No Reservations
Where to go in New York on a whim
“Have you heard of that new natural wine…..”
No, I haven’t.
“Everyone gets the duck here!!!”
I don’t care, I want the roast chicken!
“Do you have a reservation?”
No!
HSN #2 is No Reservations, where to go in New York when you didn’t plan and don’t care, when you want life to feel fizzy and serendipitous, much like the New York of the 80s and 90s:
Often, places that don’t take or don’t require a reservation feel more authentic and might possess more of that restaurant magic than their overly styled, overly rehearsed counterparts. These places weren’t expecting you, but they will host you anyway. If you want to leave things up to chance…
(downtown only, Brooklyn version coming soon):
Greenwich Village and West Village:
I Sodi for solo bar dining, or a date
Chef Rita Sodi’s Tuscan masterpiece in the West Village is a place for truly Proustian gastronomic experiences; the first bite of the paccheri with meat sauce is a nearly sacred and transformative moment. I recommend showing up solo, with a book, or with one other person around 4:30pm to sit at the bar, have a cocktail and pasta, and make friends with the older couple next to you (so he can tell you about how he brought his wife here on their first date eleven years ago).
Bar Pitti for fun group dining, cash only
Bar Pitti’s sprawling outdoor seating could be called the 6th Avenue riviera; on any given Friday or Saturday it is jam packed with people using it as their first stop of a very long night. They do not take reservations and you can come with a larger group and get seated relatively quickly, because the waiters here are in the business of feeding you, pouring you wine, and getting you up and out. The prices, and the pasta, are great. I recommend the rabbit pasta or the lobster pasta if it’s on the specials chalkboard. Cash only!
Tomo21 Sushi for a relaxed, casual dinner
Tomo21 is a true hole in the wall, unassuming from the outside but beloved inside, buzzing with regulars enjoying its excellent, simple sushi and sashimi. It’s good for anywhere from 2-6 people. Their sushi clock makes me smile.
Malatesta Trattoria for a casual dinner, a date, group dining
Malatesta was a favorite for me throughout college; it serves very simple Italian food at great prices: cozy and no frills. I was very upset when Barstool’s D*vid P*rtnoy blew up this spot but Malatesta is a helpful friend to have in this city, and everyone should know about it. The grilled calamari, spinach gnocchi, and tagliatelle bolognese are favorites. No reservations, show up with a date, your best friend, or all of your closest friends for a little birthday dinner.
Minetta Tavern date, dining at the bar
Keith McNally’s magic is most alive at Minetta Tavern, the Old New Yorkiest of his restaurants. When I don’t have reservations, I like to go to Minetta around 6pm to put my name down to eat at the bar. After 1-2 hours you have your spot! They let you stand around the bar to have a drink while waiting, or pay a visit to nearby Bar Moga for a drink (or go home and wait like I do). Burger is not to be missed, and French Onion soup to start if it’s cold outside.
Tartine BYOB, brunch, casual dinner, date
Tartine is my little corner of the world, tucked away from all the nonsense and pandemonium east of its perch on W 11th and W 4th. It serves a simple French-American menu and is BYOB, making it ideal for a quiet date night. I also like it as a brunch option (but got sick from their hollandaise once). The waiters here are sweethearts.
Nolita:
Emilio’s Ballato for a date, or a fun dinner (2-4 people)
Emilio’s Ballato is a downtown Rao’s, one you can get into, if you are willing to wait for a little bit on E Houston Street and can tolerate being gawked at by tourists and NYU student passersby. Once you enter you get a warm Italian American welcome from the owner and his friends and are seated in the retro- fabulous dining room, whose walls are covered in photos of people dining there. I personally sat next to David Bowie when I went. The food… is incredible. Please get the clams and the lemon chicken.
Cafe Gitane lunch, casual dinner
Cafe Gitane, a Nolita classic with great outdoor seating, is perfect for a Saturday lunch. It might be my favorite lunch in the city: the roasted chicken on baguette with an iced mint tea (or a Golden Rose ;) Gitane is French-Moroccan and has yummy cafe food, surprisingly good cocktails, and a vegan berry chocolate cake I always try to get people to split with me (usually to no avail).
Fiat Cafe breakfast, lunch, casual dinner, cash only
This adorable and pink little restaurant on Mott works well for a lowkey Sunday night dinner or a breakfast. I have only ever had their puttanesca and I think things will stay that way. They also have an extensive panini menu in addition to pasta and main dishes. Cash only!!
Peasant date night
Peasant is a dark, candlelit Italian restaurant across from Elizabeth Street Garden that you should wear a black silk slip dress or a Victorian corset to on a date. The subterranean wine bar is a bit cooler than the upstairs area (I believe the wine bar is no reservations) but both rustic spaces will make you excited to eat wood-fired Italian food and lean in close.
Epistrophy casual dinner, date night, group dining
Here is an oddity: every man I know who has been to Epistrophy HATES it. None have been able to explain why beyond a raging distaste for its rustic, friendly decor or disappointment at its approachable but unexciting Sicilian menu. So, I recommend it for a date night with hesitancy. With friends, however, it’s a lovely little place on Mott St with solid food and friendly service. Also, a friend and I had no reservations on NYE a few years ago, and were able to make a last minute one at Epistrophy! Their New Years Eve menu was delicious.
Lovely Day casual dinner, group dining, AmEx or Cash only
Lovely Day is a funky cozy Thai restaurant situated next to Peasant across from ESG. I love it for a Sunday or weeknight dinner or a low-stakes date (lol). When Elizabeth street is closed they have tables spanning the street that make for a really nice vibe as this is one of the only blocks downtown that is relatively free of piss, trash, or noise. They have all the Thai you can think of and some Japanese; I like to order a few starters (chicken satay, papaya salad) and an orange wine or buckwheat tea.
Thai Diner casual dinner, date, group dining
This fever dream of a restaurant embraces two things: kitsch and classic Thai. The cocktails are excellent and I love the duck dumplings and crab fried rice. I struggle with the use case of Thai Diner: it’s a bit much for a calm weeknight dinner, a bit too casual for a date, and gets too mobbed to attempt on a Saturday night. Maybe Thursday night is the sweet spot.
Rintintin casual dinner, group dining
Rintintin is situated for good people watching on the corner of Spring and Elizabeth. The vaguely Mediterranean food ranges from mid to tasty; the cocktails are pretty good. I like to save Rintintin for early evening dinners where I really just want to eat and drink outside.
East Village
Kenka casual dinner, group dining
Japanese place on St. Marks that serves simple Izakaya style favorites on paper plates. Having some of the cheap beer or sake definitely makes the food taste better. Gets very busy on weekends so watch your party size!
886 casual dinner, group dining
YUMMY Taiwanese food. This place is a go-to for if I forgot to make a reservation for a group (4+), am really hungry and want a good meal, and also want to drink. It is across the street from Kenka so they’re good alternatives for each other!
Raku solo dining, casual dinner, date
Undoubtedly the best udon restaurant in New York, also serving sake and plum wine and izakaya appetizers like chicken karaage and addictive cabbage. The charmingly little East Village location doesn’t take reservations (the Soho one does) so it is perfect for a last minute date night or a spontaneous bowl of udon on a cold day.
Cafe Mogador solo dining, casual dinner, date, group dining
Charming Moroccan cafe, their food tastes homemade! I usually come for breakfast or lunch but would love a relaxed Thursday night dinner here of a lamb kebab and a glass of red…… if anyone wants to go soon…
Superiority Burger solo dining, casual dinner, group dining
Things to know about Superiority Burger: 1) it’s vegetarian (and most things are, or can be made, vegan) so ideal if you have some of those in your party 2) the bill is always a lot higher than you expected 3) they randomly have great martinis 3) don’t skip dessert. You can usually walk in with a group and get seated after a wait. I think the food is overhyped but still tasty. If they have the bird beak martini available you must order it.
Il Posto Accanto casual dinner, date
A real neighborhood Italian gem in Alphabet City. It’s full of character, from the rainbow colored lights to the hyper, sometimes scolding dish descriptions on the menu. The food is great, but be forewarned the specials menu is VERY pricey.
POST casual dinner, date
I have only been to POST for breakfast (here is where I tell you “brunch” is a slur in my world. You have breakfast and you have lunch or both or neither!) You kind of need a reservation for breakfast because that’s what people come for, but they serve dinner now and I imagine you can show up with NO RESERVATIONS! If it’s anywhere as good as their breakfast, I’m sure the classics like roast chicken and an approachable $32 filet mignon are delicious. Also lots of VEGAN options!
Haile casual dinner
Authentic Ethiopian food that will make you gasp. Pair with honey wine. SHow up early. Nothing else to say, just go.
Lower East Side
Le French Diner date night, solo dining
I specifically love Le French Diner for anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, anything intimate. The food is among the best French in NY but it and the environment are completely unfussy and no frills yet atmospheric and sexy. Le French Diner is what I would call “a chef’s favorite restaurant” similar to how I would call King Krule “a musician’s favorite artist”. If you’re unfamiliar: it’s a tiny nook with maybe 4 tables and 8 bar seats, the bartender and chefs cook up everything in the little bar kitchen in front of you. The food is simple, buttery, and served with a lot of good French wine.
Okiboru House of Tsukemen solo dining, casual dinner
Specializes in the dipping noodle situation known as Tsukemen. As with many ramen places, they have an efficient system in place: you sit, you eat, you leave.
The Ten Bells date night, solo dining
The Ten Bells is one of the original cool wine bars serving natural/organic/biodynamic/low intervention wines - since 2008! They do an oyster happy hour during the week if this is of interest - $20 carafes and $1 oysters. Secretly, the food is also fantastic - don’t shy away from the baby eel. People move in and out quickly and it’s not a super serious place (everyone is sitting at the long bar or high tops), so no reservations needed!
Dimes casual dinner, group dining, date night
Dimes, with its wheatgrass margarita, kelp burger, and vegan desserts, makes me happy. It will also make you happy, with its vegetable-forward dishes that don’t sacrifice flavor or heartiness (love the bar steak with seasonal veg and the shrimp toast). It’s never too busy, and is quite relaxing, so i love it for a weekend dinner when I just want to have a nice meal and be in bed early.
Kiki’s casual dinner, group dining, date night
It is no secret I love Kiki’s (I celebrated my 24th here:))))) It is the best Greek food in the city THAT I’VE HAD (I’m sorry Astoria heads don’t come for me pls I just haven’t spent enough time there) and the prices are unbeatable. The prices for wine are unbeatable too (a bottle of wine is ~$30 and I’m sorry Europeans but that’s unheard of here). My go to Kiki’s order is: bottle of Oogenesis wine, Fava bean dip, octopus, loukaniko, bifteki, Cretan salad. It gets very mobbed so come early, or with a small party!!!!
Bacaro casual dinner, group dining, date night
Peasant’s LES cousin: also candlelit, also Italian, also romantic dungeon vibes. Venetian small plates and a lot more relaxed than the other sceney places in this area.
NEXT HSN GUIDE: Authentic New York. Where to go when you’re sick of overly styled Memphis interiors, menus designed by a “collective” in Greenpoint, and f*cking whipped ricotta starters.
So fun to read! I have never wanted to visit NYC until now
Wow!