College friends getting together for dinner and drinks.
Nothing fancy or hugely expensive but def not looking for cheap either.
One guy keeps “Kinda-Kosher,” so it can’t be all meat.
Probably not Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai - though someone suggested Blue Willow to me .
Thanks
I have no suggestions, but the title of this post looks like a quick pitch for a sitcom.
You can get Nick Kroll as the ‘Kinda kosher’ one.
Quality Italian
If that’s too $$$, then Parker & Quinn
2 Likes
Your post is vague. Not cheap but not expensive. Meat but not only meat. No to most Asian but the only place you mention is Chinese. Between 59th street down to Houston. Makes it hard to really give you much of a suggestion. Could you get a bit more specific?
ipse’s suggestion of Quality Italian is fairly safe sort of high end choice. There are also other options in the Quality Family.
2 Likes
Sure, sorry if it was vague.
Quality Italian does look good. We don’t need any “hot” places, dressy places. Avra would be fine too - that’s where I have reserved, but was looking for some other ideas (I live in LA, so I know Avra). Fairly safe is fairly fine, not looking for super creative food. Just good.
I meant we don’t want a very expensive, high-end (several hundred $$/pp, for food, alone). Also don’t want a fancy set/tasting menu place.
Not hard to achieve, even at a steak house…
Was trying to make it easy for suggestions, we don’t really care that much where since some will come from UWS, some from the burbs, and some the Village. Was considering Locanda Verde but it is pretty
far downtown.
We are not doing any indoor restaurant dining, so we haven’t been to Si Ciamo. But all reports are that the Italian food at Danny Meyer’s new restaurant is excellent.
We have also not been to Sweetbriar. However, we are very familiar Chef Bryce Shuman talent from his years at EMP and his own restaurant Betony. At Sweetbriar, he is doing less pricey comfort food using live fire cooking with wood and charcoal.
Both restaurants have eclectic menus.
2 Likes
Safe and nice and not too expensive then in the general midtown area and have it feel more NYC than LA -
For seafood, either Ocean Prime or Oceana.
If steak, then Gallagher’s or Keens or Sparks
I like Benoit for the high end bistro experience.
Italian check out Fresco by Scotto or Patsy’s not the pizza place though.
1 Like
Here’s a range
Boqueria
Ilili
Zaytinya
Baar Baar
Toloache
Da Umberto
Peppolino
Gramercy tavern (tavern room)
As you know, Chinese.
3 Likes
Not sure whether this is too outside of the box (and I’m not sure what the post-pandemic scene/reservation system is like), but if it appeals, Aldo Sohm Wine Bar is in the middle of the theater district. Sohm is the Le Bernadin sommelier, and the wine bar is tucked in an alley between 51st and 52nd betwen 6th and 7th Avenues.
If you are looking for something fun and a little different, they have a large number of wines by the glass (you can also get bottles), and delicious kind of curated snacks, some quite hefty, and you can definitely make a meal of them. In the Before Times, they used to open a special, large bottle (maybe a jeroboam?) every night and do special little pours from it. The servers were knowledgeable, and though I didn’t go often, I always met interesting, nice people there.
Time to go back, methinks! Please let us know what you find!
3 Likes
LV is delicious but I wouldn’t recommended to someone who asked for not-expensive. Same range look at L’Artusi, Il Buco, and Il Buco A&V. Plus Upland and Marta, which has a lot more than pizza.
3 Likes
Thanks, I only meant not SUPER (or VERY) expensive.
LV price range would be fine.
How about the Monterey that just opened?
Italian is always a safe choice
Let us know where you end up
Ci Siamo is a great suggestion. I like it. Make reservations ASAP
Have reserved Ci Siamo and Zaytinya and will throw those around my buddies for their preferences. Thanks for all the great suggestions.
Our experiences at D.C. original lead us to second Zaytinya.
I was at the rooftop bar at this hotel last Tuesday. Good spot for after dinner drinks. But please make reservations beforehand.
Did you eat at Zaytinya downstairs?
No. Too much to do, too little time. 
