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NYC on the cheap?

post #1 of 18
4/20/08 at 11:30pm
Thread Starter 
I am going to be in NYC (Manhattan) for a little over a month on a student's budget so I need some cheap things to do/eat.

What are some good cheap/free things to do? What galleries/museums other than MoMA have free/PWYC days? (and when are they?) What galleries/museums are free/cheap and fly under the tourist radar? What sort of strange, rarely mentioned landmarks should I check out? I will have a transit pass and I am willing to venture outside of Manhattan if stuff is interesting and free.

By the same token: Where can I eat dinner for under $10? Even cheaper lunches?


I am looking mainly for stuff that people who live in the city do, since tourist stuff tends to always be a rip off and is often boring as hell. Give me suggestions on how to entertain and feeed myself for free or nearly free!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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post #2 of 18
4/20/08 at 11:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chris902 View Post
By the same token: Where can I eat dinner for under $10? Even cheaper lunches?
McDonald's. Have you looked at New York magazine's Cheap Eats section? Good place to track down inexpensive grub.
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post #3 of 18
4/20/08 at 11:43pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah - I also have the Cartography feature from last summer on food carts which should have me covered for lunches.
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post #4 of 18
4/20/08 at 11:51pm
Mamoun's $2 falafals near NYU campus are perfect for lunch. There is Kati Roll down the street for $5-$6 i think.
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post #5 of 18
4/21/08 at 12:11am
There are plenty of cheap places to eat including obviously tons of great pizza by the slice places. Eat some fries at Pomme Frites too. Shit is great. A lot of museums have a high charger that is, in reality, only a voluntary charge. Natural History Museum and the Met work this way. You can technically just give them 20 cents or 2 bucks or whatever.
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post #6 of 18
4/21/08 at 3:16pm
There are tons of good cheaps eats in the East Village between 14th and 6th (mostly around St. Marks place).
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post #7 of 18
4/21/08 at 10:59pm
Gray's Papaya is a good cheap NYC standby, if you like hot dogs. Of course, stake out a good local pizza place that makes a good slice.
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post #8 of 18
4/22/08 at 1:55pm
I go to a bar called Wharf on 38 and 3rd.....nightly specials....Monday was $3.50 alld domestic drafts including good stuff like Sam seasonalm Magic Hat and Sierra Nevada + $0.30 Wings.....less than $20 inc tax and tip for a good night out!

Le Parker Meridien "Burger Joint" hidden off the lobby...good burgers in a random setting in one of NYs nicer hotels..classy digs on the cheap

Veselka on 8th St and 2nd Ave.....really awesome Polish and Eastern European food, clean decent size place, get a good home cooked meal in the $10 range, unheard of in NYC
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post #9 of 18
4/22/08 at 2:10pm
Kati Rolls are made by GOD! Great cheap eating
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post #10 of 18
4/22/08 at 2:11pm
Monthly subway pass is a very good idea. No need for car when subway is so nice and convenient.

Cheap eats are literally everywhere. All the ethnic locations will have hole-in-the-wall cheap eats, and very good and authentic too.

If I were still single and young I'd be having so much fun on a little bit of money and doing all the cheap stuff.
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post #11 of 18
4/22/08 at 3:08pm
Try Criff Dogs an St. Mark's Place between 1st and A....eat the Spicy Redneck if you dare.

In Chinatown you will find dumpling shops where you can get 5 for $1. The best is on Mosco street between Mott and Mulberry (see if you can find it!).

If you are there in May, do NOT miss the 9th Avenue Food Festival.
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post #12 of 18
4/22/08 at 4:36pm
i know in my neighborhood moma has free fridays sponsored by target. If you go uptown to the museum of the city of new york and say "im a neighbor" they will let you in for gratis, but the student rate is pretty cheap so cough up the dough. Also, check out the cooper-hewitt (i think its in the 80s-90s on madison)
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post #13 of 18
4/22/08 at 4:48pm
[quote=Try Criff Dogs an St. Mark's Place between 1st and A QUOTE]

There is a very good "hidden" bar through Criff Dogs - P.D.T. (Please Don't Tell). The drinks are on par with Milk & Honey, Death & Co., and FlatIron Lounge.

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/pdt/
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post #14 of 18
4/22/08 at 6:54pm
[quote=GQ Lawyer;1017190]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Try Criff Dogs an St. Mark's Place between 1st and A QUOTE

There is a very good "hidden" bar through Criff Dogs - P.D.T. (Please Don't Tell). The drinks are on par with Milk & Honey, Death & Co., and FlatIron Lounge.

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/pdt/

Good place but as soon as word got out about it it became hard to get a reservation. Try going weekdays. Not a cheap place by any means.
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post #15 of 18
4/22/08 at 10:11pm
Don't forget to ride the Staten Island Ferry. Best free ride in the world. And when you get to Staten Island there is this REALLY cool thing you can do: Turn right around and go back to Manhattan as fast as possible!!!
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