Your guide to the neighborhood: what to do around the Javits Center
New York in October is one of the best versions of New York. So while you’re here for the sessions, the speakers, and the networking, we put together everything you need to make the city part of the experience too.
The Javits sits on the far west side of Manhattan, in a neighborhood that has changed dramatically in the last decade. Hudson Yards opened, the High Line extended, and what used to be a stretch of city people passed through is now home to some of the best restaurants, bars, and views the city has to offer — most of it walkable from the venue.
To make booking easy, we partnered with Ande — a platform that handles curated restaurant reservations and private event spaces, with priority access and zero coordination overhead. Every restaurant in this guide is bookable through the Ande × Elevate page.
Set it up before you arrive. The good spots fill up fast in October.
How do you get to the Javits Center?
The Javits Center (655 W 34th St) is on the far west side of Midtown. Use this Getting to Javits guide for extra details.
By subway: The 7 train stops at 34th Street–Hudson Yards, just a 5 minute walk from Javits Center.
- From Times Square: One stop westbound on the 7 train.
- From Grand Central: Take the 7 train directly to Hudson Yards.
Subway is the fastest and most reliable option during major events. Check out MTA.info to plan your trip.
On foot: The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District all the way to 34th Street, ending steps from the Javits. If you’re coming from the south, that’s the walk to take.
By rideshare: Designated rideshare drop-off and pick-up is located at 38th Street and 11th Avenue. Follow event signage and traffic personnel instructions upon arrival.
What’s right outside the Javits doors?
More than most people realize.
The High Line starts its northern end steps from the venue. Thirty minutes, views of the Hudson the whole way down, almost no one at this end. If you need to clear your head between days, this is the move.
Little Island is a floating park on the Hudson, about a 10-minute walk south. It’s one of the nicest spots in the city to sit and do nothing for 20 minutes. Go at sunset.
The Vessel and The Shed are both in Hudson Yards proper. The Vessel is the honeycomb structure everyone’s seen a photo of — worth a walk-around. The Shed is a serious arts venue; check what’s on during October 28-29.
Where should you go for happy hour near the Javits?
The best thing you can do after the last session is already having a reservation somewhere good.
We worked with Ande to put together a shortlist of the best bars within walking distance. Sky Loft & Bar Torino (0.2mi, 4.5 stars) and Spygold (0.2mi, 4.4 stars) are both under five minutes on foot — Sky Loft has a room that feels like a find; Spygold is darker and intimate with a fireplace that makes complete sense in late October. Chez Zou (0.3mi, 4.5 stars) has one of the better drink programs in the neighborhood. Social Drink & Food (0.4mi, 4.4 stars) is the reliable group option when you need somewhere that works for everyone.
For the view: Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar (0.5mi, 4.5 stars) delivers skyline and Hudson River in October light. Go early before it fills up.
Where should you eat?
Right by the venue: estiatorio Milos Hudson Yards (0.2mi, 4.4 stars) is the closest high-end option — Greek seafood, spare and elegant. Locanda Verde Hudson Yards (4.6 stars) and Ci Siamo (4.6 stars) are both excellent Italian. BONDST Hudson Yards (4.3 stars) does sushi and robata well and has one of the better omakase formats around. For a room with a view, Peak with Priceless Restaurant & Bar (4.5 stars) sits at the top of 30 Hudson Yards with floor-to-ceiling windows over the skyline. It’s a client dinner, a celebration, a moment.
The NYC classics worth making the trip for: Keens Steakhouse (0.9mi, 4.6 stars) has been on 36th Street since 1885. Order the mutton chop. Carbone (2.0mi, 4.3 stars) is the hardest reservation in the city and earns it. Don Angie (1.3mi, 4.5 stars) is one of the most creative Italian restaurants New York has right now. L’Artusi (1.6mi, 4.6 stars) never disappoints. Monkey Bar (1.5mi, 4.5 stars) is Midtown done exactly right: a classic room, a great bar, an energy that doesn’t exist anywhere else.
All of the above are bookable through Ande. Set up your reservations before you land.
“October in Hudson Yards is genuinely one of my favorite things about this conference. And eating at BONDST and Milos after the event are non-negotiable for me at this point. Book in advance because the good spots fill up.”
— Kirsten Mancini, Elevate Sponsorship Lead
Want to explore further?
You’re 20 minutes from some of the best neighborhoods in the city.
Walk the High Line south into the West Village. The path ends at Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District; from there, the West Village is a five-minute walk. The best neighborhood in New York for wandering: narrow streets, great wine bars, and restaurants ranging from hidden neighborhood spots to places that book out weeks ahead.
Spend an afternoon in Chelsea’s galleries. Walk east between 20th and 26th streets and you’re in one of the highest concentrations of contemporary art galleries in the world. Free, open Tuesday through Saturday, no reservation required.
Hit Chelsea Market for lunch. About 15 minutes south on the High Line. One of the better food halls in the city, inside a former Nabisco factory that’s worth seeing on its own.
