NYC Restaurants for 1

I’ll be in Midtown in two weeks and am looking for some restaurant recs for a solo diner. Will be there Monday to Friday, and am looking for one high end restaurant and a few more casual ones. For the high end restaurant, would prefer one with corkage, but not required. I did look at Eleven Madison Park and Jean Georges, but both had no availability during the whole week.

So, was wondering if anyone had any suggestions (such as some hard-to-get-in places that allow a walk in and full meal at the bar). Last time I was there, went to Marea and had a great experience at the bar.

Thanks in advance.

Tom

Atera is spectacular and perfect for a solo diner. I ate there solo a couple months ago and it was perfect. It’s all bar seating, and solos generally get the best seat in the house (the middle seat).

I’d also feel good about eating at any of the top sushi spots solo (Nakazawa etc.). I think Le Bernardin also will serve you a full tasting menu at their bar.

Per Se, for sure. I had a fabulous time there last year. I think it was a Monday night. You can order a la carte, have lovely wines by the glass, and not have to spend the time or tariff of the full boat there. Go!

Also, the Nougatine bar at Jean Georges at The Trump is great. Walk in, sit down, and enjoy. I have done this perhaps a dozen times. I always meet interesting people there…sometimes the same person on a chance visit or two.

Tom,
they serve al la carte at Eleven Madison Park at the bar.
I also agree that Nougatine is a great bar meal for a solo diner.

Thanks all! Great info. Will definitely try at least one or two.

Tom

Big fan of dining at the bar at Blue Hill. Reasonable corkage too.

I don’t think the bar menu at EMP is close to the same as the menu in the dining room, is it?

Marea allows seating at the bar and the full menu.

A few weeks ago I had a fabulous lunch at the bar at Del Posto. Service was just as fabulous as it was when I was there for dinner and seated in the dining room the year before.

Nope, but you can get the duck at the bar.

Sushi bar anywhere solid would seem a no brainer as well.

My exact experience for the past 8 years.

+1 on lunch at Jean Georges. Much better experience than dining at affiliate Nougatine, imho.

If you like natural tending wines then a trip to Racines is worthwhile. Great food, fantastic (for my palate) wine list.

for your casual meals, momofuku ssam is not bad for one person
plenty of decent ramen places around nyc as well, my favorite of the moment is totto.

This! The pork buns at Totto Ramen (Midtown West location), dare I say, outshine the ramen itself!

i love Marea although for some reason thier bar does not appeal to me.Personally i think it would be fine to dine there at a table alone.Union square cafe is a fun place to dine at the bar.
Mailino will also be a fun spot to eat at the bar or a table.Atera is another great idea.

I agree with Cindy about Maialino’s bar as a good spot for solo dining. I’ve dined solo a couple of times and enjoyed. Plus, $25 per bottle corkage (the last time I went 3 months ago) is one of the town’s best deal.

I’m also in search of local eats that are good for solo dining as wife’s new gig has her traveling a lot more.

Does Atera allow byob?

Bar Boulud’s bar is also pretty good, and I really loved the bar at Racines too. But all these recs above are spot on. Sushi and some of the Chinese places (bring a book and relax) are great as well.

Timely post. Might be doing the solo act Tuesday

Any sushi
Atera
Estela
Charlie Bird
Craft
Degustation
Hearth at the Pass (one of the best dining experiences in NYC if you’re interested in how a kitchen works)
Lupa (though it can get a little crazy)
l’Artusi
ABC Kitchen

+1