside the window. The food is good and the view (of people) is great -
http://www.bluefinnyc.com/ My favorite restaurant in the area is the West Bank Café and I've dined there alone too. http://www.westbankcafe.com/ If you want to try Peruvian food, I like Pio Pio http://www.piopio.com/locations/hells-kitchen.html |
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