One of the many great things I love about living in New York City is having a plethora of restaurants to choose from. You name the type of food and you’ll be able to find it. Finding entertainment to go along with your meal, well, that’s more challenging. For fans of country music or for those that want a great meal and a great time, Opry City Stage has arrived in Times Square to meet those needs.
I lived in Oklahoma until I was 16 and then moved to Ohio. I did not reach NYC until I was in my mid-twenties. Country music dominated the radio in my house. If you were to walk in my home in the 80s and early 90s, you would have heard George Strait, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, or Conway Twitty playing throughout the house. There are few country music stations in New York, so I either listen to country music online or on one of our family vacations. I’m thankful Opry City Stage has brought a little twang back into my life.
In need of a different and fun date night, my wife and I looked back into our country roots for inspiration and visited Opry for Two-Step Tuesdays. On Tuesdays, a dance teacher, (Elizabeth Mooney from Country Fusion) offers her expert two-stepping instructions in between sets. Once the lesson is complete, customers can either stay on the dance floor, or go back to their tables. My wife and I did both. After our meal was over, we stepped out onto the dance floor for lessons.
An experience at Opry City Stage that stands out is the wait staff allowed us the time to enjoy our date night without pressure to leave. Most New York restaurants want to turn your table, which means they get you in and out quickly while maximizing how much you spend in as little time as possible. They want that table empty to get in another customer. Not the case at Opry City Stage. If you have been to the South, you would notice that things are a little more relaxed. Traffic is a little slower and when eating out, you can take all the time you need. Opry shares that mentality. Our table was waiting for us with each return whether or not we ordered new drinks. There was no pressure to leave, which made the night so much better.
With all the talk about how much fun we had, I can’t forget to mention the great food. Wanting to taste everything on the menu full of comfort food, my wife and I split Brisket “Burnt Ends” and Chicken and Waffles. Patrons will be thrilled with the food alone when visiting. Opry is also open for breakfast and lunch.
We left Opry City Stage with our bellies full and smiles on our faces. Living in NYC, to find dinner and entertainment, a loan needs to be taken out to cover expenses. At Opry City Stage, one can have both without breaking the bank. It is nice to have a new place to bring people when they come to visit us in NYC. Also nice to have a new date night spot.
There’s always something going on at Opry City Stage. Click here for a list of shows and events.
Opry City Stage is located at 1604 Broadway near the 49th st. subway stop.
Hours: 8am to 12am
*Disclaimer: Opry City Stage hosted my wife and I for dinner. The words and experience are my own.
Interesting! Nashville in NYC. Hope they do well.