Not everything famous in New York is worth your time or money. Some of it is genuinely excellent. Some of it exists purely because tourists don't know better.
Here's the list — the traps to avoid, and what to do instead.
Times Square Restaurants
Times Square itself is worth 30 minutes of your time. The energy is real and the density of lights and screens is genuinely impressive. But eating there is a mistake.
Restaurants in and around Times Square charge 40–80% more for food that's been optimised for throughput, not quality. The Olive Garden in Times Square is not a joke — it exists and is packed with tourists who don't know there are 10,000 better options within walking distance.
What to do instead: Walk 10 minutes east to 9th Avenue (Hell's Kitchen), which has some of the best neighbourhood restaurants in Manhattan at normal prices.
Empire State Building Over Top of the Rock
The Empire State Building observation deck is an icon. It's also consistently crowded, requires timed tickets ($44+), and gives you views that don't include the Empire State Building itself — because you're standing on it.
What to do instead: Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center ($40) has the same general altitude, usually shorter waits, and views that include the Empire State Building perfectly framed against Central Park. Nearly everyone who's done both recommends Top of the Rock.
The Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours
These cost $55–$80 and take you slowly through traffic past the same things you could see by walking or taking the subway for $2.90.
They make sense for cities where you can't easily navigate on your own. New York's subway is one of the easiest systems in the world to use, covers every major attraction, and runs 24/7.
What to do instead: Buy an unlimited 7-day MetroCard for $34. Walk the High Line, cross the Brooklyn Bridge, take the free Staten Island Ferry. You'll see more, spend less, and actually be in New York rather than watching it through a bus window.
Overpriced "Gourmet" Food Halls
Hudson Yards has a food hall that looks incredible on Instagram and costs $25–$40 for what is essentially a very expensive version of casual food. Grand Central Market is better but still tourist-inflated.
What to do instead: Smorgasburg in Brooklyn (weekends, free entry) has the most creative food vendors in the city at $12–$18 per dish. The food at Smorgasburg is genuinely better than most of what you'll find in the fancy food halls.
Paying Full Price for Broadway
Broadway tickets at face value are $120–$250+. The same shows are available same-day at the TKTS booth in Times Square (or online at tdf.org) for 20–50% off.
Shows that regularly appear at TKTS include major current productions. You often can't get the absolute hottest show of the moment discounted, but for 95% of productions, discounts are consistently available.
The TKTS tip
The TKTS booth in Times Square opens at 3pm for evening shows. Get there by 2:30pm and you'll typically find good options. The app shows what's available before you arrive.
FAQ
Yes — for about 30 minutes. Walk through it, experience the spectacle, take your photo, and then leave for somewhere better. It's genuinely impressive as a visual experience. It's genuinely mediocre as a place to eat, drink, or spend extended time.
Yes. Top of the Rock ($40) is worth it. The Met Museum on a pay-what-you-wish basis is one of the world's great museum experiences. A really good Broadway show at full price is worth the expense — Broadway is extraordinary. The issue is specifically the overpriced mediocre experiences that take advantage of tourist unfamiliarity.
Brooklyn Bridge walk (free), The High Line (free), Central Park (free), Staten Island Ferry (free), one great neighbourhood meal (cheap), the Met Museum (pay what you can), one Broadway show (TKTS discount), and a slice of real New York pizza from a proper slice shop. That's the essential NYC experience and most of it costs almost nothing.