New York City is residence to numerous eating places, together with many iconic and in style spots. Finding one of the best restaurants with children in NYC generally is a problem – it’s arduous to know what’s a vacationer lure and what’s a professional must-visit.
On a current household trip to New York City, I requested for recommendations for Times Square eating places, and overwhelmingly, two spots had been beneficial – Junior’s Cheesecake and Ellen’s Stardust Diner.
Since we had been there for a number of days, I used to be capable of go to each of them. In subsequent NYC journeys, we’ve returned to each eating places a number of instances. My children particularly liked Ellen’s Stardust Diner they usually even requested to return extra instances throughout our journey. We extremely advocate visiting each throughout your subsequent household trip to New York City.
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Guide to Ellen’s Stardust Diner and Junior’s Cheesecake Times Square
Ellen’s Stardust Diner – the restaurant with the singing waiters
As I led my children to the lengthy line snaking across the exterior of Ellen’s Stardust Diner, they questioned why we couldn’t simply head to the close by Olive Garden. They actually weren’t excited about ready in line, as a result of they didn’t know what was ready for them on the within. The wait is certainly price it although as a result of Ellen’s Stardust Diner is such a novel expertise.
Although the usual diner fare meals isn’t actually something particular, the environment and leisure completely are. It’s a must-do in Times Square, whether or not or not you might be touring with children.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner doesn’t take reservations (besides for giant events of 25 or extra), so that you’ll have to get in line and look forward to a desk. We arrived effectively earlier than midday on a weekday throughout our go to, and nonetheless waited in an extended line. I like to recommend going for lunch on days when the Broadway musicals wouldn’t have matinee performances.
Lunch strains are usually longer earlier than Broadway present matinees (which is after we had sadly gone). Luckily for us, the climate wasn’t unhealthy, and the lengthy line we waited in moved shortly, and we had been seated after possibly 15 or 20 minutes. In subsequent visits, we arrived at an off-peak time on a non-matinee day and walked proper in.
At Ellen’s Stardust Diner, servers double because the leisure, however these aren’t any amateurs. The performers are aspiring Broadway performers, in addition to veteran Broadway performers between reveals. In common intervals, servers are referred to as to carry out in style numbers. It’s usually considered the restaurant with singing waiters.
Music varies from Broadway tunes to in style music, and the servers stroll across the diner as they carry out. My children all the time love all the leisure however particularly take pleasure in seeing our server carry out.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner has a 50s-themed diner decor, with two ranges. The waiters carry out on each ranges and because the high stage appears to be like down into the middle of the primary stage, you don’t miss a lot by sitting upstairs. The tables are fairly shut collectively, which is normal for New York City eating places. You gained’t have a lot selection in the place you sit, however all the seats are good because the waiters transfer round.
Food at Ellen’s Stardust Diner is fairly typical diner meals, however a bit costlier, even for NYC. You’ll discover burgers, blue plate specials (together with meatloaf and rooster pot pie), and sandwiches on the Ellen’s Stardust Diner menu. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and are open day by day from 7 am to midnight.
During our go to, I had a burger, and whereas it was undoubtedly good, I wouldn’t go there particularly for the meals. The draw to this restaurant actually is the singing waiters. During the performances, they do move round a bucket for added suggestions, that are break up between the performers to make use of for added performing, dance, and voice lessons.
My children, particularly my musical-theater-loving daughter, couldn’t get sufficient of the leisure at Ellen’s Stardust Diner. They didn’t wish to go away, even after we’d completed consuming, they usually requested to return a number of instances throughout our journey. We’ll undoubtedly make it possible for it’s a cease on any of our New York City holidays.
To reduce your wait time, it’s a good suggestion to reach at an “off” time. Right at peak breakfast, lunch, or dinner instances are more likely to be busier. You’ll additionally wish to keep away from matinee days in case you are planning on having lunch at Ellen’s Stardust Diner.
Junior’s Cheesecake
During our journey, regardless of my children begging to return to Ellen’s, we tried a unique restaurant – Junior’s Cheesecake. There are a number of NYC places of Junior’s Cheesecake – the unique in Brooklyn, one in Grand Central Station, and the situation we visited in Times Square. It’s tucked right into a hidden alleyway – I needed to ask for instructions as we walked as a result of I initially missed it.
Arrive early, as a result of, like different in style eating places in Times Square, it does get crowded. Since Junior’s additionally serves breakfast, you do have to time issues accurately if you’d like lunch. We arrived simply as they had been switching their menu from breakfast to lunch, and needed to wait a couple of minutes to be seated for lunch.
Junior’s does use a waitlist system by way of Yelp. You can add your title to the waitlist earlier than you arrive. We did this for a weekend go to round Christmas and located it to be actually environment friendly.
Junior’s affords a full bar, youngsters’s menu, diner menu, and fabulous dessert menu, together with that world-famous cheesecake. My children and I liked the meals, and the cheesecake is certainly vital. My son ordered a chocolate cake, and it was HUGE.
Definitely carry your urge for food, or contemplate sharing your dessert. Even for breakfast, the entrees had been huge! Junior’s additionally has a to-go kiosk, in addition to a bakery.
If you might be in search of locations to remain in Times Square, try these motels that get nice TripAdvisor critiques:
Hilton Garden Inn Times Square
You may also discover some locations to remain on the map under (together with affiliate hyperlinks).
As effectively as motels we’ve reviewed ourselves, together with the Row NYC, the Yotel Times Square NYC, and the Intercontinental NYC.
You may also try this submit to see all the issues to do in NYC with children.
More sources: Read our New York City Travel Tips submit right here to learn resort, attraction, and restaurant critiques, suggestions, and concepts.