Maybe Benoit or Molyvos? I haven’t been lately, but I’ve been to both several times.
My cousin’s convocation was at Carnegie Hall and we ate at Molyvos afterwards. It’s a couple blocks south of Carnegie Hall.
https://www.benoitny.com/ Benoit is a little further away, at 60 West 55th St between Fifth & Sixth Avenues
If it were me, Russian Vodka Room, or I’d just hit the Oyster Bar before walking over.
What kind of food?
There’s a SugarFish nearby, also Yakitori totto (Totto ramen also not too far, neither is Ippudo).
Jams is on the other side, you can sit at the bar for a drink and snacks, or do the same at Aldo Sohm a few blocks further down.
They’ve moved. They’re now at 402 West 43rd St, which used to be Esca and Curtains Up decades ago when Manhattan Plaza first opened. It was my mother’s favorite Manhattan restaurant, and I believe that it was the first place we ever had Little Pie Company’s apple pie (possibly before they had a shop down the block).
As for Benoit, was looking for something with entrees that are less than $40+ each.
Thanks for the heads up re: Molyvos.
Didn’t realize the prices had gone up so much at Benoit. Last time I was there, in May 2018, I was there for cinq à sept/happy hour, so the food was appetizer-sized and less expensive. Of course, prices have gone up a lot everywhere over the past 4.5 years.
Good luck finding the right place!
Blue willow
La Bonne Soupe is on W. 55th. Prices are more moderate than Benoit’s.
+1. Good cocktails too, though a bit on the sweet side.
Molyvos was a couple of blocks south of Carnegie Hall, but it’s since moved to 43rd St. west of Ninth Ave.
I’ve heard good things about Blue Willow but haven’t tried it myself.
Field trip!
The challenge with the area is that much of the better dining options are expense account territory. I’ve pretty much eaten at every higher end place in midtown over the years on someone else’s dime.
If you are paying your own way, it’s harder getting a good meal for a reasonable price.
I like the Yakitori Totto choice. There’s good ramen too. Ippudo is a regular for me. Also in the Japanese vein, Sake Bar Hagi is always good for cheap eats. There are also Sushi Lab and Sushi by Bou where you can get a 1/2 hour $50ish omakase.
Lodi in Rock Center would be good for Italian.
For Chinese there is a Mala Project location. The close by Emporium Brasil is decent too. Wu Liang Ye is better Szechuan food than one would expect in midtown. China Cafe is out of the way.
If you are early, I’m a fan of the happy hour at Ruth’s Chris. Prices are higher than pre pandemic but a couple plates of mini burgers, fries and the shrimp would be nice meal. The Del Frisco’s Grill would be good for burgers and such too.
Taam Tov is an off the run thought. Uzbek food. Really good and cheap.
Empanada Mama is awesome. Some of the best empanadas around.
I have never thought any of the fancy Greek places in midtown were reasonable priced dining. Crazy expensive in my experience. I recall going to Molyvos once and ordering one of those fish dishes by the pound and the damn thing was nearly $100. So the opposite of eating in Greece. But I really do like Benoit but as you noted that’s not an inexpensive place either. Not sure any place owned by Alain Ducasse would ever be an inexpensive place.
Thanks, that does look good. However, my son suggested Souvlaki GR, which is right around the corner from Carnegie Hall, reasonably priced, and my wife decided that she’s in the mood for Greek, so we’re going to do that.
In terms of market price fish at places like Milos or Molyvos, it’s always expensive. I much rather get grilled octopus or fried calamari at Milos or Molyvos than pay $75+ for sea bass or mullet. I find the waiters at the Milos in Montréal sometimes choose a much bigger fish than you ask for, to bump up the cost. The last time I ordered fish at Milos in Montréal, it was way too much fish for 2 people, and our meal was very expensive for what it was. My go-to order at Milos in Montréal (haven’t been to the NYC locations) for 2 people is 4 mezes: fried calamari or grilled octopus, the stack of fried eggplant and zucchini, the Greek village salad (they call it tomato salad) and grilled veg/another dish. Suits me better than their grilled fish which I tend to find overpriced. I do the same type of order at upscale Portuguese seafood restaurants.
I ate at Molyvos quite a bit when I lived Manhattan in the 90s, and have been back a couple times since then, but haven’t been to their location on 43rd.
don antonio is a ten minute walk to caregie hall. very good neo pizza.
also not far from carnegie hall 
while souvlaki gr will be very convenient, don’t think you’ll find it all that different from Lefertis. when we were in westchester, our nyc go to was thai, Szechuan, ramen or Korean due to the dearth of those cuisines where we lived. anyhow, enjoy!
Well, that is disappointing, since I have never been a big fan of Lefteris.
Don Antonio is west of 8th Avenue, and with the cold weather that finally showed up, I don’t feel like walking further out of my way. Would have been great a few weeks ago when we were at New World Stages on that block for Yiddish Fiddler.
Heard the Yiddish Fiddler was great, anyway. 
It was amazing! I ended up going to Urban Hawker that day and picked up the chicken satay sandwich and took it home. It was excellent, even after reheating two hours later. Also got the sardine pastry. Sadly, neither place is open on Mondays or I would have gone back.
Going to see Jessica Vosk’s Judy Garland tribute concert at CH tomorrow.
