The Smith
American restaurant · Midtown West
1150 Broadway, New York, NY 10010
![The Smith by The Smith [Official]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68512114/IMG_7728.0.jpg "The Smith by The Smith [Official]")
Highlights
Steak Caesar salad, comfort food, lively & trendy space
Steak Caesar salad, comfort food, lively & trendy space
"How similar is it to TGI Fridays? It's sort of like a Nike/Adidas situation. We weren’t present for the ideation sessions, but we’re pretty sure the pitch for The Smith went like this: TGI Fridays plus subway tile. The New York-based chain is a perfect storm of early 2000s restaurant aesthetics and decent enough food that could be interpreted as American. You shouldn’t eat here on purpose, but it’s an option in a pinch." - bryan kim
"The Smith is perfect for when you aren’t sure if you want bibimbap, a burger, or some ricotta gnocchi, and it’s currently delivering wine, beer, and cocktails, in addition to its extensive menu. Place your order online." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, bryan kim, arden shore, matt tervooren
"From lunch with an ex-colleague who has strong opinions about east versus west coast oysters, to dinner with three friends who all have wildly different ideas about what the word “casual” means, The Smith is always there when you need it. This American spot’s East Village location has a bunch of patio seating, which you can reserve through their website, for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch." - hannah albertine, matt tervooren
"You might think of yourself as too cool for The Smith (and you might be), but that doesn’t change the fact that you could probably bring Kristen Stewart here and even she might enjoy herself. Sure, the food isn’t going to blow your mind - but it is going to be perfect for your aunt in town from a place where arugula seems exotic, or that high school friend reunion with people you haven’t seen in eight years, or even a first date with someone you met on the Internet 12 hours ago. Think of The Smith as your blank slate - it’s never going to offend anyone, and it’ll be more than okay with just about everyone." - katherine lewin
"The Smith isn’t even a friend zone. It’s neutral ground. It’s whatever you want it to be. There’s not much going on at the Smith that’ll stimulate good conversation, let alone any of the other senses, really. (If, after bringing someone here, you still haven’t convinced them that perhaps you aren’t so interesting after all, it’s worse than you thought.) Grab a drink at whichever Smith location you’re around when you need to ensure that you make no new memories that your acquaintance can look back on as the moment they knew you were the one." - neha talreja
