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My husband and I recently spent five days in New York City.  I had a work conference, so we decided to turn it into a mini vacation.  My husband had never been to NYC before, so he enjoyed a lot of the touristy sites while I was working.  We spent a good part  of the trip out and about together in different parts of the city doing more touristy things, especially eating.  We are always trying to find good deals, but also good eats since that is one of our favorite things to do.  I wanted to share some of our finds with you in case you are in NYC and trying to find a few cheaper (but good) places to eat.  Here are our personal reviews:

Baskin Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts near Lexington and 93^rd in the Upper East Side:  Eh.  We wanted some ice cream after dinner without having to make a big production about travel and finding something special, so we stopped by.  Price was about inline for those types of places, at least compared to my Florida standards.  Not the friendliest staff, for sure.  Whether it was a language barrier or just not listening, the employee initially used the wrong ice cream in my double scoop.  Easy fix, but the chocolate had ice crystals or something in it.  Maybe old?  A few other customers came in, but not many.  Skip this place.

Nick’s Pizzeria near 2^nd and 94^th in the Upper East Side:  This was the first restaurant we visited when we arrived to NY; it came as a recommendation by hotel staff.  It is a small (all NY places have small real estate) joint, but cozy.  They provided bread with their meals and it was tasty; we added pizza spices and salt to the oil they gave with the bread to make it even better (just a little tip for you if you want something a little different without getting sauce or something additional).  We ordered a small pepperoni pizza and it was good—met my NY pizza expectations!  It was relatively inexpensive by NY standards.  I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way for it, but if you’re nearby and looking for a good pizza, stop in.

Timmy’s by the River Restaurant near York and 91^st:  We had dinner here one night after my car driver recommended it.  Sadly, they were out of what I wanted to drink, but that’s not the end of the world.  We ordered a hamburger and their Hamburger Club meal.  The Hamburger Club isn’t that special—nothing more than really adding bacon and more cheese, but in a different order on the sammich.  My hamburger wasn’t cooked the way I requested, but it had a decent flavor.  They sure don’t skimp on the fries and size of the meal, so A+ for that.  The fries were tasty too, nicely seasoned.  A lot of the menu was more expensive than I am used to, but much cheaper than a lot of NY places.  Not including tax or tip, burgers were around $10-$12 (extra for tomato, lettuce, etc).  The Hamburger Club was around $14-$15.  We also had onion rings and they were decent and not unreasonably priced.  This is an OK place—I wouldn’t pass it up if you are nearby and want a quick burger, but it wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever had either.  They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees. 

Crumbs Bake Shop on Lexington in Upper East Side:  This was a bakery and dessert joint and the black and white cookie we got was AH-MAZE-ING!!!!!!  Really, it was absolutely delish!!  We also got a chocolate chip M&M cookie that was really good too.  I actually saved half of the latter cookie for a snack the next day and it was still really yummy.  Keep in mind for all of the bakeries, the later it gets and closer to closing, the less yummies they will have left for you.  Once they run out of their baked goods for the night, they are out (no Red Velvet Cake slices).  This place was pretty normal for pricing, more expensive than baking the cookies yourself, but cheaper than most of the gourmet type places.  Crumbs is a MUST GO AND EAT!

Paesano on Mulberry Street in Little Italy:  We were actually contemplating a location next door, but while we were looking at the menu outside, a staff member from Paesanos came out and tried to convince us to come eat at his restaurant.  We decided to take the chance; after all, they were boasting their homemade noodles!  I had the baked Manicotti and my husband had meat ravioli; both were good.  I liked the baked Manicotti much more than the meat ravioli, only because the ravioli weren’t cooked exactly like I like them (yes, I’m a picky eater).  My husband enjoyed it though.  Their bread was good too!  We saw a steak on someone else’s plate that we were super jealous of, too.  I’m not sure what it was exactly, but it looked exquisite.  The restaurant’s atmosphere was nice, fairly romantic and the staff was friendly.  Prices were very reasonable; they boast a $13 pasta plate special and have a decent list to choose from.  Go here!

Ferrara Bakery and Café near Grand Street in Little Italy:   We stopped by here after dinner for gelato.  We really enjoyed it, despite how cool it was outside.  We sat down at a nearby bench to people watch while we ate our gelato.  It was really tasty, and about the same price as everywhere else around.  More expensive than Baskin Robins, but not any more so than a Haagan Daz type place.  They have more goodies than just gelato, plus a little dining area.  The server was very friendly and even joked with us (a rarity in the city, it seems).  Stop by, if you’re in the area!

Dos Toros Taqueria in the food court near Battery Park (Brookfield Place):  Although unsuspecting, this was a quick and convenient lunch choice after visiting the Statue of Liberty.  The burrito was HUGE, HUGE, HUGE!  One burrito cost $13 and change, but they weren’t shy in toppings, making it worth every penny.  A good fast food choice when you want something quick, good and filling without having to stand in line forever.

Three Decker Restaurant on Manhattan Ave:  My husband found this place for breakfast, and it was within close proximity to our hotel.  We ate breakfast there the rest of our NY stay because it was so good and so cheap!  We had a basic breakfast (potatoes, bacon, eggs and toast) and it was about $5.50 each person, so super cheap AND so yummy!  You also get a tiny orange juice free with your breakfast, along with a coffee or tea.  This is a MUST GO!  At least for breakfast, although it probably is decent for other meals too.  It was obvious they had a lot of regular locals.

Two Little Red Hens on 2nd Ave in the Upper East Side:  THE BEST cupcakes, MMM!!!!  I ordered a Brownie Midnight, I think it was, and my husband ordered a Banana cupcake.  We also ordered a piece of cherry cheesecake and a Chocolate Crinkle Cookie (we ate only a little bit of these one day, finished them another.  Not all at one time, lol).  The cupcakes were sooo good!!  Even my cupcake, which took me a couple of days to finish, was still so good, so you know it was fresh when I bought it.  The cheesecake was good, not the best ever, but much better than most I’ve had.  The Crinkle Cookie was definitely fresh and yummy, but the cupcakes were the highlight.  This place was packed when we arrived, full of locals and tourists alike.  Always a good sign, right?  The price was typical of gourmet-type places, maybe a little less, but totally worth it.  I would return there again for sure.  As mentioned earlier, the closer to closing time, the less they will have available, since they sell out of their supply for the day.  (For the record, over a week later and we are still talking about the amazing cupcakes!)

Ottomanelli NY Grill on Lexington and 93rd:  We went here for dinner and thought it was a really cute place inside.  It was fun to sit by the window and wave at people who were looking at the outside menu, giving thumbs up to them.  My husband and I both had a steak and it was probably typical of a NY priced steak, maybe even on the cheaper side.  However, for the cost, we thought their steaks were not anything special.  Drinks are not complimentary refills, unlike some of the other NYC restaurants (or any FL restaurants).  The restaurant also ran out of bread, which was kind of a surprise they didn’t have bread at dinner time.  I would recommend skipping this place, although it wasn’t horrific or anything.  Just subpar. 

Masterpiece Pizza near 9/11 Memorial:  We were wasting time before our tour at the Memorial and just happened upon this place.  It’s a by-the-slice type of dive, so we dived in!  We each got one piece of pizza and split a drink.  The check was very reasonable and the pizza slices were very big.  I was worried it wasn’t going to be enough to fill either of us up, but it definitely was plenty.  And delicious.  It was pretty clean and staff were friendly enough.  They also had a restroom for customers.   If you are in the area and looking for a quick bite to eat, grab a slice at Masterpiece!  (While I was working on this post, I also found that TripAdvisor recommends this place, too!)

Canton Lounge in Chinatown with an orange sign:  We were wandering around in Chinatown trying to decide where to eat; there are SO many choices!  We asked some locals at an ice cream shop where they liked to eat and they gave us a couple of options, with Canton Lounge being their top choice.  Since it was definitely within walking distance and recommend, we headed there for lunch.  In case you aren’t familiar with ordering at NYC Chinese restaurants, the dishes come in large sizes, probably good for 2-4 people each (especially when ordering more than one dish).  We ordered Sweet and Sour Chicken, Beef Lomein and General Tso’s Chicken.  It was kind of expensive (around $50), but not terrible considering the portions and location; I saw much more pricey places while we were looking for a place to eat.  We were really hungry and finished most of our order, but did have enough to take with us for a later meal.   There are restrooms downstairs in the basement.  I found out later that there may be a women’s restroom upstairs, keep this in mind.  The staff was relatively nice, definitely some language barriers, but I would recommend going here.  It appeared like a lot of locals eat here, too.

Z-Deli in the Theatre District near Times Square:  We were in the mood for some dessert before our play started, so we went looking.  The first place we went to was out of almost everything, so we walked back to this Z-Deli place.  Although we looked at their bakery items and menu a couple of times, we still continued our search.  To be honest, I was afraid their stuff would be old and stale, just because it seemed like a convenience store, plus it had such a wide variety of stuff (deli sandwiches, pizza, convenience store things, bakery, fruit, etc) that it couldn’t possibly specialize in any one thing.  However, when we went to a restaurant a few doors down and looked at their menu (and rejected it), the host their caught up with us on the street and recommended we head to Z-Deli because they were good and much cheaper.  We were very appreciative of the advice and headed back for the third time.  Although their black and white cookie wasn’t nearly as good as Crumbs, it was tasty.   The chocolate cheesecake that I got was delicious!  They have a few tables to sit inside and the people around us all had great looking food–and were polite!  It was obviouslya local hotspot.  Very reasonably priced.  Glad we stopped and I highly recommend going the few blocks from the Theatre District/Times Square area for a treat.  I wish we had time to try their pizza or sandwiches!

TGI Fridays at Miami International Airport (not quite in NYC):  I know, I know, how did this even make the list?  Well, if you have to fly to NYC via Miami, you have to eat at TGI Fridays in the airport.  I know, you’re rolling your eyes, but let me tell you about their staff.  First, the food is the normal TGI Fridays’ menu and just average, but they move people through fairly quickly and the staff is exceptional.  We stopped there on our way to NYC and on our way back home.  It’s not any more expensive than other airport restaurants, so if you’re going to eat, go here.  The manager’s name is Todd, at least the one on duty both days we came through.  We became acquainted with him when we wanted to tell him about his server Ashley, who had been extremely friendly, welcoming, attentive and all of the things you want in a server.  He was really happy we were sharing good news with him, introduced himself, bragged on his waitress more and invited us back in the future—everything you would expect in a good manager.  The second visit, we had Nicole, who was also very friendly.  She didn’t try to rush us out, made sure we were happy and she even bragged on the other server (Ashley), who was off that night.  Anyhow, it’s nothing phenomenal as far as airport food, but the staff is what makes it so great.  Stop in, say “hello” to Todd, Ashley and Nicole!

Non-food related:

My husband purchased the City Pass for $114, which allowed him to go to all of the sites he really wanted to see and even skip lines at some locations.  Consider purchasing City Pass, if not only for the big savings, but for the great convenience.  It includes sites like the 9/11 Memorial, Guggenheim Museum, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as some other options.  (I didn’t get one because I had been to several of these places before and he visited them while I was working.  It didn’t make financial sense for me to purchase the pass to visit only a couple of the places.)  Also, the City Pass is available for cash back on Ebates when your order it online!

If you are a student or military member, bring your IDs!  A lot of the tourist sites, such as some of the ones mentioned above, offer student and military discounts with proper identification.  Take advantage of these perks!

Metro Pass for subway and bus:  They have a 7-day unlimited pass, among others, so we got that one since we were in the city for five days.  If you use it at least 13-14 times during your visit, then it is the way to go.  I also have to point out that it is SO CONVENIENT!!  If you have to keep adding money to one that isn’t the unlimited version, it will be a pain to be in a hurry and the train or bus arrive while you’re trying to put additional funds on the card.  What people also don’t take into account when they are counting their anticipated trips is their knowledge of the city and how transportation flows.  There’s a good possibility you will get on the wrong bus or train a couple of times and have to use your pass again to go the right way.  Definitely unplanned and annoying when you are adding as you go. 

Have you visited NYC lately?  Share your must eats (or must stay away froms) here!