flit

My 17 year old daughter is wanting to go to this restaurant while we are in NY later this week. Can anyone tell me if it is good or not?

lisettemac

Not really, no. But it can be entertaining for a teen.

flit

Do you know if it gets crowded at lunch?

GoTravel

It is horrible and the restaurant itself is nasty.

No lie.

MFNYC

I took my kids to the 'original' one in the west village when they were elementary school age. They were amused. Overall it's a abit of a routist trap, especially the times square one. My 17 year old daughter probably wouldn't go near it (and we live in NYC).

If she really wants to go, make ait a lunch. Don't waste a dinner there. If it's antyhing like the one in the West Vilalge 9which I don't even know if that one's still around), it gets very crowded at lunch. Lots of young kids.

flit

Thanks, do you know of something else that might be of interest to her that I can suggest instead? She is a music nut and loves shows of all types. I'm assuming that's why she wants to go to this restaurant.

mcnyc

For a music nut, I would take her to Hard Rock Cafe. However, if she's adamant, take her to lunch at Jekyl and Hyde and enjoy the spookiness and the burgers.

If she likes Jekyl and Hyde, another fun and funky place to go is Mars 2112. http://www.mars2112.com/

MFNYC

J & H is more of a haunted house type theme. Skeletons falls from the ceiling, that kind of thing.

Are you taking her to a broadway show? She'd probably love Rent, almost all teens do.

I'm sure there are restaurants in the Broadway area that have broadway show type themes. Maybe someone else here could make suggestions.

In general 'theme' restaurants (whatever the theme may be: music, theater, horror, space) tend to be over priced and touristy with mediocre at best food. If she's truly interested in music and shows, I'd take her to a concert and/or show, maybe a lincoln center tour or something else along those lines. For eating, I'd explore other neighborhoods (not times square) such as East Village, Chelsea, upper west side.

Menupages is a great resource of restaurant info.

nytraveler

First, the food is quite nasty. Second - this is really for little kids - 12 and unders - not for a 17 year old young woman. I would think she would be much mor thrilled with something trendy than something so childish.

HowardR

I would think a 17-year-older is too old for the place.
As other posters have said, don't bother with it.

tpatricco

Jeckyll & Hyde and Mars 2112 are in the "Just say No" category.

They are both places for little kids with no food quality. With so many good choices in NYC you'd be nuts to waste time there.

Neither is a place for older teens / young adults.

flit

I am going to try my best to talk her out of going to J & H. We are going to the Wed. matinee of Wicked and going to try and pickup something for Wed. night once we get there. We actually only have Wed. and Thurs until dinner then she has to meet up with her high school choir who will be there for a competition. I know there has been mixed reviews here on Wicked but she has been dying to see it. She sang one of the songs for her college cd application. Hoping we can pick up another good show for Wed. night though. Thanks for the help.

ekscrunchy

Why don't you have lunch at Sardi's?

MFNYC

You'll love Wicked. Buy the CD and listen to it before you go. I don't know anything about the current cast, but I thought it was a great show, music, plot and all. My kids loved it as well.

HowardR

Oh no, not Sardi's. That's not much of an improvement over Jekyll & Hyde, foodwise!

GoTravel

Why do you have to talk her out of going?

There are so many other restaurants in the city that are touristy but aren't horrors. I hate to say this but I'd pick Tavern On The Green for one over J&H. The Boathouse over both.

21 Club is a great old NYC establishment. Excellent food also.

There are plenty of famous NYC restaurants that would be so much more enjoyable.

If it has to be an experience, Foley's Fish House in the Renaissance Hotel offers excellent bird's eye views of Times Square with quite good seafood.

MFNYC

I think Ellen's Stardust Diner has singing waiters. It gets decent reviews on menupages.

socialworker

Here is a slightly alternate viewpoint. I thought it was fun. It is the most non-NYC experience you could ever have. However, if you like the Haunted Mansion at WDW, then this place is like going there but having it be a restaurant. Kids are only young once and a 17 y.o is very much on her way out of the house. It is *one* lunch, so if that is what she wants to do, I say do it and enjoy it! The staff does a great job with the theme. As for the food being "nasty", it was burgers like any other chain type place. There were also some entree salads that were perfectly fine. No one would ever suggest it is gourmet faire but it is just lunch!!

flit

Well, I mentioned how bad the reviews were on J & H tonight and she mentioned Serendipity. Do you think this would be a better choice?

MFNYC

She's sure picking those touristy popular kids places. I live here so my opinion and even my 17 year old daughter's is generally not that of a tourist.

If she isn't a pickey eater and likes a good meal, you can suggest something different like L'Ecole (the restaurant at the French Cullinary Inst) in Soho. You can have a very nicely served 4 course meal at a reasonable price.

But if she really has her heart set on Serendipity, take her. Menupages gives it a decent review, but menupages also gave J&H a decent review so I don't know how accurate any of it is. I do think though that the food at Serendipity's is decent and certainly better than J&H.