New York - Best places to eat & drink

mr_goo
mr_goo Posts: 3,770
edited August 2017 in The cake stop
Off to NY next week. Has anyone on here been, that can recommend some good places to eat and drink in Manhattan that don't have stratospheric prices (excluding the franchises we have here in uk).
Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Where you gonna be in Manhattan?

    You don't strike me as someone who's gonna be hanging around destination restaurants, so easier to recommend places that are near.
    _
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Where you gonna be in Manhattan?

    You don't strike me as someone who's gonna be hanging around destination restaurants, so easier to recommend places that are near.

    Midtown, just a block from the Chrysler building. Although I'm open to exploring Manhattan. So any recommendations are welcome.
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    Mr Goo wrote:
    Off to NY next week. Has anyone on here been, that can recommend some good places to eat and drink in Manhattan that don't have stratospheric prices (excluding the franchises we have here in uk).

    Don't have any manhattan recommendations but I wouldn't bother with Chinatown.....fairly run down and the restaurants are generally unappealing.

    I've stayed in Upper East side a few times and the local restaurants were our preferred choice.
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Yeh, keep it small / independent and you won't go far wrong. There are some great places in Greenwich Village and East Village.

    Beware tourist traps in midtown. Make sure you visit the lobby of the Chrysler Building.
    Ben

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  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,738
    People's tastes are different so it is difficult to properly recommend anywhere.
    As an alternative, I will recommend NOT eating anywhere touristy. Times Square for example.
    Financial district downtown would be a shout.
    The White horse Tavern there is a proper American bar for drinks, at good prices.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Mr Goo wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Where you gonna be in Manhattan?

    You don't strike me as someone who's gonna be hanging around destination restaurants, so easier to recommend places that are near.

    Midtown, just a block from the Chrysler building. Although I'm open to exploring Manhattan. So any recommendations are welcome.

    So blue Smoke is a decent BBQ shout; like I said, not destination, but if you're in the 'hood you won't find any better BBQ.

    I'm a fan of a small place called Vezzo Thin Crust Pizza, which is nothing particularly exciting, just really nice, very thin pizzas; 30th & Lex.

    Club A Steakhouse on 58th is a decent shout for steak.

    For some of the best Chinese noodles you'll ever eat, and for $5, try Xi'an Famous Foods on 45th near 5th.
    _
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    PBlakeney wrote:
    People's tastes are different so it is difficult to properly recommend anywhere.
    As an alternative, I will recommend NOT eating anywhere touristy. Times Square for example.
    Financial district downtown would be a shout.
    The White horse Tavern there is a proper American bar for drinks, at good prices.

    You say that - and I'd usually agree - but we found a great little basement Chinese restaurant just off Times Square.

    Generally though, avoid midtown. I agree with that.
    Ben

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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Oh and I totally forgot, I LOVE breakfast at Pershing Square; right by you. I mean, really close. Got to the point where I was doing that most Saturday mornings when I lived there.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Ben6899 wrote:
    [

    You say that - and I'd usually agree - but we found a great little basement Chinese restaurant just off Times Square.

    Sure that's not Xi'an Famous Foods on 45th?
    _
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Ben6899 wrote:
    [

    You say that - and I'd usually agree - but we found a great little basement Chinese restaurant just off Times Square.

    Sure that's not Xi'an Famous Foods on 45th?

    You know, the photos of the entrance look familiar, but I'm not sure X'ian has a basement seating area from what I can see?

    It was really great food though!
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Me thinks so.

    Worked around the corner; go at any time past 12:05 and you'd be in a 20min queue. Lunch place.
    _
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Cheers everyone for recommendations so far. Keep them coming.
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Oh and I totally forgot, I LOVE breakfast at Pershing Square; right by you. I mean, really close. Got to the point where I was doing that most Saturday mornings when I lived there.

    Cheers for that one. I've been looking for a decent diner place for breakfast. My heart sank when I saw that Pret a Minger (not a typo) was opposite our hotel.
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Pershing is fun.

    Think '30s golden age. Ask for a place at the back, by the window, not at the dingey front.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    TBH half the fun of NYC is finding places yourself.

    It's not like LA. It presents itself to you.
    _
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Need a couple of decent bars or pubs please.... Where they don't chafe $8 + for a pint. Or is that to be expected across the whole of Manhattan?

    + Anyone been to BB Kings on 42nd St ?
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    TBH half the fun of NYC is finding places yourself.

    It's not like LA. It presents itself to you.

    Suppose that's the case with most places.
    We found a gem of a place in Berlin a few years back and the worst place I've ever eaten at in Florence (see my review on TripAdvisor, hopefully it did enough to shut it down).
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • lettingthedaysgoby
    lettingthedaysgoby Posts: 1,732
    The Library, on the corner of Avenue A and East Houston St.

    Fantastic rock and roll dive bar, great cocktails and beer, books lining the walls and the best jukebox in NYC.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    Top of the strand is a fun cocktail place; outstanding view of Empire state.

    Cocktails set ya back $15 a go 5 years ago plus tip, mind.

    Don't do the rookie mistake at a bar and forget to leave a buck every time you go to order (and bigger if it's a big round).
    _
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,738
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Top of the strand is a fun cocktail place; outstanding view of Empire state.

    Cocktails set ya back $15 a go 5 years ago plus tip, mind.

    Don't do the rookie mistake at a bar and forget to leave a buck every time you go to order (and bigger if it's a big round).
    Top tip if your are hanging around a joint for a while.
    Tip big first round. Better everything follows. No point in keeping it till you leave.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    So what is the correct etiquette regards tipping?
    I gather it's different from over here.
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    edited August 2017
    Mr Goo wrote:
    So what is the correct etiquette regards tipping?
    I gather it's different from over here.

    So add 20% to anything you've bought with table service; so basically restaurants. So when you're checking out menus for prices, just add 20% in your mind before you sit down. Easier that way.


    For bars, it depends slightly on the location; if it's your bog standard slightly gritty place and it's the two of you and you're just ordering beer or whatever, a buck a round is fine. If you're ordering 5 cocktails that are $12 each, stick 5 or 10 bucks down.

    So yeah, have cash.

    Taxis, 15-20%.
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,479
    Nothing specific but Little Italy is worth a visit, I've had good food in every restaurant I've eaten in there and not overly expensive. They have atmosphere too, there was a guy at the bar in one we visited who looked like he'd just been cast as the Don in a mafia movie - gold jewellery all over the place and people virtually falling at his feet!

    An ex-colleague mentioned there being a big food court below ground up near (possibly under) the Plaza Hotel right by Central Park but I haven't been there.

    On my first visit we stayed out in Brooklyn which wasn't great for the sights but felt more authentic and Williamsburg is supposed to be quite a good restaurant area if you wanted to try somewhere a bit different.
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    Is the Limelight still any good? Used to perfect for crazy nights of beer 'n' errr, other stuff 'n' tings and mad mad mental women.

    We used to have a few beers and some stuff 'n' tings on the roof of our building watching the gangs shoot at each other then head out for the night. Halcyonic days of joy and gutted I'm still not there.
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    Mr Goo wrote:
    So what is the correct etiquette regards tipping?
    I gather it's different from over here.


    AS above re tipping levels and be sure to tip - waiting staff earn sod all.
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • Moontrane
    Moontrane Posts: 233
    Flor de Mayo, Chinese-Peruvian cuisine. Get the Peruvian chicken, yellow rice, and the avocado salad.

    http://flordemayo.com/
    Infinite diversity, infinte variations
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    If ya fancy a real New York treat, there's always the home of the original cronut. Can't get much more American.

    http://dominiqueansel.com/cronut-101/
    _
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Goo, do you like arepas?

    Caracas arepa bar is excellent: caracasarepabar.com

    And if you fancy some vegan food, the chilli and cornbread at Angelica Kitchen are both immense: angelicakitchen.com
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
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