Food Suggestions for Family of 4 (Kids 7 and 5)

Heading to NY this weekend for the 1st time with the kids. Arriving Saturday lunchtime and leaving Monday at lunchtime.

Looking for recommendations for lunch and dinner. We are staying at 57th and 6th. Would like to take the kids for some authentic NY style pizza, ideally located near the hotel.

Also thinking about the Burger Joint in our hotel.

Other than that we are wide open for suggestions.

Food Suggestions for Family of 4 (Kids 7 and 5)

The closest of the famous pizza places to your hotel is John%26#39;s, which is in Times Square:

http://www.johnspizzerianyc.com/index2.htm

They might also like Ellen%26#39;s Stardust Diner, which has a singing waitstaff. The food is a snooze, but that%26#39;s not really the point:

http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com/

Food Suggestions for Family of 4 (Kids 7 and 5)

Tell us where you%26#39;re planning on going, and we can make recos nearby.

E.g. if you%26#39;re going to the American Museum of Natural History, I always reco Big Nick%26#39;s Burgers, on B%26#39;way and 77th Street. Cramped and kitschy, it%26#39;s a great value, open 24-7!

http://bignicksnyc.com/

If they like Chinese Food, there are numerous restaurants in Chinatown that would be great. For dessert, head to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory for some really cool flavors:

http://www.chinatownicecreamfactory.com/

If your kids are into some adventure, take them to Coney Island where they can ride the Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone. Afterwards, they can get hot dogs at Nathan%26#39;s Famous.

http://www.coneyisland.com/

Most restaurants in NYC are kid friendly, so you shouldn%26#39;t have any worries.

I second the Ellen%26#39;s Stardust recommendation. That will keep the kids entertained while they eat and you%26#39;ll enjoy it too.

If you are in the Greenwich Village area, the kids might like

Peanut Butter and Company (menu is all varieties of peanut butter sandwiches. ) Fun!

www.ilovepeanutbutter.com/sandwichshop.html

For dinner, if you want a midrange price that the kids might like, check out Basta Pasta. It is a branch of a Tokyo restaurant featuring very good Italian food (although the staff is Japanese. But the piece de resistance is the parmesan pasta, where they bring to the table a huge huge 1/2 wheel of parmesan and put the warm pasta in it and stir it up. A low-key show, and kids love it. I have also seen some celebs there. You do need a reservation and well-behaved kids, but if you%26#39;re up for something ';nice'; this is an idea. My daughter, now 16, loved it since she was 6.

http://www.bastapastanyc.com/

Since we are staying near Central Park and would like to spend some time exploring the Park someone suggested to me Tavern on the Green for dinner or the Boathouse?

Any opinions on these options?

Also been reading up on pizza places and seems like the best option close to the hotel is John%26#39;s on 44th although things I have read indicate that the location on Bleeker Street is much better. Any opinions.

Thanks for the input - all very helpful.

I agree w/ Crans on her restaurant recommendatons...STARDUST DINER %26amp; JOHNS PIZZARIA! We went to Stardust diner after we saw Wicked one night for some dessert %26amp; late night appetizers. Food is so-so but the entertainment was fun. Johns Pizza was the first place we ate when we got there and it was soooo yummy %26amp; friendly staff too. Both were great for my girls 9 %26amp; 12 years old when we went to the city last summer. And we did some little deli joints off the beaten track which were just good enough for my girls too!!

I%26#39;d love to hear where you went - we are going with our kids (8,6, and 3) this weekend and also want good food but where they are at least somewhat entertained so we can enjoy our meals. Staying in the same area as well. Thanks!

Please don%26#39;t go to to TOTG!!! It%26#39;s overpriced and not very good. It%26#39;s going to be ';reincarnated'; soon under new management (I admit I haven%26#39;t kept track of the latest...), but for now, just go and take a photo.

Try typing ';Tavern on the Green'; in the forum search box to read more.

The Boathouse is ok, but pricey. Instead, get burgers and fries at the Boathouse Snack Bar in the back. Walk around the lake and cop a seat on the grass, rock or in a gazebo. Cheaper and just as good.

Say, if you have the time, I highly reco renting a rowboat fof the kids. It%26#39;s awesome! You might see some turtles, frogs and herons.