Last minute pre-theater restaurant help
 

Looking for a nice, reasonably priced restaurant that I can still get into before a show this Saturday nite.<BR><BR>Thanks for all of your help!

Where, Doug, where?

NYC....sorry!!!

Hourglass Tavern<BR><BR>Very good food, dirt cheap ~$12-18 prix fixe, intimate and cozy, will get you out in 1 hour or less so you know you'll make the show. Call for a reservation, I had no problem calling at noon for an evening reservation.

Doug, quick questions:<BR>Why price range? What type(s) of food?

Not really particular about type of food....Italian would be fine, American too.<BR><BR>As for price, how about less than $80 for 2 people.<BR><BR>Thanks!

Another vote for &quot;Hourglass Tavern&quot;. It is a very small restaurant, but the food was very good. I believe it is located on Restaurant Row.

Guys,<BR><BR>Since it's so small, is Hourglass Tavern overly noisy?

Try Cascina, on 9th Ave. I think it's<BR>between 45th and 45th. Good Italian food, very cozy place, reasonable prices.

That must be a very little restaurant, Steph. It is between 45 and 45?

just had dinner at marseille - on 44th and 9th Ave. excellent food and probably right around your price range. the food is french, and definitely on the imaginative side. plenty of pre-theater folk in the crowd.

Thanks for the replies so far...please keep them coming. Also, a couple of people I work with recommendeded Joe Allen, Orso, and also Judson Grill. Any opinions out there on any of these or any others.....will probably make a reservation later tonite or tomorrow.<BR><BR>Thanks

I doubt if you can still get in at Joe Allen or Orso for this Saturday. They take reservations one week before and are usually full the first day.<BR>Judson Grill is great. The $80 budget is a bit tough for that place though, unless you don't do a full bottle of wine, and you skip dessert and maybe no appetizer.

Orso's the best but you'll never get in. On restaurant row Becco ($21.95 all you can eat pasta special &amp; it's good) or Lattanzi is fantastic (fried artichokes &amp; veal with salad on top mmm). May be a bit more (Lattanzi) than $80 but not as high as Judson. Hourglass is good but it is TINY.

You'll never get away with $80 at Orso of Lattanzi...not even close. Besides, it's probably too late to get a Saturday reservation at either for Saturday, along with Becco as well.<BR>You might try Sam's on West 45th, next to the theater where Les Miz is playing, between Times Square and 8th Avenue. It's similar to Joe Allen's. I think the food is better.

Hourglass is at 373 W 46th. It does look small, but there is also an upstairs dining room. The name derives from the hourglass mounted on the wall over each table. When you start it is turned over and you are supposed to be finished - and on your way to the theatre- when time (90 minutes?) runs out. It is not particularly noisy. You can definitely stay under your $80 budget. The place is something of a local landmark, was mentioned in one of John Grisham's books (The Firm, I believe.) I recommend the pasta di mare if it's on the menu the eveing you go.

I actually was able to get a 6:30 reservation at Joe Allen. Should I keep it and go there or call tomorrow and try to get into Hourglass or Sam's? Any more advice from people who have eaten at 2 or 3 of them would be greatly appreciated.<BR><BR>Thanks again!!!

I can't go to NYC and NOT eat at Joe Allen, but it's always been after the theatre, not before. It is a very New York type place (whatever that means), brick walls, almost basement feeling. It's more about the theatre buzz there -- often filled with theatre people after the show, but I don't know about before the show. Food is good, nothing really great except excellent hamburgers (which I don't think are on the menu -- or is that in London?).

If your theater is reasonably close to 46th &amp; you don't have your heart set on Italian, I'd stick with Joe Allen's. Steph's suggestion of Cascina also sounds good in Zagats. I've never been. A last italian thought is caffe Cielo on 8th betw. 52-53.

Msg to CalgirlSusan - you're right, that<BR>should be &quot;between 45th and 46th&quot; -<BR>though, it IS a small restaurant. :)

Two thoughts:<BR><BR>Sabrina on Nineth and 43rd -- really excellent small contemporary American restaurant, modest prices, if you stay away from the specials.<BR><BR>Bricco on 56th Street. (I posted details about this restaurant recently on this board, so if you do a search you should be able to find it.) Good Italian restaurant. If you stick to the pastas you can easily eat for under $80 for two. Attentive waiters and an upscale atmosphere.<BR><BR>You can also walk up Nineth Avenue -- there are lots of reasonably priced restaurants from 42nd Street up to 57th Street, most of which don't even take reservations.

I like Dervish (Turkish food) at 146 W. 47th St. (bet. 6th &amp; 7th Aves.). It has a $20 prix fix until 8pm. Judson Grill is pricier but very good.

Try Federico's. They have a website: http://federicosnyc.com/media/websitefedericos.html
Their priced fix menu (3 course) is $22.95 and I read it is romantic and not so noisy with a piano bar playing. We are doing that when we go in a month. It is on 50th st near the Gershwin Theatre (Wicked)