Pam1951

I will be in NYC over Christmas with a friend. I have only been in NY twice before and did not have time to do shows, etc. We do not want to spend over $100 on tickets and really do not know what we want to see.

I have looked at playbill and another ticket site whose name escapes me right now. I understand there are also places we can go to stand in line the day of the show for discount tickets. I would think the week we are going will be a busy week in NY - would we be better off getting tickets in advance or will there likely be tickets available at the discount places?

Would love any recommendations - we both have a dry sense of humor and would like comedies, dramas. Also would like recs for restaurants in the area that would not be total budget breakers Thanks

Pam

Margo_Chester

Topping for Pam - hoping Bugswife or Howard (and others too) will chime in with suggestions.

In the meantime can you give us an idea what type of food you like and an idea of price range?

Junejuly

Unfortunately, that is a peak time to be in NYC for tourists, and many things will be sold out. Not knowing your age group makes it tough to give recommendations, but I really enjoyed Wicked... Spamalot tickets were available last minute a few weeks ago, which my parents (and even I) loved. Of course, Lion King is always good. My parents LOVED the Drowsy Chaperone.
If you are willing to take a chance and none of the above suggestions work out, I suggest going to the TKTS booth at 2pm (they start selling at 3; take turns standing in line and checking out Times Square), where you'll get the tickets 1/2 price for whatever is available... I've actually always been very lucky with TKTS.
For dinner, you should avoid Midtown altogether.... everything decent is booked by now and there are a lot of tourist traps in the area. I recommend taking the 1 or 9 down to the West Village and eating there beforehand.

vivi

If you aren't picky about your seats you can get fairly low priced tix on Ticketmaster or Telecharge. I sat in the balcony for Spamalot Tuesday night and paid $37. Very entertaining, got a huge kick out of this show. The Shubert balcony is a bit dizzying, though. Wednesday night I paid $25 for a balcony seat for Drowsy Chaperone, the Marquis is newer and is very comfortable; I could see just fine. The show is clever and delightful. There is a service charge of about $7 to buy the tix online. I do not like standing in line at TKTS and I do not mind sitting in the balcony so I buy cheap tix in advance.

Also saw Radio City Xmas Spectacular this week for $25, center of 2nd mezzanine

Pam1951

We are in our 50's - and both enjoy all kinds of food. However we are from the midwest and would love to pay no more than $25 each for a dinner (not including drinks, etc) - I can hear you all laughing now! Seriously we are on a budget and just want some place with decent food that is not a tourist trap - even if it is for heavy appetizers or even soup and salad. In terms of what we want to see, she would like to Spamalot, Wicked or Jersey Boys. We would also be interested in off Broadway.

Thanks so much!
Pam

djkbooks

For restaurants, go to www.menupages.com

You can eat very well for $25/person if you do your homework.

For shows, go to Playbill.com and peruse all the shows.

Check there, and also TheaterMania, NYTimes Ticketwatch, etc., for discount codes.

Or, just head for the TKTS booth once you arrive (bring cash, and be familiar with all the shows).

The longer you wait, the few the seats (if any) for the more popular shows.

The more effort you put into this, the better the results will be for you.

estravel

there are several good Pubs in midtown that are reasonable. Also, coffee shops.
There are some fun/good plays off-broadway that are less expensive.

BudgetQueen

Of your 3 listed shows, only Spamalot has a prayer of discounts. You might be better off being flexable and see what is available at the time? I'm going between Christmas and New Years when most of the broadwaybox and playbill discounts aren't available. But I have always been able to pick up discount tickets at TKTS.

HowardR

If you are on a budget, then the TKTS route is definitely the way to go. Tickets are half price, plus a $3 service charge per ticket. Since the holiday season is the busiest time of the year for Broadway shows, your options there will be limited, but if you are not fussy, you'll get to see something. Just be prepared to stand in line at TKTS....But, no, you definitely won't get Wicked or Jersey Boys tickets at a discount (in fact, you wouldn't be able to get them at full price that week). And, similarly Spamalot tickets will not be available at discount prices that week, though you have a slight chance to get something at regular price.

Junejuly

I'm originally from Ohio, and can respect a Midwesterner's budget. It is very possible to get a great main course in many restaraunts for less than $25... it's always the wine and other extras that throw the budget. Once again, I'll reiterate my suggestion to walk around in the Village and eat there... it has some of the best, quaint restaraunts in the city, and I think it's good to see a part of NYC that isn't all tall buildings. You can take the 1 or the 9 to the Christopher Street stop and explore the area before choosing something. For food, I would go west on 4th or Bleeker, though Carmine Street off Bleeker has some good options. What kind of food are you interested in?
NY has some of the best italian food to be found (as long as you don't eat in Little Italy!). In the Village, I really love Po (call now to see if you can maybe get an early reservation) and Osteria del Sole (good truffled gnocchi); on the Upper West Side (also easily accessible with subway; just get off at 72nd street and walk east) is Pomodoro Rosso... the fussilli with calamari is a wonderful experience! If you arrive very early and don't mind waiting approx 1 hour, Lupa is a favorite of most of the New Yorkers that I know, and a pasta dish there runs about $15. Sushi is another great option for a Midwesterner... as is Thai... or Ethiopian... or anything you won't be able to get at home. Let us know what you are interested in and we will try to help you out!

Junejuly

ps - if you want a hot chocolate experience you'll be talking about for years, go to Maison du Chocolate in Rockefellar Center... it's $8, but tastes like someone melted a high quality chocolate bar into the cup and mixed it with some cream. Decadent, and best enjoyed in the actual porcelain cups (not paper!). It's where I always take my visitors.

mclaurie

Before reading your friend's choice of shows, I was going to say you'd have an easier time because it sounded like you were not necessarily interested in musicals (you said comedies, dramas). There are a number of these that are very good but they're not as popular as the big musicals, especially given that kids are off from school while you're here.

The Vertical Hour (with Julianne Moore) is a drama that's gotten good reviews. The Little Dog Laughed is a comedy. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is playing "off Broadway" but the theater's right near Broadway.

Avenue Q is very clever (musical) but a bit raunchy (don't go if you're at all prudish). The Drowsy Chaperone is a wonderful musical that won lots of awards but has been occasionally available at the TKTS booths. Grey Gardens is a newish musical that's gotten very good reviews. The subject matter is a bit strange and this is not a light show, but worthwhile and I'd bet will win some Tony's.

Many of the older musicals like Chicago, Mama Mia, 25th Annual Spelling Bee are also available at TKTS.

You might want to read some reviews on Playbill or Theatermania before coming.

On tdf.org/tkts you will find info about the locations and hours of BOTH TKTS booths. The one downtown across from the South STreet Seaport is less well known, consequently a lot less crowded. They also sell matinee tickets the day before (and do not sell them day of). You'll also find a list of what's been available recently.

Some shows like Wicked also have a daily lottery for tickets. I'd imagine this would be a mob scene during the holidays, but if you're willing to spend the time, you could get $25 tickets. Details here
http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuz...cle/82428.html

As for restaurants, all along 9th ave. in the 40's-50's there are small ethnic restaurants that are relatively inexpensive. Basilica is an Italian that's very good but small.

Then there are some places that do fixed priced dinners (many pre theater). Maria Pia is one Italian that does a $21.95 dinner.
http://www.mariapianyc.com/media/websitemari.html

Becco is another Italian known for their $21.95 all you can eat pasta dinner. (I'm not a fan and it gets very crowded, but it's an option).

Akdeniz is a very good Turkish rest. (expand your horizons!) with an $18.95 prix fixe http://menupages.com/restaurantdetai...=9&cuisineid=0

John's pizzeria in a converted church is very good (but will be filled with families as it's well known).

menupages has some new features including the ability to choose "features" and pick prix fixe dinners. The theaters are mostly in the west 40s-50s.

Hope this helps.

ObiOne

Try Broadwaybox.com , if haven't already. They gather all the discounts from the vendors. Quite a few shows under $100. Reviews, lisitngs and seating charts as well.

doug_stallings

Pam, my suggestion would be either to buy your tickets using a discount from Playbill.com, which you can sign up for now, or wait and visit the TKTS booth at the South Street Seaport (NOT the one in Times Square, where you will have to wait in a very long line). There are almost always tickets to something available, though the play may be far off-Broadway (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). If you want to know what you are seeing, then use the Playbill discounts and by your tickets online this weekend.

Given your tastes, I think you'd like the Drowsy Chaperone but certainly not Avenue Q or The Little Dog Laughed. You might like Spamalot. The Color Purple, Chicago, or The Producers might also be available at a discount. Some of the theaters also sell cheap seats on the day of performance.

There are few cheap restaurants in Midtown, but there are quite a few on 9th Avenue. I particularly like Rice and Beans, a very small Brazilian restaurant where you might be able to sneak in under $25. You could certainly do Old San Juan, where you can get a small churrasco for less than $20. The suggestion of a pub is a pretty good one. I consider Becco fairly cheap for NYC, but you can't eat there for less than $25 (I'm a fan). You could also eat Chinese (Mee Noodle Shop) or at Virgil's BBQ for $25. If you want to go to Virgil's you must make reservations NOW as in today. But you will find it fairly easy to get reservations at a mid-range place if you make them this week. Over the holidays, reservations are very important. Another possibility is Junior's, though the Midtown location is particulary and egregiously overpriced (it's much cheaper at Grand Central). In a pinch, you can always go to Grand Central's food court to get a cheap take-out type meal.

Dohlice

The tkts booth at the Seaport opens at 11am. Get there when it opens and you won't be waiting long at all. Not all shows are half price, though. I saw Avenue Q and thought it was hilarious but it won't give you that big, fancy broadway experience. Spamalot could be a safe bet - I haven't heard anyone say a bad word about it. It could be worth buying the tickets beforehand (if you have a discount) than taking your chances at the tkts booth. Maybe that could be your one splurge? The food court at Grand Central is a great idea. They have all kinds of food and you won't feel like you're eating in McDonald's. There is a Mexican restaurant there called Zocalo. The food is great and not too expensive and it's an open restaurant. You can watch the people rushing by while you eat - I still think that's fun! There are some fast food type places where you can get very good food. Cosi and Chipotle are two places you'll be safe in. Sbarro's is another place where you can get some good pasta. These places will save you a fortune but still feed you with good, fresh ingredients.

HowardR

A check at www.broadwaybox.com shows the following shows with discounts for Christmas week: Avenue Q, The Color Purple, Hairspray, The Producers, Tarzan and The Wedding Singer.
For inexpensive and decent lunches you might try Cafe Europa. One location is on Fifth Avenue between 42nd and 43rd (or maybe between 43rd and 44th!).

Seamus

Another recco to use the TKTS booth at South Street Seaport - rarely a line, matinee tickets available the day prior and the time you spend getting there is more than compensated for by the time you will not be standing in line at the Times Square location (and they have access to the same shows).

If you can bring yourself to go just a bit above your $25 limit there is a great prix fixe dinner special at Cibo - www.cibonyc.com. It is not in the heart of midtown but is not far away, either (767 2d Av at E41) and the place is nice, service great and food quite tasty. It might be a good place to have what would be a splurge meal on your budget.

zlaor

I'm taking my wife to see "Spring Awakening" at The Eugene O’Neill Theater this weekend.

Tickets were $30 for a Sunday afternoon show, but the "catch" is that you get to sit on the stage.

Even though I'm not a big plays fan, I'm actually looking forward to sitting on the stage.

TarheelsInNj

I saw Martin Short's show recently, and had a blast- much more than I thought I would! It's hilarious! He's right on the money with his satire, and the ensemble performances are fantastic. The show is closing in the beginning of January, so I would highly recommend seeing it soon!

NeoPatrick

The show's closing in the beginning of January? I just bought two tickets two days ago for the first week of February.