There's more to New York City's Times Square than Broadway theaters and neon lights. It is where the Naked Cowboy has made an appearance every day since 1999 to serenade pedestrians, and where hundreds of thousands of people gather each New Year's Eve to watch the famous ball drop. It is also home to hundreds of theaters, hotels, shops and many restaurants, ranging from casual to upscale.
Sardi's has been almost synonymous with entertainment and glamour in New York City since 1921. This is the place where people like Lucille Ball, John Barrymore and Marilyn Monroe went to see and be seen. Although most of its past glory has faded, people still dine at Sardi's for the history and the atmosphere. Deep banquettes offer a comfortable and intimate dining experience while walls filled with caricatures of the celebrities who once dined there seem to watch over the dining room. Diners can order the three-course prix fixe meal, or select items from the a la carte pre-theater dinner or post-theater supper menus. Appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees are available, as well as several house specialties that can be ordered in appetizer or entrée portions. Customer favorites include the steak tartare that is prepared tableside, jumbo lump crab cakes with vegetable slaw and smoked piquillo aioli, and the Sardi's cobb salad. Reservations are suggested on the weekends.
Sardi's
234 W 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
212-221-8440
sardis.com
Bar Americain is famed Chef Bobby Flay's first foray into midtown Manhattan. Vaulted ceilings, earthy orange tones, linen-shaded pendant lighting and architectural details give the space a sophisticated air. A large bar flanks one side of the main dining room and offers plenty of counter seating, while deep oval booths in the dining room offer guests a comfortable place to enjoy their meal. New York Times food critic Frank Bruni calls the menu "a sweet land of synergy, showcasing regionally evocative dishes." Many diners nosh on one of the creative dishes from the raw bar or a shellfish platter for the entire table before selecting their appetizers, entrees and sides. A different house special is featured each day, many of which pair exceedingly well with the popular house-made potato chips with bleu cheese sauce. Other popular dishes include the mussels and fries Americain in a green chili broth and porterhouse lamb chops with a mustard-barbecue sauce. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Bar Americain
152 W 52nd St.
New York, NY 10019
212-265-9700
baramericain.com
Bond 45 is situated in a building that is a Times Square landmark. Once the Hammerstein Theater, home of the Ziegfeld Follies, it morphed into the Bond clothing store that made its name by offering two pairs of pants for every suit purchased, before finally becoming Bond 45. Dark paneled walls, large chandeliers and comfortable leather booths give the space a warm and homey feel. New York Magazine food critic Hal Rubenstein describes Bond 45 as a place that treats patrons like family, while executing solid home-style cooking, and says that the restaurant gives him "another reason to hit Times Square other than the theater." Diners sidle up to the antipasti bar, offering over 25 hot and cold antipasti, for a light pre-dinner nosh. The menu features appetizers, salads, soups and thin-crust pizzas as well as pasta, risotto, seafood, beef and veal entrees. Customer favorites include the seafood pappardelle with shrimp, langoustine, clams and mussels, filet mignon with a balsamic sauce and veal chop Milanese with fennel, endive and baby arugula. Reservations are suggested.
Bond 45
154 W 45th St.
New York, NY 10036
212-869-4545
bond45.com
