Rad NYC
Your concierge to the Big Apple
Here you will find a list of my personal recommendations of what to do, where to go, what to see and where to eat. I have a rad list of places for you so you don't need to wander the internet
RESTAURANTS
- Eleven Madison Park, 11 Madison Ave $$$$ (Rated #1 by The world’s 50 best restaurants. Upscale American tasting menus from chef Daniel Humm served in a high-ceilinged art deco space)
https://www.elevenmadisonpark.com/
- Jean Georges, 1 Central Park West $$$$ (Sophisticated New French eatery boasting floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Central Park. Lunch pre fixe special $29 apiece. Book in advance 212-299-3900)
https://www.jean-georges.com/restaurants/united-states/new-york/jean-georges
- Le Bernardin, 155 West 51st Street $$$$ (Rated #17 by The world’s 50 best restaurants and #1 in the city by Zagat. Elite French restaurant offers chef Eric Ripert's refined seafood, expert service & luxurious décor)
- Daniel, 60 East 65th St $$$$ (contemporary, seasonal French cuisine in a setting that combines striking neoclassical architecture with elegant modern furnishings)
- The View, 1535 Broadway $$$$ (Revolving American bar & grill on the 48th floor of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square with 360-degree views)
- Robert, 2 Columbus Circle $$$ (New American fare with views of Columbus Circle and Central Park in an arty space on the top-floor of the Museum of Arts & Design. Book in advance 212-299-7730)
- Patsy’s, 236 W 56th St $$$ (Vintage Neapolitan eatery near Carnegie Hall with a history of entertaining high-profile patrons
- Pazza Notte, 137t 6th Ave $$ (Italian basics & brick-oven pizza)
https://www.pazzanotte.com/lnew-york
- Joanne Tratoria, 70 W 68th St $$ (Italian-American trattoria owned by Lady Gaga's parents. The toque is Oprah's former chef and cookbook author Art Smith)
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- Keens Steakhouse, 72 W 36th St $$$ (Founded in 1885. Enormous steaks & signature mutton chops served in a maze of clubby, wood-paneled rooms)
- Peter Luger Steak House, 178 Broadway, Brooklyn $$$$ (Cash-only steak icon where old-school waiters serve aged beef in a German beer hall setting)
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- Wolfgang's Steakhouse, 4 Park Ave $$$$ (Upscale chophouse chain serving dry-aged steaks, seafood & wine in an elegant setting)
https://wolfgangssteakhouse.net/
- Katz’s Delicatessen 205 E Houston St $$ (Best pastrami sandwich. Famous When Harry Met Sally restaurant scene was filmed here)
https://katzsdelicatessen.com/
Restaurant row on 46st Street between 8th and 9th Av in Hell’s Kitchen offers a great variety of international cuisines. Ideal for pre-show diners.
PIZZA
- Juliana’s 19 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn
- Rubirosa, 235 Mulberry St
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SWEET TREATS
- Lady M Bakery, various locations (Crepe cake)
- Max Brenner, 841 Broadway (Chocolate pizza)
https://maxbrenner.com/pages/union-square-nyc
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- Levain Bakery, various locations
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- Magnolia Bakery, various locations
https://www.magnoliabakery.com/
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- Carlo’s Bakery, 625 8th Ave
- Dylan's Candy Bar, 1011 3rd Av at 59th St
https://www.dylanscandybar.com/
- Serendipity 3, 225 E 60th St
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BARS & LOUNGES
- St. Cloud at Knickerbocker, 6 Times Square (Views of Times Square from the rooftop)
https://theknickerbocker.com/dine/st-cloud/
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- The Campbell Apartment at Grand Central Station, 89 E 42nd St
https://www.thecampbellnyc.com/
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- The Palm Court at The Plaza, 768 5th Ave (Afternoon tea & evening cocktails)
https://www.theplazany.com/dining/the-palm-court/
- The Rotunda Room at The Pierre Hotel, 2 E 61st St
https://www.thepierreny.com/nyc-dining/the-rotunda
- Café Carlyle at Carlyle Hotel, 35 E 76th St
https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york/dining/cafe-carlyle
- The Bar Room at The Beekman, 123 Nassau St
https://www.thebeekman.com/restaurants-bars/the-bar-room/
- The Bowery Hotel Bar, 335 Bowery
https://theboweryhotel.com/dining/bowery-lobby/
- 230 Fifth Rooftop, 230 5th Ave (Views of Empire State Building)
- R Lounge, 714 7th Ave (Views of Times Square)
https://www.rloungetimessquare.com/
- Ascent Lounge, Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle (Views of Columbus Circle and Central Park)
- The Lobby Cocktail Lounge at Mandarin Oriental, 80 Columbus Circle (Views from 36th floor of Columbus Circle and Central Park
https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/new-york/manhattan/dine/mo-lounge
- Empire Hotel Rooftop & Lounge, 44 W 63rd St (Views of Lincoln Center)
https://www.theempirerooftop.com/
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MUSEUMS
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave | 10AM-5:30PM, Fri & Sat until 9PM. Pay what you wish admission
(The largest art museum in United States. Check out the rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Central Park, The Temple of Dendur, Panoramic view of the Palace and gardens of Versailles, The Engelhard Court, The Astor Chinese Garden Court, ‘Perseus with the head of Medusa’, ‘Washington Crossing the Delaware’ and ‘The Rocky Mountains’)
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- The Frick Collection, 1 East 70th Street | 10AM–6PM, closed on Mondays. Pay what you wish admission on Sundays before 1PM
(Rated # 3 museum in the city on Trip-Advisor. A high-quality collection of old master paintings and fine furniture housed in six galleries within the former residence of the Henry Clay Frick House on the Upper East Side. Come for the artwork and stay for the architecture and textiles. Make sure to see a documentary film running every 30min.)
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- American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West & 79th St | 10AM–5:45PM. Pay what you wish admission
(The largest natural history museum in the world with collections of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts. ‘Night at the Museum’ was filmed here. Great for the kids. See the Dinosaurs at the 4th floor, Blue Whale at Milstein Hall of Ocean Life in the basement and Hayden Planetarium. Current exhibition to see: Mummies)
- National September 11 Memorial, 180 Greenwich St | 7:30AM–9PM. Free of charge
- The Met Cloisters, 99 Margaret Corbin Dr | 10AM–4:45PM. Pay what you wish admission
(Branch of the Metropolitan, showcasing medieval art in a French monastery overlooking the Hudson at the far north of Manhattan)
https://www.metmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/met-cloisters
- The Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Ave & 103rd St | 10AM–6PM. Pay what you wish admission
(Hosts the presentation of New York City's four-century history in its "New York At Its Core" permanent exhibition)
https://www.mcny.org/
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- New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West | 10AM–6PM, 5PM Sun. Closed Mon. Pay-as-you-wish from 6-8PM on Fridays
(New York’s oldest museum, founded in 1804. It gives a comprehensive look at the New York of yesteryear. See ‘New York Story’ - an eighteen-minute theatrical media experience that illuminates the story of New York and its rise from a remote outpost to a city at the center of the world)
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- The Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave, Queens | Free admission every Friday 4:00-8:00 PM
(A media museum located in Astoria, Queens in a former building of the historic Astoria Studios. Dedicated to the art, history, technique and technology of film, television, and digital media by showcasing related artifacts via multimedia exhibitions)
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- The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), 11 W 53rd St | 10:30AM–5:30PM. Free admission every Friday evening 4:00-8:00 PM
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ATTRACTIONS
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- SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, 45 E 42nd ST | 9AM-12AM
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- Top of The Rock Observation Deck, Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza | 8AM–12AM
https://www.rockefellercenter.com/attractions/top-of-the-rock-observation-deck/
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- Empire State Building Observation Deck, 350 5th Ave | 8AM–2AM
https://www.esbnyc.com/buy-tickets/86th-floor-observatory
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- Edge, 30 Hudson Yards | 10AM-10PM
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- One World Observatory, 285 Fulton St | 9AM–8PM
https://www.oneworldobservatory.com/
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- The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Immigration Museum (Cruises run from New York Harbor 9AM-4PM. Go early. To see Lady Liberty from close up you could also take The Staten Island Ferry which is free and runs every 30 minutes)
https://www.statueofliberty.org/visit/tickets/
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- Brooklyn Bridge (for the best view visit Brooklyn Bridge Park or Brooklyn Heights Promenade. While there try Juliana’s pizza located just underneath the bridge at 19 Old Fulton St)
- The High Line (a 1.45-mile-long public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side running from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues. Open 7AM-10PM during Spring and Fall, until 11PM in Summer and 7PM during Winter)
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- Grand Central Terminal, 89 E 42nd St (Stop by Oyster Bar & Restaurant in the basement if you like seafood)
- The Oculus of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub (Impressive futuristic design of the station is a must-see if you are paying a visit to The Ground Zero)
- United Nations, 801 First Avenue (Corner of 45th Street) | Mon-Fri 9AM–4:30, Sat-Sun 10AM–4:30
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- The Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd, Bronx | 10AM–4:30PM (Consider visiting the New York Botanical Garden right by)
- Take a walk in The West Village and explore charming streets of the iconic NYC neighborhood virtually unchanged since the 19th century, home to many notable residents)
- For shopping head down to SoHo (an acronym for South of Houston Street) in Lower Manhattan
- Find time to check out: St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, Flatiron Building, Washington Square Park arch, Wall Street and Charging Bull (Hop-on and hop off bus is a great way to see them in one shot and learn about their history from the tour guides. Booking a cruise around Manhattan is another experience you might want to consider)
-Times Square/Theatre District (TKTS Discount Booths located beneath the steps at West 47th street & 7th avenue offers same-day half price tickets to Broadway shows. You can also grab good deals online at https://www.todaytix.com/
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