Pre-pandemic, we went often to The Grill. Always a first-rate experience in every way. Since we are not doing any indoor restaurant dining, sadly, it’s out for us. By the way, The Pool (the rechristened Pool Room) had a fish and seafood oriented menu. We had a few excellent meals there as well. Now, they’ve changed it into an events only space.
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I’m still sell side. Thought about making move to buy side at times but have not done it. Guess I’m just lazy. Job is actually pretty easy when you have been doing it as long as I have. My team does most of the real work. They make me look good. At my prior shop used to have a lot of European accounts. The old German landesbanks, Dutch pension funds, French insurance cos, etc. Now it’s mostly domestic with a sprinkling of APAC and EMEA. From what I sort of recall from your prior posts are you in the Benelux area?
I like the Standard hotel in the village. My wife and I have stayed there when we want to do our stay in NYC long weekend escapes. Rooms are small but I sort of enjoy the glass walled shower. Call me an exhibitionist. 
The beer garden on the ground floor is great and the night club on the top floor can get crazy. Lots of young finance types there. I’m too old for that sort of stuff now.
You should not say that too loudly. 
Do you remember the story about the bachelor party with the equity guy from Fido? That was crazy. Also the start of compliance cracking down on entertaining.
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@damiano So what made the cut for your upcoming trip?
What’s on the list for personal meals and business meals?
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Thanks for the interest! You know, I’m still working on a dining schedule for the days when I will be on my own, but it seems I will have more business dinners than I had anticipated when I started this thread.
As I’m the ‘end’ client I always feel a bit awkward suggesting restaurants myself, as I won’t be paying.
I did let it be known (actually today) while meeting some New Yorkers that I’d love to have Korean bbq. So, fingers crossed they will pick COTE. Another party suggested taking me to a Knicks game in Madison Square Garden.
I will look into booking restaurants for the weekend when I will be with my co workers. If I have any questions I’ll ask! 
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Stuck at home with the flu, so have a bit of time to prepare for my trip.
First of all been doing some pre-travel homework, revisiting a few quintessential NYC movies like Working Girl, The Unmarried Woman, Wall Street, Other People’s Money, The Light Sleeper, and yes, American Psycho (I see a common thread here… except I’m not a woman nor on drugs!).
As it seems, COTE is the new Dorsia as reservations are impossible, unless we book a table for 7 for 2 hours with a mininum 4k spend… I’ll be visiting a Korean bbq place in Chelsea instead.
I’ve given one preference for a restaurant to a business associate, and that is The Grill. Let’s hope he can make it happen. For the rest I’m dependent on what others will pick.
That leaves me with some breakfast and lunch/drinks/aperitif options in the Upper West Side. I’ve changed hotels from Chelsea to the UWS - The Wallace, at 242 W 76th St.
Anyone know the UWS area well and ready to give some recommendations?
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I’ve had breakfast at Good Enough To Eat, and a bagel with nova and a shmear to-go- to take to Central Park- from Barney Greengrass. Barney Greengrass also has scrambled eggs with smoked salmon if you dine in.
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Used to live up there a long time ago so I don’t have a lot of recommendations other than going to Zabar’s for bagel and lox, Charles Fried Chicken for what else, and Barney Greengrass for deli. Actually kind of classic NYC food.
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Seconded (or thirded?) On Barney greengrass, good enough to eat has declined imo… I’d prefer Jacob’s pickles for that sort of thing in the area.
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What are you looking for specifically?
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Think Covacha just earned a Bib’s, aldi daily provisions for bec sandwich and cruellers, sushi yasaka for great sushi , Dagon/crave for drinks and of course food
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Well, lots of suggestions already for dinner/lunch so maybe drinks before and after dinner? In the spirit of the thread, would love places where people come to see and be seen. Bit a place like the mentioned Dagon looks good too. Can also do a 10 minute cab ride, so perhaps the newly opened Casa Cruz?
Thanks to this thread I feel like I have a good handle on where to dine in NYC. It may seem a bit strange that I’m letting others in our group decide as well, but be assured I will try to direct people as much as possible.
The Upper West Side comes across as a very residential neighborhood. It’s a little sleepy compared to a neighborhood with more sceney places.
Most places that have the vibe you’re looking for will be in midtown or downtown.
On a weekend or after hours, a taxi or subway won’t take much more than 10 -20 minutes. People who live on the UWS who want to go to sceney places would probably heading downtown for that.
I’m out of the loop since I’ haven’t lived in NYC for 25 years, and I’m old, and haven’t visited since 2019, in terms of actual restaurants where people are going to be seen now.
A few comments as a return visitor:
The finance bro places where they go after work will be fairly close to the Financial district.
Some finance types might be attracted to some bars and expense account restaurants in midtown. I guess those places will be mentioned already.
Other neighborhoods have sceney places (that’s what I’ll call places where people go to be seen), for other industries in NYC, such as fashion, art, music, literary, etc.
The Meatpacking District has a scene, and correct me if I’m wrong other posters- it attracts tourists and weekend visitors from the other boroughs, NJ and burbs who want to be seen. It is a scene, but it comes across as a little touristy and often overpriced relative to what you might find elsewhere ( I do recommend visiting the Whitney Museum if you go to the Meatpacking District- that is what brings me to the neighborhood).
I don’t think many people would travel to the UWS for the scene. Same with the UES. They’re down-to-earth, the opposite of scene, to me.
For what you’re spending on hotels, and what you’ll be spending on food, I would suggest taking the $30 cab rides or subway rides to the places recommended that are south of the UWS, rather than staying on the UWS for your dinner meals.
People travel an hour or more to work in Manhattan every day, you can travel 20 or 30 minutes to seek out the type if vibe that you’re trying to find in midtown or downtown, with probably better food, than trying to find it on the UWS.
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Oh yes, I should have been more specific: happy to jump in a cab and explore other areas of Manhattan. I chose the UWS for my hotel because I don’t know that area well, plus I got a good deal on what seems to be an excellent hotel.
In previous visits to NYC I stayed on Bleecker Str (2 weeks), and near Bowery (1 week). I did a lot of downtown exploring, including the lower east side.
Really psyched about the visit, just got news I will be seeing the Knicks playing in MSG on the Friday! Now contemplating spending 300 dollars on La Traviata in the Met… But it seems there is still a mask requirement, which kind of puts me off to be honest.
So, two questions. Are masks still required for a lot of public areas? And what is the taxi situation like, e.g. uber or other alternatives? Thanks.
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There are ubers everywhere, but you’ll have no problem finding a cab, either. Get a Metrocard if you’re not averse to taking trains.
No masks were required at Chelsea Market (a ginormous indoor food place I highly recommend visiting) when I was there in the spring. Bring one just in case?
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Not necessarily. Midtown East (mostly, just a bit in TS area) is where a lot of the big banks have the bulk of their people. There are still firms in the financial district, but many have huge offices in the area between 47th-52nd, centered around Park Ave.
I think you can see I mention midtown earlier in the thread.
You won’t find too many finance bros north of 72nd st in my limited experience. That’s my point.
They’re more likely to be found at restaurants and bars attracting their attention, within walking distance of office buildings and commuter train stations.
In terms of a “scene” and after-dinner drinks,
I was out at a new place on the LES last week and they did last call for food and drinks at 9pm on a weeknight, just for reference.
The UWS is a residential neighborhood, so there’s neighborhood crowd not the transient bar crowd of midtown or elsewhere. Here’s a list that covers a range. There’s a bar stretch on Amsterdam in the 80s (near Prohibition & Gin Mill) which has always been and will always be bro-ish and runs young.
Restaurant bars get busy. Maison Pickle does good cocktails and is usually well-populated, then there’s Red Farm, Serafina, and Elea. Wine bars tend to stay busy all evening.
Places near Lincoln center are very busy earlier in the evening, thin out, then repopulate. Bar Boulud, Boulud Sud, The Smith, PJ Clarke’s, Rosa Mexicano (the bars at the last two are always busy). A few blocks down is what used to be Time Warner Center (variable in bar crowd), Blue Ribbon (busy), and Marea.
Everywhere is busy early evening, it’s later that all of it thins out, irrespective of whether uptown, midtown, or downtown these days. Although I’d say that neighborhood places can sometimes be busier than others on a weeknight, because people do actually live here, rather than commute in and out.
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Except that many of them live there.
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Maybe they didn’t 25 years ago? I know nabes’ makeup can change over time, certainly over a couple of decades.
