Where Would You Eat After 2 AM In Manhattan?

[Hoc]

I am going to find myself wandering the streets at 2 am next week Wednesday, and figured it was as good a time as any to try to get something good to eat. So, if you were looking for great food in Manhattan at 2 am on a week night, where would you go?

[Gigi007]

Veselka or Second Avenue Deli.

[GeraldineNY]

Go to L'Express! I love that place when it's late..............onion soup is amazing.

[LeahBaila]

...As is the croque monsieur/madame!

www.thelunchbelle.com

[babaganoushface]

great question...hands down blue ribbon (any of them), i mean what else could you want @2am besides bone marrow w/marmalade and a seafood plateau?? BAANG!!! I also LOVE sushi seki. In fact, i think sushi seki is the best sushi in nyc. Korean bbq is always good as well.

[brettnyc]

I really enjoyed late night sicilians at Artichoke recently. I believe they're open til 3 during the week.

[uwsister]

The OP is looking for somewhere to kill a couple hours.

My personal faves are Veselka and Yaffa Cafe, but I wouldn't necessarily call their food great. Good enough. Cafeteria has better food but I'm rarely in the area that late, I do second the recommendation though if you're going to be on the west side of the town anyway.

[Hoc]

Yes, I was looking to kill a couple of hours. But that did not mean I was looking for average food. I wound up (on my three trips) trying Pastrami at Katz's and at Second Ave. Deli, cheesecake at Junior's and surprisingly, when Carnegie was closed at 2:30 am, I went across the street to Ray's Pizza.
Only Katz's and Junior's satisfied. But I'm headed back for five days right now.

My guess is, aside from 2 visits to Katz's (one for Pastrami, one for Brisket), I'll be trying a lot of places in Chinatown this time. But this trip is not late night only.

[il Trifulau]

I love that the first response was for a restaurant that closes at 2.
Classic blog post.

Café Noir has good late-night food.

[small h]

<I love that the first response was for a restaurant that closes at 2. Classic blog post.>

People like to write more than they like to read, obviously. See also: talking vs. listening. (Drives me nuts.)

[Hatch]

Il Triulau: While I appreciate the attempt at humor, I answered Hoc's question with 3 very different choices. Blue ribbon in Columbus Circle will serve you around 2am, you just need to get your order in at that time. And I prefer their version of the bone marrow to the one downtown, which is open later. I had actually come home from there at 4am when I posted my response, so I consider it a late night spot.

[elyseNY]

At 2:00AM I find myself having Doner Kebab sandwiches at Bereket in the East Village, or cocktails and macaroni and cheese at Cafeteria in Chelsea.

-----
Bereket
187 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Cafeteria
119 7th Ave, New York, NY 10011

[vvvindaloo]

If I had to find a comfortable safe place with great food at 2 am, I'd probably go to Daddy-O. On Bedford St. in the W. Village. They serve one of my favorite burgers of all time, as well as some other "sophisticated bar food" items. Friendly staff, terrific selection of top-shelf liquor, especially rum and tequila. Sometimes they play loud music, and there's always sports to watch on tv, but definitely not a sports bar atmosphere. A little swanky, and very neighborhood-y. They are open 'til 4 am 7 nights a week. But I would call them and check that their kitchen stays open- the latest I have ever eaten there was around midnight.

-----
Daddy-O
44 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014

[trueqwest]

Hoc,

You can't go wrong with Chinatown, especially Wo Hop's or Noodletown.

I was at Shilla in K-Town just the other night at 3am, and having some spicy Korean beef really hit the spot.

I forget the name, but there's a Yakitori place near the corner of St Mark's Place and 3rd Ave, across the street from the St Mark's Ale house. Good cheap eats, easy to get to, maybe someone here will know the name (I always end up there drunk after B-Bar)

Good luck

[Whatsgood]

Yakitori Taisho

[batterypark]

Anywhere that is still open in Chinatown at 2 a.m.! There are a couple of seafood restaurants on Bowery below Canal, but I have not been to either in a couple of years and the names keep changing, but the food is always good. Wo Hop is among the most American style of Chinese places, but it is a reliable standby for lo mein, chow mein, chow fun, sweet and sour anything. If New Yeah Shanghai (Bayard St.) is still open at that hour, that would be my first choice.

[tpigeon]

Way past my bettime but I believe Katz's and Grays Papaya would be solid choices.

[kobetobiko]

It only works for Katz on Friday and Sat (till 3am). Normally it closes at 10pm or 11pm.

2nd Ave Deli is 24/7 if you need deli fix (though for prastrami you will just need to go to Katz)

[Hoc]

Just went back to 2nd Ave Deli on Saturday night and confirmed my previous thoughts. Too salty. Also, they are not 24 hours. They close at midnight on Wednesdays.

[Hoc]

I probably would have done Katz's, but it closes at 10:45 on Wednesday night, which is what sparked my question in the first place. Carnegie is open until 4 am, but I don't know that I'll be in a Corned Beef mood, and beyond their Corned Beef and cheesecake, I don't like much else there.

I find the food at 2nd Ave. too salty. Probably because they use kosher meats, but I really didn't like it last time I was there.

[scanditrash]

employees only, stanton social

also blue ribbon on sullivan, veselka, florent and cafeteria that have been mentioned earlier

[cimui]

hoc, two questions: what part of town will you be in / want to be in, and would you like take-out / quick food options, as well? (most of the places mentioned are pretty nice, sit-down places, so if you want variety, speak up. :)

[Hoc]

My guess is that I will start out in the Village, but going north is no problem. I'm not looking for Grey's Papaya or Ray's Pizza or anything like that. I need to figure out how to pass the time between about 2 am and 4-5 am before I get on my plane, so a sit-down dinner would be preferable. Great food is much more important than great ambience, though. I will, however, be wearing a T-shirt and sweat pants, so if any of the places are going to be looking down their nose at that, then they are out.

[cimui]

I don't think anyone will look down on you for wearing a t-shirt with sweat pants at any place open that late, so no worries on that front.

in addition to corner bistro for the great burgers and blue ribbon bakery or bistro for more high falutin' comfort food, you could try sarge's in the 30's on 3rd ave. for stick to your ribs jewish diner food (great chopped liver and latkes, very good pastrami and tongue). if you want to head really far up, big nick's on the upper west side has decent greek / diner food (good steak & eggs, but burgers not recommended).

[DarthEater]

I suggest you go to koreantowns 24 hr establishments and take the LIRR from Penn station to Jamaica Station (15 minutes).

[Hoc]

I did want to say that I grew up in Hawaii, so most of the Korean food there is better than most in NY. Also have a Korean girlfriend, so we go out for Korean around LA and Orange County a lot. Last time we went to a highly recommended Korean Restaurant in Koreatown in NY, it was quite disappointing. Low quality food. There are some really good Korean restuarants in Koreatown in LA, so I don't know that I want to have Korean in NY.

[Pan]

Isn't most Hawaiian Chinese food better than NY Chinese food, too, especially Wo Hop? I don't understand the love for that place in this thread and don't get a good sense of what your taste is, such that I could recommend places I like and have any confidence that you'd like them (or that you won't love places I hate). Also, I don't get why some people are concerned about safety at 2 AM in Manhattan, nowadays. But for whatever it's worth, the first place I'd think of would be New York Noodletown, which has been recommended in this thread, and my second thought would be places in Koreatown. I think Madangsui is probably open 24 hours, but I haven't checked. Han Bat and Gam Mee Ok are, but I wouldn't recommend them for you to go to either, given your comments above. If I were really stuck, I'd go to Veselka and get the raspberry blintzes, the only item of theirs that I've found good enough to occasionally crave.

[Hoc]

Hawaiian Chinese food is wonderful, and yes, most is better than in New York. I find most New York Chinese food to be overly greasy. But I no longer live in Hawaii. Also, Wo Hop is a pretty good example of Cantonese in the U.S., and Cantonese places seem to be disappearing.

[Pan]

I beg to differ on both counts. Wo Hop is not a good example of anything, in my opinion, nor is Cantonese food disappearing. I don't remember whether you've been participating in threads on places like Cantoon Garden with Lau, but there are a whole bunch of Cantonese/Hong Kong-style restaurants in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. To give another example, Great NY Noodletown has been going strong since at least the 1980s.

[Hatch]

Pan,
I agree. There is an article in this month's Travel and Leisure where some notable chefs meet up at Great NY Noodletown to discuss great late night restaurants.

http://www.travelandleisure.com/artic...

I highly recommend NY noodletown duck, shrimp with flowering chives

[dg5411]

French Roast (one location on 6th ave and 11th st., another location somewhere else) is a place I would go late at night to get a good, if nothing special, meal. You can go there at 4am and get steak frites or duck confit with a glass of wine. Good desserts too.

[heWho]

L'Express is a 24 hour Bouchon on the corner of Park and 20th. I ate there during regular dinner hours last night and the food was pretty solid. They have a homemade sausage Du'jour. I had a chicken sausage plate last nigth and enjoyed it. I didn't like the box rice pilaf it came with, but I really liked the jus and the green beans.

[williamsonoma]

blue ribbon!
Fried chicken, clam soup, bone marrow.

[kathryn]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/dining/18lbox.html

Blue Ribbon is a great choice. I haven't been to the UWS location but been to the Soho one frequently (that's Blue Ribbon Brasserie not Sushi), and it stays open until 4am each day.

http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/...

[Hoc]

You know, back in 2003 or so, I wanted to go to Blue Ribbon in the Village, because supposedly that was where all the chefs went after work. Not a big fan or marrow (won't eat it, in fact), but I figured there was something else good there. But I couldn't find it. Now, I've been to NYC a lot since then, and I figure there will be no problem finding the one on the UWS. Is it usually crowded at that time, or pretty easy to get in and out? I have to catch a plane out of JFK at 7 am, so I figure I'm OK if I leave the UWS around 4-5 am by subway.

[Hatch]

Hoc,
You'd have to go to Blue Ribbon Brasserie in Soho which as Kathryn said is:
"7 days a week 4 pm - 4 am"
http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/...
Map is attached. Have a safe flight and happy eating...

[elyseNY]

I always enjoy Cafeteria in Chelsea for a late evening bite. Their mac and cheese is my favorite in the city and I've never had a disappointing meal there.

[sam1]

florent...probably the only time worth going.

[Ora]

I thought I read that Florent is scheduled to close soon??

[chow_gal]

Yes, end of June. June 29th

[cmballa]

Vaselka, Great New York Noodletown.

[snaporaz]

And then there's always Wo Hop.

[Taylor.Watson]

Never been, but based on what I've heard, it's quite the late night place.

[Hoc]

I love Wo Hop, but I didn't realize it was open that late. When does it close on weeknights? Also, I''ve heard conflicting stories over whether Chinatown is safe to walk late at night.

[Taylor.Watson]

Not sure when it closes, but Chinatown is safe at night.

[cimui]

Chinatown is safe at night. I'm a 90 lb female and have never felt threatened. There's also enough foot traffic that you won't feel isolated. Just don't leave money hanging out of your back pocket or anything.

[Hoc]

Darn! Gotta tuck that money back into my back pocket. ;-)

[foody1964]

Corner Bistro on W.4th st.
GREAT burgers !!!

[cimui]

they are good -- something of a nyc institution. if these burgers don't put you in a food coma, i don't know what would.

[Hatch]

Blue Ribbon Sushi and grill at Columbus Circle-the ubiquitous bone marrow is sliced lengthwise, and has a "leaner" more asian twist than the one downtown. Try to get there before 2am, because that's when they close...

I also like K-Town: Kunjip is 24 hrs. Sumdooboo jigae is great after-drinking food.

cafeteria for mac and cheese and waffle carmelized banana split sundae.

[Hoc]

"Try to get there before 2am, because that's when they close..."

That wouldn't work, then, since I won't be out until 2 am.

[cimui]

no prob: blue ribbon brasserie and blue ribbon bakery are both open later than 2 a.m.

[kathryn]

The brasserie is but the sushi restaurant isn't.

Blue Ribbon Brasserie
7 days a week 4 pm - 4 am

Blue Ribbon Sushi downtown
7 days a week 12 noon - 2 am

Blue Ribbon Bakery
Monday to Thursday 12 noon - 12 midnight
Friday 12 noon - 2 am
Saturday 11:30 am - 2 am
Sunday 11:30 am - 12 midnight

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (uptown)
Open for breakfast: 7am - 10:30am
Lunch through dinner: Noon - 2am