My friends and I will be staying at the NY Hilton next week. We get in kindof late and after a whole day of flying from the west coast we want to grab cocktails and dinner someplace close to the hotel but good for our first night. Any suggestions?? We are foodies but have to spread our cash on shopping too!

Wendy

There are several good restaurants in that relative area--two I'd recommend are Marseille; great food and cocktails, and they just opened a lounge downstairs from the restaurant. We love this place. Less expensive great Mexican food at Hell's Kitchen, good margaritas.

Marseille: 630 9th Ave, at 44th
Hell's Kitchen: 679 9th Ave, b/t 46 and 47th

The Hilton is on 6th between 53rd/54th. At 7th/53rd you'll find Brasserie Centrale. Extensive menu, good food, moderate prices, terrific outdoor terrace, full bar, open late (24 hours, I think). Call first (212) 757-2233 as it was supposed to closed for a while for renovations.

For foodies, though, I'd recommend heading to Judson Grill right around the corner on 52nd (6th/7th). Fantastic food and ambience - great place for a terrific meal and winding down with cocktails. They have a website.

Actually, you could just head out in any direction and stuble into something appealing.

Sooo many good choices right nearby it's hard to choose. Taking into account late hour & maybe you won't want to eat a lot...Trattoria Dell'Arte-7th Ave betw 56-57 (across from Carnegie Hall) has great antipasto & divine thin crust pizza, a fun atmosphere & a late night crowd. They ofcourse have regular entrees (their veal parmigiana is huge & faboo-pounded thin.) ...Or how about the 21 Club 52nd betw 5th & 6th. Quintessential NYC. Have a burger in the bar area downstairs.

Remi is a more traditional northern Italian on 53rd betw 6th & 7th. Very good, not cheap.

Since you may run into an after theater crowd, I'd book in advance. If 21 accepts booking for the bar area (can't remember) it would be a must.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

Lots of choices, but I might have to go with China Grill. Almost directly across the street at the bottom of a tall, black skyscraper on 6th Ave between 52 & 53.

Sit at the tables at the bar. The have lots of great wines by the glass. China Grill is for sharing -- so order up several of their yummy appetizers and make a meal of it. Great people watching on Thurs nights, too!

You're getting some excellent suggestions. But, some of them are perhaps more than you want to spend. For example, both China Grill (across the street on 53rd Street) and Remi (next door to the hotel on 53rd Street) are excellent, but they could run $50 or more apiece.
Perhaps, you should let know how much you want to spend.

Thanks for the head's up Howard. I think that we are looking for entree's in the $15-$25 range if possible.

I happen to love going to '21' to eat a burger and take in the scene, the burgers are around $30 per. Call and see if you can split one, they are huge.

We are also going to the Met on Sat morning and plan to have a nice lunch before I head back to the hotel to go to the airport. Any suggestions for a place around the museum for a nice last meal in NYC?

There are rather slim pickins right near the museum & what's there is expensive. Closest option (besides inside the museum) is at the Stanhope Hotel across the street. If it's a nice day sitting on their sidewalk terrace feels very European. Limited lunch menu of burgers (around $14), club sandwich, salads etc. Although on a Sat. they may have a brunch menu. Try looking on the hotel's website.

The Neue (sp?) Museum on 86th & Fifth (3 blocks north) is supposed to have a very nice cafe I haven't tried.

Clove on 80th betw 5th & Mad is in a pretty townhouse. They have a brunch menu.

Good info, I think we'll plan on heading to another area for Sat. lunch! Thanks!

Leaving tomorrow, very excited! Any other last minute ideas? Thank you!

On your museum day, what about "Via Quadronno," on E. 73st St. bet/ 5th Avenue & Madison? We saw the folks that run this place on "Emeril Live" on the Food Channel, and went there on a whim about a year ago when we were in the neighborhood.

For lunch, it was reasonably priced; one of their claims to fame is panini-type sandwiches, and what we had was excellent. It was a small but pretty neat place.

You said you were a foodie...

2 blocks from the Met on Madison Avenue is EAT - fabulous soups, breads, a real NYC eatery (but not cheap). La Galou, further down on Madison (about 66th st) is a wonderful, informal French Brasserie and you can sit outside or by the large open door/windows.

PS to previous post: I'm a NYC tourist and obviously can't give much insider advice, but a place we've enjoyed, also while staying at the NY Hilton, was Ruby Foo's on Broadway (walk up 53rd or 54th to B'way and turn left towards all the lights!)

*Great* drinks--love their martinis, and thought the appetizers -make a meal from them-- were fabulous. We thought it was a fun place to hang out and people watch, especially if you are in the bar or seated near a window and can watch the people walking by.

I apologize if this is such a touristy spot that no body can bear to talk about it!

There is also Serafina for thin-crust pizza and pastas....79th and Madison...upstairs. Yellow awning.

DO NOT FORGET TO BRING A SMALL FOLDING UMBRELLA THAT YOU CAN KEEP IN YOUR BAG. Another wet weekend predicted. I believe full-sized regular umbrellas will not be allowed into the Met...have to be checked.

Have a great time.

Just happened to read about the restaurant I mentioned in the new Neue Museum at 86th & Fifth for lunch your last day. It's called cafe Sabarsky. Here's a link to a review. I've heard very good things about it. http://www.newyorkmetro.com/pages/details/8090.htm

Luv2fly's suggestion of Serafina is also a good idea. Upscale, European feel Italian/pizzaria.

Hope you have a terrific time. Just heard this morning on TV the Museum of Natural History has a new exhibit on CHOCOLATE?! If you're a foodie, thought you'd want to know.