Going to new york for a couple of days. want some advice

[isee]

Never been to USA. Going there for a short busines visit and should have a couple of days to myself.
Looking for recommendations concerning:
Nice to Very nice hotel manhattan downtown
Very nice restaurant (preferences: steak, sushi)
Clubs/bars: Ones I would be comfortable visiting on my own also ones I might want to pop into should I feel like... you know...

thanks a lot in advance

Edited by isee on Wednesday 7th October 08:20

[HOGEPH]

isee said:

Never been to USA. Going there for a short busines visit and should have a couple of days to myself.
Looking for recommendations concerning:
Nice to Very nice hotel manhattan downtown
Very nice restaurant (preferences: steak, sushi)
Clubs/bars: Ones I would be comfortable visiting on my own also ones I might want to pop into should I feel like... you know...

thanks a lot in advance

Edited by isee on Wednesday 7th October 08:20

Two very nice restaurants, but they ain't cheap.

http://www.townrestaurant.com/town.html

http://www.thelondonnyc.com/gordon_ramsay/

Hotel wise, the Hilton at Ground Zero is nice, so is the Waldorf Astoria

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/NYCMLHH-Mill...

http://www.waldorfastoria.com/search/property-deta...

[K50 DEL]

You'll love NY, I've been 3 times in the last year and I love the place.

Hotels in downtown Manhattan abound, but you will be paying for the priviledge!
There's a courtyard by marriott in Times Square, the Waldorf Astoria is great, and there are several local independant hotels - go to www.tripadvisor.com and search for NY, you'll be spoilt for reviews.

Good restaraunts for steak - Smith and Wollensky is probably the best, there's also a really top place within the mall at Columbus Circle, but you'll need to book well in advance.

Can't help with clubs, the only one I went to is owned by a friend in Queens - a lot of nightlife happens on the lower east side, where there are also some nice Italian eateries.

If you fancy a bit of shopping and you're tight for time, then the best clothes bargains are at Century 21 right next to ground zero. For electronics try J and B who are at the mall at Columbus.
For photography stuff try B and H at the corner of 34th and 9th

[isee]

very useful replies so far. thanks for that. I am very excited!

[GregE240]

When we went there a while back, I'm sure B&H was closed on Saturdays?

[isee]

Damn, the replies were coming in nicely, until the topic got moved...

[Not Ideal]

Best club at the mom is still 1 Oak but does get rammed most nights.

Bungalow 8 also worth a look.

Loads of bars everywhere!

[Not Ideal]

This bar is also good. I stayed there earlier on in the year.

http://blog.mrandmrssmith.com/2009/10/new-bar-stan...

[BigBen]

I found the Waldorf Astoria to be in need of a lick of paint when I went so did not feel that special, this was in 2003ish so it may have been updated since then.

There used to be a doubletree on Time Square which was quite good.

Ben

[anonymous-user]

If you want to celebrity spot, I suggest the Mercer Hotel down in Soho - it's also close to many good clubs, bars and resturants in Soho/the village. Not far away is Balthazar Brasserie is great for French Seafood and Wine (and totty spotting )

My favourite restaurant there is Nobu (the original) on Hudson in Tribeca or Tabla on Madison/25th St.

My favourite all time place for a cocktail is in the open bar looking over the Grand Central Stn main concourse.

[isee]

had ham said:

If you want to celebrity spot, I suggest the Mercer Hotel down in Soho - it's also close to many good clubs, bars and resturants in Soho/the village. Not far away is Balthazar Brasserie is great for French Seafood and Wine (and totty spotting )

My favourite restaurant there is Nobu (the original) on Hudson in Tribeca or Tabla on Madison/25th St.

My favourite all time place for a cocktail is in the open bar looking over the Grand Central Stn main concourse.

Thanks. does NY nobu offer anything that the London nobus don't?
I am not a massive fan of nobu. the food is great most of the time, but I find the interior boring and the atmosphere lacking consisstently.

[CVP]

B&H is definitely closed every Saturday. It also shuts for all major Jewish holidays. Worth checking their web site before you come. With the pound at the current level, once you have added sales taxes to the sticker price quite a lot of photo gear is NOT cheaper over here. However to explore, the shop is great tons of toys for chaps. If oyu do decide to buy somethign pricey you will be asked for proof of ID as credit card fraud is till rife here and they don't use chip and PIN for credit cards, so keep your UK driving licence photocard handy.

For restaurants you could try
1. Nougatine room at Jean-Georges in the Trump tower near Columbus Circle. Lovely food and not as wallet raping as the main room in Jean-Georges
2. WD50 in the lower east side - very funky food but wine list expensive
3. 11 Madison Park - very polished performance overall
4. Buddakhan in Chelsea (near 14th St) is posh Asian and is nice food and groovy interior
5. Steak would second Smith & Wollensky. If you can make it to Brooklyn Peter Luger's gets very well rated but I prefer Smith & Wollensky. Plus Peter Luger is cash only.

Bars I'm afraid I'm not much of an expert, but the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central terminal is nice. Waitresses in big heels and little black cocktail dresses. Makes for a very pleasant if somewhat expensive evening.

Chris

[anonymous-user]

isee said:

had ham said:

If you want to celebrity spot, I suggest the Mercer Hotel down in Soho - it's also close to many good clubs, bars and resturants in Soho/the village. Not far away is Balthazar Brasserie is great for French Seafood and Wine (and totty spotting )

My favourite restaurant there is Nobu (the original) on Hudson in Tribeca or Tabla on Madison/25th St.

My favourite all time place for a cocktail is in the open bar looking over the Grand Central Stn main concourse.

Thanks. does NY nobu offer anything that the London nobus don't?
I am not a massive fan of nobu. the food is great most of the time, but I find the interior boring and the atmosphere lacking consisstently.

Only been there twice, but both times had great meals, great atmosphere and wonderful waiting staff. Last time I went Mrs HH had a B'day - our dining mates let the staff know when we got there and somehow a full cake appeared later which had been artfully decorated with a message that could only have been added that night (long story).

Done both in London and no comparison. NY is FAR less 'ooohhh look at me, I'm a Z lister, take my picture for Hello.....PLEASE....?'

[anonymous-user]

For a hotel, try one of the Ws around 34th Street. Small, intimate, don't feel like part of a chain (which they are). There are two which are almost neighbours, and share facilities.

[Not Ideal]

CVP said:

4. Buddakhan in Chelsea (near 14th St) is posh Asian and is nice food and groovy interior
5. Steak would second Smith & Wollensky. If you can make it to Brooklyn Peter Luger's gets very well rated but I prefer Smith & Wollensky. Plus Peter Luger is cash only.

I 2nd both of those!

[Pvapour]

might be handy

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Le TVR]

Restaurants:

Kingswood
121 W 10th in Greenwich Village

Ruby Tuesday
Times Sq
(yes I know its a chain restaurant but the steak+lobster was A1)

[CVP]

One more recommendation is a restaurant called The Modern in the museum of modern art. The food is really great.

[isee]

Not Ideal said:

CVP said:

4. Buddakhan in Chelsea (near 14th St) is posh Asian and is nice food and groovy interior
5. Steak would second Smith & Wollensky. If you can make it to Brooklyn Peter Luger's gets very well rated but I prefer Smith & Wollensky. Plus Peter Luger is cash only.

I 2nd both of those!

I hear S&W is for amateurs.
Apparently http://www.peterluger.com/brooklyn.cfm is the addy of steak houses.
Anyone got any first hand experience?

[CVP]

isee said:

Not Ideal said:

CVP said:

4. Buddakhan in Chelsea (near 14th St) is posh Asian and is nice food and groovy interior
5. Steak would second Smith & Wollensky. If you can make it to Brooklyn Peter Luger's gets very well rated but I prefer Smith & Wollensky. Plus Peter Luger is cash only.

I 2nd both of those!

I hear S&W is for amateurs.
Apparently http://www.peterluger.com/brooklyn.cfm is the addy of steak houses.
Anyone got any first hand experience?

Yep have eaten at both

Peter Lugers I honestly feel is overrated. If you're based in Manhattan it's a bit of a nightmare to get to as none of the subway lines are that close. It's cash only which can be a bit of a bind. In a land that prides itself on steak I was underwhelmed by the T-bone. Yes the steaks are simply massive and you'll have one between 2-4 of you but they really lacked the great flavour that should come with a lovely piece of beef.

We had our group Christmas lunch there. With only a couple a beers the bill was $100 per head. With a nice bottle I can imagine it being a very very serious bill

S&W is nice an easy to get to in Manhattan, the menu has a much wider range. I found my steak here much more flavourful, the wine list extensive from realatively cheap to hugely wallet bending.

By all means come to Brooklyn, we'll welcome you with open arms but my honest recommendation is S&W.

Chris