I have booked the W Times Square for our first New York vacation. It will be me, my husband and 13 year old stepdaughter. Anyone know much about this hotel? We stayed at the W on Lakeshore in Chicago and loved it.

Also, does anyone have any recommendations for restaurants that you think are a "must" in or near that area? For breakfast and dinner. We will probably do lunch elsewhere in the city.

There's a nice place in the W called Blue Fin. I've been a few times for dinner and enjoyed it.

Times Square is not the best area for restaurants - it's filled with expensive branches of tacky mall chains and overpriced tourist traps.

You will get much better food at lower prices in other areas of the city.

If your teen is young he/she might like Ellen's Stardust - food is just OK but has singing wait staff. If you teen is more adult give us a rough budget and preferred types of cuisine and people will make recos. (My girls loved Tao when they were in that group - to feel grown up and have a chance to see someone famous)

Do you know tripadvisor.com? It has reviews of virtually all hotels. The W Times Square is popular. My friend recently stayed there and thought it was "cool" but the room was small.

It's true many of the chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Bubba Gump's are in Times Square (and not very good...not as good as the same places elsewhere). But there are some decent restaurants in the neighborhood and in Hell's Kitchen, due west of the Times Square area. Some of the better places are:
Italian
Orso
Lattanzi
Esca
Basilica
ViceVersa
John's Pizzeria (in a converted church)

French
Le Madeleine
Chez Josephine

American
Thalia (new American)
Film Center Cafe (casual)
Joe Allen's (casual and a celeb hangout after shows)

menupages.com is a good place to search for restaurants by location and type of food.

I urge you to have some dinners in other neighborhoods (particularly downtown in the village, soho, noho) which are less touristy and a bit younger.

I should have added I agree with Blue Fin for seafood in your hotel. The View in the Marriott Marquis is the only restaurant in NYC that revolves for a changing view but food is not very good and overpriced. What is good is their dessert buffet for about $15/person. I think you daughter would like it. Ruby Foos is a pan asian place in Times Square that I think teens like but I'm not a fan. Breeze in Hell's kitchen is better. For just a neighborhood Japanese, Kodama on 8th ave. is good--nothing fancy.

If she like sushi, Sushi Samba is popular with teens.

Our teen is a mature 13. The singing wait staff would probably not impress her. On average for dinner I would like to spend no more than $100 + tip for the three of us for dinner. But would like to do one nice restaurant that could be up to $200. We plan on seeing the Blue Man Group on Saturday (7/29) at 7pm. Recommendations in that area would be good. Also we plan on seeing the 8pm show of The Wedding Singer on Friday night (7/28). We will probably do lunches in Chinatown or Little Italy. Any good breakfast areas in Times Square?

Eating near Blue Man Group is a frequent question. If you do a text search you'll find this and many more
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34781945

No real destination breakfast places in Times Square for breakfast. Junior's (famous for cheesecake) has opened and would be ok. The Art Cafe at 52 & Broadway is good. There are some bagel places.

$100 for 3 may be a challenge if the adults drink at all. That would mean dinner for each person would have to be $25. Tip and tax on that would easily reach $100 (tax is ~8.6% to figure tip, double the tax).

There are plenty of places to eat inexpensively if you don't have multi course meals. Basilica is inexpensive as is John's pizzeria. You'll also find some prix fixe pre theater menus.

$100 for the three of us would not include tip or drinks for the adults. Thanks for your suggestions

I just wanted to let you know that my daughter and son-in-law have stayed at the W Times Square and absolutely loved it. I think you will, too.
Have a great trip.