New york restaurants for pre-theater dining
 

Four 40 something women are planning a girlfriend's weekend in NYC. Seeing a couple of Broadway plays, but need some good dinner ideas; especially for pre-theater dining.
Would love to hear your favorite spots. Thanks!

Can you give us any idea of budget? And what cuisines you like or not?

Hi nytraveler. We are looking for any type of food other than Indian or Asian. Favorites would be Italian, continental, seafood, steak, bistro etc. As far as cost, anything other than an over the top prix fixe menu is fine. Have you ever dined at BLT Steak? Any thoughts? Thanks for your help.

I'm not too keen on theater district dining because the prices are usually high for what they are. I've recently tried out Marseille and loved the atmosphere and food, and I'd go back. Located on 44th and 9th, that will be my "It" spot for pre-theater dining.
My coworkers raves about Becco if you want Italian.
Thalia which is a bit of a walk but is very romantic.
Check out www.menupages.com to see what they offer.

I disagree w/cko. There are a myriad
of restaurants West of 8th ave
(think 9th to 10th Aves) that do NOT
break the bank.
"Restaurant Row" as NY'ers refer
to West 46 Street has many choices;
I find Le Beaujolais a charming,
quasi-authentic restaurant w/a
reasonable prix fixe for both lunch & dinner.
www.NYCRG.com has 12 restaurants; among them: Cara Mia,
Scarlatto & a personal favorite Roberto Passon w/a $14 luncheon
selection including dessert. Dinner
is ala carte, I believe.
Marseille as cko mentioned is also good but a tad higher than the ones
mentioned herein.
You might want to join, gratis,
www.opentable.com where you
may peruse the menus & gather
points at the same time.
Most of the above are listed in the
"Hell's Kitchen" area in Manhattan.
Hope this is of some value for a
fun-filled wk-end.

www.havanacentral.com

Excellent Cuban food with a "Hemingway-esque" atmosphere.

Le Madeleine has a pretty garden room and some prix fixe menus.
http://www.lemadeleine.com/

Chez Josephine can be fun with live music but is better after theater than before imo.
chezjosephine.com

There are dozens of Italian options at various prices and from casual to more formal including Orso, Barbetta, Lattanzi, Becco, Trattoria Trecolori, Maria Pia, ViceVersa, Roberto Passon, Basilica

There's a new steak place getting excellent reviews on menupages.com called AJ Maxwell's. Keen's is another good steakhouse not far from the theaters.

DB Bistro Modern is a good option. They're famous for their fois gras hamburger.

Another vote for Le Madeleine - a lovely restaurant - and Trattoria Trecolori, though I believe it may not have reopened yet in its new location. I'd also recommend John's Pizzeria if you're looking to go a little more casual, Angus McIndoe's, or Joe Allen's - the last two are classic theatre haunts with good food.

I went to BLT Steak for my birthday last year. It was great but it's a bit further east rather than near theater dining. My family and I like to go to Baldoria on W. 49th between 7th and 8th Avenue for pre-theater meals. Delicious!

Still another vote for Le Madeleine. Love the garden room. I also like Cascina on 9th at around 45th street.

Sometimes I'm unclear what people mean when they indicate everything in the "theatre district" is overpriced or bad. Even poster cko seems to say that but then mentions a great place, Marseille, which I consider to be in the theatre district. Maybe our "boundaries" of the district aren't the same.

As others say Ninth Avenue and even Eighth have lots of well priced and very good places. Roberto Passon on Ninth at 50th is now perhaps my favorite. Maria Pia on 51st (?) between 8th and 9th is another. Many other good ones have been mentioned.
I love Joe Allen's and Angus MacIndoe's although they are both more fun after theatre than before -- when lots of actors and backstage people gather. Food is good at both -- but they are more about the "vibe".

Speaking of after theate, have you thought about that? Often we like doing a little more lunch in New York (hey who wants to eat at 6 after doing a deli pastrami at 1?) Instead we stop at Sardi's for a drink at the bar before the show -- or any other bar with maybe a little snack, and do a fun dinner after the show, when you don't have to worry about getting to the theatre on time and you can really relax.

Wow! Thanks for all the fantastic suggestions. I will get to work.

Rhea58 - Perhaps I should try the places that you have recommended next time. I've tried restaurant row a few times before and I've never been satisfied with a meal (don't really remember the names). Maybe I will give it one more try.

I like Le Rivage

I posted a similar question last week and one of the suggestions offered was Vice Versa. I have made pre-theater reservations there for this coming Friday and will let you know how it was.