Where to Eat Near Times Square Without the Tourist-Trap Bill
The best food near Times Square is usually one block off the square, not on it. From 120 W 44th Street, that means the two rooms attached to the hotel, Restaurant Row nine minutes northwest, and Hells Kitchen ten minutes west.
What is attached to the hotel?
Gatsby's Landing is next door: New American cooking, seasonal and farm-sourced, with a 1920s room and a serious cocktail list. The Long Room is the gastropub on the other side of the lobby, with Irish whiskey, single malts, craft beer on tap and pub plates, plus breakfast and weekend brunch for guests.
Both remove the pre-theatre risk: a 6:00 PM table means a 7:55 curtain with no taxi.
Where do locals eat within ten minutes?
Restaurant Row on W 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues is nine to ten minutes northwest and built around early curtains. Hells Kitchen, eight to twelve minutes west, has the densest run of mid-priced kitchens in Midtown, particularly along Ninth and Tenth Avenues.
What does a meal cost?
Expect mid-range to upper-mid for the district. Hotel-adjacent restaurants trade on convenience, Restaurant Row sits in the middle, and Hells Kitchen runs the widest range. The $35 destination fee at the hotel includes a welcome drink at The Long Room, which is worth using on arrival.
What is open late?
After a 10:00 PM curtain, the immediate blocks are still serving: the two hotel restaurants, plus the Ninth Avenue stretch in Hells Kitchen. Times Square chains stay open later but at tourist pricing.
Breakfast and coffee?
The Long Room serves breakfast for guests, with weekend brunch starting mid-morning. For coffee, Bryant Park four to five minutes east makes the better morning walk.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you eat at Aura Hotel Times Square?
Gatsby's Landing and The Long Room, both at 120 W 44th Street, adjacent to the lobby.
How far is Restaurant Row?
About 0.5 miles, a nine to ten minute walk northwest to W 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
Is there room service?
Ask the front desk on arrival; service varies by season. The two adjacent restaurants are the reliable answer.
Aura Hotel Times Square, 120 W 44th Street, New York, NY 10036, (212) 710-7000.