thoughts on Sardi's or Joe Allens - Page 2

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/17/17 at 5:47pm

MarkBearSF said: "Although this is not the typical experience, last May we stopped by the upstairs bar on a Thursday night after Shuffle Along, there were a bunch of "Humans" there who commonly had drinks after the show a few doors down, Reed Birney, Arian Moyed, one of the daughters (I forget which actress), Joe Mantello with his date, Carol Kane, and Alex Brightman from School of Rock."

"one of the daughters (I forget which actress)" is adorable.  Now I'm thinking Lily Rabe? Condola Rashad? Mamie or Grace Gummer? Zosia Mamet?

 

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 3/17/17 at 6:27pm

Happy to be adored, Henrik - as you know, it's intolerable being tolerated. The reference was to the cast and director of The Humans which was playing at the Helen Hayes a couple of doors away. The actress who played one of the two daughters was there. I forget which actress. Although all of the names you mentioned would have been fab as well.

Updated On: 3/18/17 at 06:27 PM

[StephieElise]

Posted: 3/17/17 at 11:02pm

While I was admittedly a tourist (but one from a foodie city!), I really enjoyed Sardi's. The food (both the cannelloni and the salmon) were delicious, although we actually found the cheesecake a bit meh, and the service was excellent. Of course, the highlight was being in such an iconic restaurant, but we would have been quite happy with the food and service no matter where we had experienced them. 

[Addison D.]

Posted: 3/18/17 at 10:51am

Our paths lead us to our own, idiosyncratic places--often with hard-to-justify prejudices and preferences.  

I have never eaten a meal at Sardis--it frankly never occurred to me.  But the 2nd-floor bar is my go-to for for pre-show drinks. It's been years since I noticed whether it's fresh or tired.  But the drinks and snacks are good and the conversation at the bar almost always spreads in a good-natured, theater-centric way.  A thousand years ago, I went because it was part of my notion of what an old-school, Night on the Town was.  At some point, I just became old school...

I had a good friend who was a waiter at Joe Allen's, so used to eat there frequently. The frequency of actual theater-world celebrity sightings added a  frisson--it made me feel like we were at the center of things and the food was serviceable. It's still an easy, post-theater option--especially on nights when everyone is hungry and no-one has a strong opinion about where to go.

I'll add another vote for Chez Josephine, as well, especially since my absolute, personal favorite--Maria's Mont Blanc--has closed.  They've been promising to re-open on 52nd St., but the last time I checked, the sign said February, which has come and gone.  

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/18/17 at 12:55pm

MarkBearSF said: "Happy to be adored, Henrik - as you know, it's intolerable being tolerated. The reference was to the cast and director of The Humans which was playing at the Helen Hayes a couple of doors away. The actress who played one of the two daughters was there. I forget which actress. Although all of the names you mentioned would have been fab as well."

Oh me bad; but happy to adore you!

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/18/17 at 1:00pm

Oh, no Addison, I love Mont Blanc.  We had dinner there for the first time last Easter Sunday after seeing Color Purple and it - and the show of course! - were fantastic.  Really hope it reopens soon!


But so happy to see that there's so far unanimous love for Chez Josephine.  Again, MarkBear, I think it might fill the bill for you as a very Broadway experience (btw Backstage of late has been taping there), an after-Dolly diva-adoring tribute to La Baker, with fine classic bistro with very good food and great service.

I've been having good meals there for decades and I although I wasn't aware of it having a tourist trap rep, I agree completely with Mysteriousgrowl that that's completely undeserved.  It's a theme restaurant, of course, but a singularly spectacular one, a loving tribute by a son, the late Jean-Claude Baker, to his legendary mother.  And besides having solid food, as many have already said, the atmosphere is lovely.
 

Updated On: 3/18/17 at 01:00 PM

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 3/18/17 at 3:49pm

Thanks all. I'll add Chez Josephine to my list.

Updated On: 3/18/17 at 03:49 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/18/17 at 3:52pm

MarkBearSF said: "Thanks all. I'll add Chez Josephine to my list.

 

Great choice but leave at least 40 minutes prior for an 8 curtain and make a reservation for no later than 5:45!

 

[bennyb86]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:52am

Don't mean to Hijack this thread but question about Sardi's, if you go into for a post-show drink (or pre-show) do they mind if you snap a photo of some of the caricatures? I really just want to get one with Lucy.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 12:10pm

I don't know where Lucy is in the restaurant (I assume you mean Lucille Ball?), but upstairs at the bar I have never had an issue taking photos, and I take a lot.

Since this thread was bumped up, here is an update on our Dolly pre-theater dining experience. We did not dine at La Grenouille. My daughter and I scouted it out a month beforehand with dinner. The service was so pretentious and uncaring that my daughter said she wasn't comfortable there and didn't think our guests would be either. (Despite the fact the food was WONDERFUL, which she admitted.) 

So, I booked a reservation for eight (one in a wheelchair) at Casa Lever. Wow, wow, wow! On Friday and Saturday they have a Weekend Supper menu - $42 for three courses. Huge bargain! I told them (at the time I made the reservation) we needed to be out by 7 to make it to the theater. No problem. The staff couldn't have been more gracious. At the outset, they told us to please enjoy a full meal, dessert and coffee and we would be out on time. We did just that. Apps and entrees were very good, desserts were amazing and knocked it out of the park. Highly recommend Casa Lever for the weekend special.

[GreenGables]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 1:26pm

Going back to the OP's usual list of restaurants - if you're used to restaurant experiences like Sushi Yasuda, Gabriel Kreuther, and the like, you will be gravely disappointed by how low key Sardi's and Joe Allen's both are. 

 

If you're looking for a truly refined experience, I would try your best to secure a reservation to Bar Centrale.  It's unmarked, but you can find it if you know the address (available via a google search).  Reservations are taken one week out; and while they're not the easiest  to come by, you never know what might happen.  At the very least, would recommend there for post-show drinks instead of really anywhere else in midtown.  If you can't get in, Glass House Tavern is moderately nicer and draws a significant theatre crowd post show (it is part owned by Matthew Broderick

[bennyb86]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 1:27pm

Stage Door Sally said: "I don't know where Lucy is in the restaurant (I assume you mean Lucille Ball?), but upstairs at the bar I have never had an issue taking photos, and I take a lot.
 

"

Yep, Lucille Ball.  From photos, I believe she is on a post next to a table so it all depends if that table is occupied.  I would feel weird asking for a table solo just to order drinks so hopefully I can scout it out to see when its vacant. 

[Patash]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 3:40pm

I would head to Sardi's for drinks before the show -- and some of their great horseradish cheese with crackers to hold me over.  Definitely in the upstairs bar where everyone chats about what show they're headed to.  Forget dinner there in my opinion.  You'll be looking down and across the street to the Shubert marquee.

And then do dinner afterwards at Joe Allen, just so theatrical, decent to good food, great drinks and a real vibe.  

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 3:45pm

Patash said: "I would head to Sardi's for drinks before the show -- and some of their great horseradish cheese with crackers to hold me over.  Definitely in the upstairs bar where everyone chats about what show they're headed to.  Forget dinner there in my opinion.  You'll be looking down and across the street to the Shubert marquee."

Sardi's hasn't had the cheese and crackers for probably 5-6 years now.  It was "outlawed" by the NYC Dept of Health because bars/restaurants are not allowed to have "shared" food items out on bars.

 

[teresa2]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 6:13pm

They still have cheese and crackers at Sardi's. It is on the bar menu for purchase. It is not complimentary.

[Speed]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 6:17pm

I love Joe Allen.  Love its lobster roll.  Nice environment and you'll love the flop wall.  All the posters on the wall are shows that flopped on Bway.

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 6/15/17 at 11:33pm

I love going to the upstairs bar at Sardi's.  Even when really busy I always manage to snag a table and they have decently priced house wine.  We always order the cheese platter.

The one time we went after a show was when we saw The Front Page, and we ended up with John Slattery sitting beside us.   He noticed our Playbills sitting on the table and leaned over and asked if we enjoyed the show.  Had a bit of a chat with him - seemed like a nice person. 

Another night we ended up sitting beside a woman who saw our DEH playbill and asked how we liked the show.  Apparently Benj Pasek was a neighbour of hers when he was growing up and was friends with her son.  

Always someone willing to have a conversation with you!  

The restaurant may not be what it used to be, but I like it.  The bar has a great atmosphere and the bartenders have always been super nice. 

[Speed]

Posted: 6/16/17 at 12:42am

Mont Blanc has indeed reopened on West 52nd Street.  I ate there on Monday.