Who lives in SW NYC?

March 3, 2006 2:59 AM

NYC neighborhood question: Last night I was at the restaurant Son Cubano, at 9th Ave and 14th Street, for the first time, and I spent about 20 minutes before entering the restaurant walking around the area. I'm decently familiar with NYC, but this was my first time wandering this particular neighborhood. I loved the feel of it, and would like to know more for purposes of considering it as a place to call home. So...what is this neighborhood called? Who lives here? What are some other cool restaurants/bars/etc. to check out? It felt somewhat desolate (relatively speaking) which is part of what I liked about it. I got the sense it was in the process of being "revitalized"-- are there still deals to be had, or is it too late?
posted by Harvey Birdman to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (18 answers total)

That's The Meatpacking District, I think. I used to live on 14th St and 7th Ave, which is the borderline of West Village, which turns into the Meatpacking District, which turns into Chelsea at about 22nd St. link
posted by iconomy at 3:53 AM on March 3, 2006

20th, not 22nd.
posted by iconomy at 3:53 AM on March 3, 2006

Yep, meatpacking district. Revitalization started about 20 years ago, and there are no deals to be had. It's high-falutin' now, outrageous rents and all -- in fact, some scenesters will tell you that it's already played out. Check out this dopey website, and this Craigslist search, for the flavor.

Shame, too, cos it used to be the best place in the world for people-watching at 3am. Cowboys (with ten-gallon hats and all), hookers, crazies, businessmen, drunks, all smushed together on cobbled streets with the smell of fresh blood hanging in the air.

As for places to go, there's a BBQ joint that was pretty good -- I think it's where Gansevoort meets 12th, but I can't remember the name. Or the exact location. Bah, I'm no help.
posted by milquetoast at 5:11 AM on March 3, 2006

milquetost: you're probably thinking about "the hog pit".

And Harvey, as the other posters have mentioned, the meat packing district may have had some bargains in the mid 90's when there was actually meat-packing going on there (most of the businesses have made way for clubs, restaurants and high-end boutiques), but now, rental prices are outrageous, and purchase prices in the neighborhood are >$1600/sqft. It's one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city now (maybe only bested by 5th ave on central park, and parts of tribeca).

It still can be a fun place to hang out, although there is a decidedly european-trust-fund-playboy vibe at most of the spots there.
posted by jba at 6:06 AM on March 3, 2006

There's nothing like getting some good bistro fare at Florent at 4 a.m.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:09 AM on March 3, 2006

It's Meatpacking to the south of 14th (and then it becomes West Village about 4 blocks south), and north of 14th is Chelsea. No deals in Meatpacking anymore, but there are some (relative) deals on 10th Ave in Chelsea to be had (and bet. 9&10th). It's building up fast tho.
posted by amberglow at 6:32 AM on March 3, 2006

The Meatpacking district is great but very trendy right now. It is one of those neighborhoods that is "Sex and the City" trendy. Samantha lived there on the show. And it's home to a pocket of the very trendy, sometimes-very-tough-to-get-into restuarants such as SatC's famous Pastis, as well as Spice Market, Markt, and the italian place there. Can't remember the name. I also went to bar there called Pizza Bar, and it ended up being packed.

I actually quite dig the food at Spice Market, as I used to know the executive sous chef. The staff are ubersnobby, but you can go sit in the lounge and eat appetizers even if you don't have a reservation.
posted by lampoil at 6:38 AM on March 3, 2006

I just had the opportunity to eat at Spice Market. A wealthy donor took my department out, and we were given free reign. It was lunch on a week day so the place was not crowded. We orded pretty much everything on the menu. I can recommend the black pepper shrimp and pineapple, the spare rips, the chicken somas, and the lime noodles.

I agree with everyone... the meatpacking district is at the height of its popularity. Very expensive. But you might find something affordable just north in the high teens and 20's. between 8th and 10th. Start at Chelsea Market (16th and 9th) and work your way up. But even this area is becoming more desirable. My best friend bought a place on 25th and 9th two year ago for $210k. Now these units are selling for $350k.
posted by kimdog at 7:03 AM on March 3, 2006

I second Florent. When I first got to NY I got wasted in the Meatpacking district more times than I can remember - Finally Fred's, that mexican joint next door, Hogs and Heifers, some clubs that you had to go down steps to get to on Gansevoort (Hell? Mother? obviously, memory thoroughly garbled), trading witty repartee with what seemed to be transsexual Puerto Rican prostitutes. In the past three years it's gone completely to crap. The first "nice" place I remember going to was Pastis when it was hot, but now it seems overpriced and sceney. The last time I was down that neck of the woods was when a friend and I figured out Daily Candy's clues and found APT two days before it got mobbed.

The best thing about it now is that it's close to the Chelsea Market and the Manhattan Fruit Exchange.
posted by ny_scotsman at 8:04 AM on March 3, 2006

5 Ninth, a restaurant on Ninth Avenue just above Gansevoort, is terrific.
posted by nicwolff at 8:06 AM on March 3, 2006

I got the sense it was in the process of being "revitalized"-- are there still deals to be had, or is it too late?

Way, way, way too late. Sorry.
posted by scratch at 8:47 AM on March 3, 2006

I'll second the recommendation for 5 Ninth.

Get the "cheesesteak."
posted by bshort at 9:55 AM on March 3, 2006

Florent at 3:00 am: another vote here. And for God's sake have the French Onion Soup. Trust me on this.
posted by Decani at 11:58 AM on March 3, 2006

Florent rocks! The meat-packing district used to be home of my two favorite little underground places in New York - Filter 14 and Baktun. Sadly, both are gone, but there are a ton of great bars and restaurants around in the area.
posted by discokitty at 12:28 PM on March 3, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone. I figured it was too good to be true, i.e., that is was somehow "undiscovered." I imagine a lot of what contributed to this sense last night, as all of you that are local know, was what a crappy wintery night it was. Most people probably stayed in, making it seem more "desolate" and kind of eerie than it really is. And I had no idea it was "Sex and the City" trendy, but in retrospect, that completely makes sense, and tells me everything I need to know. Oh well...Son Cubano was awesome though, and I peered into Spice Market from outside, so I'll definitely be back for some more wandering, and eating.
posted by Harvey Birdman at 1:39 PM on March 3, 2006

I live on 14th and 8th. It's a funny place to live because 14th street is this strip of kinda-trashy in the middle of the chelsea/west village/meatpacking niceness. But damn, it is so fucking convenient. And you pay for it-- I pay a little more than 2K a month for a small 1bed (no doorman or elevator, and the street noise is something else). I will have to try out Son Cubano. You should try Highline (deeper into the Meatpacking), it is pretty good thai-ish food, really good cocktails, and surprisingly reasonable (and easy to get in to) considering how many beautiful people seem to be there.
posted by ch1x0r at 4:27 PM on March 3, 2006

(To think I got by in NYC at $440/month. Well, it was an SRO, but right by Columbia!)
posted by dhartung at 9:22 PM on March 3, 2006

Coming in late, but I have to add my urging to try Florent late one night. (The rillettes were superb a dozen or so years ago...)
posted by languagehat at 12:35 PM on March 4, 2006