So, I’ve been to NYC a few times already for holidays. Last time around a decade ago, when I stayed in Chelsea with my then gf for a week. We also traveled all the way up to Vermont (White Mountains), Maine (Kennebunkport) and Providence. One of the best trips of my life…
I will now be back in NYC mid October for business. Will be alone for a few days and then joined by 8 colleagues for another 4 days. Hotel will most likely be first in Chelsea for my days alone, and then in Midtown (East) for our business meetings.
For this thread I’d like to focus on the business trip part - how would Patrick Bateman’s evenings look like if he were alive in 2022?!
Looking for places that are being frequented by the high rollers in business, eg finance community. Not the Michelin starred places per se, but the upscale steak restaurants and such. You know the places, where the suits go after work to wind down and drink cocktails - but then also with great food.
I remember such a place in SoHo back then, and it was tons of fun. Maybe there is a famous place outside of Midtown, e.g. around Wall Street, that can be a destination restaurant?
Otherwise, jazz clubs on a Saturday evening in Midtown? And what is buzzing on a Sunday evening?
We don’t wear suits anymore. Unless you’re of a certain age. Even the CEO of my shop comes to work in jeans and an open collar shirt. I haven’t worn a tie since early 2020.
I have to ponder this question a bit. The funny thing is that the big client dinners have only just started. Sort of been going back to the same places that we did in 2019. For steak traditional would be Spark’s. New since you were last here would be Cote. Korean bbq done oh so high end. Hawksmoor opened an outpost which is popular. If you are downtown check out Buddha Bar. I could easily see Patrick there. For a place with live music (piano) The Nines.
After 6:00 you will need to head out of midtown. It’s a ghost town with flex work. Whole rows of empty desks on Monday and Friday. Busy Tuesday to Thursday during the day. Empty except for tourists otherwise.
Saddest thing to happen over the last 10 years is the trend of everyone picking up fancy expensive salads to eat in front of their bloombergs. Salads! Where’s my double bacon cheeseburger?
Nancy Whiskey is still a favorite sort of dive bar with the finance bros. For a nicer bar experience check out Manhatta or Overstory. Overstory terrace is killer. Temple Bar has reopened. Have not been back yet but that was a favorite place to go after you got your number.
A new spot in Brooklyn that is drawing in the fashionable crowd is Gage & Tollner. Beautiful space that also serves great food.
I don’t know what anyone does on a Sunday night these days as I’m usually sitting in a car heading back from the beach.
Out of the places the suits liked, I remember one friend at the time liking Smith & Wollensky, despite not eating meat. She ordered a baked potato. It was more about her trying to meet a suit, in retrospect.
Maybe Balthazar. That certainly was a place I took people to people watch, but more because Madonna had been there, rather than the suits crowd.
Maybe Keen’s.
Perhaps the Rainbow Room if it still exists.
I was focused on more of the Rent / Life Café type places in the 90s!
Not the circles I travel in, but I was wondering if Saga is seen as a thing.
As for Gage & Tollner, well we’ve been a half dozen times or so & haven’t really seen many finance looking tables around us. Mostly just us solidly middle class food loving folk, with tables leaning more toward she crab soup than seafood plateaus.
I’ve been out of the Midtown expense-account meal biz since 2014, but the following were big then and are still open now: Oceana, Sea Grill, Estiatorio Milos, Marea, Le Bernardin, The Modern. Le Pavillon is definitely a good choice–I’ve never been, since it opened only last year.
I didn’t read the full story. Just skimmed it. It’s ridiculous. Though at the same time I could tell you some stories that most people would not believe. Vanity Fair is a bit of a rag and not real journalism. Mostly seems like gossip. At the same time it’s just crazy how much prices have changed in 8 years. I would love to be able to have a nice dinner out with my wife for $250. A top end place is 2-4 times that now. There are omakase sushi spots that charge $400 a person. Apartment prices seem comically low to what places cost now. $1 million doesn’t get you much these days. I am surprised by how much costs have gone up in less than 10 years. Shouldn’t be as I have been living through it. I guess it’s like the wives tale of the proverbial frog in the pot. Don’t notice until it’s too late.
They don’t look any different than anyone else. Hard to pick out when they are dressed the same. Only way to really tell is to see what tables have the big plateau along with the Krug. A lot of guys I know have moved into your hood. All the way down to Carroll Garden and further east. Driving up prices in Brooklyn as we can’t afford manhattan.
NYC isn’t “back” post-pandemic in the way that you remember it from a decade ago, so I’d suggest tempering your expectations. Also consider what your expense account can actually afford these days – prices have only gone up, and many of those places may bust your per diem and client budget both.
The other question is where are you willing to go? People were and are pretty local for work dinners. No one is traipsing from midtown to Brooklyn, or Wall Street for a business meal.
I’ll echo @travelmad478 on Marea and Milos. There’s a newer Milos at Hudson Yards but for the vibe you’re going for, the midtown one will do just fine. On the flip side, the food is and always has been excellent. Marea probably survives on business dinners.
I’m surprised none of the Major Food Group places have been mentioned yet - The Grill opened to great fanfare pre-pandemic, plus there’s Carbone and Dirty French.
We are spoiled for choice on the steakhouse front, whether classic or with cuisine spins. Take your pick based on what else you want to eat there and what vibe you want.
I love Cote but I wouldn’t take clients (or colleagues, unless I knew they were into Korean food) there. It’s a truly Korean meal with all that entails – with great meat. A strong wine program and very good cocktails. If Asian is game, upscale Chinese places have opened (and closed – RIP Hakkasan) since you were last here – for eg Hutong. Then there are the caricatures of past days that are still going strong – Tao, Philippe Chow, and so on.
I’m more curious what you want to eat in your 4 days alone. You can populate business dinners from any number of listicles – it’s really not hard to spend money in NYC on an expense account, and the finance bro vibe you seek is everywhere.
@travelmad478 If you mean The Sea Grill, in Rockefeller, it has closed permanently. A new bunch of restaurants will be opening at Rock Center. The first of them, Le Rock, from the Frenchette team, recently opened. Haven’t been. Not super upscale but this group might enjoy it.
The Grill opened several years ago in the Seagram’s Building. (Space was formerly The Grill Room in The Four Seasons.) Definitely a must for this group.
I’m a vest voyeur. Skimmed through too quickly
