My husband and I are heading to NYC in a couple of weeks for a Friday 8pm performance of Mama Mia. We're looking for a moderately priced, non pretentious cozy atmosphere where the waiters will get us out the door on time. I'm agreeable to French or Italian. I've skimmed the menus of recommended restaurants like Rene Pujol, Madeleines, Becco, Nocellos and Trattoria Trecolori. However, after a while everything looks the same and you can't really get a feel for the atmosphere by menu browsing. I want good food, but a nice, comfortable, atmosphere with prompt non snobbish service is greatly desired. Do any of the above mentioned fit the bill? ...or any other suggestions much appreciated!

I would recommend Le Madeleine. It a nice, unpretentious, cozy place. If you make reservations, as for the Garden Room. It's on 43rd, just west of 9th Avenue, which would make it 8 blocks from your theater. Fear not about making the show on time. Restaurants in the theater district are experience at that!

Le Madeleine is great. Another very nice and cozy place is Cascina, on 9th
Ave, between 45th andf 46th. They have a brick oven/fireplace and in the back area, the walls are a reddish orange color - very warming on a cold night.
They have some great wine too - from their own vineyard. (make sure you make a res. and ask to be seated in the back)

Friends (locals) treated us to dinner at Da Rosina before a play recently. While it's not the best food ever, it was very reasonable, service was good and the food was fine. We made it to the play in plenty of time. We saved the fabulous restaurants for evenings when time wasn't a factor. Have fun!

Becco's was very crowded and noisey when we went. The service was slow, not sure you would get out on time.

Responding to Donna's comment: If you decided on Becco, believe me, they'd get you out on time for the theater. They are very experienced at it.
Though I like Becco, I wouldn't call it "cozy."

What you asked for does not exist IMO. Cozy to me=small, quiet, charming. Anyplace that's reasonably priced with good food in the theater district and also small will not be quiet!! It will be jam packed with customers, especially on a Fri night!

2 places that come to mind for good food and cozy"ish" atmosphere are Lattanzi and Barbetta. Both are Italian on restaurant row in townhouses. Barbetta is more expensive (although they probably have a pre theater menu) and eating upstairs in one of their smaller rooms can be cozy and quiet (sometimes). You feel as though you're in someone's house.

I think the food at Lattanzi is better, but it's smaller and likely to be more crowded. Either will get you to the theater on time if you start at an appropriate hour.

A newer restaurant/bar in the theatre district that is on the hip/cozy side, if there is such a thing, is called The Flute. There are 2 locations in Manhattan, and one is just off Broadway, at 51st?

Try the website, www.flutebar.com

I just checked the website, and it's on 54th. Very cute place and nice for pre or apre theatre.

If you're up for a bit of a walk - Druids on 10th Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets is what you ask for - cozy, not too expensive (entrees around $20), with friendly, efficient service.

As far as cozy, Cascina's woodfired oven and exposed brick wall on the main level makes it quite warm and inviting.

However, the food is just ok. Their own Barbera wine is a bit pricy (about $8 a glass), and not very good.Their Nebbiolo was a bit better.

They will certainly get you out in time for theater, but if you want a "cozy" experience, be sure to make an EARLY reservation. All of the restaurants in that district get people out in time, but the later you start, the more rushed you will be.

Your walk from 9th Ave to Mama Mia will be about 10 minutes, so in order to have an unhurried meal, I would be there by 6:15, or so.
At that time the place will only be about 1/2 full, so you can relax and enjoy.

$price for two people,w/cocktail and glass of wine will be in the $120 range

Any more thoughts/suggestions?

Sam's would be great. Definitely moderately priced, non-pretentious cozy that concentrates on the pre-theatre diners.

Here's the cozy place I always go before the theater: the Hourglass Tavern, 373 46th Street between Eighth & Ninth Avenue (closer to Ninth) Although it's called a tavern, it's really a small restaurant -- brick walls, open kitchen. The prices can't be beat -- very basic, unpretentious prix-fixe menus at around $15 or so. If you nip in there by six, you should be fine (I'm an early bird when it comes to getting to the theater on time.) Very friendly service -- I've been going there for years. Cozy is the word.

The Hourglass is so cozy you're practically sitting in your neighbor's lap.

One place we didn't mention is ViceVersa. Slightly more convenient location wise to the Winter Garden. According to Zagat guide, they have a $30 pre theater prix fixe.

We just went to Pierre Au Tunnel on 47th St. after the theater last week. We had planned on eating dinner there at 11, but we had a snack before the show which unfortunately ruined our appetite.

We ended up having a glass of wine at the bar, but enjoyed the atmosphere so much that we stayed for a second. The owner came over and asked me if I liked chocolate (YES!! ), and then brought us a wonderful chocolate cake. He told us this cake had been served on the Concorde (not this exact cake, of course, but the same recipe!)

Anyway, we never did have dinner, but we plan on going back soon. The owner was so delightful, as was the bartender. And there seemed to be many regulars -- it got us excited for our trip to Paris this June.

Dervish Turkish has a very reasonable prix fixe, and is a very pleasant place. I also like Cascina.

"Message: The Hourglass is so cozy you're practically sitting in your neighbor's lap."

Well, you can't get much cozier than that, now can you (at least in public)?

Seriously though, I don't think that crowded atmosphere has any relation to the original request for "cozy" which I took to mean more "romantic" than "crowded".

Just defending the Hourglass ... it is small, but it's definitely cozy/romantic, not rushed and crowded -- I've been there for pre-theater dinners many, many times. Also, the food is good and the prices can't be beat. But, tastes vary. I just had to pipe up again ...

Theatre district restaurants are tough for cozy dining because they pack you in like sardines. I would recommend Frankie & Johnnie's Steakhouse, it's on 37th Street Between 5th and 6th Ave. They offer a free limo service in Midtown and the Theatre distict, which is a great luxury.

The website:

WWW.FRANKIEANDJOHNNIES.COM has great pictures of their 37th street location which is very cozy and inviting. It was the former townhouse of John Drew Barrymore(Drew's grandfather). They have the most amazing fireplace. My wife and I love to go here if we are heading to a Broadway play.