HELL'S KITCHEN, MANHATTAN

Joe Allen

The Broadway bistro since 1965 — a brick room on Restaurant Row hung with posters for flops.

Restaurant Row's theater bistro has been feeding the Broadway crowd since 1965, in a brick room hung with posters for shows that flopped — a running joke the regulars never tire of. Before curtain it fills fast with ticket-holders; after, it fills again with the people who were on stage.

The menu is American comfort with no pretense: shrimp cocktail, a Caesar, steak frites, and a burger that has been on the menu for decades. Sit at the bar if you are on your own or in a pair, order a martini, and read the posters.

Editor’s tip

Come after the show instead of before — the room is looser, and you may share it with the cast.

Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN

Top of the Rock

The deck where the Empire State Building and Central Park both line up correctly.

Scenic View · $$$

~13 min on foot

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN

Bryant Park

A formal French garden on the roof of the library's stacks, furnished with ten thousand movable chairs.

Park & Garden · Free

~14 min on foot

Also in the neighborhood

HELL'S KITCHEN, MANHATTAN

The Landmark Tavern

An 1868 Irish waterfront saloon in Hell's Kitchen — shepherd's pie, a slow pint and a century and a half of stories.

Irish · Hidden Gem · $$

HELL'S KITCHEN, MANHATTAN

Ariana Afghan Kebab

Kabuli palaw, mantu and aushak in a twelve-table room on Ninth Avenue.

Afghan · Hidden Gem · $

Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.