Union Square NYC

Flatiron, Gramercy, NoMad

It is one of the best dining areas in Manhattan, with something for every palate and budget. Gramercy is a very wealthy and residential area, with deliberately little commerce, as well as the famous Gramercy Park, where only a few elite have the elusive key.

Things to Do

Flatiron Building (175 5th Ave, 22nd/23rd) –  beautiful building and icon that has appeared in countless movie and television productions and on more postcards than perhaps any other modern building.

Flatiron District (175 5th Ave, 22nd/23rd) – Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership offers free walking tours every Sunday, 11am. Meet at the SW corner of Madison Square Park, 23rd/Bway.

Madison Square Park  (23rd to 26th St, 5th Ave and Madison) – some believe this was where baseball was born. Check out the reflecting pool, fountain, playground, and use the free outdoor Wi-Fi. Grab a snack at Shake Shack, frozen custard, shakes, Shack burgers, Chicago hot dogs, ‘shroom burgers, and more.

Union Square Park (14th to 17th St, Park Ave S )– right in the middle of the City, lots of history and statues, a new expanded 15,000-square-foot playground opened 2009, free Wi-Fi outdoors, and surrounded by hundreds of shops and restaurants. Free tours every Sat at 2pm, meet in front of Lincoln Statue along 16th Street transverse.

Union Square Greenmarket (@17th & Broadway, Union Square Park) – Regional farmers, fishermen & bakers, the seasonal bounty is unparalleled, with hundreds of varieties to choose from. Fresh fruits & vegetables, heritage meats, farmstead cheeses, artisan breads, jams, pickles, flowers, plants, wine, ciders, maple syrup & much more; tastings & cooking demos by the hottest local chefs. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 8-6. Winter Hours: December-June, 10-4

Free Walking Tour – Every Saturday at 2pm. Meet in front of the Lincoln Statue in Union Square Park’s South Plaza. More Info: Union Square Walking Tour

Recommended Restaurants

Top Ten NYC Restaurants, all three delicious “high end” American food, expensive and worth every penny.

• Union Square Café (101 E 19th St)
• Gotham Bar and Grill (12 E 12th St, University and 5th Ave)
• Gramercy Tavern (42 E 20th, Park Ave/ Bway)

Casa Mono (125 E 17th St, Irving Place)  – Tapas, a Mario Batali favorite, small intimate restaurant, reservations highly recommended. Their sister wine bar, Bar Jamon, next door is always packed as well with great service (though terrible acoustics).

Max Brenners – Imagine if the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory had a cafe in it’s lobby…try the King Of Chocolate’s Crispy Mac & Cheese and learn all about the "The Legend of the King of Chocolate"

S’MAC Sarita’s Macaroni & Cheese – All about Mac and Cheese. Casual, great for kids and students. (345 East 12th, 1st /2nd Aves)

Pete’s Tavern (129 E 18th, Irving Place) – opened in 1864, classic NYC Tavern with history, burgers and beer. Featured in dozens of TV Shows and Movies and where O. Henry wrote the Gift of The Magi .

Coffee Shop (29 Union Square W, 16th St) – Cuban/Brazilian, neighborhood favorite, great outdoor patio, excellent brunch. Kid Friendly.

Maoz Vegetarian (38 U Sq E, 16th/17th)– easy, cheap falafel, great for grab and go lunch, especially to sit in Union Sq. Park

Basta Pasta (37 W 17th, 5th/6th Aves) – one of the most “hidden” restaurants and interesting menus. Italian/Japanese combination made and presented by sushi chefs.

Additional Restaurants – Punch and Wined Up (hip wine bar), Boqueria (tapas), Rosa Mexicano,  A Voce (romantic Italian)

Shake Shack (Madison & 23rd St) – in the park, great burgers, fries and shakes

230 Fifth (230 5th Ave, 27th St)  – huge restaurant and nightclub on a rooftop with palm trees, cozy seating, heat lamps and 360 views of NYC at night.

McSwiggans Bar

393 2nd Avenue (btw 22nd and 23rd St), New York, NY 10010

McSwiggans is a no-frills Irish Pub in Gramercy Park and bordering Kips Bay, Stuy Town, and Murray Hill. Serving up cold beer and cocktails since the 1980’s McSwiggans is an homage to the classic NYC bars once replete in Gramercy Park and throughout Manhattan. Complete with jukebox, 2 dart boards, pool table, cheap drinks, and great specials McSwiggans will transport you back in time for an old-fashion good time that will bring you back for more.

More Union Square Restaurants

Shopping

Union Square – DSW Shoes, Nordstrom Rack, American Eagle, LuLuLemon, Barnes and Noble, Sephora, Paragon Sports

5th Ave b/w 15th and 23rd St  – Tons of shopping including: BCBG, Banana Republic, J. Crew, H&M, Gap, Zara, Club Monaco, Coach, Anthropologie, Kenneth Cole and much more.

Harry Potter Wizarding World – Opening Summer 2020. Warner Bros. announced it will open the first official Harry Potter flagship store next to the Flatiron building at 935 Broadway. The store will house the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products in the world under one roof

Union Square, NoMad Hotels

Pestana Park Avenue

The new Pestana Park Avenue, owned by a Portuguese hotel group with over 100 other hotels worldwide, the Pestana is a 28 story new build hotel in Murray Hill, with décor intended to recreate a Portuguese home.  There are only 3-4 rooms per floor, large windows and select rooms offer balconies with Empire State Building views. Reservations being accepted starting Feb 1, 2020.

• 23 East 39th Street, Murray Hill

W Hotel Union Square NYC

• Discount Rates: W Hotel Union Square
• The Living Room (Lobby Bar and Lounge) – always packed with all walks of life

Opulent. Bohemian. And everywhere in between. Bridging the gap between old and new, New York’s famous landmark Guardian Life Building has undergone renovations and reemerged as the stylish W New York – Union Square. The 1911 Guardian Life building – designed in the Beaux-Arts style – is a magnificent granite and limestone structure with all the exquisite details inherent in traditional European architecture.

See Also: New York City Boutique Hotels

Gramercy Park Hotel

• Favorites: Rooftop Indoor Garden and Lobby Rose Bar
• Discount Rates: Gramercy Park Hotel
• See Also:New York City Luxury Hotels

With over 140 rooms and 40 suites, the Gramercy Park Hotel offers both luxurious accommodations & fine dining on historic Gramercy Park. Steps from Union Square, the hotel boasts the Medieval Rose Bar (local business favorite), exclusive only to guests who have booked a table with the concierge. The rooftop garden, open year-round, provides spectacular city views.

Hyatt Union Square New York

The Hyatt Union Square, only a few years new and in my neighborhood – so you know it’s a great location. With their free bicycles, cool lobby bar and (coming soon) rooftop deck and bar, you can’t go wrong at the Hyatt.

• Discount Rates: Hyatt Union Square
• 134 Fourth Ave (@13th Street), New York City, NY 10003
• More: Hotels with Free Bicycles
  

While you most certainly won’t want to bike in Union Square, the easiest path is to take Broadway 4 blocks south (in the bike lane), make a right on 9th Street, and follow it west all the way to the Hudson River. From there, the city is at your feet and you can bike South for views of the World Trade Center and Statue of Liberty, plus great places to eat along the way. Bike north and grab yourself a lunch at the Boat Basin Cafe or head into Central Park and explore 843 acres of lush greenery.

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• Discount Rates: Royalton Park Avenue

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Freehand Hotel Flatiron

• Discount Rates: Freehand Hotel Flatiron NYC
• 23 Lexington Ave (@23rd Street)

Freehand Hotel, opened December 2017, offers 358 rooms ranging from suites to bunk beds, starting at $199, including one room type specifically geared toward three people. Dining includes the ground-floor restaurant, Simon & the Whale, and the rooftop cocktail bar, Broken Shaker. Reviewers say, “Cool vibes that felt almost mediterranean and nautical.” and “As a very frequent traveler, I would 100% recommend this hotel.”

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MADE Hotel

• Discount Rates: MADE Hotel
• 29th & Broadway (Near Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, short walk to the Highline)

MADE Hotel – new in 2017, MADE describes themselves as a "boutique hotel with a global soul". Rooms with Frette linens and towels, floor to ceiling windows mostly with great views, and all the little luxuries you may want during your stay away from home. MADE offers some amazing new spaces including the new communal coffee shop ‘Paper’, the intimate lobby bar and the newest rooftop bar, "Good Behavior," along with a second floor patio open only to hotel guests.

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The NoMad Hotel

• Discount Rates: The NoMad Hotel NYC
• 1170 Broadway & 28th St (Near Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, short walk to the Highline)

A Parisian-themed, renassiance inspired hotel in a restored Beaux-Arts building, The NoMad offers 168 rooms designed with a residential feel and decorated in classic, timeless style. The NoMad offers all the high end amenities you’d expect for a classic European hotel, along with beautiful views and some claw-foot tubs. They even have a bar dedicated only for hotel guests.

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The Paul Hotel

The Paul Hotel, with 122 rooms, features a sun terrace, rooftop patio, fitness center and on-site restaurant. Room selection varies from the ultimate King Terrace suite with views of the Empire State Building, to budget-friendly bunk bed rooms. They offer lots of specials for the Javits Center, Metroplitan Pavillion and even people named Paul or Paula! Centrally located off Broadway just North of Madison Square Park, The Paul is in the middle of everything great and exciting about Manhattan.

• Discount Rates: Paul Hotel
• 32 W 29th St, New York, 10001

Studios Midtown Manhattan

Studios Midtown Manhattan, located in NoMad, right on the edge of Koreatown and Midtown West, is a super affordable vacation rental option, with rave reviews online. If you are willing to bunk up, or share a room with 4-6 people, then you can’t beat the value offered at these studios.

• Discount Rates: Studios Midtown Manhattan
• 38 West 31st Street, NoMad, More: NYC Vacation Rentals

The Roger Hotel

• Discount Rates: The Roger Hotel
• 131 Madison Avenue (@31st Street)

The Roger is a classic NYC hotel located right on the edge of Murray Hill, Gramercy and Flatiron. A NYC friend used it recently for her out of town guests coming for a large family event – so it is New Yorker approved! They taut themselves as "Old World comfort meets with stylish NYC sophistication." Guests describe their stays as “exceptional,” “very clean,” and “lovely boutique feel mixed with a level of hipster.”

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The James New York NoMad

Opened in June 2017, James New York NoMad (formerly the Carlton Hotel) is a 344-room luxury boutique hotel with complimentary WiFi, luxury amenties, and – rumor has it – a free wine happy hour. Soon to open, the hot restaurant, Scarpetta, relocating from the Meatpacking District.

• Discount Rates: James New York NoMad
• 22 E 29th Street (@ Madison Avenue)
• Sister property: The James SoHo

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The New York EDITION

The New York EDITION – "The vibe of the hotel seemed romantic – the lights were low and all of the included amenities (soap, shampoo, lotion) included a custom Edition scent that was deep and slightly musky." and "If you want a low key, romantic, sophisticated hotel this is it."

• Discount Rates: The New York EDITION
• 5 Madison Avenue @ 24th Street
• Sister Hotel: Times Square EDITION

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Ace Hotel

• Discount Rates: Ace Hotel
• 20 W 29th, 5th Ave/Bway

Boutique, hip, trendy and a definite NYC destination spot. Locals visit often for The Breslin (restaurant), John Dory Oyster Bar, Stumptown Coffee Roasters and live music in the hotel lobby. If you can’t tell they are a super hipster hotel smack in the heart of Manhattan, perhaps their own description as a “hotbed of startups, freelancers and people who just want to kick it,” or the fact they offer bunk beds, mini rooms and loft style rooms will convince you.

Sister Hotel: Sister City, Bowery

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Discount Rates: Seafarers & International House

See More: Discount NYC Hotels

The Evelyn (formerly The Gershwin)

• Discount Rates: The Evelyn
• 7 E 27th Street, New York City, NY 10016

More Union Square, Gramercy, Murray Hill Hotels

• Innside New York Nomad – 132 West 27th Street
• Inn at Irving Place
• Hotel 17 (super cheap!) 225 East 17th Street, New York City, NY 10003 – Extended Stay Only, Over 30 days minimum. Shared Baths.
• The MAve  62 Madison Ave (27th Street), NY, NY 10016, from $159

Subways

• N/R/Q/W (Broadway Line)
• 4/5/6 (Park Ave S/ Lexington Line) to Union Square
• General Address: 4 Irving Place, NY, NY 10003

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