which pre theater restaurant?
 

There are 4 restaurants that have openings before our 8pm show in the theater/Times Sq. area. Cara Mia, Osteria al Doge, Etcetera etcetera, and Thalia. They all look great! We like a more casual atmosphere, any suggestions?

Cara Mia is a tad pedestrian.
Thalia is not. Cara Mia is one of
12 restaurants in this group:
www.NYCRG.com of which I like
Roberto Passon & Scarlatto.

Etcetera Etcetera is owned by the same people as Viceversa, one of my favorite restaurants. It's a more casual and slightly cheaper alternative. The best thing is that you can get an appetizer portion of pasta. Coupled with a real appetizer and shared dessert, it's a nice light pre-theater meal for less than a normal prix-fixe.

Osteria al Doge is an old-fashioned restaurant and probably the most expensive of the four you've mentioned.

However, the one thing you did not mention was where your show is. You've got restaurants all over the place, so consider that as well.

If these are just from opentable.com I assume you realize there are other restaurants that are not on opentable. I agree with Doug though that it depends on where your theater is and what you want to eat.

Most of your list is Italian and Thalia is American. I had a pre theater recently at Saju Bistro, next to the Hotel Mela on 44th st. Their 3 course pre theater menu is $28 and the food is good and plentiful including very good hanger steak. It's sort of hidden so there was almost no one else eating but we enjoyed our meal. If your theater is further north, I'd go to Thalia.

We are seeing Wicked at the Gershwin Friday night.

Roberto Passon is well located for that and a Fodor's forum favorite (Italian). It's very casual. Thalia would also be good.

We liked Becco on West 46th St, between 8th and 9th. If you have an appetite, get the all-you-can-eat pasta special... three selections, all of them super-tasty.

Sorry, I've thrown in the towel on Becco. The last time I was there, the pasts were so uninspiring, we just order off the a la carte menu. Similarly, wine by the glass was phenomenally expensive ... I guess to make up for the modest cost of the prix-fixe pasta menu. Plus, it was way too crowded. I used to love Becco years ago; now not so much.

I've also read some not so good reviews on Becco. A friend told me about Ruby Foos. What do you think of that place? I'm not sure what Rhea58 means by a tad pedestrian.

Ruby Foos is a touristy, rather expensive Chinese restaurant near Times Square. I wouldn't even consider it unless I were dining with children.

I think Rhea should probably explain her own feelings about Cara Mia since I've never been there.

You say there are only 4 restaurants with openings, but I suspect as Mclaurie suggests, you are just looking at Opentable. You can also call restaurants directly, and restaurants that don't have an Opentable reservation available may still have a table at the hour you want to dine. Opentable just has a small allotment of reservations.

The Gershwin is on west 51st, so it's closer to Viceversa than Etcetera etcetera is (and also close to Roberto Passon and Thalia). I also like Film Center Cafe, which is a bit farther away but still on 9th Ave) for a really casual meal, and you can also make reservations there. Eatery is also fairly good (upscale diner food).

I agree with Rhea that Cara Mia is pedestrian. It's anywhere USA Italian. Ruby Foo's is one of the few touristy places in Times Square I like. It's overpriced but tasty imo.

If you want Italian and Roberto Passon doesn't turn you on, what about Nocello? Go to menupages.co and look in the west 50's.

Thank you for all your help. I ended up calling ViceVersa and getting a 6pm reservation. I hope that isn't too early, but it's all they had.

mclaurie...nocello is my favorite italian in ny. la vineria is also superb, 55th between 5th and 6th.

6pm will work nicely at Viceversa; that's usually when I eat on theater nights. You can have a leisurely meal. Be sure to order coffee (it's extra, not on the prix-fixe) ... you get excellent cookies. If you don't do the prix-fixe, then the cookies make almost a dessert course.

McLaurie nailed it re my opinion
of Cara Mia. With ALL NYC has to offer, it doesn't cut it IMO.

Doug: Noticed ViceVersa is a fave in many of your posts. Attended the
Three Tomatoes Intimate Conversations Tues. @ sister restaurant, EtceteraEtc. in their upstairs room but didn't partake of
their cuisine. Looked attractive
& wondered what your take on this restaurant is as I will be there again in 2 wks.

Apologies if I am hijacking.

I love ViceVersa. I ate there in September and had a wonderful meal.

I've eaten at Etcetera etcetera a couple of times, and I like the food there, though it's not nearly as pretty a dining room. I think their best options are the pastas, while I like the other main courses at Viceversa better (except for the lamb meatballs on pasta, which is my favorite). What I really liked was the fact that they serve half portions of pasta, so you can get a pretty substantial appetizer, a half-portion of pasta, and share a dessert for a very reasonable price. If I recall, wine prices at Etcetera etcetera are a little lower too.

Ruby Foos in Times Square (and the terrific Italian restaurant Fiamma in Soho) closed yesterday. Sign of the times.

it's gonna be scary this year.

If you go to Vice Versa, get the Casconcelli Bergamasca! Oh My Gucci!!! It is like having sex and buying Christian Louboutin shoes at the same time, sweetie darling.

Thin

Ruby Foos in Times Square is still open -- it was the Ruby Foos on 77th that closed. Really sad sign of the times. But I'm more broken up about Fiamma -- true loss. Fabio Trabocchi is sooo talented. I'm sure he'll be scooped up quick!