Recomendations for New York

SAM81

SAM81

SAM81

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3 Dec 2005
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So we are off the NY in April, i'm sure plenty of people on here have been so i'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for excellent places to eat.

We are staying at Yotel (Think its in Hells Kitchen - Manhattan - just near Times Square) but throughout our trip will be travelling over most of Manhattan. Places I already plan to visit are Shake Shack, Famous Daves, Daisy Mays and a couple of others...

Recommendations for anything you loved there would be great (places for lunch, dinner or tea, any type of food (burgers ribs, good Italians or Chinese))

Thanks!
 
Keens.

It's a steak house (pretty posh), we had an excellent chateaubriand steak, it was $90 but it was a massive portion for two. Couldn't recommend it enough.

We're off back to NYC in December and no doubt go there again.

http://www.keens.com/
 
Andybtsn said:
Keens.

It's a steak house (pretty posh), we had an excellent chateaubriand steak, it was $90 but it was a massive portion for two. Couldn't recommend it enough.

We're off back to NYC in December and no doubt go there again.
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Excellent - its going on the list. Good steak places especially appeal to me. Dreading the amount of weight i'm going to put on whilst there...
 
Trip Advisor is usually very good for finding restaurants, I think that's how we found Keens, it's no1 for Steak Houses when we went in 2010.

I'll be keeping an eye on this also for when we go back.
 
Right, I think I might be able to help here given I'm also off in April on a gluttony tour :)

For burgers:
Korzo Haus
Shake Shack (I see you've got that one down)
Burger Joint @ Le Parker Meridien

Must do that won't break the bank:
Momofuku - especially Ssam bar, I'm hoping to do at least one trip. Noodle bar as well
Roberta's in Brooklyn - great Pizzeria

High-end places:
WD-50 - Casual, some unusual stuff, lots of technique, good fun
Eleven Madison Park - If you can get a lunch reservation it's not TOO painful for a 3*, but it's smart dress
Blue Hill @ Blue Stone Barns - out of town but supposedly worth the trip
Per Se - You might be able to get a reservation in the Salon which does a "cheaper" menu

Sushi:
Sushi Yasuda - from my research seems the best high end place which is doable without selling organs. Masa & Kurumazushi will cost a fortune
Blue Ribbon Sushi - cheaper than Yasuda, no reservations

I'd also second Peter Luger - I've still not been but only heard good things, Keen's does look good too though.

For others, I wouldn't ever pay any attention to tripadvisor, it comes out with some bizarre recommendations at times. Urban Spoon is pretty good as a kind of meta-rating site:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/c/3/New-York-restaurants.html

Oh and don't forget to take into account service costs (20%) when looking at prices!
 
Thanks guys. Katz is a deffo and Carmines was mentioned by a friend (funnily enough he said exactly the same - huge portions)

When you're taking about the service charge you're talking about the tip right? Didn't realize 20% was expected?! I realize I am expected to tip over there but is it acceptable to tip less than 20%?
 
simoran1 said:
Thanks guys. Katz is a deffo and Carmines was mentioned by a friend (funnily enough he said exactly the same - huge portions)

When you're taking about the service charge you're talking about the tip right? Didn't realize 20% was expected?! I realize I am expected to tip over there but is it acceptable to tip less than 20%?
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Yes, tip/service charge, same thing - I think 15% is generally considered minimum, it's a very different culture there and 20% has become the norm. Worth checking it's not already added though.

There's a pretty good guide here:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g60763-c71510/New-York-City:New-York:Tipping.In.Nyc.html

Basically, tip for EVERYTHING, always carry around a good deal of $1 bills
 
Katz +1

Re: tipping, in cabs don't be afraid to ask for change yo don't always have to give them a full bill. Ie if cab comes to 7 bucks after tip, and you only have 10s don't be shy asking for your 3 dollars. They are use to it.

hooters is a mst too
 
Andybtsn said:
Keens.

It's a steak house (pretty posh), we had an excellent chateaubriand steak, it was $90 but it was a massive portion for two. Couldn't recommend it enough.

We're off back to NYC in December and no doubt go there again.

http://www.keens.com/
Click to expand...

Was there just last month - very impressed! Would also recommend "Ben Bensons" - beautiful steak.

I really like a place called Virgil's just off of Time Square. Also recommend a place called Katz's Delicatessen.

Would also recommend this place - http://www.hillcountryny.com/ Really different way of serving food but great food.

Bar wise, I would recommend the Puck Fair just off of Houston and also a place called McSorleys - only go midweek though.

Tourist stuff wise, I would recommend doing the Top of the Rock during the day. I would also recommend going up either that or the Empire State buldiing at Sunset. I think that the views and general experience from the Top of the Rock far exceeds that of the Empire State building.

Would recommend doing as much walking as possible. Explore SOHO, China Town, Little Italy and those types of places on foot. Wall Street, Ground Zero and Battery Park (personal fav) are worth visiting. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and go to a pizza place called Grimalidi's on the Brooklyn side - don't go on a weekend as there are literally queues around the block. Check out the South City Ferry port that is close to the Brookyn Bridge. I would also suggest getting the Staten Island Ferry at around sunset, particularly on a clear night.

Time square goes without saying - again, suggest hitting it at night time if it your first time. There is a small park nearby called "Bryant Park" - also one of my fav parts of the city. Really really nice place to chill out.

Central Park is absolutely amazing and I would encourage you to spend a lot of time wandering around it. The zoo is so so but still worth a quick visit if you have time to kill. The museums are absolutely amazing by the way, especially the natural history museum. You will literally lose a day in that place.

Shopping wise, you can't go wrong with Macy's and Woodbury Common (about 50 dollar for bus from the Port Authority bus terminal). Cheap clothes is on of the pluses about any holiday to New York - both practical and fun. The price of stuff compared to the UK or Ireland is insane.

Apologies about the messy post, literally just brain dumped and am in a rush.
 
kaks said:
Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and go to a pizza place called Grimalidi's on the Brooklyn side - don't go on a weekend as there are literally queues around the block.
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Totally forgot we did this! Yes, definately do this. Probably the best Pizza I have ever had, and beers were only like $2.50 each. We had to stand outside for 30mins, but met a nice couple, so started chatting to them and ended up grabbing a table of 4 with them as it was quicker. Excellent experience!
 
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They like to do queuing in NYC and they'll queue for a long time for something that's very good. So I'll put a third word in for Grimaldi's pizza, where there are permanent queues round the block. I totally regret not queuing up for it. Also go to the Magnolia bakery in Bleecker St. They do THE BEST cupcakes in the world and you won't regret queuing up for them.
 
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