Naturally, Birthday Dinner (serious) would need to be accompanied, at some point, by Birthday Dinner (silly). There is a time and place for chic dinners with white tablecloths and decadent bottles of wine, but there is an equally necessary time and place for a table that seats 12, too many martinis, and the chance to be as loud (respectfully) as your heart desires while singing happy birthday.
The list to follow this fine Monday is a roundup of my top choices if I were to plan a birthday party for my friends, and my first recommendations for those looking for somewhere fun and silly to celebrate any occasion—aging or otherwise.
As I alluded to two weeks ago, I wanted to turn the wine bar round-up into a shareable Google Map. The map will grow as the saturation of wine bars in the city inevitably grows. If you want to have little wine glasses all over your map of New York…
Che Li
Generally, running to St. Marks on any given evening means walking through crowded, loud, vape-filled sidewalks with lots of teeny-boppers milling about. However! For a big, loud dinner, it is not a terrible place to be. Che Li, originally housed in Flushing, expanded to the East Village to offer a taste of Shanghai with a slightly shorter commute. Recognized by The New York Times as a best restaurant, and mentioned on the Michelin guide, Che Li has gotten its well-deserved flowers. Some of the most special aspects of Flushing dining are the large tables, large portions, and loud, friendly spaces—having that kind of environment in the East Village is a real treat.
Making a reservation up to 6 is a breeze, and they have space to accommodate larger parties if you give them a call and plan ahead a bit. The menu is perfect for sharing, with a large offering of Dim Sum as well as more traditional Chinese cuisine alongside dishes you know and love. This is the first place on my list to drink a lot of Tsingtao, and eat a ton of Chinese foods with friends for a special occasion. It is not too expensive, not too indulgent, just fun, easy, and literally always good. If you’re feeling adventurous, take the team on a field trip to Flushing!! Or, just hop over to St Marks and eat lots of tofu.
I am not the best guide through the menu with my minimal meat-eating, but the dim sum is all incredible, the sweet and sour crispy eel is ridiculous, the rices are exceptional, the soups come in enormous cauldrons, and they know their way around a salty veggie. Definitely, definitely get congee and black sesame sticky rice balls to end your meal.
*Reservations are bookable 6-7 weeks out.*
Bernie’s
Everyone’s favorite faux-old school diner, Bernie’s is the ultimate fun birthday dinner spot. Without reservations, it is a bit of a crap-shoot in terms of getting in at an appropriate time, but showing up with a group of friends and cozying into a big red booth is perfect for a celebration. I had my birthday dinner here last year, complete with crayons for drawing on paper tablecloths, lots of martinis, and my favorite veggie burger in the world.
The problem with Bernie’s is that everything is good, and the atmosphere is always perfect—all summer, with open windows, sidewalk seating, and stools outside to wait for your table, and all winter, with big booths and cozy food for warming up. The menu, start-to-finish, is amazing. The small menu showcases classic American comfort foods that are most often in diners and like… Chili’s? This is where you go for a chicken (or eggplant) parm, cheeseburgers, vinegar chicken, caesar and wedge salads, good fries, mozzarella sticks… etc.
The Veggie Burger is the best I have ever had, on a sesame bun with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, cheese and a stinking good burger sauce for dipping. Their caesar salad is enormous, and can be a side salad if you are as indecisive as I am. The wedge, pictured below, is ridiculous, the vinegar chicken is a crowd favorite, as are the enormous mozzarella sticks and the ribs. It’s loud and young and fun, and the best place to order a table full of Peronis and more food than you could possibly eat. Finish the meal with an icebox cake or their epic ice cream sundae. You’ll never have a bad time here—Bernie’s is always worth the wait.
*Walk-in only!*
The Fly
The Fly speaks for itself, being written up initially as a spot as good for several drinks as it is for a full meal. For the full run-down…
The Fly will put several tables together in their main dining room to fit you and all your friends—it’s not notably expensive and the menu is tiny, with a responsibly priced chicken party option for larger groups. I am obsessed with the food here—the caesar is perfect, the fries with aioli are amazing, the sandwiches and specials are good every single time— I have said this all before and I am sure I will say it again. For dressing up or dressing down, starting or ending a nite, unserious, delicious and easy—everything you could want for a birthday dinner.
*Walk-in only, reservations available for 8+ people*
Next on the roster:
ok so how about for my birthday next year we go to all three.. !!!
I’m sad I don’t live nearer to these fantastic places but I’m glad I’ve been to several! I love the map idea!