I have another NYC honeymoon restaurant question! Thank you to everyone who responded to my Indian restaurant query.

We'd like to go to a nice restaurant New Year's Eve, maybe somewhere in midtown or the upper east side. We want to avoid Times Square. It's fun to watch the ball drop on tv, but in person...Any suggestions for New Year's Eve restaurants and fun places to go to watch the ball drop? I know everywhere will be packed, and we may just end up back at our hotel, but perhaps if we can make reservations somewhere it wouldn't be so bad.

Avoid midtown at all cost. Everything from 34th to 50th and from 8th to 5th is a zoo because of the ball drop. Midtown east won't be as bad.

If you're looking for a good restaurant on the UES, there's a few, but not a ton. I've been meaning to try the Park Avenue Cafe, which I think is up that way, and is supposed to be excellent. Any preferences on food?

In my experience, anyplace in NY (particularly in Manhattan) that bills itself as "a great place to be on New Years Eve" is going to be an overpriced dissapointing zoo. That's not to say there aren't fun places to go, just that I've tended to stumble upon them by accident.

There are fireworks in Central Park at midnight (along with a run). If you eat on the upper east or west sides, you can walk to the park at midnight. There's also a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and fireworks at the South Street seaport. You could eat down there as well.
http://gonyc.about.com/od/newyearseve/

I agree with Shirley, it's hard to find a restaurant that has just their regular menu that night and not get ripped off. Decide what area you want to be and what kind of food and we can help. YOu can also do some looking of your own on menupages.com

The Park Ave. Cafe is very good. They have a pay your age dinner offer that's become popular with the under 30 set but I'd be surprised if it was offered on NYE.

Will definitely avoid midtown. Thanks for the great tip about Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge. That sounds like fun, and not the typical go to a bar type evening.

We don't really have any food preferences. I know that's not helpful, but we have a hard time deciding on restaurants because we want to eat at every restaurant! I've been looking at Oceana, Fresco, and La Grenouille, but I'm not sold yet.

One choice in Midtown would be Foley's Fish House. The food is excellent and the view of Times Square can't be beat.

Two big cons though, it will probably cost you $500 per person and you'd be in the chaos of Times Square. Removed of course but you still must get in and out.

Another excellent view of Times Square and the ball dropping would be The Broadway Bar at The Marriott Marquis. Again the price would be similar and the views the best in Manhattan for the ball drop but you still have to get in and out of Times Square.

My personal suggestion would be to go have dinner somewhere great (Gramercy Tavern, Blue Ribbon, I Coppi), get out early, then go to a fun dive bar and watch the ball drop.

Where are you staying? Why did you pick those 3 restaurants? How old are you? Those restaurants skew a bit older imo.

How about Tavern on the Green in central park. Its a bit north of Times square but for sure it will be very elegant and a celebration all on its own. (It's a bit expensive (22 dollars an entree)), but the best for a special occasion, later you can catch a cab south on broadway and make your way down to times square on foot(probably easier than spending the whole evening there)

janiella, Tavern On The Green will be prix fix NYE and start at around $300 per person. You will not see any $22 entrees that night (which isn't that expensive for any other restaurant other than TOTG).

Texas, I was wrong about the Marriott Marquis Broadway Bar. Packages start at $899 per couple and go up to $1400 per couple.

http://www.nycvisit.com/content/index.cfm?pagePkey=1638