Legendary New York City Bars and Restaurants Online Trivia | World

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1. Opened in 1964, this Upper East Side bar and Italian restaurant was known for a long time as a hangout for writers and celebrities. On any given night, you could find the bar's owner and namesake mingling with the patrons. There was even a book written about the place that was published in 1994.

Answer: Elaine's

In 2004, A.E. Hotchner published a book called "Everyone Comes to Elaine's" that was filled with tales of Elaine and her celebrity patrons. Regulars have included Michael Caine, Woody Allen, Candace Bushnell, Tom Wolfe, George Plimpton, Lewis Lapham, Gay Talese and Norman Mailer. Here is a quote from the book: "What Rick's place was to Casablanca, Elaine's is to New York."

2. Which Upper East Side ice cream parlor was the favorite sweet shop of Andy Warhol and even had a movie named after it?

Answer: Serendipity 3

Serendipity 3's signature dish has been the oxymoronic "frozen hot chocolate" and the recipe has remained a closely guarded secret.

The romantic comedy "Serendipity" (2001), starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsdale, had a scene that took place here.

On the final episode of the 2008 American television reality show "Paris Hilton's My New BFF", Paris takes finalist Brittany to Serendipity, where they share a $1000 sundae garnished with edible gold leaf!

3. In which Little Italy restaurant was mobster Joseph "Crazy Joey" Gallo gunned down?

Answer: Umberto's Clam House

Umberto's Clam House was opened in 1972 on Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood by Umberto (Robert) Ianniello, and quickly became a favorite of sports figures, actors, entertainers and politicians.

Umberto's made the papers soon after it opened because of a mob hit that occurred there. On April 7, 1972, Gallo was celebrating his 43rd birthday with his family at the restaurant, when three gunmen ran in and started shooting. Gallo managed to stumble out of the restaurant into the street, but the gunmen escaped.

The restaurant since moved its location to nearby Broome Street.

4. This Chinese restaurant has been credited with inventing the soup dumpling. Their original location was in Flushing, and they also opened two other restaurants in Chinatown and Upper Manhattan.

Answer: Joe's Shanghai

The first Joe's Shanghai was founded in Flushing, Queens in 1995. Soon afterward, their special soup dumplings became a New York favorite. A soup dumpling is a dumpling that is filled with broth, which is released in your mouth when you take the first bite. Yum!

The dumplings inspired Cartoonist Robert Zimmerman to draw a comic strip called "Soup Dumplings: A Survival Course", depicting how to eat the dumplings without burning your mouth.

5. Every New Yorker, frequent tourist, and "Seinfeld" fan can tell you that the name "Ray's" is practically synonymous with pizza. There are numerous pizzerias in New York City that have some variation of the name "Ray's". Which name below has NEVER been the name of a New York Pizza place?

Answer: Ray-Ban Pizza

The whole craze of naming pizzerias "Ray's Pizza" has been going on in New York since the 1980s. There have been Ray's Pizza, The Famous Ray's Pizza (which changed its name to The Famous Ray's of Greenwich Village), Famous Original Ray's Pizza, a chain of Ray-Bari's Pizza, and there was even a Not Ray's Pizza in Fort Greene, Brooklyn!

Depending on which source you believe, at least three of them claim to be the REAL original Ray's Pizza. But there is no restaurant in New York City called "Ray-Ban" Pizza: that is a brand of sunglasses.

6. Famed chef and TV star Anthony Bourdain was Executive Chef at this French restaurant and brasserie. It has two Manhattan locations: one in the downtown financial district and the other in the Murray Hill/Gramercy Park area.

Answer: Les Halles

Les Halles is owned by Philippe Lajaunie, who co-wrote the "Brasserie Les Halles Cookbook" with Anthony Bourdain.

Bourdain told the story of his career as a chef (complete with tantalizing restaurant insider tales) in his book, "Kitchen Confidential" (2000). He also hosted a TV show called "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel (U.S.).

The downtown location of Les Halles has hosted the annual waiter races (a French tradition) every year on Bastille Day (July 14).

Besides the two Manhattan locations, there are also Les Halles restaurants in Miami and Washington DC.

7. Conveniently located on West 57th Street near Carnegie Hall, this famous restaurant has been synonymous with Old World luxury. Founded by members of the Russian Ballet Company in 1927, it became a favorite of actors, the very wealthy, and the intellectual elite. It closed down twice, but reopened under new ownership.

Answer: The Russian Tea Room

Scenes from the movies "Manhattan", "Tootsie" and "The Turning Point" were filmed there, and Madonna reportedly worked in the coat-check area in 1979.

The restaurant closed suddenly in 1996, reopened in 2000, closed again in 2002, and reopened in 2006.

8. This Gramercy Park bar and Italian restaurant has claimed to be the oldest continuously operating bar/restaurant in the city. O Henry was a regular customer and was said to have written "The Gift of the Magi" at the front table.

Answer: Pete's Tavern

Located on the corner of East 18th Street and Irving Place near Gramercy Park, Pete's Tavern was opened in 1864 and even operated throughout the Prohibition, disguised as a flower shop.

9. Established in 1854, this East Village Irish bar has claimed to be the city's oldest continuously operating saloon, and with their own brand of beer, to boot! Past patrons included John Lennon, Abraham Lincoln, and Woody Guthrie. Interestingly enough, they did not allow women customers for over a century.

Answer: McSorley's Old Ale House

Located on East 7th Street between Second and Third Avenues, McSorley's brewed their own beer (even during Prohibition), but the brand was later absorbed by larger breweries, most recently by Pabst Brewing Company.

It was not until 1970 that McSorley's allowed women patrons to enter the bar after a famous court case. After that, both men and women could share in the classic Irish bar experience, complete with sawdust on the floor, feisty bartenders, and McSorley's ale and lager on tap.

10. This Lower East Side delicatessen was opened 1888, serving classic Jewish specialties like knishes, matzoh ball soup, and pastrami sandwiches. Movie fans also know that this is where the famous "fake orgasm" scene from "When Harry Met Sally" took place.

Answer: Katz's Deli

Katz's has been called "New York's Oldest and Best Deli" for good reason. Their classic slogan has been "Send a salami to your boy in the army."

It was at one of the smaller tables in Katz's where Sally faked her orgasm while having lunch with Harry. By the way, remember the old lady who said, "I'll have what she's having"? That was director Rob Reiner's mother!

Source: Author Amanda77586

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nannanut before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Legendary New York City Bars and Restaurants Quiz

These restaurants and bars have become New York institutions, referenced in newspapers, books, and movies. Their names should be familiar to both New Yorkers and tourists.

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