NY city 2 days precruise, where to eat?

[dmart82]

We are a family of four (me, dh, ds 10 and ds 16), coming 2 days early to see a yankee game. We are staying at the Holiday Inn on 29th street and was looking for some inexpensive places to eat that are not the usual fast food joints. We would like to save our money for the more exicting things on our cruise to bermuda. Any help would to helpful. :rolleyes:

[smeyer418]

We are a family of four (me, dh, ds 10 and ds 16), coming 2 days early to see a yankee game. We are staying at the Holiday Inn on 29th street and was looking for some inexpensive places to eat that are not the usual fast food joints. We would like to save our money for the more exicting things on our cruise to bermuda. Any help would to helpful. :rolleyes:

 

 

the hotel Edison has an inexpensive and good restaurant cash only. You can get relatively inexpensive meals from the corner deli or buy food at a supermarket. There are some relatively inexpensive diners in the area you are staying. All have menu's posted. Take out Chinese is relative good ask at the front desk they will know who has the better food and who delivers to the hotel.

 

The hot dog stand(Papaya king) at 6th avenue and 9th street has been featured on Sex and the City and is good and inexpensive....

[geegee1]

We are a family of four (me, dh, ds 10 and ds 16), coming 2 days early to see a yankee game. We are staying at the Holiday Inn on 29th street and was looking for some inexpensive places to eat that are not the usual fast food joints. We would like to save our money for the more exicting things on our cruise to bermuda. Any help would to helpful. :rolleyes:

 

Down the street from your hotel on 7th Ave are a bunch of restaurant/bars. Too many for me to list, but they all have decent food at decent prices.

[GTJ]

There is not that much that is inexpensive, but as for a neighborhood I think Chinatown probably has, overall, the best value within Manhattan.

[greatam]

And for the cliche New York "cheap steak", I still love Tad's steakhouse-34th between 7th and Broadway. Someone described it as "steak for dummies". NOT Peter Lugar's or even Ruth Chris. But a decent steak, potato, salad at a very, very decent price.

[carolinesmom]

Lombardi's Pizza at 32 Spring Street is a real New York experience. They only take cash. Excellent thin crust pizza baked in a coal fired oven. Not as cheap as a chain, but so much better and still quite reasonable. You are also close to Little Italy here, so you could walk over and get some Italian pastry for dessert if you're in the mood (not cheap, but fabulous).

[megr1125]

Lombardi's Pizza at 32 Spring Street is a real New York experience. They only take cash. Excellent thin crust pizza baked in a coal fired oven. Not as cheap as a chain, but so much better and still quite reasonable. You are also close to Little Italy here, so you could walk over and get some Italian pastry for dessert if you're in the mood (not cheap, but fabulous).

 

STOP you are making me hungry....I must add this to my list of stuff to try!

[TheOldBear]

And for the cliche New York "cheap steak", I still love Tad's steakhouse-34th between 7th and Broadway. Someone described it as "steak for dummies". NOT Peter Lugar's or even Ruth Chris. But a decent steak, potato, salad at a very, very decent price.

 

As a former commuter [i've spend years in Midtown] - I would not cross the threshold of Tads - even with Immodium handy. :-/

[RickinNYC]

Lombardi's Pizza at 32 Spring Street is a real New York experience. They only take cash. Excellent thin crust pizza baked in a coal fired oven. Not as cheap as a chain, but so much better and still quite reasonable. You are also close to Little Italy here, so you could walk over and get some Italian pastry for dessert if you're in the mood (not cheap, but fabulous).

 

 

That gets my vote! It's in my top three pizza joints, followed by Nick's in Forest Hills, Queens and John's Brickoven on Bleecker Street in the West Village (NOT the newer John's in Times Square). Lombardi's is definitely a true blue NYC experience. Site: http://www.firstpizza.com/ Cash only. If you guys are pizza fans, this is the place to go. And no worries if there's a line to get in. Never really takes too long.

 

I'd also suggest Vincent's in Little Italy at 119 Mott Street. Best. Red. Sauce. EVER. And very reasonably priced. Site: http://02de1be.netsolhost.com/ Cash/credit. It's really my favorite Italian joint in the city, bar none.

 

You might also consider going to Carnegie Deli. Looks pricey at first, but beware, their sandwiches are MASSIVE and are easily shared. We're two guys and we always share one. http://www.carnegiedeli.com/home.php Cash/credit. Great, filling sandwiches, right by the theater district in midtown and a casual walk from the Times Square/Rockefeller Center/Fifth Avenue areas.

 

My personal favorite deli is Katz's of When Harry Met Sally fame, located at 205 East Houston Street. Best pastrami and corned beef in the city: http://www.katzdeli.com/ I think cash only but I could be wrong. Not much in the area otherwise, except for bars and apartment buildings. Food is awesome though.

 

And if you want to go wholehog and go SUPER cheap for a meal, I strongly recommend Mamoun's in the West Village at 119 Macdougal Street. It's one of my absolutely favorite places. I'm not a vegetarian (they do serve meat dishes) but they have the BEST falafel sandwich I've ever had, and they are only $2.50 each. My partner and I will order two each if we're starving, but for a quick/easy/light lunch, just one apiece will do. Here's their site: http://mamouns.com/locations Warning: Their hot sauce is friggin' HOT. Cash only and barely any seating. You can buy a few falafel sandwiches to go and walk over to Washington Square Park to relax. I think your 16 yr old would love it because it's in the heart of NYU.

 

So there you go. Let me know if you need any more info! Just send me a note if you like.

[dobytn]

Hey Rick,

 

Thanks for the replies on food choices. My partner Steve and I and our twin 10 yr old boys are coming in Memorial day weekend to cruise out on Carnival Miracle.

 

We are staying at Sheraton 4 points off times square and the only place we know to eat is juniors cheesecake which is not to bad in price. We love pastrami and would love to find a good inexpensive sandwich for sure. We love pasta too so got to find a good family style Italian restaurant.

 

We are looking for a good car service too from the airport (LGA) but not sure which one to pick because there are so many of them.

 

Thanks for all your help and I would love to bounce some more questions off of you privately.

Stefen & Steve

[RickinNYC]

Hey Rick,

 

Thanks for the replies on food choices. My partner Steve and I and our twin 10 yr old boys are coming in Memorial day weekend to cruise out on Carnival Miracle.

 

We are staying at Sheraton 4 points off times square and the only place we know to eat is juniors cheesecake which is not to bad in price. We love pastrami and would love to find a good inexpensive sandwich for sure. We love pasta too so got to find a good family style Italian restaurant.

 

We are looking for a good car service too from the airport (LGA) but not sure which one to pick because there are so many of them.

 

Thanks for all your help and I would love to bounce some more questions off of you privately.

Stefen & Steve

 

By all means! I'll send you a quick note

 

ETA: Thought I could send you a private note but it doesn't seem I can. Weird.

 

Anyway, since you're staying at the Sheraton, you're walking distance from Carnegie Deli. The sandwiches aren't cheap, but when you realize they are truly HUGE and can be shared between two men (we do it all the time) then the price if reasonable.

 

Also, you're very, very close to Carmine's in Times Square. I admittedly prefer the original that's uptown, but this one works in a pinch. It's really good family style Italian right smack in Times Square.

 

If your kids would prefer pizza, there's John's Brick Oven. It's not the original (located in the West Village on Bleecker) but it's still pretty good stuff. Also very close to your hotel as well.

 

There is a LOT to find around that area that's family friendly in every sense of the word.

 

ETA: Oops. Forgot you also asked about car service. Is that your preference or simply because you're anxious about yellow cabs? If so, don't worry about the cabs. They are EASY to get at LGA, no worries at all. But if you do prefer a car service, then you should consider Carmel: http://www.carmellimo.com or 866-666-666

[BlueHerons]

That gets my vote! It's in my top three pizza joints, followed by Nick's in Forest Hills, Queens and John's Brickoven on Bleecker Street in the West Village (NOT the newer John's in Times Square). Lombardi's is definitely a true blue NYC experience. Site: http://www.firstpizza.com/ Cash only. If you guys are pizza fans, this is the place to go. And no worries if there's a line to get in. Never really takes too long.

 

I'd also suggest Vincent's in Little Italy at 119 Mott Street. Best. Red. Sauce. EVER. And very reasonably priced. Site: http://02de1be.netsolhost.com/ Cash/credit. It's really my favorite Italian joint in the city, bar none.

 

You might also consider going to Carnegie Deli. Looks pricey at first, but beware, their sandwiches are MASSIVE and are easily shared. We're two guys and we always share one. http://www.carnegiedeli.com/home.php Cash/credit. Great, filling sandwiches, right by the theater district in midtown and a casual walk from the Times Square/Rockefeller Center/Fifth Avenue areas.

 

My personal favorite deli is Katz's of When Harry Met Sally fame, located at 205 East Houston Street. Best pastrami and corned beef in the city: http://www.katzdeli.com/ I think cash only but I could be wrong. Not much in the area otherwise, except for bars and apartment buildings. Food is awesome though.

 

And if you want to go wholehog and go SUPER cheap for a meal, I strongly recommend Mamoun's in the West Village at 119 Macdougal Street. It's one of my absolutely favorite places. I'm not a vegetarian (they do serve meat dishes) but they have the BEST falafel sandwich I've ever had, and they are only $2.50 each. My partner and I will order two each if we're starving, but for a quick/easy/light lunch, just one apiece will do. Here's their site: http://mamouns.com/locations Warning: Their hot sauce is friggin' HOT. Cash only and barely any seating. You can buy a few falafel sandwiches to go and walk over to Washington Square Park to relax. I think your 16 yr old would love it because it's in the heart of NYU.

 

So there you go. Let me know if you need any more info! Just send me a note if you like.

 

Excellent suggestions.

 

I'm also a fan of Carmines because it is so family friendly.

 

Brooklyn Diner on West 57th and Seventh, Becco on Restaurant Row (chefs three pasta special), The Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridian (best burger in town), Andolinis Coal Oven Pizza West 57th are all excellent choices for value.

 

Avoid any of the chain restaurants in Times Square.

 

Also agree Chinatown is excellent value and very good food.

[BlueHerons]

We are a family of four (me, dh, ds 10 and ds 16), coming 2 days early to see a yankee game. We are staying at the Holiday Inn on 29th street and was looking for some inexpensive places to eat that are not the usual fast food joints. We would like to save our money for the more exicting things on our cruise to bermuda. Any help would to helpful. :rolleyes:

 

Just out of curiousity, what is more exciting than NYC?:p

[pyropoodle]

I live in NYC and this website is very helpful http://www.menupages.com/

 

you can look for restaurants in any particular neighborhood, search by types of cuisine and price. they usually have a menu with prices/ratings and reviews attached as well, so you can know before you go.

 

 

Have fun while visiting.

[asylum575]

Parker Meridian burgers are excellent.

In NYC, everyone swears by Jackson Hole, but you have to order it on a hard roll, otherwise the burger juice(grease) will sog up the bun.

 

There is no such thing as an inexpensive pastrami sandwich in NYC.

I think Katz is up to $18-19 for a sandwich.

 

Chinatown is always a good deal. The outerboros have some great places, but NYC is fun for visitors.

 

Don't forget your $0.50 hot dogs at Grey Papaya, I prefer a dirty water dog anyday.

 

Any of the brick oven places are great for pizza. I can eat a whole 8 slice pie at Patsy's in Harlem.

[GTJ]

At some risk of possibly repeating what has already been said, finding value in Manhattan eating is a challenge. The borough has some of the world's finest restaurants, and does very good upscale French, Italian, Japanese, etc., cuisine, but it all comes with a steep price. The more middle-of-the-road restaurants will all be a bit more expensive that what you would find elsewhere in this country, or have some type of deficit (e.g., not-so-good food, cramped, no atmosphere). All of this is especially true when considering the area visited by most tourists and which is near the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. I think Chinatown is the only real exception in this part of New York City.

 

Otherwise, the better values tend to be in the other boroughs of the City. I'm probably a somewhat biased in my assessment that my home borough of Queens offers the greatest variety of ethnic cuisines and value (but I don't think that bias is that strong). Queens County is the most diverse county in the entire country, and its restaurants reflect that diversity. Rent is much less expensive than in Manhattan, and prices are accordingly more reasonable. The biggest problem is that Queens does not have all that many sites where most tourists want to go, and the journey may require a longer subway ride--possibly a bus ride--that takes some time and might be more of an adventure than many tourists want to endure.

[heffe97]

Go where all the construction workers eat.

[asylum575]

One of the best NY values and I mean this in a NYC way is the halal meat cart across from the Hilton.

 

The line is usually 20-40 people long, but worth the wait.

$7 buck for a plate of food very few can finish.

On a nice night, you just park your rear end along a fountain and enjoy.

 

Very popular with the late night club crowd.

 

Check it on youtube

 

a classic NYC spot.

[papadave]

I suggest you check out chowhound (chow.com) for recommendations based on location and budget. My personal tastes for dining out veer toward Asian food. In the Times Square area there is an okay Vietnamese place on West 48th Street called Saigon 48. In Chinatown I highly recommend Yeah Shanghai on the corner of Mott Street and Bayard Street (one block south of Canal Street). Whole Foods in the lower level of the Time Warner Center (southwest corner of Central Park, 59th Street at Central Park West) provides variety at reasonable prices.

[janetz]

By all means! I'll send you a quick note

 

ETA: Thought I could send you a private note but it doesn't seem I can. Weird.

 

Anyway, since you're staying at the Sheraton, you're walking distance from Carnegie Deli. The sandwiches aren't cheap, but when you realize they are truly HUGE and can be shared between two men (we do it all the time) then the price if reasonable.

 

Also, you're very, very close to Carmine's in Times Square. I admittedly prefer the original that's uptown, but this one works in a pinch. It's really good family style Italian right smack in Times Square.

 

If your kids would prefer pizza, there's John's Brick Oven. It's not the original (located in the West Village on Bleecker) but it's still pretty good stuff. Also very close to your hotel as well.

 

There is a LOT to find around that area that's family friendly in every sense of the word.

 

ETA: Oops. Forgot you also asked about car service. Is that your preference or simply because you're anxious about yellow cabs? If so, don't worry about the cabs. They are EASY to get at LGA, no worries at all. But if you do prefer a car service, then you should consider Carmel: www.carmellimo.com or 866-666-666

 

 

Ditto to Carmine's :D

[pyropoodle]

....i just thought of one of my favorite places to go. It's seasonal, (Open from May to October) but it's very good. Not many tourists know about it, so it's mostly locals.

 

http://www.boatbasincafe.com/

 

It's at 79th street, under the exit from the west side highway. yes, UNDER the street. It's very cool though, great river views and you feel almost as if you are in a European city (because of the architecture.)

 

very easy to get to...take the 1 train to 79th street and walk towards the river.

 

check out their website for photos. It's a very unique NYC experience for not a lot of $$

[kessdarln]

I suggest you check out chowhound (chow.com) for recommendations based on location and budget.

 

This is what I do before any trip to NYC. I love to try new foods and save money and this is the place to find recommendations.

[Aplmac]

I'll soon be in NYC and this foodie thread has my mouth watering! :)

.