Our family will be in NYC at Easter weekend for two nights (Fri & Sat), 5 of us, 2 adults and kids (21,17,14). Seeing a show Sat night (The Producers, Wicked our first choice is sold out). Will be arriving Fri. afternoon. Looking for recommendations of two places for dinner, Friday night we just plan on walking around seeing the sights and lights of Times Square so we are quite flexible. Sat night we want to eat before the show, so I want to limit it to something close to the theater area. First time to New York, so I want to experience the New York flavor, but would like to keep it in the $30 - $40 per person range. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We will be staying at Milford Plaza, have read some good and bad about it, but as long as it is clean and has a decent bed we'll be alright because we don't plan on spending much time in it, can anyone comment that it is? Only place I could find at this late date in the theater district area, we wanted to stay where we could walk everywhere.

You have given us lots of info to help you except what kind of food you want. Joe Allen's is the standby American food favorite in the theater district and has a "NY flavor" because you often see celebs there, but that's usually after the shows, not before. It is on 46 st b/w 8th-9th, known as restaurant row b/c it's one rest. after another. There are also several Italians on the street. Becco is known for their $21.95 pasta dinner. Chez Josephine is a French rest. with live piano music that has a fun atmosphere.

You can look at menus to all of these and more at menupages.com They're all near your hotel. I won't comment b/c I've never stayed there but while locals call it Mildew Plaza, many tourists find it just fine. I hope 5 of you are not staying in one room as that might be a tight squeeze.

We like most cuisines, but of all of them Italian the best, Chinese second, American third (meat and potatoes). Should probably say that Friday we can't eat meat (lent), so someplace where we might get a good pizza, pasta, or fish probably would work best. I've read that about Milford, thats what worries me. What can you tell me about Sardi's, is it worth the price? I'm concerned that due to the amount of people that will be in town that weekend that if we dont get reservations for Sat we may not get in to a good restaurant.

Whatever you decide make reservations 3-4 weeks before you come. That's a must.
Sardi's? Forget it! Mediocre, overpriced food.
Becco would be a good choice for your meatless Friday. The aforementioned pasta special (all you can eat of the 3 pasta dishes, which change every night) at $21.95 is a good deal. You might want to plan on an 8 p.m. dinner after the pre-theater dinner crowd has left the restaurant.
Is that $30-40 figure a final total for each person including tax and tip? Your answer will make a big difference in what is recommended.

You might also want to consider Cafe Un Deux Trois - traditional French bisro fare - but the food is fine for the price - which has a prefixe pre theater dinner for $25 I think. (And they're used to getting people out in time for the theater.) Even ordering a la carte should not break your budget - unless your kids eat in huge volumes.

That $30 to $40 is for dinner only, not drinks, nor tip, nor taxi. I'm hoping to walk to dinner from our place and then to the theater, thats one of the reasons for staying where we did.

Howard was asking whether it include tip and tax, not taxi.

We very much enjoyed Cafe Un, Deux, Trois a few years ago. The waiter was a lot of fun and the food was great!

A few favourites are below, all offer fixed price pre-theatre meals. You can view menus and prices on the websites noted below.

Rene Pujol
21 West 51st Street (between 8th and 9th Ave).
Tel: 212-246-3023.
www.renepujol.com
Wonderful French food. They offer prix fixe pre-theatre dinner at about $45.
On "restaurant row" (46th Street), two favourites are:
Barbetta
21 West 46th Street
(Between 8th and 9th Ave)
Tel: 212-246-9171
www.barbettarestaurant.com
Italian. Prix fixe pre-theatre dinner at about $50. They have a courtyard garden which is lovely in summer, plus several other nice dining rooms.

Orso
22 West 46th Street.
(Between 8th and 9th Ave)
Tel: 212- 489-7212
Italian, including some nouvelle cuisine. Great deserts and pasta, good for kids who might be picky eaters.

Café Un Deux Trois, mentioned above is a good choice with kids too

Cafe Un Deux Trois
123 West 44th St
(Between 6th Ave & Broadway)
Tel: 212-354-4148
www.cafeundeuxtrois.biz/pages/831018/index.htm

We go to Orso everytime, just love it. Definitely reserve, it's a smallish place.

We usually try to have late breakfast and very light lunch so that we can have dinner at 6 and not rush to get to the theatre....

Just realize that a prix fixe of $25 ends up costing about $38 when you add beverage (a glass of wine for adults and soda for kids), tax and tip. If you go for a la carte at any of these places it can add up quickly - esp if any of your kids are big eaters (I have a 16 year old nephew with whom it is embarassing to go to a restaurant - since he needs 2 main courses.)

For a theater-district mean in the $30-40 range (not counting drinks, tax and tip), I'd choose from one of these three (listed alphabetically): Chez Josephine, Le Madeleine, Orso.
Regardless of which restaurant you select, make reservations soon. That's a busy weekend.

here are my picks:

Blue Fin (awesome atmosphere in the W hotel)
Seafood, American (New)
1567 Broadway, New York 10036
Phone: 212-918-1400

Becco (yummy pasta)
Italian
355 W 46th St, New York 10036
Phone: 212-397-7597

Carmine's (family style dining)
Italian
200 W 44th St, New York 10036
Phone: 212-221-3800

Ruby Foo's (this is really good, all the dishes are wonderful)
Times Square
Pan-Asian & Pacific Rim, Dim Sum, Japanese, Sushi
1626 Broadway, New York 10019
Phone: 212-489-5600

I love Becco, and Carmine's is an excellent idea for a family. If you want something more casual, John's Pizzeria is very good and has interesting architecture as it use to be a church.

I agree with the Renee Pujol as being one of the best around for pre/post theater. Food is excellent, atmosphere very relaxed, fixe price, must have reservations. For an 8:00pm show, getting reservations for 5:30 is nice so you are not rushed and can walk to the theater. Have fun. jb