Well these are the suggestions from eater for RW
Not surprisingly the suggestions line up with places where the prices of the regular menu are pretty close to what they RW meal price is. A long way from when dinner used to be the same price as the year and you got something worthwhile. Miss that $19.99 special.
Yes, Chef Tourondel opened Cello in 1999. It closed in 2002. He is also known for the BLT Steak restaurants. Skirt Steak, his current restaurant, is very popular.
Yeah, not a thrilling list, but helpful to see a few places at 45 for dinner vs 60, or 30 for lunch vs 45.
There’s also the complete nonsense of why someone would pay 45 for 2 courses at lunch for a restricted menu when they could order from the regular menu for about the same.
But it doesn’t seem to be that much of a bargain. Apps are $15-20, entrées around $30.
Mastercard has a deal where you can get $10 back on a $45 purchase (up to 3 times per card, sign up on the RW site) to make it a slightly better deal, but sadly it expires on 7/31, so it doesn’t even last for all of restaurant week.
News flash: Restaurant Week is no longer much of a bargain.
Yes, that is obviously true in NYC, and it’s often true here in Westchester County as well, where for dinner you end up just getting a free or discount dessert (which we probably would not order otherwise, at least not two). I’ve resorted to doing lunches, which works for me since I am retired and the menus and portion sizes are often the same as for dinner But, even those are pricey in NYC RW. It’s too bad that the media keep pushing it as a great deal, when they really have no clue.
In my case, I will be in Manhattan next Thursday for a show and was hoping to find something decent that was a deal. Nizza in Hells Kitchen seems to have a decent menu, but it’s basically not a deal other than cheap dessert.
There are still some good deals on 9th Avenue. If you are good having Sichuan noodles and are OK with eating inside, Chong Qing Xiao Mian was still very good as of last summer, and it’s quite inexpensive when you consider that a bowl of noodle soup is a whole meal. (Edit: I remember eating outside there, and I think they actually have a couple of outdoor tables.) Wondee Siam is still around and still inexpensive, though the wait can be too long. My girlfriend and I liked Hummus Kitchen. Not super-cheap at all, but the portions are large, so it’s by no means exorbitant and I thought it was pretty refined cooking. We ate there on Pride Day, when there was a super-long wait for anyplace with outdoor dining. They don’t have outdoor dining but they kept their front open, so there was a nice breeze coming in, and neither of us got sick. 
Another way you could go is that there are a couple of Irish bars with food that’s good and more along the lines of Irish pub food than American bar food, pubs being generally considered more serious eating establishments in the British Isles than bars (with the exception of some winebars and gastropubs) are in the U.S. McGee’s, 55th between 8th and Broadway, has a bunch of good food that is priced at $15 on their site; I don’t know if prices will be higher in person, but I don’t think they’d be much higher. I’ve ordered their shepherd’s pie a number of times. I don’t know why they’re calling it “mini”; unless they’ve made it smaller, I remember it being filling, and it was tasty. I’ve tried the chicken pot pie and liked it, too. There’s another Irish bar a block down, I believe (maybe it was 2 blocks) that also had perfectly good food. I also like Greek Kitchen on 58th and 10th a lot, but it’s kind of far from theaters and really not cheap, just a fair value for their quality. Finally, since I’m mentioning places kind of uptown from theaters, I’ll mention Rong Cheng House, formerly named Szechuan Gourmet, which is on 56th between 8th and Broadway. Not particularly cheap, and I think their online prices are out of date, but if you stick to Sichuan dishes, they can be quite good. They close early (I think their kitchen closes at 9, and they close their doors at 9:30), but that doesn’t matter for pre-theater. No outdoor dining, so I order from them only for takeout.
I live in the East Village, so why do I know so many places in Hell’s Kitchen? Answer: My girlfriend’s mother lives on W. 56 St. and she’s up there more often than not, too.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I noticed that all of your suggestions were in the 50s, which makes sense given the footnote. Unfortunately, I am looking for somewhere in the low 40s since the theater is on 41st Street, and we’re starting at Grand Central Terminal (via Metro-North), and it’s supposed to be hot, so I don’t feel like walking 10 blocks in each direction if I can avoid it. Also, curtain is at 7, and I have to pick up my TDF tickets at the box office 30 minutes before, so a long dinner won’t work (and a late lunch would leave me with a bunch of time to kill). To be honest, I’d love to find someplace like Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken (on 1st Street) in the area. Of course, we could always take the subway downtown and then back up.
Sorry for sort of hijacking the thread. Was not my intention.
Dafni, a Greek restaurant on 42nd between 8th and 9th, has been pretty good and reliable when I’ve gone there, though prices did creep up some. I have no idea whether they are in business or have outdoor dining.
Thanks. Google says that they’re closed, although their website is up, but online ordering and reservations aren’t working.
I’m sorry, that’s disappointing to hear. I’ll try to remember to ask my girlfriend if she remembers the names of any other places close to W. 42nd St. that we’ve enjoyed, because I’m drawing a blank.
Suggest you start a new pre- theatre dining thread for 2022 - I’m sure folks will have pipe up.
Last one is from 2020:
Would the Boqueria on W 40th work?
I haven’t been to that location, but my other visits to other locations in NYC & DC have been pretty good.
My wife and daughter enjoyed a pre-theatre dinner at Marseille this winter. I checked and all but two entrees are still under $40, with three under $30
Kellari Taverna, 19 West 44th St., is close to Grand Central. We’ve always found the food to be well-prepared and delicious.
I haven’t been to either of these 2:
One friend chooses John’s Pizza (John’s of Times Square) when she is in the area, and another friend returns to Sardi’s. Have any HOs had the food at Sardi’s recently? I’m guessing the friend that goes there is going more for the atmosphere, and to people watch, rather than for the food.
I usually have ended up closer to 50th at Toloache or Don Antonio, or a quick bite at Kung Fu dumplings. I walk a lot, regardless of the weather.
there are lots of good, well-priced szechuan restaurants east of 38th and broadway. when i worked in the area, szechuan gourmet and chowhound fav lan sheng were reliably good, both closed and re-opened, not sure what you’d find now but lots of other interesting choices for szechuan.
I was disappointed by the Times Square branch of John’s, but it’s been several years. I liked the location on Bleecker Street very much.
Yes, we ate there a few years ago when we saw Hamilton. And they’re on Restaurant Week (there, now we’re back on topic).
