NYC: Pre-Theatre dining
May 8th, 2006, 02:33 PM
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NYC: Pre-Theatre dining
Ok,now I need some suggestions for some restaurants! I know we will be seeing Wicked and it's still a toss-up on the second play! We are looking to eat prior to an evening show, so we want restaurants close by. We love Italian, Mexican, American/steak. Not looking for anything real expensive or dressy!
I've read that some restaurants offer pre-theatre dinner prices?
Thanks!
I've read that some restaurants offer pre-theatre dinner prices?
Thanks!
May 8th, 2006, 02:57 PM
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May 8th, 2006, 03:45 PM
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Havana Central is “good” for Cuban. You can grab a gift certificate for it on restaurant.com ($12 will buy you a $25 gift certificate) That site seems to have a sale every other week for 40-50% off each certificate so you can probably buy one for $7 which will get you $25 worth of food, making the HC experience a bit more palatable!
Joe Allen and Angus McIndoe (decent steaks) are reliably good and not dressy. Lattanzi is excellent for Italian, but might be more than you want to spend, or try Osteria Al Doge (also Italian, and less expensive than Lattanzi). Le Madeleine is wonderful and especially nice if you can get a reservation in the garden room! You may also want to think about eating something light before the show and then going out for a post-theater meal when you can relax and take your time enjoying the food.
When you see a restaurant that you think may work for you, take a look at menupages.com for menus & reviews.
Joe Allen and Angus McIndoe (decent steaks) are reliably good and not dressy. Lattanzi is excellent for Italian, but might be more than you want to spend, or try Osteria Al Doge (also Italian, and less expensive than Lattanzi). Le Madeleine is wonderful and especially nice if you can get a reservation in the garden room! You may also want to think about eating something light before the show and then going out for a post-theater meal when you can relax and take your time enjoying the food.
When you see a restaurant that you think may work for you, take a look at menupages.com for menus & reviews.
May 8th, 2006, 05:17 PM
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I usually look at the list of places offering the big discounts on restaurant.com to know where I SHOULDN'T eat. I can usually count on not finding a single good restaurant there -- why would a good place have to give discounts of over 50% to entice people to eat there. In my book Havana Central adding itself to that list is a bad sign -- which matches recent opinions of how badly it has gone downhill.
For Cuban, the Cuban cookbook-writing wife of a friend of mine swears the best Cuban food in midtown is at Azucar, at 8th and 55th.
I'm with mclaurie on the recommendation of MariaPia, which I just booked for one night next week, along with a visit to its sister restaurant (brother restaurant?) Roberto Passon at 9th and 50th.
Joe Allen and Angus McIndoe are decent restaurants and a lot of fun -- usually lots of theatre people there especially after the show, not before.
I also like menu pages, but now I go to OpenTable.com to look and to book. It isn't quite as extensive as menupages, but it's easy to use and you can click on to the restaurant's own website if you have one. Meanwhile it seems if you book through OpenTable online you tend to get better seating or a bigger welcome -- at least that's often been my experience. You also gain points to use towards a meal at any place you desire that's on their site.
For Cuban, the Cuban cookbook-writing wife of a friend of mine swears the best Cuban food in midtown is at Azucar, at 8th and 55th.
I'm with mclaurie on the recommendation of MariaPia, which I just booked for one night next week, along with a visit to its sister restaurant (brother restaurant?) Roberto Passon at 9th and 50th.
Joe Allen and Angus McIndoe are decent restaurants and a lot of fun -- usually lots of theatre people there especially after the show, not before.
I also like menu pages, but now I go to OpenTable.com to look and to book. It isn't quite as extensive as menupages, but it's easy to use and you can click on to the restaurant's own website if you have one. Meanwhile it seems if you book through OpenTable online you tend to get better seating or a bigger welcome -- at least that's often been my experience. You also gain points to use towards a meal at any place you desire that's on their site.
May 8th, 2006, 05:32 PM
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On the contrary, Jeremy Merrin, the owner of the two Havana Central locations and my friend, says that business is great and the reviews have never been better. He recently remodeled the Union Square location, and he just purchased the famous West End near Columbia University (which will reopen soon serving Cuban cuisine).
I dine with Jeremy frequently, and the food has never been better. The classic cubano, well-pressed ... heaven! (I'm sure no one would be stupid enough to comment without having tried the food, but I could be wrong.)
My guess is that the discount option is to attract tourists to the Times Square location. Some tourists, after all, won't dine without a discount (particularly those who choose to dine in that area).
Enjoy Havana Central & NYC!
I dine with Jeremy frequently, and the food has never been better. The classic cubano, well-pressed ... heaven! (I'm sure no one would be stupid enough to comment without having tried the food, but I could be wrong.)
My guess is that the discount option is to attract tourists to the Times Square location. Some tourists, after all, won't dine without a discount (particularly those who choose to dine in that area).
Enjoy Havana Central & NYC!
May 8th, 2006, 06:49 PM
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Boys, boys, boys! You started the day bickering. Don't end the day that way.
I have a quiet little favorite in the theatre district. Sam's is at 263 W 45th St and is my favorite pre-theatre place. By the way, I've never written a review of the place, so if you see positive comments, it's coming from others - not me
I have a quiet little favorite in the theatre district. Sam's is at 263 W 45th St and is my favorite pre-theatre place. By the way, I've never written a review of the place, so if you see positive comments, it's coming from others - not me
May 8th, 2006, 07:19 PM
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Oh, HowardR! I am heartbroken. Really. It was "my" place in Manhattan. Of course, they didn't know me - but I felt like it was my place. I did a walk-through Joe Allen's because I had heard so much about it - but circled on out and went back to Sam's.
Remember when the scaffolding fell on the Conde Nast building and they shut down Times Square for several days? It was eerie - like a scene in a Tom Cruise movie - an almost silent Times Square. Natasha Richardson was the lead in Caberet at the Kit Kat and the show was stopped for several days. Pet owners were up in arms because they were not allowed to go back in to get or feed their pets?
The bartender at Sam's had gone out for a morning run - with nothing. No money. No ID. Nothing. We "visited" with him every day for a cool brew during out sight seeing and got a running report on the progress - and frustration - of losing access to one's home for an unknown period of time.
Honestly, I don't remember going to a show (Broadway or Off-Broadway) in the last few years that didn't include a meal beforehand at Sam's - or an egg salad sandwich from my favorite diner.
What am I going to do? My "Cheers" has closed!
Thanks for breaking the news (I think)
Remember when the scaffolding fell on the Conde Nast building and they shut down Times Square for several days? It was eerie - like a scene in a Tom Cruise movie - an almost silent Times Square. Natasha Richardson was the lead in Caberet at the Kit Kat and the show was stopped for several days. Pet owners were up in arms because they were not allowed to go back in to get or feed their pets?
The bartender at Sam's had gone out for a morning run - with nothing. No money. No ID. Nothing. We "visited" with him every day for a cool brew during out sight seeing and got a running report on the progress - and frustration - of losing access to one's home for an unknown period of time.
Honestly, I don't remember going to a show (Broadway or Off-Broadway) in the last few years that didn't include a meal beforehand at Sam's - or an egg salad sandwich from my favorite diner.
What am I going to do? My "Cheers" has closed!
Thanks for breaking the news (I think)
May 8th, 2006, 07:41 PM
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Starrsville, you're in luck. Mama is still open. But is it my imagination or didn't they used to do cabaret shows late night almost every night? These days the Cabaret shows are only late on Fri. and Sat. Some of the "good stuff" is only in competition with regular theatre hours. At least the piano bar is open late.
May 9th, 2006, 02:10 AM
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I pointed out the discount for Havana for precisely the reasons Neo mentioned, to me multiple coupon / discount offers usually signals a desperate move on the restaurant's part to entice customers. But, if the OP really wanted to try it and was on a budget it - they might as well save some $. The certificates on restaurant.com are for BOTH locations, so it is not just a ploy to lure people to Times Square. Gekko, I didn't know your friend owns it, and I'm not trying to bash it, I just don't think it's a great reco for pre-theater when there are other places so much better. Sure you can search here for glowing reviews - most are from you though and now that we know you are friends with the owner it makes sense that you plug it as often as possible. I would also go out on a limb and say that you don't exactly pay full price when you "dine with Jeremy frequently." And as you said on another post about Masa - "who cares when someone else is paying?"
And yes, I have eaten there; it was good, but with so many other options in NYC I probably will not return.
And yes, I have eaten there; it was good, but with so many other options in NYC I probably will not return.
May 9th, 2006, 04:34 AM
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A little bit of history (or who knows, folklore!) about Sam's. It was previously called Charley's (or Charlie's, I forget which). I was told that it was started by a former employee of Joe Allen's and he intentionally created the place to resemble Joe Allen's.
May 9th, 2006, 05:23 AM
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Interesting Howard. I'm sure many know that Angus McIndoe's was started by a former manager of Joe Allen's and also meant to "copy" it. They even do the same policy of reservations taken exactly one week before dining, and much of the menu is a "copy".
I'm a fan of Joe Allen's, more for the atmosphere and the buzz late at night than for the food -- which is OK to good, but certainly nothing special. We like to eat after the show and hate eating in a place that's all cleared out. That's never a problem at Joe Allen's.
Oh and starrsville, the Liza and Barbara show still runs at Don't Tell Mama.
I'm a fan of Joe Allen's, more for the atmosphere and the buzz late at night than for the food -- which is OK to good, but certainly nothing special. We like to eat after the show and hate eating in a place that's all cleared out. That's never a problem at Joe Allen's.
Oh and starrsville, the Liza and Barbara show still runs at Don't Tell Mama.
May 9th, 2006, 06:45 AM
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My husband and I happened upon Pietrasanta, a cute little Italian restaurant at 47th and 9th. We've been twice and really enjoy it- reasonable prices, great atmosphere, and not too crowded.
http://www.pietrasantanyc.com/
http://www.pietrasantanyc.com/
May 9th, 2006, 12:36 PM
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Speaking of Pietrasanta, they have Sunday brunch for $9.95 -- nice selection of entrees (lobster omelette, eggs benedict, chicken paillard, etc.) and it INCLUDES a choice of cocktail or wine. I'm not sure how they do it for that.
Yes, their food is very good and it's an amazing bargain. I've eaten there several times. I'd mention that there are a total of five reviews on Trip Advisor and they are all complete raves, but I guess I'm not allowed to quote "anonymous" reviews.
Yes, their food is very good and it's an amazing bargain. I've eaten there several times. I'd mention that there are a total of five reviews on Trip Advisor and they are all complete raves, but I guess I'm not allowed to quote "anonymous" reviews.
