Inespensive Restaurants in Lower Manhattan

[tim]

Hi,

What is the current state of inexpensive Manhattan restaurants for dinner. Looking from East Village to Chelsea.

We would love to try Spanish, Portugese, French Bistro, Latin, whatever.

What looks good these days.

Tim

[weinoo]

The new French bistro Tree, on 1st Avenue, is in that price range. I enjoyed my one meal there, sitting at the bar.

Suba on Ludlow St. is now up and running again with the chef from Boqueria at the helm - entrees run over $20, but there are plenty of other under $20 choices on the menu (I don't love the room downstairs, but sitting in the bar is nice).

Kampuchea Restaurant on Allen St. got a really nice review from Fat Guy - I went on Monday - they were closed.

Schiller's is our local go to choice and when it's not too crowded we really love 'inoteca.

Stay away from Thursday - Saturday unless you dine at 6!!

[Nathan]

define "inexpensive"...including drinks, tax, tip.

[phaelon56]

I'm not the OP but I always try to use a price metric that references a per person price that includes 10% tax and a 20% tip for either an entree and an appetizer or an entree and dessert - and possibly one non-alcoholic beverage per person but not alcohol.

Wine or mixed drinks can skew the apparent pricing wildly depending on what alcohol is purchased and how much people drink.

A place I haven't been to in years but used to be both cheap and good was Khyber Pass - an Afghani restaurant on St. Mark's Place near NYU. I also know people who swear by that little Thai place in Tribeca a few doors over from where the Wetlands music club used to be (name escapes me but it's close to the Holland Tunnel entrance). I love their deep fried tofu but the other items I had were less impressive.

[Nathan]

whoops...didn't see that under $20 an entree:

hmm...:

Otto, New York Noodletown, Shanghai Cafe, New Green Bo, Schiller's, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Minca, Spotted Pig (only if you get the burger...but it's worth getting), August (some entrees), Deborah, Ino/Inoteca, Little Owl (taking your criteria very literally), Bread, Gitane, Happy Day, Grand Sichuan, La Nacional, R.U.B.

there are a couple of cheap BYOs as well (Ivo & Lulu comes to mind)...but they're overrated by a certain set (not on egullet) because they're BYO and cheap, not because they're good...

that should get you started.

one pedantic note: you'll confuse people if you refer to Chelsea as Lower Manhattan. you can call it "downtown" but "Lower Manhattan" usually refers to below Canal Street.

Edited June 20, 2007 by Nathan (log)

[Nathan]

edit: I should note that I'd feel more comfortable giving suggestions on this topic if a total meal cost was provided...there are a zillion restaurants that have SOME entrees under $20....i.e. Balthazar, Perry Street, etc....but where the average check will range from $50-100 per person.

[Megan Blocker]

Ivo and Lulu?

Click!

[Nathan]

my take on I & L can be seen above.

edit: I enjoyed my first visit to I & L. and certainly some of the popularity is due to their very friendly staff and chef. but on subsequent visits I realized that everything (literally) tasted the same.

Edited June 20, 2007 by Nathan (log)