Family is meeting in New York City... advise me!

August 3, 2008 8:10 PM

Help me find a gathering spot in Manhattan for a small first-time family meet up that will occur after our private wedding ceremony. I'm specifically looking for some nice dinner spots, as well as some possible activity suggestions within walking distance of Grand Central and Penn Station.

Our family is located throughout the tri-state area, so everyone will be traveling to either Grand Central or Penn Station for an evening out. Some of us have met each other, but a few have not. I would like everyone to meet up for some sort of activity and then head out to a nice dinner. There will be around 10-14 of us in total, so locations within walking distance are crucial.

The ideal place for dinner would be something that requires at least business casual dress, somewhat intimate, and preferably under $50 per person (not including drinks). I have looked at the nicer restaurants in Grand Central itself, but I am not certain of their quality, so any help you can give me here is appreciated.

For activities, I am looking for something that would potentially be a little distracting in case awkwardness occurs (this is a very good possibility given my mixed family). We have all been to NYC many times, so uber-touristy is to be avoided, although I am not opposed to kitschy or semi-cheesy group activity suggestions. The group varies in age from 26-66, so it should be something on the mellower side. If it helps to know this, the future hubby and I are sporty, outdoorsy, and crafty. And we love good food and good beer.

posted by smalls to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

Business-casual activities that come to mind are: visiting a museum/landmark (the Morgan library, International Center of Photography, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the NYPL, the Top of the Rock/Rockefeller Center or the Empire State building), or maybe get a tour of one of the TV studios in midtown (depending on time of day/time of year, you could arrange to go to a show taping). There's also Madame Tussaud's, Broadway shows, taking a double-decker tour bus around (tv/movie themed or historical, most leave from midtown), private-room karaoke, having a drink at Grand Central's Campbell Apartment or one of the fancy hotels (like the Waldorf Astoria) in the area. You could also potentially merge dinner and the activity by going to Swing 46 for dancing and dinner, or the Supper Club for a chef-demonstration and dinner, Spotlight Live for performance karaoke and dinner, murder mystery and dinner...

The restaurant options are so numerous... I could maybe help more if you narrow down a cuisine type or room design or some particular feature that would be of interest.
posted by xo at 8:24 AM on August 4, 2008

For activities, maybe Dave and Busters?
posted by cestmoi15 at 8:30 AM on August 4, 2008

Cuisine: Probably something not too out there, since we have a few in the group who are adverse to trying new things. Along the lines of Steakhouse, New American, or Northern Italian. A nice atmosphere is definitely important, but also something spacious enough so we won't be sitting on top of all the other diners.

Campbell Apartment was on my list of potentials, and would probably be a good initial meeting place. I'd love to treat everyone to a Broadway show, but unfortunately it's a little too pricey. I think most of the museum/tour options are a little too touristy for our group (my dad actually paid his way through college in the 70's by being a NYC taxi driver, so he could probably give us a tour of New York), but I loved your suggestion for Top of the Rock, so I might check out some dining options there.
posted by smalls at 8:57 AM on August 4, 2008

I happen to like third avenue in the fifties for restaurants. Also, a bit further south on third for Curry Hill, if your family's inclined to like Indian food.
posted by Citrus at 9:38 AM on August 4, 2008