DMG

In a few weeks we are going to see two Broadway shows in one day. Between the matinee and evening performances, we would like to go for a light dinner, such as a good Cobb salad or a thin-crust pizza. A nice setting would be an added bonus but not a necessity. Any suggestions for finding those kind of meals in the theater district?

HappyTrvlr

Pomaire has very nice small plates, tapas. It is a Chilean restaurant on W. 46 in Restaurant Row.

volcanogirl

John's Pizzeria is really good. It's built in an old
church so has some interesting architecture. Dafni has
good Greek food. They offer a lot of appetizers and salads.

ellenem

Toloache is better Mexican cuisine with lots of options for smaller plates, plus it is open continuously from 11:30am-11:30pm.

http://toloachenyc.com/media/toloache.html

SueNYC

I second Toloache! Or a friend opened a restaurant around the block just recently called E & E Grillhouse. I think you could make a nice light meal out of the appetizers and salads. The ravioli could be shared as well. (I haven't had steaks yet)

http://www.eegrillhouse.com/menus

mclaurie

Good suggestions. For a place with a view, the Broadway lounge at the Marriott Marquis has views over Times Square and menu of the type of food you want. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo...WRAL&imageID=0

For a "NY-y" insider theater experience, Bar Centrale on restaurant row is up an unmarked flight of stairs above Joe Allen's. You must book a table though. http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/bar-centrale/

ekscrunchy

I would never send a visitor to a restaurant at the Times Square Marriot! PLEASE!

mclaurie

"I would never send a visitor to a restaurant at the Times Square Marriot! "
You didn't. I did. Get over yourself.

Aduchamp1

McLaurie

How many places do you just google and how many places have actually eaten at in the last year?

Ekscrunchy really knows her food and as far as I can tell, has eaten at every place she recommends. So if you disagree, disagree, but stop with the "Get over yourself" language.

People can google their own restaurants.

NeoPatrick

Yes, but the real question is has Ekscrunchy ever eaten (or at least recently) at the Marriott Marquis? Just as it's not a good idea to rave about restaurants one has never been to, it's equally wrong to rant against one you don't eat at. Not trying to be personal here, but fair is fair. And for the life of me I can't imagine Ekscrunchy (who does have great taste in restaurants) checking it out so I'm not sure why she seems to know it has to be bad. Besides, I don't think McLaurie suggested it so much for the food as for the view and ambiance which seems to be just as important as the food in the OP's question.

Also it's always nice to get a suggestion of what WOULD be a better selection rather than just a "don't eat there" comment.

Aduchamp1

Neo

Your question is valid. But would you agree that people whose opinions that matter to you who have eaten at a certain place or a consensus of professional reviewers who you trust would have sway?

It is impossible to eat at evey place.

Needless to say, when one spends one's own money they want the best result and if the consenus says a place stinks, then why not go elsewhere?

NeoPatrick

Depends on whose "consensus" you are referring to and their consensus of what? There are many, many, many people who have gone to The View for cocktails and light food and have loved it. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find many negative comments (other than it is expensive) on any site for The View. It comes up frequently recommended. On the other hand you will find many, many, many people who would simply NEVER step into a Marriott property since they feel they know it is "beneath them". How can any place in a big hotel populated by (gasp) tourists be good?

We're not talking about a Michelin starred place, and that isn't what the OP is looking for in my opinion. While many New Yorkers would rather be dead than be caught in a place like a Marriott Hotel facing Times Square, that doesn't prove that it can't be a delightful and fun place to get some good drinks and some decent if not better food in a fun atmosphere (fun for those who are visiting the big city -- not those who live there and have other desires).

But to answer the first part of your question, yes -- and that's partly why I'm defending McLaurie from what seemed like a personal attack on her posting. I DO respect her opinion of where to go, so I am not so quick to dismiss it as some might be. And yes, I'm 99% sure that McLaurie HAS eaten (or more importantly, lounged, relaxed and drank) at The View -- while you seemed to feel she hadn't, yet you wanted to agree with the opinion of someone I doubt has been there.

Aduchamp1

There was a function at the "The View" and many people from work went. I did not go. Not one person liked it and they were all amused that someone had trouble with the revolving floor.
______

Neo writes:
Depends on whose "consensus" you are referring to and their consensus of what

In response to:

a consensus of professional reviewers who you trust...

I thought that was pretty clear
________________________________

I have seen many restaurants cited on these boards without any acknowledgement of personal knowlwdge. Yes I am suspicious.

Secondly, and I must admit that the following is a personal prejudice. If I not eaten in a restaurant in a year, I make note of that with the proper qualification.
__________________

If I am going out and do not have reliable information or a reference, I have a few rules of thumb unless otherwise informed:

1. I do not go to restaurants that have music and food, one of them suffers.

2. I do not eat on boats that have cruises around a city.

3. I do not go to restaurants with gimmicks uncluding revolving floor.

ekscrunchy

Thanks for the compliments, guys. For the record, I have not eaten at any restaurant in that hotel and probably should not have commented. But I do find it difficult to believe that there are not better places to find a Cobb salad and a thin-crust pizza.

I took offense at the tone of the first response to my statement. Not necessary. Quite rude, in fact.

happytrailstoyou

"I would never send a visitor to a restaurant at the Times Square Marriot! "
You didn't. I did.

You took the words right out of my mouth. The OP didn't ask for a great dining experience but rather a quick bite.

I took offense at the tone of the first response to my statement. Not necessary. Quite rude, in fact.

You were the rude one by putting down somebody else's well-intended suggestion.

I've been away from this forum for a few days exploring remote beauty spots of the NW and I am appalled to return to this childishness.

HTTY

starrs

I agree with mclaurie that the Broadway Lounge may be a good option for you. It's one of the few places that will offer you a view. According to their website, they are open for lunch and dinner. The trick will be to make sure the place you want is open between lunch and dinner - depending on what time your matinee is over.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel...riott-marquis/

I enjoyed a mid-afternoon stop at Blue Fin on my last trip to NYC. I love their sushi but they offer other items on the menu. Sitting at their bar in front is a great place to watch the parade of people walk through Times Square.
http://www.bluefinnyc.com/

You can walk along 8th and 9th and find lots of small places that offer options including many inexpensive places for pizza. I've done that for a quick bite when in the area.

A new favorite is Pio Pio, a Peruvian restaurant and there's on one 10th. I LOVE their food! Nothing fancy but wonderful stuff. The Matador Combo makes an inexpensive meal when it's shared - and there's enough food for 3 to 4 people for only $34. Delicious too!
http://www.piopio.com/pdfs/Pio8Menu.pdf

One place away from the bustle of Times Square but close to the theatres is West Bank Cafe. They offer a wonderful prix fixe meal option as well as items off the menu.
http://www.westbankcafe.com/menus/dinner.pdf

I was going to recommend a basic neighborhood place with good salads that's around the corner from a friend's apartment - but I just checked and it is closed.

One place I haven't been to (yet) is the rooftop bar/lounge at Ink48. The rooftop bar is called Press and their restaurant is called Print.
http://www.ink48.com/new-york-dining/index.html

Ink48 is one of the newest Kimpton hotels in NYC and I love the Kimpton boutique hotels and have enjoyed the restaurants at every one I've stayed at. You may even want to eat somewhere else and then relax and enjoy the view of NYC from the rooftop bar.

OR (bringing us back full circle) eating a dinner before and then enjoying the view from The View at the Marriott. I like to stop there after a show and can highly recommend their Lemon Drop Martinis.

Good luck in deciding. I think I'd choose depending on how much walking my group wanted to do. If folks are tired, then stay close with the Broadway Lounge or Blue Fin. If not, walk over to Pio Pio and then relax with a drink at Press at Ink48.

Enjoy your trip and your shows!

mclaurie

YES, I have been to the BROADWAY LOUNGE which is what I recommended and actually have had thin crust pizza there which is what the OP wanted. It was FINE, not haute cuisine, but perfectly palatable, as was the view and the ambiance. Fwiw, I have also been to the View which I did not recommend in this thread. ekscrunchy seems to believe that it's ok for her to be rude but not anyone else. Her holier than thou 'my taste is better than anyone else's' is extremely rude, condescending and unnecessary; erego my
get over yourself response. I think people know I'm rarely if ever rude.

When someone makes a recommendation whether online or in person and I dont't agree, I either keep my mouth SHUT or I try to politely indicate why I don't agree. I've actually had a pretty bad experience at one of the places mentioned in this thread but since others like it, I keep quiet and let the OP decide where they want to go. As for aduchamp's continuous attacks on my recommendations, it's not worth my time to respond.

Many thanks to NeoPatrick, happytrailstoyou and starrs. Hoping DMG has a great time.

NeoPatrick

"There was a function at the "The View" and many people from work went. I did not go. Not one person liked it and they were all amused that someone had trouble with the revolving floor."

And this should surprise us that a group of New Yorkers have never been to a revolving restaurant before and it gave them "trouble"? Maybe they need to get out more? Or should we merely be surprised that a group already determined that a big tourist hotel would be a lousy spot to go didn't like it? Wow, big surprise there, including the fact that you refused to go "knowing" what it would be like without ever being there. Clairvoyant?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Neo writes:
Depends on whose "consensus" you are referring to and their consensus of what

In response to:
a consensus of professional reviewers who you trust...
I thought that was pretty clear"

Umm, no Auduchamp, your question was not clear -- read it again --"But would you agree that people whose opinions that matter to you who have eaten at a certain place or a consensus of professional reviewers who you trust would have sway?"

Did you mean to say "agree with" instead of "agree that"? I honestly can't figure out if you were giving an either/or question or just didn't form a clear sentence. No. It was not clear.

And my question of consensus remains -- which critics formed this imaginary consensus? And what consensus are you talking about? Have you found some major consensus of any group of critics saying to stay away from The View? Can you cite it?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Why is it that so many simple New York questions get met here with nastiness, insults, and bitterness? Why do a handful of New Yorkers not understand that people visiting New York might be looking for something they can't find at home -- like a rooftop revolving restaurant with a million dollar view where they can hang out for a few hours rather than get rushed out as most restaurants will do pre-theatre? And why is it that a couple of posters here would rather simply toss out insults in posts when they aren't even making ANY suggestions themselves?

It's hard to find a poster here who offers more help with New York (and usually with a logical "feel" for what the poster is asking) than McLaurie. I was offended by the insult that she probably has never been to the places she mentions or has simply googled for responses. A totally unfounded insult!

ekscrunchy

The difference, McLaurie, is that I scoffed at your suggestion, while you hurled a personal insult at me. However, I have no wish to continue any sort of feud with you, or with anyone else here, so if I offended you, I am sorry.

The OP did not ask for a restaurant with a view. Based on the meals that I HAVE eaten at the hotel in question, at private functions and not in the restaurant spaces, I maintain that there must be better places to satisfy the OPs request than that one. But that is based only on the food, not on any other factors. And since I have no helpful suggestions for the OP, I offered none.

Aduchamp1

And why is it that a couple of posters here would rather simply toss out insults in posts when they aren't even making ANY suggestions themselves?
__________
Yes please Neo, explain your motivation?