Date Night in New York: Where to Eat and What to Do After

A great date night in New York is a pair, not a list: a table you will remember, then something to do within a short walk or one subway ride. This guide gives 10 pairings across Midtown, Times Square, Lower Manhattan and SoHo, with budget and splurge options, and every place was confirmed open on its own official site.

Everything below is inside New York City. All of it is in Manhattan except the far end of the Staten Island Ferry ride, which is still in the city. Hours, menus and prices change, so treat anything written here as typical and check the official site before you go.

How did we choose these date night spots?

We picked places that are open on their own official sites, sit inside New York City, and have a natural next stop nearby. We left out anything we could not confirm on an official page.

We also mixed price levels on purpose. Each area has a budget-friendly option and a splurge, because the best night out is not always the most expensive one.

Where should you go for date night in Midtown?

Midtown works best if you want old New York romance: a landmark dining room, then a view or a park. Both pairings below are walkable.

1. Grand Central Oyster Bar, then Summit One Vanderbilt

Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant sits on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal at 89 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, and it can be good value or a splurge depending on how many oysters you order. Sit at the counter and order the oyster pan roast or the oyster stew. Grand Central Oyster Bar says both are made to order behind the bar in double-walled swivel pots heated by New York City steam, and that a pan roast takes about two and a half minutes. Its official site lists hours of typically Monday to Friday, 11:30 AM to a 9:30 PM last seating, with reservations through OpenTable; check oysterbarny.com before you go.

For after, stay inside the terminal. Summit One Vanderbilt, at 45 East 42nd Street, is entered from under Vanderbilt Avenue: from the Grand Central main concourse, head west to the transit hall entrance. Summit says it cannot be reached through the main lobby of One Vanderbilt, which is the door most people try first. Summit One Vanderbilt is typically open daily from 8 AM to midnight with last entry at 10:30 PM, which makes it a true after-dinner stop. Tickets and current prices are on summitov.com.

2. Keens Steakhouse, then Bryant Park

Keens Steakhouse at 72 West 36th Street in Midtown is the splurge of the Midtown pairings. Order the mutton chop, the dish it is known for. Keens typically opens for lunch on weekdays and for dinner only on Saturday and Sunday, closing at 10:30 PM most nights (9:30 PM Sunday); see keens.com.

After dinner, walk north to Bryant Park, between 40th and 42nd Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. In the cold months the Bryant Park Winter Village typically brings an ice rink, holiday shops and private Cozy Igloos you can reserve, plus Live After Dark, an evening music series with reservable tables for two. Park hours run later during the holiday season, and the rink can close for weather, so check bryantpark.org first. More Midtown ideas live on our Midtown guide.

Where should you go for date night near Times Square?

A Times Square date night means pairing a Broadway show with dinner before or after it. The two Theater District dining rooms below sit on West 46th Street, a few blocks from the theaters.

3. Becco, then your Broadway show

Becco at 355 West 46th Street in the Theater District is the budget-friendly pre-theater pick. Its signature is the Sinfonia di Paste: a Caesar salad or antipasto, then unlimited tableside servings of three daily pastas, listed at $36.95 on Becco's official menu at last check. Becco is typically closed Mondays and serves dinner from 4:30 PM Tuesday to Friday (4 PM Saturday), with lunch on Wednesday and Saturday and an earlier close on Sunday. Book through becco-nyc.com or by phone at (212) 397-7597.

Buy Broadway tickets from the theater or the show's own official site, and book dinner and the show before you arrive.

4. Your Broadway show, then Joe Allen

Joe Allen at 326 West 46th Street describes itself as a pre-theater and post-theater dining institution since 1965, so it is the right call if you would rather eat after the curtain. Joe Allen is typically closed Mondays and stays open until 11:30 PM Tuesday to Saturday and 10:30 PM on Sunday; reserve through joeallenrestaurant.com.

The plan is simple: walk over after the show, take a table, and talk through what you just saw. For the neighborhood context see our Times Square guide.

Where should you go for date night in Lower Manhattan?

Lower Manhattan is where you pair dinner with history and the harbor. It is quieter in the evening than Midtown, which suits a date.

5. Delmonico's, then a nightcap at Fraunces Tavern

Delmonico's at 56 Beaver Street in the Financial District is the formal splurge. Its official page lists lunch daily from noon to 3 PM, and dinner typically from 5 PM on weekdays and 3 PM on weekends, closing at 10 PM Monday to Saturday and 9 PM on Sunday. Book through the restaurant's official page.

The Financial District's narrow streets are lovely after dark and quiet on weekends, so walk a few blocks to Fraunces Tavern for a nightcap.

6. Fraunces Tavern, then the Staten Island Ferry

Fraunces Tavern at 54 Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan bills itself as the oldest and most historic bar in the city, and its official site says George Washington gathered his officers there to bid them farewell. The upstairs rooms take reservations; the other bars are walk-in, first come, first served. Details are at frauncestavern.com.

Then walk to Whitehall Terminal and board the Staten Island Ferry. The New York City Department of Transportation says the ferry is free, runs every day of the year, and takes about 25 minutes to reach St. George. Departures are typically every 30 minutes, more often at rush hour. Stay on deck for the skyline, then ride back. A free harbor view is the best budget date in New York. Check the schedule on the NYC Department of Transportation ferry page. The St. George side is on Staten Island, still inside New York City; see our St. George guide. More downtown ideas: Lower Manhattan.

7. Eataly Downtown, dinner then gelato

Eataly NYC Downtown, on Liberty Street at the World Trade Center, is typically open daily from 7 AM to 11 PM per its official page. Have dinner at one of its sit-down restaurants (La Pizza & La Pasta, La Piazza or Bar Firenze), then walk over to the counters for gelato or pastry. It suits nights when you two want different things or a flexible budget. Details are at eataly.com.

Where should you go for date night in SoHo?

SoHo is the easiest area for a table-then-wander night because the cast-iron blocks are made for walking. All of the places below are within a short walk of each other.

8. Lure Fishbar, then the bar at Raoul's

Lure Fishbar at 142 Mercer Street, at the corner of Prince Street in SoHo, is the seafood choice. Its official menu highlights crispy rice, Asian red snapper and crab uni bucatini, and it takes reservations through Resy. Dinner typically starts at 4 PM, and Lure also serves a late-night menu from 10 PM. Confirm at lurefishbar.com, and make sure you pick the New York location, because the site lists others.

After dinner, walk a few blocks west along Prince Street to Raoul's at 180 Prince Street. The bar at Raoul's opens at 5 PM and its seats are first come, first served. Raoul's serves its Burger Au Poivre only at the bar during dinner, and only 12 per service, so a late bar seat is for a drink, not the burger. Dinner tables at Raoul's are booked only through Resy, up to 30 days ahead, with a $50 per guest fee for no-shows or cancellations within 12 hours. See raouls.com.

9. Balthazar, then a film at Film Forum

Balthazar at 80 Spring Street in SoHo is the neighborhood's classic French brasserie, serving breakfast through supper every day, with brunch on weekends. Reserve through balthazarny.com or call (212) 965-1414. Book an early supper so you have time for the walk.

Then walk west to Film Forum at 209 West Houston Street, just west of Sixth Avenue at the edge of SoHo. Film Forum runs a rotating program of repertory classics and first-run films, and its official site lists general admission at $18 at last check. Showtimes and tickets are at filmforum.org.

10. Prince Street Pizza, then Film Forum on a budget

Prince Street Pizza at 27 Prince Street, between Mott and Elizabeth Streets on the Nolita edge of SoHo, is the budget pick. Prince Street Pizza is known for its Sicilian SoHo Squares as well as Neapolitan pies, sold by the slice or whole. Hours vary, so check princestreetpizza.com.

Eat your slices, then walk west across SoHo to the same Film Forum for a show. A slice and a classic movie is a low-cost, high-charm night out. Our SoHo guide has the rest of the neighborhood.

What is the best budget date night in New York?

The cheapest good pairing here is Prince Street Pizza plus Film Forum in SoHo, or Fraunces Tavern plus a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry in Lower Manhattan. For a splurge, choose Delmonico's, Keens Steakhouse, or Grand Central Oyster Bar followed by Summit One Vanderbilt.

What is a good one-night date route in New York?

If you only have one night, screenshot this four-stop route through Midtown and Lower Manhattan:

1. Book an early table at Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant and sit at the counter.
2. From the Grand Central main concourse, head west to the transit hall and the Summit One Vanderbilt entrance.
3. Take the subway down to Lower Manhattan and walk to Whitehall Terminal for the free Staten Island Ferry.
4. Ride there and back, then end with a nightcap at Fraunces Tavern on Pearl Street.

For more places to eat across the city, browse our food and dining listings, and check the weather page before any outdoor stop.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good date night in New York on a budget?

Pair a slice or a pasta prix fixe with a low-cost activity. Prince Street Pizza in SoHo followed by a film at Film Forum is one option, and the Staten Island Ferry from Lower Manhattan is free. Check each official site for current prices.

Where can you go for a romantic dinner in New York?

Good romantic choices in Manhattan include Delmonico's in the Financial District, Keens Steakhouse in Midtown and Balthazar in SoHo. Book ahead through each restaurant's official site.

What should you do after dinner on a date in New York?

Stay close to your table. Options include Summit One Vanderbilt after dinner at Grand Central, a walk through Bryant Park in Midtown, a film at Film Forum near SoHo, or a free Staten Island Ferry ride from Lower Manhattan.

Is the Staten Island Ferry free?

Yes. The Staten Island Ferry is free and runs every day, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. It leaves from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and takes about 25 minutes to reach St. George.

Do you need reservations for date night restaurants in New York?

For most sit-down places here, yes. Raoul's in SoHo takes reservations only through Resy up to 30 days ahead, and Grand Central Oyster Bar uses OpenTable. Prince Street Pizza is a casual slice shop with no booking needed.