Restaurants that don't need reservations months in advance?

Looking at some of the posts on here saying book now for late Feb are scaring me a little.

We will be in NYC Jan 21 to 28 so have 7 nights worth of eating to do. Staying in the Grand Hyatt. We usually do one ';blow out'; night where money is much less of a consideration than other nights.

From our last trip we%26#39;ll be returning to Cite and Pongsri Thai. That leaves 5 nights unless we repeat the Thai as we loved it last time and have a habit of going back to places we like. One night (2 if I get my way) will be post-theatre (Rent).

As mentioned before I%26#39;m a fussy-ish eater. Hubby%26#39;s not a seafood person but otherwise he%26#39;s generally okay.

Cuisine wise - not Mexican, Japanese or Moroccan. Love Thai, Italian (uncomplicated), Steak, Chinese, Thai, French and oh did I mention Thai!

Restaurants that don't need reservations months in advance?

For a fun Thai and American-food experience, check out Vynl in Hell%26#39;s Kitchen. Ninth Ave and 51st Street. Don%26#39;t forget to use the restrooms/lavatories!!

http://vynl-nyc.com/

I like the growing Pongsri business, too. Other good and cheap thai places in Hell%26#39;s Kitchen are Yum Yum Bangkok, Wondee Siam and Pam Real Thai.

Not too far from the Grand Hyatt is a great French bistro, Artisinal. Great fondue and cheeses galore!!!

www.artisanalcheese.com/restaurants.asp

(scroll down)

The other day I went to my eye doctor, and noticed that East 38th and East 36th Streets bwn 5th and Park Avenue is chock full of neato bars and lounges! I didn%26#39;t have the call in sick, not go to my office and hang out, but I noticed Butterfield 8 and Barbes looked nice...

Restaurants that don't need reservations months in advance?

I%26#39;m not a big fan of Thai, but love Sea. There%26#39;s one downtown, but really the one in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) is closer. The food is wonderful and the place is too. If you go on the early side , say around 6:00-6:30, you won%26#39;t need a reservation. It%26#39;s also dirt cheap. If you do go, it%26#39;s worthwhile to explore the area. Lots of great shops and galleries.

Spice Market, in the Meatpacking District, is like a fantasy movie set.... just gorgeous. It%26#39;s a lot more expensive than Sea, but I still highly recommend it. Their short ribs are heavenly, as is their ginger margarita. Again, you%26#39;d need reservations at peak times, but not if you go earlyish.

Since you%26#39;re at the Grand Hyatt, you can always have their concierge call for a table.

I%26#39;m also a huge fan of Artisanal.

Will have a look at those tomorrow when I%26#39;m free from Academia for a couple of weeks (except for an interview when I%26#39;m in NYC).

Is Artinsal a big cheese place? I ask because I generally hate the stuff, pizza is about the only cheese that ever gets near me. I blame a dairy allergy I had as a child and grew out of!

Skip Artisanal then. Cheese is its lifeline.

If you want to stay close to home..Cibo is only afew blocks away and it%26#39;s terrific. L%26#39;Impero is not far away either, it%26#39;s expensive italian with homemade pastas, romantic, it would be a blow out meal. L%26#39;Impero needs advance res.

For theater choices, ViceVersa, Roberto Passon, Orso, Le Madeleine. Balthazar terrific for French comfort food but sorry you do need that reservation made, by phone only, now for that one.

Keen%26#39;s steakhouse is a New Yorky experience. Chinese - Why not give Chinatown Brasserie (upscale dim sum) a whirl or Buddakan... they are getting great buzz.

Another nearby Italian you might like is Osteria Laguna, on 42nd between 2nd and 3rd. Owned by the same people who own Osteria al Doge in the theater district (also recommended). Laguna can be noisier than nearby Cibo because of its sometimes lively bar scene at the front, although there is a quieter room at the back. I like both of these restaurants very much. Overally, I would say Laguna is maybe a bit more informal than Cibo--a place where you can just get a pizza if you want..

A Chinese place that is highly, highly recommended, although I still haven%26#39;t been there myself, is Phoenix Garden, on East 40th between 2nd and 3rd.

Chin Chin, Our Place, Shun Lee Palace are all very good Chinese within a walk of your hotel. Of those 3, Our Place is least fancy/pricey. Phoenix Garden is a real neighborhood place that%26#39;s BYOB.

For French, La Mangeoire and La Mediterrannee both have good prix fixe dinners and are a reasonable walk away. For that matter Metrazur IN Grand Central which is attached to your hotel has a nice prix fixe although somewhat limited entree options. But you can eat there at a reasonable price.

In general, the area of your hotel is pretty corporate (lots of offices) so many of the nearest restaurants can be pricey. Head east toward 3rd ave and further, south into the 30s and below or east and north. There are tons of good steak restaurants nearby, but they%26#39;re mostly pricey.

Since you love Thai so much, why not spend some time on menupages.com and pick out some Thai places in different neighborhoods and use that as a way to see different areas of the city. Thai your way around town. ;)

Reading my post, I did not mean to imply Phoenix Garden isn%26#39;t good. It is! Have been there. Like it. :)