Every four years, the world comes together to celebrate the drama of athletic competition. Beginning Friday, February 9th, and continuing through Sunday the 25th, attention will be on South Korea for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. PyeonChang is 14 hours ahead of New York City, meaning most competitions will be watched on tape delay, rather than live. That won't diminish the excitement of seeing the world's best in action: here are our picks for the best places to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics in NYC.
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Midtown West
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse is giving select guests the chance to bite into their own Olympic gold medal with an exclusive, four-course gilded menu. Available at dinner, it's limited to five couples per night (one per Olympic ring). Highlights include the Elixir Cocktail (above), with Illegal Mescal, chartreuse, pineapple, and garnished with a gold-dusted lime; a tomato and burrata salad drizzled with golden EVOO; tableside caviar service with chilled Alaskan king crab legs and a 48-oz Maine lobster tail, served on a bed of golden ice; steak (of course!) with a gold medallion that doubles as a souvenir; a rare pour of Les Antiquaires du Cognac Hors d'Age Borderies Cognac; and three 6 oz. pours off of Del Frisco's Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list, including the cult Cabernet Screaming Eagle, Dom Perignon, and premier dessert wine Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes. More details here, $2,300/couple. 1221 Ave. of the Americas, 212-575-5129, delfriscos.com
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Times Square
Dave & Buster’s is a casual, super-fun destination for great American fare, signature drinks, and all kinds of video and interactive games—from old-time classics to today’s action-packed latest. You can catch ALL the Olympic action on Dave & Buster’s over 20 massive HDTV screens with epic stadium sound. 234 W. 42nd St., 3rd flr., 646-495-2015, daveandbusters.com
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Midtown West
New York City’s most famous landmark, the Empire State Building, houses New York’s number one brewery, the two-story, 450-seat Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie. Top-flight food accompanies a series of screens showing PyeonChang 2018 events. Heartland is known for New York’s freshest craft beers and some seriously good grub to go with them. You can also find the Olympics on screen at Heartland Brewery Midtown West, Heartland Brewery and Chophouse, and HB Burger. Other members of the extended Heartland Brewery family include Flatiron Hall in the Flatiron District and Houston Hall in Greenwich Village. At the latter (and at Heartland Brewery Midtown West), look for Heartland's guest tap program, which showcases the array of beers being crafted in New York City's five boroughs. This month's selection is Empire Brewing Co.'s White Aphrodisiac, perfect for a combination Olympics/Valentine's night out. Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie, 350 Fifth Ave., 212-563-3433, heartlandbrewery.com
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Times Square
For great food, famous memorabilia, and out-of-this-world events, there's no place like Planet Hollywood. Food is not an afterthought here. A kitchen crew of about 60 churns out the dishes offered on a voluminous menu dominated by huge portions of American comfort food with a sprinkling of Mexican, Italian, and Asian favorites mixed in. Big-screen TVs let you keep up with all the Olympic action this year. 1540 Broadway, 212-333-7827, planethollywoodintl.com
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Midtown West
The Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel will transform its roomy terrace into two lanes of street curling. Competitions, open to the public, will be held daily every day of the Olympics from the 9th through the 25th, noon to 11pm. $5 gets your team 15 minutes of action. To kick it all off, there will be an Opening Ceremony party on Friday the 9th from 6 to 10pm, with 37 TVs tuned to the Olympics, and special cocktails, bites, and a DJ spinning Korean music. 218 W. 35th St., 212-239-0014, newyorkrenaissance.com
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Midtown West
The Pennsy Food Hall is a gourmet oasis in Penn Station, with a huge range of super-fresh options. There are 14 TVs for catching all of the Olympic action inside the food hall. Outside, the adjacent Plaza33 will be a New York version of an Olympic Village (Monday, February 12 through Friday, February 16 from noon to 3pm), hosting a curling tournament and decorated with a ski lodge theme inspired by South Korea. Some of the great food specials on offer include meat master Pat LaFrieda's Korean-Style Sticky “Short Rib” Sandwich, Sabi Sushi's Korean Bipimbap “Sushi Style,” Little Beet's Gold Bowl with sweet potato mac 'n' cheese and braised pork shoulder, and Taco Dumbo's "Gold Metal Taco," served in an organic blue hard shell. 2 Pennsylvania Plaza,
917-475-1830, thepennsy.nyc
Olympics 2018 in NYC: Financial District
Keep the Olympic spirit going the day after the games conclude with a special "Pictures Under the Palms" screening of cult classic Cool Runnings at Brookfield Place. The film will show for free on Tuesday, February 27th. At 5:15pm things kick off with a DJ set by Tim Martell. (Sports-related films also screen on the 20th and the 13th.) 230 Vesey St., 212-417-7143, brookfieldplaceny.com
