Choosing where to dine in New York City’s labyrinth of nearly 25,000 restaurants can be a daunting task, especially when you’re aiming to impress a date, entertain visiting relatives, or seal a business deal. Enter "The Scene," a new app designed to take the guesswork out of this process.
Launched recently, The Scene is an iOS-exclusive app that serves as a sophisticated “pocket concierge,” leveraging machine learning to tailor dining, drinking, and nightlife recommendations based on user preferences. Whether you're planning a romantic dinner, a lively brunch, or a celebratory night out, The Scene filters options through various criteria like event type, occasion, cuisine, party size, budget, date, time, and neighborhood.
One of the app’s standout features is its “Vibe” setting, which allows users to select specific atmospheres, such as “Instagrammable” venues, rooftop spots, or bars with vibrant music scenes. This helps users find the perfect match for their desired ambiance. Once preferences are set, The Scene provides a curated list of venues, complete with descriptions, reservation availability, operational hours, and direct links to menus and websites. Integration with Instagram and Google adds an extra layer of convenience by offering reviews and additional information.
Originally launched as a web platform in 2021, The Scene has already attracted around 12,800 users. Now, with its move to an app format, the team behind it aims to broaden its reach among NYC residents.
The Scene was founded by Ridhima Kalani, a former personal concierge with a decade of experience across India, Singapore, Dubai, and London. Upon arriving in NYC, Kalani identified a significant gap in social planning and set out to fill it with The Scene. “People love discovering new places but often worry about their choices,” Kalani explains. “The Scene takes the uncertainty out by matching users with precisely their desired vibes.”
The app offers recommendations for 550 spots across Manhattan and Brooklyn, including popular venues like Hearsay and Little Sister, as well as lesser-known gems like Arte Cafe and Pastai. It also features around 100 restaurants in Queens. Future plans include expanding to 22 additional cities over the next five years.
Kalani believes The Scene stands apart from competitors like Bucket Listers, Secret NYC, OpenTable, and Resy through its focus on hyper-personalization and a wider range of recommendations beyond just dining, including nightlife. “No other app offers the level of detail in vibe preferences and diverse options that we provide,” Kalani notes. She has fine-tuned the app’s machine learning model with custom training data to ensure high-quality recommendations.
Currently, The Scene is bootstrapped but aims to seek funding soon to expand its features. Upcoming innovations include an AI-powered search engine capable of understanding natural language queries and an AI concierge chatbot designed to deliver a personalized user experience.
As it continues to develop, The Scene is poised to transform the way New Yorkers—and eventually users in other cities—find and enjoy dining and entertainment options.
