Trip to NY City?

Question

I am going to NYC March 10-13th and staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
TIMES SQUARE MANHATTAN
1605 BROADWAY AT 49TH STREET
MANHATTAN, NY 10019 I am on a tight budget does anyone know how to eat cheap in NYC and some places that they know of. I have been told it is very expensive to eat there, just wondering if this is true. Thanks in advance

Answer 1

There are many great affordable places to eat in the city! You were told wrong! Just go away from the common tourist places to eat. Definitely don't try to eat out around times square or rockefeller center. Very overcrowded and overpriced to say the least.

I would suggest the Lower East Side and The Village for nice affordable places to eat. Downtown Brooklyn as well.

You'll get much more bang for your buck there.

Check out the website below for places to eat. It is a great site. Good luck.

Answer 2

The key is to avoid eating in the most prominent tourist locations. (So, leave Times Square when you're hungry.) Elsewhere in the city you'll find things are really quite affordable. If you go to residential neighborhoods, you can find fast food value meals for the same price you'd pay anywhere else in America. (The same chains often charge more in high visibility tourist locations.) You'll also find ethnic restaurants all over the city, but particularly outside Manhattan, that offer outstanding food for almost nothing. Take the subway (7-train or E-train) over to Queens, and get out almost anywhere. You can have Indian, Thai, Chinese, Korean, Mexican, Colombian, Jamaican, or just about any other cuisine you want for $5 - $10 a meal.

Answer 3

Carnegie's Deli on 7th Ave. between 54th and 55th St. is a must. $ 11.50 or so sounds like a lot for a sandwich but I promise you can feed three people off of just one. And, the Deli is a NY institution.

Street vendors in the city are licensed and regulated by the city and are cheap for an authentic flavor and experience.

Find a Mc Donallds or Burger King. Not much atmosphere but cheap. I am a native Texan and I enjoyed the "everyday" city life without breaking the bank. I would stay away from eating dinner at places like Sardie's or the Russian Tea Room and the like. They have turned into tourist attractions and little of the authenticity of NY is left.

See an off Broadway show, a revival of a past success is usually pretty good and a lot cheaper. Enjoy.

Answer 4

Staying right in Times Square, eating will be a little more expensive than you are used to.

However, if you walk West towards 9th Avenue, you will find a wide array of restaurants at much lower prices. It is worth the walk - some of my favorite places to eat are in the area which is called Hell's Kichen.

For cheap Mexican - check out one of the many places called "Fresh Taco/Fresco Tortilla/Taco King" - they have lots of options, and soft tacos for just 0.99! The Burritoville chain also has good fresh food for low prices.

Cafe Cello - 46th Bet. 5th & 6th - great Latin food
Little Italy - 45th Bet. 5th & 6th - good pizza, but not open late
Empanada Mama - 9th Ave & 51st - excellent!
Yum Thai - 44th Bet. Broadway & 6th - cheap and good portions
Vynl - 9th Ave & 51st - funky and cool, great food, diner-ish
Rice n Beans - 9th Ave. & 50th Street

Some other good values as far as chain food: Cosi, Chipotle, Hale & Hardy. Pizza is also a good bet - usually only $1.50 - $2.00 a slice and some places have lunch specials. Also, instead of getting an overpriced deli sandwich, find a bagel shop and get your sandwich there!

Try not to eat anywhere on 42nd street - it will probably overpriced!

Answer 5

I was told by a Chinese guy I work with that Big Wong in Chinatown is a good deal

Also: the Big Enchilada 11th or 12th St only get the Tacos! (Yummy)