gay friend's bday

[koko38]

He just broke up with his boyfriend so I want something that'll take his mind off of it.
We'll be about 6 people. Any suggestions? I don't care what neighborhood. Moderate or a bit expensive works. Thanks.

[rmlinnyc]

Stanton Social in the East Village is a great place to relax and feel fabulous. Also, you can eat tapas-style (forgive me purists who do not consider this authentically tapas) so you can eat a lot or a little depending on how he is feeling. I liked everything that I had there.

[Jel212]

I third this place!

[michele cindy]

What did you end up doing? How was it?

[mjps2]

Possibly too late, but 44th and Xth in Hells Kitchen has terrific comfort food and eye candy to match. We (a gay couple) take all our out-of-town gay friends there to eat well and ogle when they're visiting.

[ohromujici]

Food bar has a lot of eye-candy men, according to a friend of mine.

Food bar
149 8th Ave
(between 17th St & 18th St)

Duvet is not a restaurant known for being gay or straight but it is fun because there are no tables--just beds. Everyone eats dinner (sushi/asian cuisine) on a bed and because you are lying on a bed with about 6 others, it feels a little naughty. It might pick up your friend's spirits.

http://www.duvetny.com/index.html
45 West 21 Street
New York, NY 10010

After dinner, you could take your friend to a bar to find a new boyfriend. This one tends to get good reviews by my friends who are gay.

http://www.glounge.com/
between 7th and 8th Avenues—
225 West 19th Street, New York City.

[idia]

Rosa Mexicana and Josephina's, across from the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Center are two places where gays tend to congregate (being devoted opera lovers).

[mikeinchelsea]

Not sure if this is too late, but think about Cafe Torrino on W. 10th in the Village...(for those of you of a certain age, the old 9th Circle.) Anyway, it has good food, but more importantly for the circumstances, really cute bartenders and waiters, and a fun, lively atmosphere...good luck, you're a good friend.

[jujuking]

I second Stanton Social.

[DrBehavior]

The Townhouse may seem somewhat 'stuffy' and formal at first blush; however, it's a place to take someone for an evening to remember especially on a special occasion. The food is excellent and the ambiance is beyond charming. In addition, the Wait-Staff makes a party like a birthday memorable. After dinner you're essentially right in the midst of where everything 'Happening' is in fact happening. Go and enjoy - for sure you'll be thanked :)

[Tom Steele]

Where exactly is The Townhouse? I know it's on the Upper East Side. I went there about 20 years ago and had a gay old time. It's not listed in any of my usual guides or web sites.

[DrBehavior]

http://townhouseny.com/

Tom, above is the link to the Townhouse site (and quite a site it is). It's still going strong despite the fact that it seems to be an anachronism in it's own time. I suppose what doesn't change is the 'chase' between young and old and the Townhouse is still the perfect place to act out :).

[JungMann]

OMG! The only thing that makes Townhouse memorable is the number of dirty old men who will try to have dirty old man relations with your friend. Unless your friend is over 45, he should not go there!

[MikeG]

Hold on there, bucko... I've never even seen the place from the outside, but it's been described, over the years, by several acquaintances and as one heading quickly in the direction of 45 himself, I have to object - at no age should he go there. Much as it pains me to quote an Adam Sandler movie, I've been seeing that damned commercial too often not to have - "Yucky!" - spring immediately to mind! It's probably worse at dinner than at lunch...

Funny that it's dropped out Zagat's, it used to be there There's a fairly bland blurb in the 1998 edition, the only old copy I could find offhand, in which they say the prix fixes lunch and dinner "bargains" and give no hint of the yuckiness factor apart from an inane "What goes on upstairs? Is nobody's business" one-liner. They do somewhat misleadingly say "all are welcome" which I'm sure they are, but without a hint that some are more welcome than others (lol) I think I remember the blurb I first read (ca 1995 or so?) saying something along the lines of "men of a certain age and their companions" but that might have been the guy who was telling me about it in the place. (rofl)

[mikeinchelsea]

There used to be a Townhouse restaurant down the street from the Townhouse Bar, but only the bar remains (the restaurant changed names and cuisine - can't remember either...no great loss.) While the bar IS populated by men of a certain age (and those who admire them/their money!,) it can be fun around the piano after a few cocktails.

[bolletje]

What about Cookshop? The food is good and many of the waiters are HOT in a Chelsea boy kind of way.

[Jel212]

You're a good friend - breakups suck! Go out to Stanton Social - I went with my two girlfriends, and we had a blast with the fun drinks, small sharing plates, and bustling, but not too much, crowd.

[Tom Steele]

Poor bunny! Take him to BLT Fish, upstairs (17th Street between 5th and 6th Aves., 212-691-8888), and after dinner, take him to--or deposit him at--Splash, just 1/2 block west. It's one of the livelier gay bars, always feels like a party.

[pacz]

Bar 89, Mercer Street, SoHo.

[nativeNYer]

the fun, gay guys at the office always talked about lucky chang's where the waitstaff dress in drag. not sure if it's still open. the food is really bad but it's primarily for laughs.

if you want great food surrounded by hot gay men, go to florent at greenwich and gansevoort. food is awesome.

i hate to recommend cafeteria b/c it's such a scene but it will definitely give you plenty to talk about and the food is good. open 24 hrs. service is non-existent.

[nokitsch]

Funny, I was under the impression that only straight people go to Lucky Chang's.. you know, for the exotic feel, or whatever it is that drives them...

[foodmonk]

I would violently dis-recommend Lucky Cheng's. The place is used these days almost entirely for loud "bachelorette" parties. They've made quite the industry out of it. And good for them. But I wouldn't go there for any other occasion.

[ohromujici]

I will violently second foodmonk's comment about Lucky Cheng's. I hadn't been there before and I took my friend there for her birthday. The chineese food is below sub-par, the drag show isn't a good version of a drag show, and the only people who go there are people at bachelorette parties. I am not picky and I can honestly say that I like almost every restaurant that I go to. I abhor Lucky Cheng's.

[bronwen]

I went on occasion to the one in New Orleans which had a horrible contrived feel to it. It is very silly.

[michele cindy]

I think Bar 89 is too cold of an atmosphere and the food is more like the food in a diner. I like Mercer Kitchen, but it is darkly lit and if you're sad, you might find it depressing. My pick in Soho would be Balthazar, it's always lively.

[LeahBaila]

Peep, Buddakan, The Stanton Social, Blue RIbbon, Cuba

[foodmonk]

Elmo on Seventh Ave. is hip, friendly, moderately-priced and full of gay people -- as well as the straight fashionable set. They have tons of seating and can easily accomodate six. The music can be, however, quite loud and the food is just average. You can take him around the corner to G Lounge afterwards to further console him.

[LeahBaila]

What type of cuisine?

[koko38]

Open to anything!