Planning a return visit to NYC... can you help me with a few very specific questions?

April 27, 2011 9:52 AM

Planning a return visit to NYC... can you help me with a few very specific questions?

I've been to NY many times so I know the city... but we are going for just a few days next week and I could use help with a few specific items. Thanks in advance!

1. Is Sushi Yasuda really all it's cracked up to be? Any other favorite sushi places we should consider?

2. Any place for great smashed (thin) burgers?

3. We'll definitely go to Shake Shack. Is it better to go to the original Madison Square Park location and or one of the other locations and avoid the lines?

4. We need a location for a birthday dinner. I've heard about Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern for years - anyone here been to them and can share their thoughts? Any other favorite "special" places (not steakhouses)?

5. We had tickets to La Cage aux Folles but it is closing. Has anyone here seen the Book of Mormon? Thoughts? Any other big musicals that are a must-see? Our current list of options is Billy Madison, Book of Mormon, Ave Q (off Broadway) and How to Succeed in Business (looks corny).

6. Any thoughts on the Upright Citizens' Brigade or NY Neo Futurists? I love Second City in Chicago - are either of these similar? Are they improv? We are young and not easily offended.

7. Any recommendations for great Indian Chaat in NY?

posted by kdern to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (30 answers total)

5. We had tickets to La Cage aux Folles but it is closing. Has anyone here seen the Book of Mormon? Thoughts? Any other big musicals that are a must-see? Our current list of options is Billy Madison, Book of Mormon, Ave Q (off Broadway) and How to Succeed in Business (looks corny).

If you want Book of Mormon, book ahead. Tickets have been really popular, the theater doesn't seat many for a Broadway house and there are currently no discounts for the show.

I've seen How to Succeed with Dan Radcliffe and enjoyed it very much. I don't think I'd call it corny really, but it is very 60s. The singing and dancing is very good. Keep an eye on discounts to this one, especially their general rush policy.

Billy Madison...I think you mean Billy Elliot.

Avenue Q is still going strong. Saw it twice in the last two months. Both were excellent times. A great value with the discounts they have.

6. Any thoughts on the Upright Citizens' Brigade or NY Neo Futurists? I love Second City in Chicago - are either of these similar? Are they improv? We are young and not easily offended.

There's a lot of UCB shows. Some are improv, some sketch, some are other kinds of things. It's all fun, though. The signature show is Sundays and it's ASSSSCAT 3000.
posted by inturnaround at 9:58 AM on April 27, 2011

1. There's an absolutely amazing Japanese izakaya on E. 43rd St called Sakagura. Really out of this world atmosphere and food.

3. The Shake Shack near Times Square (8th Ave and 44th St) was busy but not totally mobbed when I was there. In fact, I got in at 11:55 and walked right up to order. That said, the shakes were good and the burgers were okay, but neither was worth a return trip. I guess the novelty of burgers and shakes in a park is one thing, because the food wasn't all that.

6. UCB is great. I've had a number of really great evenings there, and I highly recommend it.
posted by The Michael The at 9:59 AM on April 27, 2011

I really like Sushi Yasuda. It's sort of in an odd spot in midtown, though - not necessarily the most fun neighborhood.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:00 AM on April 27, 2011

4. For the birthday dinner, I'd recommend Blue Hill. It's just off Washington Square Park and is amazing. All of their food is sourced either from their farm in Westchester or other nearby farms and I've literally had two of the top three meals of my entire life there.

5. Everyone I know who has seen Book of Mormon has said that it's fantastic. Tickets are hard to get, though, so book ahead.
posted by bedhead at 10:01 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

5. Book of Mormon is amazing, but not for the easily offended. Or even the not easily offended. But it's hilarious, and the songs and choreography are great. I also loved Ave Q.
posted by Mavri at 10:02 AM on April 27, 2011

Blue Hill (which I have not been to) is extremely difficult to get reservations for (which is why I haven't been there). I just plugged in a random Tuesday a month from now in May on Open Table, and all they had was 6:30pm and 9pm. That's actually better than it used to be! (One reason I've heard for this popularity is that Barack and Michelle Obama once dined there... though that was two years ago.) It sounds awesome, though!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:04 AM on April 27, 2011

1) Sushi Yasuda is fanFUCKINGtastic. I've been a bunch of times (I used to work around there and had an expense account!) and it is well worth it.

3) The Shake Shack on the Upper East Side often has a line, but it much faster than the Madison Park one, where I've waited the better part of an hour on a nice weekend day. Not worth a wait of that length, IMO, but it is very tasty.

4) There's a fun Japanese BBQ in Cooper Square (and one in Midtown East) called Gyu-Kaku. There's a lot of beefy things on the menu, but you can do veg/chicken/fish, too. It's a lot of fun; you grill your own food at your table.

6) UCB is very good if you like improv. I don't, but I still enjoyed myself, which goes to show how good they are.

Also: unsolicited pitch for really any of the Papaya Dog/King/Gray's places. I love their hot dogs. So good. Gray's hits the sweet spot on price vs. sketchiness (there's one on 8th and 6th, and 72nd and Broadway). Papaya King is the original, but expensive.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:08 AM on April 27, 2011

Right across the street from Sushi Yasuda is Sakagura, which is fantastic - it's not a sushi restaurant, although they do have some sashimi on the menu. I've heard that people will go to Sakagura for appetizers and some incredible sake before heading across the street to Yasuda for sushi.

And Yakitori Taisho in St Mark's Place is the next best thing to actually being in Japan.
posted by Gortuk at 10:13 AM on April 27, 2011

For chaat, your best bet is going to be a trip out to Queens. Jackson Heights chaat roundup; Yelp list and search
posted by RogerB at 10:15 AM on April 27, 2011

1) Yasuda -amazing, but Yasuda-san recently went back to Japan. But still do the bar, omakase - can't be beat. The other option (masa) is much pricier. There are other similar options that are similarly priced, but to me Yasuda is the best. Altough for locational reasons I end up at ushiwakamura much more often - but their omakase never fucking changes which annoys me.

4) If you have a hankering for Grammercy Tavern, then go. Its not quite the standout it once was, but you will have an excellent meal there. I would strongly strongly stongly strongly advise against Union Square Cafe. Blue Hill - good, better then GT, but the Washington Square version is no where near as special as the Stone Barns outpost. Not really the same restaurant. To me GT and BH are similar styles - actually the current chef at GT was at BH before. (personally if you are going to splash out but dont' want to go to westchester, I strongly think Le Bernadin is your best call. Though a bit more staid, and in a bit of a boring room. If you want something more casual, but more adventurous - Corton. Aldea is something closer to GT in terms of atmosphere that I think I would prefer, but I live here so the calculus is different)

7) No great chaat places in manhattan that are really note worthy. Though I will note that Tulsi which is an excellent indian place has a really lovely chaat cart they roll around at dinner.
posted by JPD at 10:19 AM on April 27, 2011

4. I love Union Sq cafe, didn't love Gramercy tavern. Blue Hill is a good choice, you should look at OpenTable and see what is available. I bet a lot of good places are already booked.

5. Friends who have gone have liked Book of Mormon but I recommend Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. I saw it last night and it was amazing.
posted by rmless at 10:26 AM on April 27, 2011

If something that you want is on OpenTable but booked, call the restaurant.
posted by JPD at 10:28 AM on April 27, 2011

Love the Union Square Cafe to the point that I had my birthday dinner there for the past 2 years.
posted by Obscure Reference at 10:39 AM on April 27, 2011

So USQ Cafe lovers - what are your other favorite restaurants in NY? This could be an issue of taste - i.e. you like things I don't care for, and vice versa - rather than a value judgment as to the quaity of the food.

Personally I think its the best restaurant in Dayton Ohio. Dated menu, not very well executed.
posted by JPD at 10:50 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'd recommend Kyo Ya on East 7th St. for either Japanese or a special birthday dinner. It's exquisite, and a really special place.
posted by rocketman at 11:03 AM on April 27, 2011

We need a location for a birthday dinner. I've heard about Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern for years - anyone here been to them and can share their thoughts? Any other favorite "special" places (not steakhouses)?

Instead try Craft, The Modern or, as noted, Blue Hill. (In that order.)
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:03 AM on April 27, 2011

i highly recommend the book of mormon - i loved it, and it seemed everyone in the full audience did as well! tickets may be hard to come by.
posted by sabh at 11:05 AM on April 27, 2011

3. Shake Shack on the Upper West Side is less mobbed than the Madison Square Park version and also has the advantage of being near Central Park if you can't get a seat within the restaurant.

4. We went to Union Square Cafe for my mom's birthday once. Dessert is definitely an exciting and memorable occasion--there are basically three courses of it--but I don't think the food is stand-out.
posted by mlle valentine at 11:19 AM on April 27, 2011

Buy your tickets somewhere reputable if you go to Book of Mormon. There are counterfeits.
posted by Jahaza at 11:20 AM on April 27, 2011

For the birthday dinner I'll suggest two really fun and cool places.

First is The Fat Radish on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side.

And, also in the LES, Freeman's Restaurant located at the end of Freeman's Alley.
posted by digiFramph at 11:21 AM on April 27, 2011

Yasuda is wonderful. I'd second rocketman's reco of Kyo Ya (though sushi isn't the main draw). Also second mlle valentine's reco of going to the Shake Shack on the UWS. While Madison Square Park is a very nice park, nothing beats having a shorter wait AND being able to eat your burger in Central Park. BTW, Shake Shack burgers are of the "smashed" style.

I want to see Book of Mormon; it's supposed to be great. (A friend saw it and confirms.) I've seen Avenue Q several times and love it.
posted by odin53 at 11:29 AM on April 27, 2011

If you're up for an emotional experience I seriously cannot recommend "War Horse" strongly enough. It's not a musical. It is absolutely something special.
posted by Salamandrous at 12:59 PM on April 27, 2011

Union Square Cafe is lovely. I've been there twice and had excellent meals both times, but most of what I remember is how wonderful the service was. If you're there for a special occasion, they'll definitely make it feel special. True of all the Danny Meyer restaurants, which include Gramercy Tavern.
posted by whitneyarner at 1:11 PM on April 27, 2011

The Madison Square Park Shake Shack is better than any of the other locations. I've always though that since eating at the UWS and Theater District locations, and A Hamburger Today confirms.
posted by andrewraff at 1:41 PM on April 27, 2011

andrewraff, interesting. I've had both the MSP and UWS burgers, and I don't think I could say one way or the other. They're both delicious. (Then again, it's really the UWS version that I've had countless times, so maybe I just don't remember the MSP version that well.) I would be inclined to say that the difference is not big enough to warrant the usually much longer wait at the MSP location; however, I've had pretty short waits if I go there around 3:30/4, so maybe that's the best thing to do.
posted by odin53 at 2:01 PM on April 27, 2011

I have never been to Sushi Yasuda, but if you need a backup I can highly recommend Tomoe Sushi on Thompson street in the Village. Best sushi I've ever had, and the line to get in is always an hour plus long, summer or winter. (It's a small place.)
posted by usonian at 3:16 PM on April 27, 2011

1. I've never been to Yasuda (heard amazing things though), but we really like Ushiwakamaru for sushi (especially if you can sit at the bar).

3. I've never had a bad wait for Shake Shack. I would not wait more than 30 minutes for it (I actually think it is not very good), but unless you go at a really prime time it should be no biggie.

4. I agree that USQ kind of sucks, Gramercy is ok but a bit over hyped. Blue Hill is always solid but hard to get into. I must admit to loving Park Avenue _Season_, which is expensive but always delicious and a hoot for people-watching, and generally easier to get a last-minute reservation at.
posted by ch1x0r at 3:39 PM on April 27, 2011

Here's a good post comparing the Shake Shack locations. I tend to like the UES one the most, personally, with UWS in second place. Basically- just don't go to the Times Square one.
posted by alphasunhat at 5:14 PM on April 27, 2011

So USQ Cafe lovers - what are your other favorite restaurants in NY?

Next favorite is probably Mercer Kitchen, especially for their cheap lunch specials.
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:47 AM on April 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

1. Is Sushi Yasuda really all it's cracked up to be? Any other favorite sushi places we should consider?

Book now and be aware they may impose a time limit. It may be easier to get in on a weekday for lunch. They're closed Sundays. I second the mention of Ushiwakamaru and would throw in 15 East, Sushi Azabu, and Yuba, a brand new restaurant from some ex-Masa employees. For all: make a reservation as soon as possible and reserve for the sushi bar. Tomoe is not really in the same league if you're looking for high end, meticulously made nigiri sushi, served one piece at a time by a sushi master, but not willing to pay the price of admission for Masa.

3. We'll definitely go to Shake Shack. Is it better to go to the original Madison Square Park location and or one of the other locations and avoid the lines?

MSP all the way, especially if the weather is nice. Also note what the custard flavor of the day is. They'll post the May custard menu May 1st or 2nd.

4. We need a location for a birthday dinner. I've heard about Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern for years - anyone here been to them and can share their thoughts? Any other favorite "special" places (not steakhouses)?

Both of those fill up about 4 weeks in advance, especially if you want a weekend night, and to dine between 7-9pm.

If you have your heart set on these two, ask to be put on the waitlist, but don't hold your breath. Danny Meyer restaurants always keep waitlists but not all restaurants do.

Since you're visiting next week, you'll see a lot of restaurants in that range are fully booked or only have 6pm or 10pm left.

What's the exact date you wish to dine for the special dinner? I put in 5/7, 8:00pm for 2 on OpenTable and saw openings at Gotham Bar & Grill, Hearth, Tocqueville and Savoy (one of the original farm-to-table restaurants, closing soon). All of these are roughly in the same genre as GT and USC.

BTW Union Square Cafe is an odd duck -- it was the first Danny Meyer restaurant, near Union Square, back when it was a dangerous place to go at times. Regulars have been going for decades, so the menu doesn't really evolve a whole lot since they cry foul at even small changes. But they have a new head chef who is slowly making some changes.

I do 2nd Craft (American, farm to table, Tom Colicchio owns it and he used to cook at Gramercy Tavern), Blue Hill (ditto), and The Modern (Alsatian, and also a Danny Meyer restaurant), but all of these may also be fully committed for the nights you are in town. Make sure you are looking at The Modern's formal Dining Room, not the Bar Room, which serves small plates. Pity about Blue Hill -- now would be a great time to go. Ramps, fiddlehead ferns, spring onions, and other spring vegetables are now in season. If you do get in, listen to some of Dan Barber's TED talks. He's great.

Kyo Ya is excellent as well and serves kaiseki cuisine. If you want the kaiseki (tasting) menu, book now and make the request over the phone. Service is lovely. The chef's counter is really fun as well. Because they're NOT on OpenTable, they don't book up quite as quickly.

Freemans is fun but doesn't take reservations -- waiting two hours for table in a loud restaurant doesn't really scream "special birthday dinner" to me. Fat Radish also seems too casual to me, especially if the request was for Gramercy Tavern or Union Square Cafe.

There's a fun Japanese BBQ in Cooper Square (and one in Midtown East) called Gyu-Kaku. There's a lot of beefy things on the menu, but you can do veg/chicken/fish, too. It's a lot of fun; you grill your own food at your table.

Japanese BBQ doesn't really scream "special occasion" or "birthday dinner" to me, but Takashi is a newish Japanese BBQ restaurant using only sustainable, local, etc. beef and is fantastic but pricey (probably $60 per person before tax, tips, drinks). Best kalbi I've ever had.

And Yakitori Taisho in St Mark's Place is the next best thing to actually being in Japan.

Yakitori Totto is higher quality food if you want yakitori (it's where Thomas Keller goes). I've heard good things about Tori Shin as well. Taisho is mostly atmosphere; the meat skewers themselves are tasty but not as meticulously cooked as the Totto chain.

BTW, if you have more detailed restaurant questions, I'd ask on Chowhound instead (lots of sushi experts there).
posted by kathryn at 6:13 PM on April 29, 2011