Sei Less
Midtown-Times Square, New York City
Restaurant in New York City, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Book Sei Less when Midtown convenience matters more than a destination-level dining agenda. It is an easy-table option near the Times Square and Garment District corridor, better for flexible group meals, late plans, and practical takeout than for diners chasing awards, chef pedigree, or a tightly documented tasting format.
About Sei Less
Is Sei Less worth considering in New York City? Yes, if your priority is late-evening flexibility. With late-running hours and a smart casual dress code, it works best as a convenience-first New York City option rather than a venue to choose for a high-stakes culinary agenda.
Use it for flexible New York City plans, not a high-stakes tasting-menu night
The strongest case here is logistics. Sei Less is open Monday through Thursday from 12 PM to 12 AM, Friday from 12 PM to 1 AM, Saturday from 3 PM to 1 AM, and Sunday from 3 PM to 12 AM. Those hours make it useful when timing matters, especially for diners who need an option that remains open later than a standard early-evening meal.
For questions about menu format, service style, bar seating, takeout, delivery, pricing, or specific dishes, plan conservatively. Confirm current availability and any dining preferences directly with the venue before making it the anchor of an important meal.
The right diner is choosing timing and ease over discovery
First-timers should go in with the right expectations: prioritize practical details over assumptions about awards, chef pedigree, or a tasting-menu format. The key practical details are the New York City setting, the late-running hours, and a smart casual dress code.
Diners can consider it if the schedule works, but the main reason to choose Sei Less is timing rather than a specific culinary promise. If comparing plans with other New York City options such as Mr. Broadway, Lazzara's Pizza Cafe, Arno, Tagine, or Empanada Mama Times Square (40th St), use hours and current availability as the deciding factors.
Planning details
- Location
- 156 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- seiless.com
- Phone
- +12125862675
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Sei Less sits in Midtown West and balances corporate energy with focused culinary ambition. The piece stresses menu architecture and a tightly sectioned offer, signaling a contemporary, confident room that caters to professionals and theatergoers alike. Located a short walk from Bryant Park in the Garment District, the restaurant operates in a high-volume dining corridor where clarity of purpose matters; the kitchen calibrates its menu precisely to that demand. The result is a polished, modern dining atmosphere that feels refined without excess, driven by a clear editorial point of view and time-aware service.
Best For
Sei Less is particularly well suited to professional lunches, business dinners, and pre-theater meals. The description explicitly cites "professional lunches" and "pre-theater dinners" and highlights the restaurant’s role in corporate entertaining, which makes it a natural fit for client meals, team outings, and organized after-work gatherings. Its Midtown address—close to Bryant Park—also makes it convenient for theatergoers and busy diners who want a composed, efficient meal before a show. Small groups and booked private events are a core part of the room’s purpose.
Ordering Tips
Pay attention to the menu’s structure: the write-up frames the offer as tightly sectioned and intentional, so pick a focused set of dishes rather than trying to sample everything. The signature La La Lo Mein is called out among the offerings and is a useful starting point to understand the kitchen’s point of view. If you’re dining before a performance or on a workbreak, clearly communicate timing needs to the staff—service here is tuned to time-conscious guests. For corporate or private gatherings, ask about the restaurant’s private-dining arrangements to ensure a smooth experience.
Venue details
Ambiance
Dark paneling, leather banquettes, mysterious ambiance with a long second-floor bar, no-rush atmosphere with dim lighting creating an intimate, sophisticated speakeasy vibe.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
La La Lo Mein
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 156 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Where to Go If You Cannot Book
Try Empanada Mama Times Square (40th St) for a lower-pressure, value-minded Times Square meal. For a casual group that wants something simple and central, Lazzara's Pizza Cafe is the cleaner fallback.
Restaurant context
How Sei Less Compares in Midtown
Choose Sei Less when ease is the deciding factor. Against Arno, it reads as the more flexible Midtown play, while Arno is the better cross-shop if the group wants a more defined restaurant feel and a less nightlife-leaning meal. For diners who care mainly about value and quick satisfaction near Times Square, Empanada Mama Times Square (40th St) is the safer fallback.
Tagine is the better choice for a more specific cuisine-driven plan, especially when the meal itself is the point of the night. Mr. Broadway is a stronger practical pick for groups that want a casual, familiar setup without leaning into a lounge-like Midtown mood.
If the group wants low-pressure comfort food, Lazzara's Pizza Cafe is easier to justify for value and simplicity. Sei Less makes more sense when the plan needs later timing, a central address, and a room that can handle a social meal rather than a quick slice or casual sit-down.
Explore New York City
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Sei Less guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Sei Less
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Sei Less | New York City | No published awards |
| Arno | New York City | No published awards |
| Empanada Mama Times Square (40th St) | New York City | No published awards |
| Tagine | New York City | No published awards |
| Mr. Broadway | New York City | No published awards |
| Lazzara's Pizza Cafe | New York City | No published awards |
How Sei Less New York City compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat at the bar at Sei Less?
Confirm bar seating directly with the venue before planning around it. Sei Less is in New York City, follows a smart casual dress code, and has late-running hours through the week.
What should a first-timer know about Sei Less?
Treat Sei Less as a convenience-first New York City choice rather than a venue defined by awards, chef pedigree, or a tasting-menu format. It is open Monday through Thursday from 12 PM to 12 AM, Friday from 12 PM to 1 AM, Saturday from 3 PM to 1 AM, and Sunday from 3 PM to 12 AM.
Is Sei Less good for solo dining?
Solo diners should confirm current seating options directly with the venue, especially if they need a particular setup. The key practical details are the New York City location, smart casual dress code, and weekly hours.
What is Sei Less known for?
Sei Less is best described by its New York City location, smart casual dress code, and late-running weekly hours.
