Discover New York’s Dining and Nightlife with The Scene App

Navigating New York City's extensive dining and nightlife options can be daunting. With nearly 25,000 restaurants to choose from, the decision-making process becomes even more challenging when planning a special outing. A new app, The Scene, has been launched to simplify this experience.

Exclusively available on iOS, The Scene acts as a “pocket concierge service,” utilizing machine learning to recommend dining, drinking, and dancing spots in NYC. It tailors its suggestions based on the type of event (dinner, brunch, drinks, etc.), the occasion (date, birthday, anniversary), cuisine preferences, party size, budget, date, time, and neighborhood.

Key Features

A unique feature of The Scene is its “Vibe” setting, which allows users to find specific types of venues such as “Instagrammable” clubs, rooftop restaurants, or bars with live music, enabling them to select their desired atmosphere.

The app provides detailed listings that include descriptions, reservation times, hours of operation, links to menus or websites, and more. Integrated with Instagram and Google, The Scene also offers reviews and additional information to help users make informed decisions.

Background and Expansion Plans

Initially launched as a web platform in 2021, The Scene has amassed around 12,800 users. Its founder, Ridhima Kalani, previously worked as a personal concierge across India, Singapore, Dubai, and London. Upon moving to NYC, she identified a significant gap in the social planning market.

Kalani aims to democratize the demand for NYC restaurants and eliminate the uncertainty of trying new places by matching users with venues that align with their specific preferences. The app currently features 550 spots across Manhattan and Brooklyn, including well-known locations like Hearsay, Little Sister, Le Bain, Somewhere Nowhere, and Jack’s Wife Freda, as well as hidden gems like Arte Cafe, Mémé, and Pastai. An additional 100 restaurants in Queens are also featured.

The Scene plans to expand to 22 more cities over the next five years. Kalani emphasizes that The Scene stands out from competitors like Bucket Listers, Secret NYC, OpenTable, and Resy due to its hyper-personalization and broader selection that includes nightlife recommendations.

Future Developments

The app is gradually introducing AI-powered features, including a recommendation search engine that understands natural language queries, and an AI concierge chatbot that provides a personalized conversational experience. To support these developments, Kalani recently hired Arneesh Aima as Chief Technology Officer and Anagha Jayaprakah as an iOS Developer.

Currently bootstrapped, The Scene is seeking funding to further enhance its capabilities.