restaurant suggestions NYC
 

Will be going to see Hairspray on June 22, This day is my birthday, need a suggestion for a nice restaurant close by.

There are literally hundreds of "nice" restaurants near the theater. So, the questions are:
How much do you want to spend?
What type(s) of food do you prefer?

Since it is my birthday, looking for a nice rest. We like italian, chinese, almost any food group. Are there any nice prix fix places. Also, we could do after theatre dinner. Last year we had dinner at a place not to go to again, and we went to a blues club after. That was very nice.

My favorite restaurant in Times Square is Ruby Foo's. The food is terrific; it's about as chic as you can get in Times Square, and the cocktails are to die for. Alternatively, if you prefer something a little more laid-back, the West Bank Cafe on 42nd and 10th is a theatre-people's favorite. It's very good American food and not at all touristy.

You can do much better than either Ruby Foo's or West Bank Cafe for a birthday dinner in Times Square.
But you still haven't told us how much you want to spend.

Well- I don;t like doing a big dinner before a show - since you're usually rushed and then have to sit digesting during the show. We usually do appetizers first and dinner after.

But - if you want to do dinner first - are you looking for $50 per person, $100 per person - or something special? (Doubt you can do that kind of meal properly before theater.)

The Neil Simon Theare on W 52d Street, so the most relaxed thing to do is to eat as you reasonably can to the theatre, so in your case you cannot do better than Le Bernardin at 155 W. 51st Street provided you are willing to spend $100 per head exclusive of drinks for a tasting menu.

Personally, I would eat something light and inexpensive at a bar near the theater and then go for something noisy and fun after, close to your hotel.

If you want to do something silly but special, go to the 21 Club (which is at 21 West 52nd Street). You can either have a 3-course prix fixe at $40 per head (exclusive of drinks) in the Bar Room or go to the Cocktail Lounge and sit in the leather wing chairs, sip chocolate martinis and eat things like mini-hamburgers or lobster quesadillas (well, not with chocolate martinis) for $15-18 a pop.

For a really special treat if you like seafood, Le Bernardin, best French/seafood rest. in NYC.

Foley's Fish House in the Renaissance hotel has a nice view of Times Square and isn't far from the theater.

The 21 Club isn't far and I think they do a pre theater dinner.

ViceVersa for good Italian.

Redeye Grill (seafood) and Trattoria Dell 'Arte for Italian. China Club (sleek, modern Chinese in the CBS building).

Bar Americain also nearby.

Look at reviews on menupages.com or post back with more details on budget, ambiance, type of food etc.

Btw, if you eat after the show, you don't have to stay in that area. You can go any place that serves late. Leaves lots of options.

Le Madelaine is solid, reliable French bistro food and it has a beautiful "garden" area. My mom & I always go either before an evening show or after a matinee. I like Marseille on 9th too (45th-46th or so).

If this is your first time in NYC, after the show go to The Rainbow Room for a Cocktail (the bar). The view is spectacular, the cocktails are expensive, but this is an Old New York icon destination and it was very special for me. Dinner is very expensive. We only had one cocktail, listed to the piano player and songs of New York. But, boy what a great memory!

Marseille is at 44th and Ninth. I like eating there but two things need to be noted: It is VERY noisy and it is quite a distance from 52nd and B'way. Personally, it find it very unnerving if I've got theater tickets and my entree or tab is slow in arriving, and then I have to race to the theater. That's why I recommend trying to be quite close by, so if you have to dash out the door, you'll be less frantic.

Being the theatre is at 7 PM, we are thinking about doing dinner after. Would like to hear some music, maybe BB King's. Last time we went to the Blue Note had an excellent time. Budget for dinner is about up to $50 per person, without cocktails. Thank you for all the great suggestions. L'Allegria Ristorante on ninth and 44th st. was suggested to us with a prix fixe dinner. Do these rest. do prix fixe after a certain hour?

Most but not all restaurants near the theaters who do a prix fixe have it for pre theater only.

If you want to eat after the theater and listen to music, here are some ideas for places that have both.

Dizzy's Coca Cola in the Time Warner building (Columbus Circle) has a view and jazz and food. Probably would be my first choice given the view.

BB King's yes, but not known for great food. You might want to see who's playing.

Iridium is right near Hairspray. Also not known for great food, but good jazz.

Birdland, another in the theater distr. with jazz and food (not haute cuisine).

There are a few jazz clubs that do have good food outside the theater distr. Blue Smoke (known for BBQ), Blue Water Grill (known for seafood). In the village, the Garage and Jules Bistro are both good and relatively inexpensive.

I haven't been to L'Allegria but the review in the Zagat guide doesn't make me want to go (casual, slapdash interior, acceptable staples, won't blow your budget). Not for a b'day, anyway imo.

L'Allegria is a nice little plain place a fair distance from your theatre. It's fine, but nothing more special that about a hundred neighborhood places similar between the Neil Simon and it. In fact I'd put Roberto Passon on 9th at 50th WAY above L'Allegria for food and pretty similar pricewise.

The suggestions here range from the "best in New York" to a typical little hole in the wall. I guess I'm not sure which direction you're looking for.

When you say music, does that mean with dinner like a supper club? I think of B.B. King's more like a concert venue/nightclub, but I could be wrong. I'm wondering about B Smith's on 46th near 8th, where there usually seems to be jazz at night, and good food. To me, that's like a snazzy supper club. I'm not sure if there will be music on that Thursday, or if that's only on weekends.
http://www.bsmith.com/restaurant_ny.php

Who sez B.B. King's isn't known for its food? I've never been, but New York mag has kept it on its recommended list for a couple years running:

"B.B. King's doesn't pack fans in like anchovies as so many music spots do, and the down-home grub is downright eatable. Indeed, the rock-shrimp popcorn is amazing—hot and greaseless; the pulled-pork sandwich is good enough, as is the tempura-fried calamari.

Extra
Prix-fixe: $36 pre-theater dinner, call to arrange.

Recommended Dishes
Shrimp popcorn; fried calamari; bbq pulled-pork sandwich"

PS: Even though I've never been inside BB King's, I have walked past the lines that run a whole block. Maybe that depends on who's playing, but if you set your heart on a dinner there, I'd be sure to book in advance.