Where to Eat in Times Square

Almost daily in Facebook travel groups and Broadway show fan pages, people ask where to eat in Times Square. Part of the problem is that there are so many restaurants that it can be hard to choose.

So below are 10 restaurants that I personally recommend. Most are mid-range in terms of price ($20-$30 for entrees), so these aren’t luxury, nor are they bargains. But they’re all good and in the Times Square theater district.

If none of these appeal, or you have another type of cuisine in mind, I highly recommend walking a block west of the theater district to Ninth Avenue. If you stroll between 42nd Street and 52nd Street, you’ll have a ton of restaurants to choose from. I often find that tourists don’t go any farther west than Eighth Avenue, so they miss this incredible stretch of eateries.

Another stretch to check out is West 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It’s actually called “Restaurant Row,” so you should be able to find something there.

Meanwhile, here are my recommendations.

Italian #1: Mama Mia 44SW. This Italian restaurant is on Ninth Avenue at the southwest corner of West 44th Street. It has been one of my go-to eateries in the theater district for years. My mainstay here is the salad with chicken, apples, walnuts, and goat cheese. But the pizza and traditional Italian dishes from capellini primavera to shrimp scampi are also excellent.

Italian #2: Becco. This Restaurant Row place on West 46th Street is popular with theater-goers. It has slightly higher priced dishes like lamb chops and veal, and it has an extensive dessert menu. Try their signature braised veal shank with farro risotto tossed with butternut squash or Peperoni Ripieni, which is Cubanelle peppers stuffed with beef, pork, and veal, braised in tomato sauce with crispy spaetzle. Most entrees cost $30-$50.

Mexican #1: Arriba Arriba. There are certainly several Mexican restaurants in the theater district, but this one has been my favorite for decades. Located on Ninth Avenue at West 51st Street, it’s best for when you’re going to theaters that are farther uptown like the Broadway, the Gershwin, and Circle in the Square. My favorite dish here is their chicken molé, which comes with refried beans, rice, and tortillas.

Mexican #2: Sombrero. This small restaurant serves excellent Mexican food on West 48th Street just west of Eighth Avenue. It’s a perfect location for some of the theaters that are a little farther uptown in the district (like the Longacre), and the prices are good for the neighborhood. On a recent visit, I had an excellent glass of white sangria and tasty Pollo Cantina, which consisted of grilled chicken, sauteed vegetables, Spanish rice, and a mango tequila salsa sauce.

Indian: Utsav. This is my go-to Indian restaurant in the district. Nice ambiance, good service, extensive menu, and mid-ranged prices. It’s on Sixth Avenue between West 46th and West 47th Streets, which is just east of the theater district. You can get vegetarian dishes, as well as seafood, chicken, lamb, and goat. There are also several desserts available.

Irish Pub: Connolly’s. NYC has many Irish pubs with terrific food. This is my choice in the theater district. The menu is pretty extensive, whether you’re ordering food, ale, or lager. The food is also quite eclectic. Along with bangers & mash, Irish stew, and chicken pot pie, you’ll find nachos, an Aztec turkey burger, and coconut chicken curry. There are also a few vegetarian options, all at reasonable prices for midtown Manhattan. It’s located on West 45th Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, just east of most of the theater district.

French #1: Marseille. This is probably the most upscale restaurant on my list, but it’s also a favorite when I want French cuisine. It’s conveniently located on Ninth Avenue at West 44th Street. They have an oyster happy hour from 3:30-5:30pm every day, or you can have bouillabaisse, seafood, steak, chicken, lamb, or vegetarian couscous. My personal favorite is the duck leg confit with flageolet bean ragoût, tomato, zucchini, and crispy pancetta. Most entrees are more than $30.

French #2: Cafe Un Deux Trois. Yes, you can order moules frites, beef tartare, croques monsieur, and boeuf bourguignon at this informal restaurant, but my favorite thing to eat here are the crepes – one chicken, one seafood, and two vegetarian options. They also serve a $30 prix fixe lunch and a $48 prix fixe dinner, as well as brunch on the weekends. Located on West 44th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, it’s just east of the main theater district.

American/Eclectic #1: West Bank Cafe. This beloved theater district institution has been struggling since Covid, so I highly recommend giving them a try. Beautiful ambiance and excellent food, you just might see some Broadway stars here. It’s located on Ninth Avenue at West 42nd Street and has a theater in the basement. For dinner, they have a salad and pasta special for $29, or you can order a burger, seafood, roasted chicken, steak, or eggplant. They also make a mean tiramisu.

American/Eclectic #2: Sardi’s. If you want to eat at a famous theater haunt, this is the place to be. You’ll find all the famous caricatures of Broadway stars on the wall, and you can have a decent meal and glass of wine here as well. It’s been at its West 44th Street location between Seventh and Eighth Avenues since 1927. You’ll find a menu of burgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood, pasta, and steak. It’s classic fare, and main courses run from $24-$39. Again, you might find some famous people here also enjoying their pre- or post-show meal.