I really liked the CitizenM Bowery for a solo stay. Would not stay there with my wife as one person would have to climb over the other to get out of bed.
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How do I get a reservation at Torrisi without a trick credit card? Max Shapiro piqued my interest.
no reservations even for Amex cards are released between 5:30-9:00
Sometimes you’ll see a 5:00 or a 9 show up at 10AM est on Resy 30 days out. Otherwise all the primetime (and honestly even the 5/5:30/9/9:30) are held for their direct reservation concierge. You can usually get on this vip list after a few visits and they mark your Resy account or name for when you email that address.
That said - I’ve walked in at 5 every day but Friday with zero problems. Or put your name down for the second seating and grab a drink nearby. Or go for lunch…which I don’t love as much.
or honestly if you’re coming from the west coast do the late res the day you land! Thats what I did last time I landed at 6, did a seafood tower and a bottle at Penny at 8 and torrisi at 10
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Will slowly respond to everyone as I get time hahaha.
For Torrisi, simple answer is you dont. Its closer to a private members club than a restaurant. You can book super late, lunch or cancellation if you dont have sufficient sway. Having a credit card is not sway; the credit card mix for these kinds of places are almost all credit cards that are classed as premium (Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Gold/Plat, etc). This is the same deal at Carbone and 4 Charles and Corner Store. You dont need to be a celebrity or anything, but you do need to be a regular to get access to the hotter time slots.
You could also try to walk in at 5PM, which I’ve heard decent success stories of
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This wasn’t a thing last I checked, but thats what I would do. Ditto with L’Industrie and Mama’s Too. I imagine it has to be a whole pie, but again Im happy eating the one thats closest to me.
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Ah, I was thinking L’antica, which has closed. Una is indeed open. I always confuse them, even though they serve very different products.
The most important thing someone coming from LA to NYC needs to understand is that public transit is good here. It smells funny and is a bit beat up, but its world class in getting you around. Unless you are really trekking out or going from deep outer borough to deep outer borough, everything in Manhattan is at most 45 min away and everything in Brooklyn you probably want to do is maybe an hour away. Its passive time too, meaning you can read a book or chat and not have to think about driving.
I wouldn’t go deep Brooklyn (Bay Ridge) to deep Queens (Flushing) since thats the worst possible route, but visiting Brooklyn and Queens regularly isn’t an issue.
Was mildly hammered while I wrote all of the above notes, so please feel free to reach out by DM if you want something more coherent than a slapdash list of thoughts. Happy to help FTCers out for all the knowledge about LA you guys have given me.
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One last thing: I think LA’s nightlife scene is severely lacking compared to New York’s. Depending on how old you are, partying in NYC is an experience I’ve only matched in dense urban areas like Paris and Tokyo, except you share a much stronger cultural sensibility to NYers than you do Parisians or Londoners. Its died down since the post pandemic with the Gen Z kids and all but its still fun.
I am told LA is much more of a house party kind of city, and also people need to drive or uber which puts a damper on how much you drink or how expensive it is to go out. Having been to a few of the New York children in LA, kind of vibes with my experience. The key to having fun in nightlife in New York is finding your group, and finding out where people you want to hang out with party.
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If you really want to go deep end Iike a FTCer just take the 7 Train, every stop you will find good from another country. I will stand by this it’s one of the ultimate foodie crawls in the country. I say this as a LA guy! It’s so convenient to hit different Queens neighborhoods versus navigating across LA County and City. Flushing is a destination imo it’s like all of Valley Blvd, Garvey, and Colima condense into a small area. No crazy parking lots like SGV.
If you really want the Italian-American experience than Brooklyn is very worth while. You don’t get cutlet sandwiches and in-house mozz in LA for sandwiches. We got some Caribbean in parts of LA in Leimert, and Inglewood but not like Brooklyn in density. Dominican and Rican food is going to be in Washington Heights and the Bronx.
Pretty accessible to get to Washington Heights. Depends if you want to take the train.
NY’ers alway say the place that is close to you (preferably with a short line) is the right spot. I am going to push back on that……
You are not in a rush to head home/work/school. You are not a local. So it doesn’t really apply imo. Head to the destination spots. You come across the country for those spots not convenient neighborhood spots.
That whole area of East Village/The Village/LES/Chinatown is imo the best place to eat in Manhattan.
NYC (and Philly) has sandwich game that LA can’t compare. NYCers might find that weird but it’s true. Do you go into a deli/bodega at any time of the day and get a good sandwich is pretty amazing to me. I think just about every deli and bodega does a solid BECSPK on a roll pretty solid in that area of Manhattan. Chopped cheese as well, as that sandwich has gotten big outside of Washington Heights, Harlem, and The Bronx.
Some places though like Sunny and Annie’s you can get kimchi added to a BEC or bulgogi in a Philly or chopped cheese. In fact papi behind the counter can make any sandwich your wild mind can conceive of. You can even add in chips lol. Always tip papi btw!
Nishaan in the east village does a Pakistani influenced chopped cheese. That whole deli/bodega is foreign out here. Order at the counter, pick up a bev/snacks, then pay, and than wait for your sandwich. I miss those places. Always a black bag too. Definitely get a BEC and chopped cheese I’ll be disappointed if you don’t.
As far as Italian sandwiches go I think you went to Faicco’s already so definitely hit up Parisi for that Dennis sandwich. There’s more Italian deli in Brooklyn but I think you want to stay nearby.
Definitely do L’indsutrie/Mama pizza bang bang. I To paraphrase the owners at Sonny’s: Cere’s crust is almost too crispy.
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Also the Canto in you is going to love the steamed fish at Fish Cheeks.
Thai Diner is super fun and delicious nothing like it out here.
I am really a big fan of Golden Diner. I eaten most of the menu. I love the concept and everything about that place. The diner culture in NY/NJ is pretty cool. Those pancakes are the best pancakes ever.
Also check out Kopitiam! Kaya toast, Malaysian-Chinese dishes, white coffee, best char kway teow!
I’ll be really happy if you hit up Kopitiam and Golden Diner for breakfast on your visit
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Great got it all bookmarked!
I don’t know if I’ll be able to get a queens crawl in but I will sure as hell try!
This ^ but I understand not wanting to leave Manhattan. Point I really want to emphasize is the density. You can walk 10 min (or train a single stop) and the landscape will change, with new amazing food.
My biggest issue with LA is the large stretches of random warehouse looking things. Unless you’re in an industrial neighborhood in NY, that doesn’t happen
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Not to double reply but yea, really trying to emphasize this point! I’ve eaten a lot and the “destination” Thai places in NYC are hard to describe until you go. Remiss for me to use the adjective new, but “new” Thai and “new” Japanese exist in NYC the way that “new” Korean didn’t until Ki came to LA
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God I miss the taking the trains.
The energy and speed of everyone walking. Stay to the right of the stairs if you are slow. The musicians and singers on the platform and in the cars. The random hilarious, sarcastic, and snarky comments you overhear. The train operator for the 1 and 2 yelling out,”Upppptoooowwwwnn!” and when the 1 and 2 travel side by side. The 7 train. I can eat the world along that line and how cool that’s its elevated. There is nothing like it in the US. There is no separation down there and I love that. Still couldn’t figure out which exit to take when leaving the station lol that’s the hard part.
Never got to visit the Guyanese community in Richmond Hill, and the Russian/Eastern European community in Brighton Beach.
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Another place to add: Grand Street Skewer Cart it’s off the Bowery btw. One of the best late options.
X 2 on the cheong fun cart on Hester x Elizabeth. Legit! Bang bang it with a BEC for breakfast.
X 2 for Fong On really good tofu puddings and rice cakes.
Skip the dumplings and peanut sauce ban mian places.
Hit up Maxi’s for some of the best wonton mee. I think she now has a Chinatown location so need to go to Flushing. I miss that place so much.
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Flushing has probably developed a lot since you’ve left! I say this since it’s developed a lot since I’ve stopped going regularly pre pandemic.
Whatever you think the best LA Chinese is, Flushing has an answer. Whether or not you have the appetite or the drive to explore it all is a different question, but there is a Hyatt in flushing
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I don’t doubt that as painful it is to say. SGV is kinda dead compared to Flushing. I’ll have to do some work and see what’s new and interesting in Flushing. I think we can both say in the US the SGV and Flushing are top tier for Chinese food.
The cool thing about Flushing is the small food stalls that can operate for less $ but still deliver on the food. While in SGV we have closed store fronts along our main drags.
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I’m going to build my list and try to eat everything I can lol
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I’m not even sure which post I’m responding to here. I think an amalgamation of like 20 of them.
Hyatt:
I’ve stayed at every (half decent) Hyatt in Manhattan. I’m also a Hyatt guy. Or at least, I historically have been, not sure if I still will be in a week when the new points system goes into effect.
The Beekman is the coolest Hyatt in Manhattan by far. The main lobby bar / restaurant is phenomenal. It’s beautiful and buzzing with good drinks to boot. It has the best energy of any Hyatt in Manhattan. I love hanging out there.
I’ve spent the most time at Hotel 50 Bowery. It’s a decent minimal frills hotel. It’s not going to wow you, but I’ve had no bad experiences.
The Standard is solid. It’s not nearly as cool as it used to be.
The Grayson is ok. The pictures make it look nicer than it is. The unfinished concrete slab ceilings in the room turned me off a bit. Not the general idea of slab ceilings, just their implementation of it (maybe lack of maintenance).
Andaz. Great but a tad overpriced.
Park Hyatt. Way overpriced and tired, not worthy of the Park Hyatt brand.
Best value IMO is Hotel 50 Bowery. Splurge a little for a better experience, The Beekman.
Torrisi:
Echoing what others said, go before dinner open or near dinner close. @mzonelli nailed it - perfect spot for a late dinner after landing from west coast. I got a bar seat on a Thursday night at 1030 with no wait. Torrisi is well worth the inconvenience. Outstanding food and drinks.
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Great appreciate it!
Have you stayed at the Thompson near Central Park? Right now doing probably beekman or the thompson