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It’s a busy season on Broadway with nearly 20 new shows opening by April 25th, the Tony Award eligibility cutoff date.
With so much to choose from on stage, Time Out New York put together a guide of some of the best theater district pre-fixe menus to help get you to the theater on time. From fine French dining to steakhouses, most restaurants offer a three-course meal that rival restaurant week menus.
Tip: At most restaurants, you’ll need to carve out at least 90 minutes before curtain time.
RECOMMENDED: The best Broadway shows you need to see
Le Rivage
Le Rivage’s prix fixe theater menu has been a staple on Restaurant Row (46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues) for decades. Its staff knows how to get diners in and out on time to make their show while still allowing a calm, leisurely and elegant atmosphere for dining. From 4:30 to 7:30pm, the French bistro offers three courses for $70 with many choices for an appetizer, entree and dessert. I always get the bisque, gambas le rivage and the peach melba. Other huge hits are the trout almondine and the French onion soup burger. There’s also a lunch pre-fixe for $46.
The Lamb’s Club
Enter the dining room for The Lamb’s Club and feel like you’re far away from the bustle of midtown. If you look around closely, sometimes you might spot a celebrity or two before showtime. It’s been a hot spot before Merrily We Roll Along, which is across the street. In cooler weather, a table next to the fireplace makes the reservation even cozier. Choose from an $85 two or a $95 three-course pre-theater menu but allow about two hours before your curtain for a higher quality dining experience. Options for appetizers include tuna tartare, steak tartare, honeynut squash, red snapper crudo, or romaine caesar. Entrees offered are pan-seared salmon, ’nduja carbonara, seared scallops, or roast duck.
Cafe Un Deux Trois
The 3-course prix fixe dinner menu at Cafe Un Deux Trois can’t be beat for $48 from 4pm to close. It even comes with coffee or tea. The waiters here will get you in and out in a breeze if you’re crunched for time before a show. And from experience, I know sometimes they will let you choose options that aren’t even on the prix fixe menu. Soup of the day, mixed greens salad, and pate are on the online menu as appetizers. Bowtie pasta, stuffed chicken breast and grilled salmon are the entree choices with cheesecake, mouse and sorbet for dessert. The lunch pre-fixe option is $30 and is offered from 11:30am to 3pm.
Rosevale Kitchen
The Rosevale Kitchen’s Broadway prix fixe offers a 3-course dinner for $52, which is one of the best deals in midtown. Just let the server know you have a show to catch, and they’ll alert the kitchen staff accordingly. Tuna Tartare, burrata and shrimp cocktail are some of the first course options. Choose from rigatoni pomodoro, sautéed branzino, steak au poivre and pan-roasted Amish chicken as a main course. Then choose from vanilla panna cotta or gelato for dessert.
The restaurant is located inside the new Civilian Hotel. If you head up the windy staircase to the second floor, you can also check out a mini Broadway museum full of props and set pieces from Broadway shows.
The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens
The Terrace at the Edition Hotel is a hidden gem of the Theater District. Located on the ninth floor, you’ll feel whisked away from the noisy and busy streets of midtown. Available from 5 to 10pm, the $64 “Broadway Express” prix fixe lets you choose from a Caesar salad, burrata, or trumpet mushroom carpaccio as a starter. Entrees have a few vegan options too. They offer whole roasted maitake mushroom, broccoli cacio e pepe, grilled dorade and skirt steak frites. Dessert is tiramisu, lemon torta caprese, or coconut tembleque.
STK Midtown
STK’s 43rd Street midtown location offers theatergoers an elevated three-course meal—including a side dish—starting at $69. Appetizers are baby gem Caesar, blue iceberg salad, tuna tartare or six oysters on the half shell. Entrees offered are a surf & turf combo, salmon and chicken. There’s chocolate cake or cheesecake for dessert. The steakhouse is also partnering with the musical, The Great Gatsby, offering themed cocktails like “The Old Sport” and “The Gatsby.” Plus, if you show your ticket for a same-day performance, you’ll receive a complimentary glass of bubbles along with your meal. Allow 90 minutes for your reservation.
Bobby Van’s Grill
If you’re looking for a really good deal on steak, check out Bobby Van’s Grill. From 5 to 10pm, Monday through Saturday, the 45th Street location offers a three-course meal for $49. Choose from a Caesar salad, mixed greens, soup of the day, skillet meatballs or sweet chili calamari to start. There’s chicken parm, grilled salmon, Argentinian steak, linguini primavera and braised short ribs for the main meal. If you get the filet mignon, it’s an extra $5. There’s cheesecake, brownies and sorbet for dessert. The best part is if you get there before 6pm, order drinks from the happy hour menu.