Meta-Family-Dinner Friday night near Washington Square

August 4, 2017 6:13 AM

Where can I take my family to have a relaxing, not overpriced, and convenient Friday night dinner near Washington Square in Manhattan?

Place should be -
Very near Washington Square Park
Able to take reservations for 7 people at 7pm tonight
Not hip / hot / fancy / expensive, just basic decent food
Kid-friendly in atmosphere and menu (pizza etc)
Comfortable (not loud / crowded / noisy)

Current plans are OTTO, but the mixed reviews I see are concerning me.

Ok, Metafilter restaurant recommenders. Go!

posted by sesquipedalia to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

Otto's a good choice. I haven't been in a few years, but I thought the food was pretty good (it was crowded and noisy).

If you want better pizza and slightly less noise, there's Ribalta (on 12th and Broadway). Definitely make a reservation, but they should have space for you on short notice.

I haven't been to Uncle Ted's, but that might be worth a try. It's got good reviews. Another untested idea is Kubeh, which is a pretty new middle eastern place in the neighborhood. The menu looks great and it wasn't crowded at all when I walked by at prime dinner time last night.
posted by snaw at 6:48 AM on August 4, 2017

Otto is great, that said it is certainly hip/hot and I doubt you'd be able to make a reservation for 7 at 7 this Friday if you're talking about tonight.

Absolutely give the folks at Spunto on Carmine st a call - in my opinion, one of the most reasonable and unpretentious/un-touristy pizza places. The pies are ultra thin, like cracker thin, which is fun and different and kids would probably love. I think thesy own 4 or 5 similar-themed pizza joints around the city and they are all super neighborhoody and normal and really good.
posted by windbox at 6:50 AM on August 4, 2017

Both Otto and Ribalta will be pretty loud- was at Ribalta recently (because we needed somewhere very near Union Sq and they had a last minute reservation for our large group). I thought the food was fine-to-good, really liked the zucchini appetizer and the pies were fine but not amazing. The room, even for the high ceilings, was incredibly loud and we had some questionably brusque service from a manager.

Id be tempted to go to Denino's on McDougal - they have a 7 pm res for 7 showing on open table right now. I haven't been but its the newish manhattan branch of a staten island institution and seems well regarded.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 8:11 AM on August 4, 2017

Ever since I discovered it years back, my #1 recommendation in that area is Bareburger. There's one about 2 blocks from Washington Square Park and have really amazing burgers, fries, shakes, pickles, etc. Not sure if they take reservations though.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 8:42 AM on August 4, 2017

Otto is extremely loud, though. Bareburger on LaGuardia is cheaper and more kid friendly. They have cartoons on the TVs, plus crayons and whatnot. I am utterly sick of the place myself, but that's mostly because I am Grinchmother.
posted by Morpeth at 8:58 AM on August 4, 2017

Otto is always CRAZY LOUD.

Maybe Emily? I'm still bitter they replaced Blue Ribbon Bakery, but its pizza offerings do cover a range.
posted by praemunire at 9:43 AM on August 4, 2017

Our go-to last-minute non-hip restaurant in the neighborhood is the venerable Knickerbocker.

Village Taverna is a terrific Greek restaurant a few blocks up University Place – huge salads and gyro platters.

Formerly Crow's is a dive-y bar on Washington St with great wings and burgers and good salads too.
posted by nicwolff at 10:29 AM on August 4, 2017

I like the Half Pint for a casual meal. The food is fine - it's pub food. It's one block south of the park on W. 3rd and Thomson. They just expanded their dining room area - and they have full availability for 7 people at 7 tonight on OT. I've been there a lot over the years. Good standby in the neighborhood.
posted by rdnnyc at 10:38 AM on August 4, 2017

praemunire - im actually planning to (try to) eat at Emily tonight - but they have no reservations available for parties of any size, and the last time we did this about a month ago (on a Saturday, not Friday) we put our names down and waited 2.5 hrs (while drinking and snacking elsewhere). The lamb burger and square pies were particularly delicious, but I don't think it is a good answer for this request. . .
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 10:39 AM on August 4, 2017

Seconding Village Taverna and, anecdotally, reporting a monumentally disappointing visit to OTTO. (The kind of visit that makes you say, "I'll never go there again.")
posted by layceepee at 11:15 AM on August 4, 2017