By Garvey Alexander
Disclosure: Brunch God NY received two complimentary tickets to the October 13 performance. The production’s PR team supplied the photography and bar-manager comments. The opinion below reflects my visit; the other stops are suggested pairings.
New York gives you plenty of reasons to stay out after dark. This season, make Stranger Things: The First Shadow the reason you build an entire day around Midtown. Start with art, leave room for a proper meal, take in the city’s seasonal sights, then trade the lights of Times Square for the darkness of Hawkins.
The night’s highlight: Stranger Things on Broadway
I attended on October 13, and this was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. I enjoyed it so much that I came away preferring the live experience to the television series. It deserves a place at the center of a New York night out.
Make an evening of it: dinner before the show, then a drink afterward to talk about what you’ve just seen.
The play returns to Hawkins in 1959, with younger versions of familiar characters and Henry Creel at the center of its origin story. Playing at the Marquis Theatre in Times Square, it’s the perfect centerpiece for a night out in Midtown.
The drinks bring Hawkins into the theatre bar
The food-and-drink story starts before you sit down. In comments supplied to Brunch God NY by the production’s PR team, Marquis Theatre bar manager Shaun Crossman explained the thinking behind the menu: For our drink menu we wanted to bring the spirit of Stranger Things to the bar.
Even the typography is part of that approach. Crossman points to Benguiat, the typeface associated with the series’ visual identity and the Stephen King and Choose Your Own Adventure books that helped inspire it. The drinks then translate characters, colors and references into familiar cocktail formats.
- Hawkins Highball: Crossman describes a Beefeater gin drink with elderflower and fruit juices, also offered as a mocktail.
- Pomegranate Daiquiri: Bacardi rum and Brain Freeze Pomegranate Slushy give this frozen drink the deep red associated with the Demogorgon. A version without rum is also offered.
- Electric Blue Margarita: Brain Freeze Blue Lemonade Slushy and Sauza Gold tequila supply an Upside Down-inspired color treatment. Crossman says it is also available without tequila.
- Maple Old Fashioned: The reference is Eleven’s love of Eggo waffles. The listed build combines a double pour of Maker’s Mark with Maple Spice Monin and Angostura bitters.
The Moscow Mule nods to the series’ Russia connections, while the Aperol Spritz supplies another link to its red opening credits. The alcohol-free Highball, Daiquiri and Margarita let more guests enjoy the theme. Ask the theatre bar for the latest menu and prices.
A full Midtown day, with room to enjoy it
This itinerary is timed for a 7 p.m. performance. Check the show calendar when booking, and adjust dinner to your curtain time. Allow extra walking time during the holiday rush.
10:30 a.m. — Begin at MoMA
Give the Museum of Modern Art, at 11 West 53rd Street, about two hours. It is a welcoming indoor start to a cold day in the city. Reserve admission and check the day’s opening hours.
12:45 p.m. — Make lunch part of the outing
The Bar Room at The Modern makes a convenient lunch stop beside the museum at 9 West 53rd Street. Stop for contemporary American cooking before heading out to Fifth Avenue. Check lunch service for your chosen day and reserve ahead.
2 p.m. — Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue
Walk south toward Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue, roughly ten to fifteen minutes from the museum. Use this stretch for architecture, shops and a leisurely look around. A timed Top of the Rock visit can replace part of the afternoon if skyline views matter more to you than shopping; it requires a separate ticket.
For Christmas visitors: Rockefeller Center lists November 7 for the tree’s arrival and December 2 for its lighting in 2026. Visit after December 2 to see it illuminated.
3:15 p.m. — Bryant Park, with a seasonal switch
Continue south to Bryant Park, around fifteen to twenty minutes on foot from Rockefeller Center. Winter Village is scheduled to open at noon on October 28. For visits from then onward, leave time to browse the holiday offerings or reserve a skating session; skating needs a longer slot and may involve separate rental or reservation costs. Before October 28, stop for coffee and a stroll through the park.
If the weather is uninviting, shorten the outdoor stops and linger over lunch.
5 p.m. — Early dinner on Restaurant Row
Joe Allen, at 326 West 46th Street, puts dinner on the same street as the Marquis. From Bryant Park, allow about twenty minutes to walk over, longer in busy conditions. Reserve an early table and tell the team your curtain time. Joe Allen is closed Mondays.
Plan to leave by about 6:10 p.m. for a 7 p.m. curtain. The theatre is a few blocks east, leaving time for a look at the bar menu before the show.
6:15 p.m. — Arrive at the Marquis
The Marquis Theatre is at 210 West 46th Street. Arrive early for entry, a themed drink and time to settle in.
7 p.m. — Let the show take over
The official FAQ lists a running time of two hours and forty-five minutes, including intermission, and a Broadway run through January 3, 2027. Expect to leave around 9:45 p.m. after a 7 p.m. start. Book through the official ticket page.
After the show — A nightcap at The Rum House
The Rum House, at 228 West 47th Street, keeps the final stop close: allow roughly five to ten minutes from the theatre. Stop for cocktails and check its music calendar for the night’s lineup. Current listed hours extend to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations are offered Wednesday through Saturday; Sunday through Tuesday is walk-in only.
Before you book
Reserve the show first, then the museum, any observation-deck or skating visit, and restaurant tables. Ticket prices vary by date and seat. Budget separately for meals, drinks, attractions and transport.
The production recommends ages 12 and up, does not admit children under five, and requires an adult companion for under-sixteens. Its content advisory includes loud effects, gunfire, explosions, smoke and haze, flashing lights and strobe, strong language, and depictions of mental health conditions. Read the official accessibility and content information before choosing seats or bringing younger guests.
For Halloween week, the draw is a full day in New York ending with a show I loved. For November and December, the same compact route gains the holiday market and, later, the illuminated Rockefeller tree. The show is the highlight, with plenty of New York to enjoy around it.
Continue exploring with Brunch God Maps and our cocktail recipes.