What's a not so expensive place to eat on a Sunday night, 9PM close to Madison Square Garden?

November 16, 2008 12:29 PM

What's a not so expensive place to eat on a Sunday night, 9PM close to Madison Square Garden? I know you want to say Korean - but it's not an option.

I have some guests I need to take to dinner at around 9PM tonight close to MSG. I wanted to take them to Korean, but I just found out they're a little picky with "exotic" food (I know). So I want to play it safe - steakhouses, Italian, chain restaurants. The problem - what's open on a Sunday night so "late"? Everything I am looking at Yelp or Menupages closes at 9PM.

Help!

posted by falameufilho to food & drink (23 answers total)

Keen's is usually open pretty late, it's nearby (36th and 6th), and it's a legendary NY steakhouse. It likely doesn't meet your requirement of "not so expensive", but it's worth the trip.

http://keens.com
posted by swngnmonk at 12:45 PM on November 16, 2008

Yeah, I checked Keens, but it closes at 9PM on Sunday's. So we may not make it...
posted by falameufilho at 12:48 PM on November 16, 2008

I always like Seven, but checking their website, it says they aren't open on Sundays. East of Eighth on 23rd is great, but is maybe a further than you want to go. If you want to go cheap and cheerful, there's Dallas BBQ in the same area.
posted by kimdog at 12:49 PM on November 16, 2008

Oh, please skip Dallas BBQ. They suck hard.

Can't provide much better adivce for you, though if you don't mind hiking a bit down to 14th Street, there's usually a few things open there.
posted by SansPoint at 12:50 PM on November 16, 2008

Depends on your definition of "not so expensive."

Both "Mustang Harry's" and "Mustang Sally's" (both on 7th Ave; one block apart) have moderately decent American steakhouse fare. It's not awesome food, but palatable. Might be a bit pricey if you're used to TGIF / Applebee's / Olive Garden, etc. but that's true of almost anything in Manhattan.

There are a bunch of restaurants in Penn Station also that aren't too bad. Houlihans, for instance.

If you want "cheap" you're going to have go with a pizza place, or something like Subway.

Places to avoid: Lindy's.
posted by mrbarrett.com at 12:53 PM on November 16, 2008

I just ate at Tir Na Nog last weekend near there. It's a chain "Irish" restaurant, and nice inside but with pretty "safe" selections. Their menu is online.
posted by amro at 1:03 PM on November 16, 2008

Oh shoot, they're closed Sundays, sorry.
posted by amro at 1:05 PM on November 16, 2008

I've never been there, but the Tick Tock Diner is open 24/7. It looks cool from the outside.
posted by amro at 1:06 PM on November 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I liked Tick Tock. Good dinery pancakes. The burger looked good too.
posted by danb at 1:19 PM on November 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

RUB BBQ (23 St and 7 Av) is open until 10pm
Hill Country BBQ (26 St btw 5-6 Avs) is open until 10pm
posted by rxrfrx at 1:48 PM on November 16, 2008

RUB is good, so's Hill Country. Tick Tock is horrible, especially for guests. JMO.
posted by sweetkid at 1:54 PM on November 16, 2008

Stout NYC (33 btw 6 & 7) is open late every day.
posted by xo at 1:56 PM on November 16, 2008

Here's another vote against Tick Tock. It's under-proportioned diner food marked up astronomically for tourists.

Go one block down to Stage Door (33 and 8th) or venture over to the Skylight Diner on 9th and 34th. (Stage Door has a more varied menu, but might not be open 24 hours, in which case Skylight is a perfectly suitable substitute.)
posted by greenland at 2:08 PM on November 16, 2008

If you're willing to go up to 42nd Street, West Bank Cafe off 10th Ave has a nice menu and I think they're open til 11 on Sundays.
posted by JaredSeth at 2:16 PM on November 16, 2008

Thanks, guys! These are great suggestions.

Of course none of these would be necessary if my guests would just fucking grow up, expand their horizons and try some goddamn Korean food, which is not even that exotic fer chrissakes.

You know, some people shouldn't be allowed in this city. Just sayin'

Thanks, hive mind!
posted by falameufilho at 2:30 PM on November 16, 2008 [2 favorites]

"Oh, please skip Dallas BBQ. "

Ummm... what?
Dallas BBQ is affordable, has good food and huge drinks - exactly what most people look for in a place to eat.
posted by blaneyphoto at 2:48 PM on November 16, 2008

Um, if I may be so bold as to suggest that you just take them to a Korean restaurant. What, are they going to pitch a tantrum and not eat? Hold their breath until they get a hamburger?

Korean cuisine has many non-spicy noodle and rice dishes. At the least, they'll watch you eat kimshi and later tell all their friends about the gross stuff they saw, or maybe they'll taste the miso broth and realize that it's not so exotic and weird.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 2:55 PM on November 16, 2008

If they won't try Korean, take them to freaking TGI Friday's and be done with it.

There's also a Houlihan's in the Empire State Building. For the full tourist effect.
posted by micawber at 4:03 PM on November 16, 2008

I got food-poisoning once from Dallas BBQ a few years ago. Avoid them at all costs. There is much better BBQ in NYC.

If they're willing to travel uptown a bit, Delta Grill on 9th Ave. / 48th St. makes pretty decent Southern food.
posted by mrbarrett.com at 4:09 PM on November 16, 2008

I also like Heartland Brewery, which is right by Empire State Building.
posted by sweetkid at 4:11 PM on November 16, 2008

dallas bbq is so effing nasty. hate that place.

i realize its awful late but if you check this on your blackberry let me throw in a rec for Fort Baden-Baden on W. 32nd. Its like a korean imitation of an american imitation of a german beerhall I guess. They serve pretty tasty fried chicken, french fries, beer, etc. Super close to MSG as well.
posted by jeb at 5:16 PM on November 16, 2008

Heartland Brewery is okay. It's what I would suggest for out-of-towners.

TGI Friday's in that area is very overpriced. Much more expensive than TGI Friday's elsewhere.

East of Eighth is frozen food and not worth the price if you're just going for dinner, but the bar area is convivial.

Dallas BBQ is crappy food that you know is crap, so in that context it's not that bad (see:fast food). It is plentiful. The drinks are really alcoholic.

Mustang Harry's and Mustang Sally's are pretty good.
posted by sondrialiac at 5:59 PM on November 16, 2008

For posterity, Skylight diner is one of the city's best, and a classic type place to take tourists. (Giant portions, menu longer than the Bible, lots of bustle, etc)
And Tir Na Nog is great if it's not closed.
posted by CunningLinguist at 11:26 AM on November 30, 2008