On Dec. 26th (a Wednesday) I want to get our group on the 10 am Circle Line (semi-circle 2 hours) tour. After we get back to Pier 83 at noon we will be heading off to various matinees on Broadway. Is there someplace near the pier that we could get a very quick bite to eat before the shows begin at 2pm?

I know there are lots of good places but in this case speed is more important than qualiy!

There really aren't any good - or even decent - places right near the piers.

You don;t say how many are in your group - but getting a group fed anywhere except MickeyDs can be time-consuming. I would suggest you divide up into groups by which show you're attending as soon as you get off the boat - then head to someplace near each specific theater. Smaller groups have a better chance of getting seated/fed quickly - and you'll have fewer issues about choice of food, splitting the check. And there won;t be a mad rush to head to the theater at the last instant. Easier all around for everyone.

If you do a search for places to eat near various theaters there's a wealth of info below. You could also check menupages.com - searchable by area, cuisine and budget.

Thanks, Nytraveler, for letting me know there are no possibilities at all at the pier. We are 11 people and plan to split up into 3 groups of 4/4/3 at every restaurant to avoid the seating and serving issues of a too-large group.

I'm not sure what you're doing about transportation, but Daisy Mae's BarBQ, which is really good, but very casual, and very fast is at 46th and 11th, a pretty short walk from the pier.

Good question, NP. I am having nightmares that the cabdrivers will be on strike as they are threatening. The ages of our group range from 5 to 75. We are going to have to take 3 cabs for the oldest and youngest. We all like barbecue---thanks for the suggestion. I guess I could move this activity to Thursday when we have an evening performance, the Drowsy Chaperone, which you suggested

It's not the cab drivers who are threatening to strike in December. It's the stagehands on Broadway. During our two so-called taxi strikes, only about 25% of drivers didn't work. Not much impact to be honest. Worry more if the Broadway stagehands efused to work in December.

You might do better getting a bite to eat closer to the theaters you are planning to see. There are many more places to eat there. I like Roberto Passon at 9th ave and about 52nd Street. They have a decent prix-fixe lunch, and you can make a reservation (or several reservations)

While I'm not going to argue against Roberto Passon, one of my favorite places -- you're still talking about a good hour for a fairly rushed meal. Allowing time to get off the boat, get to the restaurant, eat, and then get to theatres -- some may be quite a way from there -- the timing is very tricky.

The reason I suggested Daisy Mae is that you walk in, order at a counter and within a minute you'll have your food which you take to the table. Even fairly slow eaters will be in and out the door within a half hour total.

However, it does mean you'd probably want to walk to it from the pier -- and that could be bitterly cold. And then have taxis come pick you up -- kind of difficult and worrisome.

What show or shows are you seeing that day? Junior's Cheesecake could be a good bet if the theatres are all very close as many are.

In view of the challenging logistics of getting a group of 11 hungry people off a boat, somewhere for lunch and then, variously, to Mary Poppins (New Amsterdam), Legally Blonde (Palace), and Spamalot (Shubert), I think I will plan the Circle Line for the next day. We have two children (5, 9), two senior citizens, three college students, one in h.s., and three garden-variety adults. Two of our group have profound celiac disease and can eat nothing with gluten whatsoever, and we have two hemophiliacs and one person with OCD. I am going to need a vacation when this is all over.

When all is said and done, the idea of doing the boat on the other day is probably best. But my mention of Junior's really isn't bad. Spamalot is literally next door. Mary Poppins is two short blocks "around the corner", and Legally Blonde is two to three short blocks away. People can easily walk to all of those within 5 to 10 (if very crowded) minutes from Juniors. I'd think getting the taxis to there at noon would give you well over an hour to eat -- which is lot of time for there. The food (especially the cheesecake) should satisfy all and comes out quite quick -- lots of "diner" type choices and sandwiches. I've never seen the place completely full, but I suspect they'd do a reservation for 11 people, adding to the safety factor.

That sounds perfect! Thanks, NP

Carmine's serves family-style. Not sure if they are open for lunch. They are 1/2 a block away from Spamalot.

Thanks, travelgirl2. Since two of our group have celiac disease and everyone else likes pasta, I don't think that would work for the whole group. Four of us want to go there on our own, though

You may want to try Chinese which is always fast & pretty good & cheap. There is an Ollies Noodle House right on the corner of West 44th & B'way that is good. Carmines is next door.

No. That Ollie's closed some time ago. They moved to 42nd between 9th and 10th, I think it is.

Funny, I started to mention Carmine's, but then I saw the request for "a very quick bite to eat" and that sure didn't sound like Carmine's -- which is a feast!!

Look for an umbrella on the sidewalk with "Hebrew National" on it. Problem solved.

But on December 26, standing out on the sidewalk eating after a two hour boat ride doesn't sound like my idea of "fun".

Carmine's is never quick ... the wait for dinner can sometimes extend to 2 or more hours. But with 11 people you could make a reservation. It's Italian, but there are many non-pasta items on the menu, so I think it's still a viable choice.

Junior's serves mostly sandwiches, but there are salads, so I think some non-gluten alternatives are on the menu. But the idea of Chinese is probably a good one. Although Ollie's is no longer around, there are a lot of decent and cheap Chinese and Thai restaurants on 9th Avenue between 53rd and 50th Street. I like Wondee Siam, a Thai restaurant, and they will make non-spicy food for you. The lunch special is about $6.95, and it's fast, though a small place.