Brahmama

It just went on sale on Broadway Offers in case anyone was waiting for it. It runs only through May 24, which is our first night in town, so I didn't have to ponder dates.

I just wanted to rejoice over this but had no one to rejoice with me - so now - where do we eat that's close but not TOO close to the Shubert?

KTtravel

Congratulations! Sorry, don' know where to suggest eating but I'm sure someone else will be helpful.

Have a great time.

marlynek

what kind of food, and do you have the address of the Shubert (cross-street)?
There are DOZENS of good restaurants. Do you want high-priced, or middling?

Dohlice

I went to The Hourglass Tavern recently and it was very nice. Very small place with so many choices on the menu. The couple that own it are very nice (I think they're a couple!) and it was easy to get out in time for the show. It is small though so probably not good for large groups.

Brahmama

Thank you, thank you!

I'll check into the Hourglass Tavern - small place sounds great.

Price range for us? MIddling or MIddling Minus!

We're budgeting mainly for shows - and not planning on an up-scale restaurants.

Oops, I guess I *should* find the address!

What about Drowsy Chaperone? That's on our short list and it's about 30% off for our stay. Would it be smarter (read more affordable) to wait and bring the coupon with us and book in person? (Not until the last of May so getting a tad anxious)

NJgirlinPhx

I don't know where the theatre is, but Becco http://becconyc.com/index2.htm Is our go to cheap eats restaurant up there.
Have Fun!!

NeoPatrick

Angus MacIndoe is right down the street (44th) and is a great pre or post theatre place. (It's right next to The Producers). And the good John's Pizza inside an old church is right next to that.

Junior's Cheesecake is literally next to Spamalot if you're looking for something super casual.

Carmine's and Ollie's Noodle House are also just steps away on 44th, and Virgil's BarBQ is just another half block away.

Any of the "Restaurant Row" places on 46th between 8th and 9th are a short walk as well -- Joe Allen's, Orso, Lattanzi.

Give us a better idea of what you want to eat and how much you want to spend as well as before or after theatre and the possibilities are endless.

I'm a big fan of a drink and some cheese and crackers at Sardi's Bar right across from Spamalot (but don't eat there). Then we eat after the show -- I just hate that rush before the show and then sitting through a show full of food and drink.

TarheelsInNj

Hourglass Tavern is great, and can be on the "middling" side if you choose your entree appropriately!

You also can't go wrong with John's Pizzeria, which is down the block from the Shubert. It's a "real" restaurant (no slices) and the pizza is delicious. They also have pasta, salads, etc.

Brahmama

I'm trying to figure out our eating patterns and I guess everyone is different. We like to have our big meal (with wine) about 1:00 OR 2:00 - works really well in Italy and at home when I can cook when I please! At night, we like to have "small plates" - tapas type - with a couple of glasses of wine and cheese for nibbles afterwards. So since we will be eating out - how hard will it be to find "our" kind of eating habits?

Sardi's sounds like great fun *before* - but we don't do good eating big meals right before sleeping. So can we find "small plates" afterwards someplace with music?

TarheelsInNj

If you're looking for small plates and wine, definitely visit Divine Bar, one of my very favorite places. There are two, one on the East side and one on the West. The food is delicious (try the baked brie) and you can order wines by the glass or by "flight"- several wines grouped together by a theme.

http://divinebar.citysearch.com/

Brahmama

Oh my lord! And we just ate (our big meal with steak, veggies etc) and I'm hungry again looking at this menu.
What a great selection of tapas. AND THE WINES!
How do the flights work? Surely not ALL in each section, but maybe 3 from each? However I have had flights of 5! (dreaming!)

Thanks for this great suggestions.

TarheelsInNj

The flights vary, usually between 3 and 5 (2 oz. each taste). The flight includes everything listed under each number, so it's a good deal. My personal favorite is the Riesling, #14

Brahmama

Tarheels,
I'm hoping that you reread this post as I have some questions for you.

On another post, I read that you had done a complete day in Brooklyn which is just what we have in mind, but I am having trouble trying to figure out the best order and (of course) which buses/trains to get from one place to another!

Leaving from the Affinia Dumont - (Saturday)
1.We are wanting to go to Coney Island & walk to Brighton Beach (but maybe not first, since CI doesn't open until noon)
2.Brooklyn Botanic Gardens (maybe a look in the Brooklyn Museum in lieu of shopping anywhere) (is this the Park Slope area?)
3.Promenade for great pictures (Is this Brooklyn Heights?)
4. Dinner at Pete's (window table for that view!)
5. Walk across Brooklyn Bridge at dusk-thirty
6. Take the subway/bus to West Village

Is this something like what you did? Am I mixing neighborhoods up?

panhandle

The transit museuam in Brooklyn is great. Old subways, busses and great pictures of the metro being built. FWIW

Dohlice

The Q train stops at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Brighton Beach and Coney Island. You might want to do things in that order since the BBG opens at 10am. It is a beautiful and peaceful place. The Brooklyn Museum is nice, too. It has an excellent Egyptian exhibit. I'm not sure how much time you'll have but maybe you can squeeze that in. It is right next to the garden. You can then continue on the Q and get off at Brighton and take the boardwalk down to Coney Island. I think that's a better route because you can see the rides from a distance and get closer and closer. If you're interested in real NY pizza you could also hop off the Q (on the way to the beach) at Avenue J and get a slice at Di Fara pizza. Hopefully someone else can help with the train to Pete's (I always drive there). You do mean Pete's Downtown, right? I like that place-good food and service and wonderful view at extremely affordable prices. I'm thinking that you'll need a VERY small breakfast because you want to have something at the real Nathan's too! I definitely wouldn't call the area by the gardens Park Slope but if you're interested in that area you could do Greenwood Cemetary instead of the BBG.

Brahmama

Dohlice,
Thanks for the suggestions. That really helped my planning.
I think this is what we will do.
From Affinia Dumont:
Take 6 train down to Battery and change to the Q train (not sure about this yet)
Start out at Brighton Beach (have tea and pastry, etc)
Walk to Coney Island (Nathans' of course!)
Take D Train back up to Brooklyn Botanic Gardens (not sure what the stop is, but I think it's the "Eastern Parkway/Brookyn Museum")
Take D Train to Brooklyn Heights (Clark St Exit?????)
Wander around, end up at Pete's Downtown (must call for a window-side reservation)
Walk the bridge -
Subway back to Hotel
Whew what a day! (Seems like we are eating for most of it.....)

How does this look? Am I making sense with my subway stops? That's the hardest part, because on the Hop-Stop - I don't know exactly where to type in for a destination - and then I'm not sure exactly where I am in relation to where I need to go!

LIke at Brighton Beach, it gives you a choice of two - so I just picked one - I need to check my maps. But I do have the NFT little black book - that I forgot about using for maps until right now.

Well, actually I was going to give it to my friend who lives in Manhattan! But maybe she'll get it slightly dog-eared.

Sorry I'm rambling today.

Dohlice

The most important things to remember are that the B train doesn’t run on the weekends and you must get a subway map at the first station you enter! Eastern Parkway is the listed stop for the Brooklyn Museum but I think they’re close enough that it wouldn’t matter. But I don’t see the D stopping there. I think your best bet would be to take the Q back. The Garden website (bbg.org) lists Prospect Park as the stop and the Q does stop there. Did you want to take the D train back for a different experience? A good stretch of it is elevated but I don’t think it’s worth having to make a lot of transfers for. Is Clark Street the right station for Pete’s? I only see the 2 and 3 stopping there. What you can do when you leave the BBG is either take the 2 or 3 from the Brooklyn Museum to Clark Street OR take just about any other train in the area to Atlantic Avenue to change to the 2 or 3. Look at the subway map on mta.info. If you put your cursor over the stations it will tell you which trains stop there. If you double click you can see every stop the train on that line makes.

Brahmama

Dohlice,
I'm confused about the B train? Is that the same as the 6 Train? Was I going to take the B train?

I'll look at the website right now. And of course, you're right, I'll grab a subway map ASAP!!!

And, uh, how do you know which trains don't run on weekends? (and buses too, for that matter)

Dohlice

Sorry if I'm confusing you more! The B runs along the same line as the Q that you were planning to take to Brighton Beach. I didn't want you to look at the map and think you could take either one. I don't know how I know the B doesn't run - there are usually signs in the stations though if there is something affecting one of the subways. They rarely have different schedules on the weekend so you'll be fine on the other lines.

cmcfong

I'll rejoice with you Brahmama. I loved Spamalot! Have a blast.