Dinner.
I’ve tried so many things to make this convention more tolerable, and anything that removes an actual sit-down dinner with everyone seated together is rejected. So lame!
And just a note that the practice of drinking with colleagues as a “work activity” is fast disappearing. The kids™ are not about that life.
So maybe east or southeast asian is the sweet spot.
How far into the boroughs do you want to venture / whereabouts will you all be meeting or staying?
yeah, in terms of cuisine, the group has enjoyed that vibe in the past.
office and hotels are very near chelsea market.
group is willing to travel. i don’t think 45 min on the subway should be a problem at all.
I’m a fan of John’s on Bleecker St.
You could order 2 or 3 pies and a carafe of wine and be well within budget. Not super fancy, but it’s an institution in its own right. A lot nicer than grabbing pizza and if they don’t regularly have good pizza, this is a good place to start.
Another possibility is Arturo’s on Houston St.
Real coal oven pizza. It is really delicious and will definitely fit the budget. Like John’s, it’s old school NYC without being touristy.
Well I guess it depends on the kids in question. On this end HR hates it and strongly “discourages” it; but I’ve not noticed anyone, down to the interns, saying no to an invitation or not taking full advantage. Finance, so maybe that’s just part of the territory.
I think it was three syllables, two or three words. Something with “Fa?’
Not surprised at all that this is still the groove in finance! And I don’t say that with any judgement, truly.
Feel free to judge away. It’s an absolutely awful industry from the perspective of furthering humanity in any form. But there are lots of interesting and engaging technical problems to solve and it pays the bills, so I make due 
John’s crossed my mind, today.
I have only had pizza from John’s of Bleecker St. (Which I liked a lot!)
My friend, who lived in Chelsea for 30 years, before moving to NJ 5 years ago, used to go to the other John’s, the one near Times Square, when her family came into town, for their meals before or after theater.
I definitely think the kids are drinking less. we were taken to the harvard club last summer and watched a group of law firm or finance interns at an adjoining table - none of them accepted drinks when offered though their hosts were drinking. Very cautious.
From Chelsea Market it’s under 45 minutes door-to-door (mainly via the E train) to Zaab Zaab in Elmhurst. (Photos from several group meals: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&text=zaab+zaab&view_all=1) I’m not sure about ice cream afterward, but you’ll find shaved ice and other Thai desserts at the nearby Tea Cup Cafe.
See
(@mig alert)
This was a fab recommendation I’ve passed on many times.
Sorry, I’ve no recent evidence one way or the other.
Maybe others have been more recently? Asking for myself, not the OP.
Keeping in mind that it’s a work event, even if informal:
Thai:
Sai Tong – nice atmosphere on both levels, good food, they won’t rush you (Cha Long has good food but is more expensive relative to portion size and they will rush you, Lum Lum is also good food of a different sub-type but is small so they will also rush you).
Or try Cambodian at Bayon.
Korean:
I’ve had many fun k-bbq work dinners over the years. Miss Korea or Don’s Bogam are reliable, Samwoojung is quieter. Or Hometown hot pot & bbq could be a good crossover option since you’re planning to do hotpot anyway. Away from bbq, Odre feels high end at a bargain price.
Tapas:
Boqueria and Soccarat both have good happy hours with food that transition easily into dinner. Alta is old school but always good.
Red sauce Italian:
A classic and delicious nyc experience made for family-style eating. Carmine’s is a whole thing (uws less of a zoo than times sq) 
. Or go somewhere smaller, no shortage of options. But a bit of a zoo can be fun.
A gem of a post. Thank you.
We were in NYC over the MLK weekend. Recommend L’Express. French and cozy and you could eat for under $50.00, depending on wine.
Flex Mussels was good. They have happy hour prices that make it pretty affordable but it’s a very limited menu.
Would a more downmarket classic like Veselka work? I think they even take reservations now, they serve wine and beer, and when I was there a few years ago, the pierogi were still fantastic.
Couldn’t wade through all the Italian restaurant comments to tell if that’s out for you, @mig, but San Marzano on the LES is cheap and solid. You can easily stay under $50.
And, although no one’s vegan, I think Candle Cafe is hearty and delicious enough for non-vegans. If you want to focus on cuisines that NYC does especially well, vegan is definitely one of them.
i’m a loooong-time regular at veselka; it’s not really what i’m looking for here, though.
vegan food is a hard no.
