Teenage Dining in NYC
May 1st, 2005, 07:20 PM
#21
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I'm 20 and have been visiting the city often the past 3 years. I took two of my friends from California (early 20's) to Jekyll and Hydes and they got a kick out of it. I've been there probably three times, once just to pop in and check out the decor, and twice to eat. I didn't find the food that bad when we went. First time I had chicken of some sort and the second tiem a burger. We were "picked on" constantly by the staff and had to stand up and dance for a man in a knight suit as well as interacted with all of the workers. We went for lunch and there wasn't many people there, giving us probably the best experience. I think everywhere has it's ups and downs it just depends on what/when you get there.
Serendipity is definitely a favorite of mine. I've never been there for an actual meal though, we usually just go for dessert. If you have the time make reservations and then walk down to Dylan's Candy Bar (corner of 3rd and 60th). It's a big candy store with a wonderful atmosphere. Even if you don't buy anything it's fun to walk around in, it's another one of my have to visits.
Other places...if your around Times Square Roxy's is a good eat. HUGE sandwiches and their cheesecake is to die for.
Mars 2112....if you're into the themed idea (like J&H). When we've been there the food has been great, it's an interesting visit.
Stardust Diner...yes they sing and the food was okay, but our service was horrible. The menu said our food came with pickles (we're all big pickle lovers) yet there were none. The service was really slow even though they weren't that busy. We also only saw the waitress three times, once to get a drink, once to get the food and once to get the check. Aside from that she never even walked by us or came to see how we were doing (so we could have asked for our pickles).
For cheap HUGE pizza that's pretty yummy try Kornets. Can't remember exactly where it is...110th and Broadway I believe. It's fast and comes just how you like it.
Serendipity is definitely a favorite of mine. I've never been there for an actual meal though, we usually just go for dessert. If you have the time make reservations and then walk down to Dylan's Candy Bar (corner of 3rd and 60th). It's a big candy store with a wonderful atmosphere. Even if you don't buy anything it's fun to walk around in, it's another one of my have to visits.
Other places...if your around Times Square Roxy's is a good eat. HUGE sandwiches and their cheesecake is to die for.
Mars 2112....if you're into the themed idea (like J&H). When we've been there the food has been great, it's an interesting visit.
Stardust Diner...yes they sing and the food was okay, but our service was horrible. The menu said our food came with pickles (we're all big pickle lovers) yet there were none. The service was really slow even though they weren't that busy. We also only saw the waitress three times, once to get a drink, once to get the food and once to get the check. Aside from that she never even walked by us or came to see how we were doing (so we could have asked for our pickles).
For cheap HUGE pizza that's pretty yummy try Kornets. Can't remember exactly where it is...110th and Broadway I believe. It's fast and comes just how you like it.
May 30th, 2005, 07:59 AM
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I can't believe that no one has mentioned the Greek coffee shops (like the one in Seinfeld) and the pizza by the slice on every block, or the wonderful, wonderful delis (for corned beef or egg salad sandwiches, great pastrami, rice pudding, and more).
Maybe not great to sit in and "dine" but, depending on the time of year you are traveling, great to get some to-go stuff and walk to a more scenic place to enjoy picnic style, like the front steps of the Met. or a little neighborhood park.
And speaking of the Met, don't the museums often have great little dining places that are not so expensive?
NYC has some of the best to-go food in the world, IMO. Great food in little containers you can buy in these darling little gourmet shops that can make up awesome meals, and everyone can pick out what they like. A place like that a few blocks from my apt (30th and 3rd) used to have the best lobster salad I have ever had.
When I was there with my family, we also shamelessly made a meal out of Jr.s Cheesecake one evening when we couldn't handle the wait at Carmine's. It was delicous.
So, enjoy, you can be very creative about food in NCY and not spend a fortune, b/c there is so much good stuff around.
Maybe not great to sit in and "dine" but, depending on the time of year you are traveling, great to get some to-go stuff and walk to a more scenic place to enjoy picnic style, like the front steps of the Met. or a little neighborhood park.
And speaking of the Met, don't the museums often have great little dining places that are not so expensive?
NYC has some of the best to-go food in the world, IMO. Great food in little containers you can buy in these darling little gourmet shops that can make up awesome meals, and everyone can pick out what they like. A place like that a few blocks from my apt (30th and 3rd) used to have the best lobster salad I have ever had.
When I was there with my family, we also shamelessly made a meal out of Jr.s Cheesecake one evening when we couldn't handle the wait at Carmine's. It was delicous.
So, enjoy, you can be very creative about food in NCY and not spend a fortune, b/c there is so much good stuff around.
May 30th, 2005, 08:18 AM
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There are thousands of restaurant's in N.Y. Don't limit yourself to tourist traps. Pizza and Chinese are easy and affordable options. But I strongly suggest you get a ZAGAT 2005 New York City restaurant guide. It's fun to read and is broken down into categories such as most popular, best seafood, best people watching ect. ect. It's reviews are all based on readers votes. I have almost alway's found it to be right on. Have fun!
May 30th, 2005, 08:39 AM
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I agree. Zagat's is very helpful. I think they even have a catergory for dining with teens. And the "in" spots and others.
My uncle who used to travel to NYC often on business would always eat dinner and lunch in pubs. He had a few favorites. He like them b/c they were a good value and very good food. He took me to a few of his favorites. At they time that I lived there, younger twenties, the pubs were not hip enough for me. But now, with a family and looking for a value to feed a group, might be worth looking into. Just a thought, hope it is helpful.
My uncle who used to travel to NYC often on business would always eat dinner and lunch in pubs. He had a few favorites. He like them b/c they were a good value and very good food. He took me to a few of his favorites. At they time that I lived there, younger twenties, the pubs were not hip enough for me. But now, with a family and looking for a value to feed a group, might be worth looking into. Just a thought, hope it is helpful.
May 31st, 2005, 08:35 AM
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I would check out Blue Ribbon Bakery. The menu offerings are varied with a French/Spanish influence. The brunch is great-- Challah french toast with berries! They have a really long list of appetizers that are a lot like tapas. It's in the West Village (a fun area to tour anyway) at the corner of Bedford and Downing (somewhat near the West 4th subway stop).
Jun 1st, 2005, 06:37 PM
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Just got back from NYC yesterday and for the first time I ate at Saks. They serve only soup, sandwiches and salads. I had a Turkey Club (or something like that) it was delicious and came with a side salad. Two meals and two drinks cost us just under $45. A bit pricey maybe but the view we had was spectacular. We were seated so that we could see the fountain in Rockefellar Center and the gardens on the rooftops of the buildings around it. It was a fun experience 
Jun 10th, 2005, 05:49 AM
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Do your daughters a favor and don't take them to any of the ridiculous kiddy tourist restaurants. I would suggest staying far away from the Theater District as well, most of the restaurants are overpriced and the food is disgusting.
Some suggestions:
Relatively Inexpensive
Teany's on the Lower East Side - great for sandwiches, salads and afternoon tea. The food is all vegetarian but is prepared so well that you won't miss the meat at all. They also carry an obscene amount of teas. The restaurant is owned by Moby so it has a small, funky feel, with a hip, young clientele. Pretty cheap for what you get. I believe that full tea service was $14pp, which is a steal in NYC. You can look the menu up on the web (they have their own site but also check out menupages.com for restaurant menus w/ prices)
Tea & Sympathy - West Village on Greenwich Ave. - tiny and almost claustrophobic but serves English cuisine that can beat any pub in London. Afternoon tea is as traditional as they get, w/ all the proper fixings. Tea is fantastic, lots of choices. Several English beers and colas as well. Very trendy, clientele range from college students to Rupert Everett. Prices aren't too bad, the average pub style main dish is around $15. The restaurant has 10 tables so getting a seat at busy times can be something of a challenge. Also, if you just want to grab a quick something, there's a fish & chips take out attached called The Salt and Battery.
Don Giovanni's (2 locations - Hell's Kitchen [9th & 44th?] & Chelsea [10th or 11th & 20s] - really good Italian food at even better prices. It's low key and not very fancy but the pizzas are among some of the best and the pasta dishes are delicious as well. Service can be iffy depending on who your waiter or waitress is.
Cafe Reggio - Greenwich Village on MacDougal Street - my favorite old coffee house in the village. Great coffees and pretty good Italian fare. You can pay $4 for your cappucino but only $5 for your pasta dish. Clientele consists of NYU students and neighborhood people. Nearby Cafe Figaro is more historically significant (Bob Dylan used to perform there), but the food and service has declined.
Katz's Deli - lower east side - not particularly attractive, but is good to visit if you like good deli food and lots of it and want to go to a place with some history behind it.
Prices are pretty good, portions are huge. A sandwich here is big enough to feed two people.
Medium Priced
Le Gigot - West Village - Cornelia Street
A small, intimate French restaurant. The food here is amazing and the service is very attentive. The chef comes from Senegal so it's a standard French menu but with a little flair. Portions are slightly bigger than the typical French restaurant. Prices range from around $18-$25 for a main course at dinner, but there's a 3 course prix-fixe menu for $30. The creme brulee is not to be missed. There's also a fantastic brunch menu that would make for an excellent breakfast.
Po - West Village - Cornelia Street
Voted the best food for under $20 by some publication or another. The food (Italian) here is pretty good but getting a table can be tough. Call ahead.
Ruby Foos - 2 locations, Times Square and Upper East Side - pan-Asian food, in bright surroundings, the Times Square location is a lot of fun. The food has been consistently good (pad thai is very good, the sushi is excellent). It's a good place to go as a family b/c dishes are served family style and so you can share and sample various things. Each dish feeds 1.5 people so be sure not to over order and try some of the great dim sum on offer. Prices aren't bad considering the portions. I found the food and service to be better than the more expensive China Grill.
Expensive
Bouley - Tribeca
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in NYC and I haven't even been for dinner! Dinner is at a set $85 pp but lunch at $35 or $45pp (depending on what menu you choose) is a steal for this kind of an establishment. The food is magical and the service is some of the best I've experienced. It is probably one of the only high end French restaurants where you will leave stuffed as the chef sends over a lot of little extras for everyone in the dining room. The chef also owns a bakery across the street and some of the best bread in NY is served in between courses.
Tavern on the Green - Central Park
It's a tourist trap and you can get better food elsewhere, but seriously the food is pretty darn good and the pre-theatre dinner special is a good deal at $38pp. Reserve in advance and specify that you would like a table by the window in the Crystal Room and you will have a beautiful view of Central Park as the backdrop to a meal in one of the city's best looking dining rooms. Cheesecake and lobster bisque are not to be missed here.
Two if By Land, One if By Sea - West Village
My 2nd favorite restaurant in NYC. Prix-fixe dinner is a pricy $65pp, but the food is oh so worth it. If you go during restaurant week it'll be $30pp, so take a look at nycvisit.com
Bateaux New York - leaves from Chelsea Piers
This is a nice way to get a gourmet meal and see NYC in all its splendor. My company rented the boat for a lunch cruise and it was absolutely fantastic. The food is quite good and the surroundings are all glass so you will get a great view of the city. It's around $115pp for a 3 hour dinner cruise.
Some suggestions:
Relatively Inexpensive
Teany's on the Lower East Side - great for sandwiches, salads and afternoon tea. The food is all vegetarian but is prepared so well that you won't miss the meat at all. They also carry an obscene amount of teas. The restaurant is owned by Moby so it has a small, funky feel, with a hip, young clientele. Pretty cheap for what you get. I believe that full tea service was $14pp, which is a steal in NYC. You can look the menu up on the web (they have their own site but also check out menupages.com for restaurant menus w/ prices)
Tea & Sympathy - West Village on Greenwich Ave. - tiny and almost claustrophobic but serves English cuisine that can beat any pub in London. Afternoon tea is as traditional as they get, w/ all the proper fixings. Tea is fantastic, lots of choices. Several English beers and colas as well. Very trendy, clientele range from college students to Rupert Everett. Prices aren't too bad, the average pub style main dish is around $15. The restaurant has 10 tables so getting a seat at busy times can be something of a challenge. Also, if you just want to grab a quick something, there's a fish & chips take out attached called The Salt and Battery.
Don Giovanni's (2 locations - Hell's Kitchen [9th & 44th?] & Chelsea [10th or 11th & 20s] - really good Italian food at even better prices. It's low key and not very fancy but the pizzas are among some of the best and the pasta dishes are delicious as well. Service can be iffy depending on who your waiter or waitress is.
Cafe Reggio - Greenwich Village on MacDougal Street - my favorite old coffee house in the village. Great coffees and pretty good Italian fare. You can pay $4 for your cappucino but only $5 for your pasta dish. Clientele consists of NYU students and neighborhood people. Nearby Cafe Figaro is more historically significant (Bob Dylan used to perform there), but the food and service has declined.
Katz's Deli - lower east side - not particularly attractive, but is good to visit if you like good deli food and lots of it and want to go to a place with some history behind it.
Prices are pretty good, portions are huge. A sandwich here is big enough to feed two people.
Medium Priced
Le Gigot - West Village - Cornelia Street
A small, intimate French restaurant. The food here is amazing and the service is very attentive. The chef comes from Senegal so it's a standard French menu but with a little flair. Portions are slightly bigger than the typical French restaurant. Prices range from around $18-$25 for a main course at dinner, but there's a 3 course prix-fixe menu for $30. The creme brulee is not to be missed. There's also a fantastic brunch menu that would make for an excellent breakfast.
Po - West Village - Cornelia Street
Voted the best food for under $20 by some publication or another. The food (Italian) here is pretty good but getting a table can be tough. Call ahead.
Ruby Foos - 2 locations, Times Square and Upper East Side - pan-Asian food, in bright surroundings, the Times Square location is a lot of fun. The food has been consistently good (pad thai is very good, the sushi is excellent). It's a good place to go as a family b/c dishes are served family style and so you can share and sample various things. Each dish feeds 1.5 people so be sure not to over order and try some of the great dim sum on offer. Prices aren't bad considering the portions. I found the food and service to be better than the more expensive China Grill.
Expensive
Bouley - Tribeca
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in NYC and I haven't even been for dinner! Dinner is at a set $85 pp but lunch at $35 or $45pp (depending on what menu you choose) is a steal for this kind of an establishment. The food is magical and the service is some of the best I've experienced. It is probably one of the only high end French restaurants where you will leave stuffed as the chef sends over a lot of little extras for everyone in the dining room. The chef also owns a bakery across the street and some of the best bread in NY is served in between courses.
Tavern on the Green - Central Park
It's a tourist trap and you can get better food elsewhere, but seriously the food is pretty darn good and the pre-theatre dinner special is a good deal at $38pp. Reserve in advance and specify that you would like a table by the window in the Crystal Room and you will have a beautiful view of Central Park as the backdrop to a meal in one of the city's best looking dining rooms. Cheesecake and lobster bisque are not to be missed here.
Two if By Land, One if By Sea - West Village
My 2nd favorite restaurant in NYC. Prix-fixe dinner is a pricy $65pp, but the food is oh so worth it. If you go during restaurant week it'll be $30pp, so take a look at nycvisit.com
Bateaux New York - leaves from Chelsea Piers
This is a nice way to get a gourmet meal and see NYC in all its splendor. My company rented the boat for a lunch cruise and it was absolutely fantastic. The food is quite good and the surroundings are all glass so you will get a great view of the city. It's around $115pp for a 3 hour dinner cruise.
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