Times Square is, by almost every culinary measure, one of the worst places to eat in New York City. This is not an exaggeration or local snobbery — it is a structural reality. The restaurants that cluster within two or three blocks of the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue exist primarily to capture foot traffic from people who don’t know where else to go. The menus are designed for maximal familiarity, the prices reflect captive-audience economics, and the food is calibrated to offend no one — which means it is frequently mediocre in a way that offends everyone with taste.
The good news is that the solution is a 10-minute walk. Specifically, a 10-minute walk west — toward 9th and 10th Avenues, into the neighborhood known as Hell’s Kitchen, where the restaurant-to-tourist ratio inverts and the food gets dramatically better.
The Geography of Midtown West Dining
Midtown West runs roughly between 34th and 57th Streets, west of 7th Avenue. The transition happens around 9th Avenue — particularly between 46th and 52nd Streets — where independent restaurants that have been serving the neighborhood for years line both sides of the street: Thai, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and more.
For visitors staying near Times Square, the distance from your hotel to 9th Avenue is rarely more than 10 to 15 minutes on foot. For the difference in food quality and price, that walk pays for itself immediately.
Why Hell’s Kitchen for Thai Food?
Of all the cuisines available in Hell’s Kitchen, Thai stands out as particularly well-suited to the neighborhood’s dining culture. The cuisine rewards kitchens that actually cook rather than assemble — and Hell’s Kitchen has room for kitchens that take their cooking seriously.
Elephant Ear Best at 690 9th Avenue is the clearest example. It serves food recognizable to anyone who has eaten well in Bangkok or Chiang Mai — not because it is trying to be exotic, but because it is trying to be correct. The Tom Yum is built from fresh lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. The crispy chicken achieves the proper texture. The duck tamarind is slow-cooked to a richness that requires time and attention the Times Square end of Midtown cannot accommodate.
It also happens to be priced like a restaurant that operates on quality and reputation rather than foot traffic. Dishes range from $17 for the Mango Avocado Papaya Salad to $30 for the Duck Tamarind.
Thai restaurant Manhattan
The Times Square Premium: What You’re Paying For (and What You’re Not Getting)
Restaurants near Times Square pay among the highest commercial rents in Manhattan. Those rents are passed directly to customers through higher prices and smaller portions. The incentive structure does not favor culinary ambition: a restaurant in this location makes money by turning tables quickly and charging a premium for the real estate experience. The food is secondary.
Chain restaurants dominate because chains have the scale to absorb the rents and the brand recognition to guarantee foot traffic without relying on word-of-mouth. Independent restaurants that do open near Times Square often optimize for throughput — high-volume items prepared quickly for customers who won’t return.
None of this produces good food. It produces consistent, adequate, overpriced food.
A Practical Guide to Eating Well Near Times Square
Walk west, not east or south. East takes you toward Bryant Park and the Garment District. South takes you toward Penn Station, where dining deteriorates further. West — toward 9th and 10th Avenues — is where the neighborhood gets interesting.
Look for restaurants without photos on the menu. Restaurants that need photographs of their food are relying on visual familiarity to overcome doubts about quality. Independently owned neighborhood restaurants, where regulars already know what to order, don’t need the photos.
Eat when locals eat. In Hell’s Kitchen, lunch runs from noon to 2:00pm and dinner from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. Arriving before or after these peaks gives you better service and often better food.
Reserve for dinner on weekends. The good restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen fill up on Friday and Saturday evenings. Booking ahead is worth the 30-second phone call.
Elephant Ear Best: The Practical Details
Getting there from Times Square: From 47th Street and Broadway, walk west on 47th Street. Cross 8th Avenue, continue to 9th Avenue, and turn left (south). The restaurant is at 690 9th Avenue, between 46th and 47th Streets. Total walk: approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
By subway: A, C, and E trains to 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal — five minutes from the restaurant. The 1 train stops at 50th Street and Broadway.
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11:30am to 11:00pm. Open late enough for post-show dining after most Broadway curtain calls.
What to order for a first visit: Tom Yum With Mix Seafood Spicy ($23), Stir Fried Crispy Chicken With Lemon Grass ($26) or Pineapple Fried Rice ($18–22). For a group of four or more, add the Duck Tamarind ($30).
Reservations: Call 646-478-8661 or book online. For weekend evenings, booking 24 to 48 hours ahead is recommended.
Beyond Elephant Ear Best: Other Reasons to Be in Hell’s Kitchen
Restaurant Row on 46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues has been a dining institution for decades. The stretch of 9th Avenue between 46th and 57th Streets offers an unusual diversity of independent restaurants in close proximity. In warmer months, outdoor dining at nearby Hudson River piers is feasible.
A dinner at Elephant Ear Best can easily be the anchor of a broader evening in a neighborhood that rewards wandering.
The Bottom Line
Times Square dining is a trap that costs you money and disappoints you with food. The escape is simple: walk 10 minutes west to Hell’s Kitchen, sit down at a restaurant that competes on quality rather than location, and eat something that justifies the price on the menu.
For Thai food specifically, Elephant Ear Best at 690 9th Avenue is the clear choice in this part of Manhattan. The food is authentic, the kitchen takes the cuisine seriously, and the prices are fair for what’s on the plate.
Reserve a Table at Elephant Ear Best | View the Menu | Order Online for Pickup
Elephant Ear Best Thai Restaurant | 690 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036 | 646-478-8661 | Open Daily 11:30am – 11:00pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I eat near Times Square to avoid tourist traps? Walk west to Hell’s Kitchen. Elephant Ear Best at 690 9th Avenue is about 10 to 12 minutes on foot from Times Square — authentic Thai food at fair prices, far from the tourist premium zone.
How far is Hell’s Kitchen from Times Square? Hell’s Kitchen begins at roughly 8th Avenue — a 5 to 7 minute walk west. Restaurants along 9th Avenue, including Elephant Ear Best, are 10 to 12 minutes from the heart of Times Square.
Is there good authentic Thai food near Times Square? Yes. Elephant Ear Best at 690 9th Avenue serves authentic Tom Yum, crispy lemongrass chicken, duck tamarind, and pineapple fried rice — all made with fresh aromatics at prices significantly more reasonable than the Times Square corridor.
What subway lines go to Elephant Ear Best from Times Square? Take the A, C, or E to 42nd Street–Port Authority — a 5-minute walk to the restaurant. Or walk the 10 to 12 minutes directly from Times Square.
Why is food near Times Square so expensive and often disappointing? Among the highest commercial rents in Manhattan — costs passed directly to customers through higher prices and a focus on volume over quality. Moving west to Hell’s Kitchen changes both the economics and the food.
Can I eat at Elephant Ear Best after a Times Square show? Yes. Open until 11:00pm every day. Most shows end by 10:30pm or earlier, making the restaurant a comfortable post-show dinner option with the full menu available until closing.