Neighborhood Guide

Eating Near Times Square: Skip the Tourist Traps

Times Square is surrounded by some of the worst restaurants in New York City. It is also within walking distance of some genuinely good ones. Here is how to tell the difference.

Places to Skip

Olive Garden Times SquareYou are in New York City. There is no reason to eat at a chain Italian restaurant.

Hard Rock CafeThe food is mediocre and the prices are inflated. The experience is the same in every city.

Planet HollywoodSame as above. The novelty wore off in 1998.

Any restaurant with a person outside handing you a menuIf they need to recruit customers off the street, the food does not do the recruiting for them.

Worth Your Time

Hand-Pulled Noodles

Xi'an Famous Foods

38 W 46th St (Midtown location)

OrderSpicy cumin lamb hand-ripped noodles~$16

A 5-minute walk from Times Square. The hand-pulled biang biang noodles are the real thing — thick, chewy, and coated in a cumin-heavy lamb sauce. One of the best value meals in Midtown.

Bagel Shop

Ess-a-Bagel

831 3rd Ave, Midtown East

OrderSesame bagel, toasted, with scallion cream cheese~$10

The largest, densest bagel in the city. The scallion cream cheese is made in-house. Go before 11am or after 2pm to avoid the lunch rush.

Omakase Sushi

Sushi of Gari

347 W 46th St, Theater District

OrderOmakase — let the chef decide$80–120/person

One of the best omakase sushi restaurants in Midtown. The chef's selections change daily based on what came in from the fish market that morning. Reserve in advance.

Italian-American

Don Angie

103 Greenwich Ave (West Village, 15 min walk)

OrderPinwheel lasagna, the pasta of the day$30–45/person

Worth the 15-minute walk from Times Square. Don Angie's pinwheel lasagna is one of the most talked-about dishes in New York. Reserve weeks in advance.

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