The Resy Guide to New York Theater District Dining

For a drink or two

Whether you add up the Notifies or book out weeks in advance, a Resy at Pebble Bar is worth the effort and more. This cocktail bar housed in a landmark townhouse with a secret entrance promises a sceney crowd (the investors range from an SNL cast member to a Grammy-winning musician), seafood towers, and expertly shaken and stirred cocktails.

When the master sommelier at Le Bernardin opens his very own wine bar, you go. Because Aldo Sohm celebrates the vine in all its glory, in an elegant and comfortable space with over 40 wines available by the glass. Oh, and as for the drinking snacks, they’re from Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin.

The Midtown location of one of Manhattan’s foremost cocktail bars, Dear Irving on Hudson is one of the best places to go for pre-theater drinks. Plus, this glitzy locale boasts 360-degree panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline, so prepare to sink into a plush booth and let yourself be swept away.

Italian wines and Venetian small plates are the way to go at this taverna that oozes with charm — think exposed brick and beams, walls lined with bottles of wine. And it just happens to be helmed by a James Beard award-winning chef, so you’re going to want to order the lobster ravioli.

As Midtown’s favorite laid-back wine bar, Ardesia does many things right: A tight and affordable wine list (including great by-the-glass options), a killer happy hour, and an unmissable truffle mac and cheese, should you require something to soak it all up.

Casually delicious

If you’re a matinee ticket holder, you’re going to want to stop by Lodi’s on your way for a breakfast of extraordinary baked goods and pastries (the dark chocolate croissant is required eating). For everyone else, do veer for the freshly pressed paninis and salumi sliced to order. There’s a lot to love at Ignacio Mattos’ ode to Northern Italian aperitivo and caffè culture — here’s everything you need to know before your visit there.

You can’t go wrong with any of the Southern Thai dishes at Chalong, but we’re partial to the lumpu salad with oysters and fried shallots, and the oxtail soup. Chat about all the latest Broadway gossip in one of their comfy wicker chairs for either lunch or dinner, every day of the week.

For excellent Mediterranean food, look no further than Mémé. Helmed by chef Jacob Cohen and in tribute to his mother, the eponymous Mémé (who still ships him spices all the way from Israel), this restaurant plates tagines, kebabs, shakshuka, and the like to delicious effect.

Sichuanese in spirit with a New York vitality, MáLà Project is a seriously stylish temple to Sichuan dry pots that redefines fiery. Pick through an endless list of ingredients for your dry pot (pork belly, rice cakes, shrimp balls, lotus root) and prepare to have your mouth set ablaze in the best of ways.

Plant-based and sophisticated, PS Kitchen knows its way around a burger, and best yet: 100% of their profits are donated to their charity partners. Pro tip: Every meal should begin with their Buffalo maitake wings.

For all of your Italian cravings, head to this liquor store-turned-restaurant, where a chorus of usual suspects — all of your favorite saucy pastas and charred pizzas — hit the spot. Don’t sleep on the cocktails.

Relaxing at the beach before your show? If only. Lumlum is your next best bet, with their tropical décor and playlists and a menu that specializes in Thai seafood. Don’t skip the turmeric coconut crab curry or the grilled cuttlefish with spicy lime dressing. The cocktails are equally tasty and equatorially minded, so plan accordingly.

Impress both out-of-towners and jaded New Yorkers with Spice Symphony’s long menu of Indo Chinese favorites. Keep it interesting with Chinese bhel, a crispy fried noodle dish with sweet-and-sour sauce, and their bright-red paneer Szechuan. Only in New York, you might say.

Wine and Dine

Book an early bird dinner if you’re looking for something a bit more tranquil. But if you’re here for HaSalon’s wild ride of a dinner party (which turns into a full-blown dance party), a late-night Resy is the key. Don’t quite know what to expect? This is what a night out at HaSalon looked like in 2019.

Acclaimed chef John Fraser makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about Aegean cuisine at this sleek Midtown stunner. Leaning into Fraser’s Greek heritage, as well as drawing from Turkish culinary traditions, Iris stands apart for its exceptional dishes. Pro tip: Head for the selection of hard-to-find Greek and Turkish vintages on the wine list — they’re a perfect pairing with Fraser’s Mediterranean-bright food.

One step in and you’ll feel as though you’ve entered the set of a period movie: Blue Willow bottles 1920s China, and the cinematic décor will leave you breathless. As for the food, expect Hunanese cuisine rooted in tradition (the house-smoked bacon is a must) and uncompromising Sichuanese specialties. Do stop by the apothecary-like bar.

A family-run restaurant since 1963, Victor’s Cafe is one transportive and luxe love letter to Cuban cuisine: a lush dining room filled with Cuban art and sky-lit ceilings, classic dishes like ropa vieja and lechón (slow roasted pig), and some of the best mojitos in town. Pro tip: Head to the Cuba Lounge if you’re looking for drinks and a party.

Pile on the spice at this Punjabi spot, known for their large variety of chaats that are ideal for sharing. Don’t sleep on the Param Singh da meat, a slowly simmered goat curry that’s sure to hold you over until the curtain closes. The kebab platters are also not to be missed. They also serve lunch until 3 p.m. Friday to Sunday, in case you’re seeing a matinee.

A slice of Tokyo in New York, Yakitori Torishin grills poultry like you wouldn’t believe. Veer for the chef’s omakase at the counter, where you’ll be transfixed by chefs ceremoniously cooking skewers over a binchotan charcoal grill.

Allot yourself 2.5 hours for your meal in the hands of chef Sungchul Shim. At Mari, the Michelin-starred chef of Korean royal court-inspired cuisine Kochi brings his focus to handrolls, building a $145 12-course chef’s tasting that features spicy tuna, mackerel, and A5 Wagyu delicately set atop soft beds of rice wrapped up in crisp seaweed.

Helmed by Food Network and Iron Chef star Alex Guarnaschelli, Butter is the place to go to for seasonal new American classics executed to the nines, from smoked double-cut Berkshire pork chop to pan-seared branzino. Even better if you’re seated in one of their cozy booths.

Play it old school with one of the city’s most classic theater industry spots. Lamb’s Club was originally a members-only establishment, and it still attracts a wide range of celebs for dinner. They offer a two- or three-course prix-fixe for pre-theater diners which includes choices like steak tartare and ‘nduja carbonara.

This is not your typical hotel restaurant by any means. Lush and sleek, inviting and serene, it’s the ideal escape from the frenzy of Times Square and, arguably, one of the best restaurants in the neighborhood, too, with exceptional fare from chef John Fraser (Iris). In other words, it’s a great spot for a pre- or post-theater meal. The menu takes the best of classic French brasseries and American chophouses and melds them seamlessly, and whatever you do, don’t sleep on the impressive wine and cocktail lists.