Inexpensive place near NYU
We're going to a show at the Skirball Center (LaGuardia & Washington Sq. South) and want to have an early dinner beforehand. We don't want an expensive restaurant-- maybe $25. pp. Ethnic is good (Italian, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, or Mediterranean, but not Japanese) or good American food. We would like someplace close by. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Mamoun's Falafel 119 MacDougal Street, then after you feed, go next door for some great coffee, and conversation. Next door is Cafe Reggio, classic and old.
Otherwise, you really do not need to inquire much beyond knowing Olive Tree, just down the street south of Mamoun's, and representing Middle Eastern with a sit down atmosphere that beats most dining in regards to relaxing.
Olive Tree Cafe:
http://www.comedycellar.com/olive.shtml
http://pics3.city-data.com/businesses...These two establishments are the only places to eat for those of the more fastidious, for other places in this area will leave you plagued by onslaughts of trendy attention getter style places.
They have both stood the trail of time.
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Mamoun's Falafel
119 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012Olive Tree Cafe
117 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012Caffe Reggio
119 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012 -
Not sure if your show has come and gone but... I would stick to something south of Skirball. Last three visits to Skirball were preceded by 5 Guys, Burger and Barrel and a really cheap Mexican place about a block south. We may not have spent $25 per person if you added up all three visits per person!
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Five Guys Burgers and Fries
496 LaGuardia Pl, New York, NY 10012Burger & Barrel
25 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 -
Not the sort of place to knock your socks off, but my daughter is a student at NYU and is quite fond of The Smith at 55 3rd Ave. Good honest home cooking with an emphasis on simple things done reasonably well.
http://www.thesmithnyc.com/menus/
Very friendly folks, too. And just enough of a walk -- five or six blocks -- to refresh yourself before your show.
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The Smith
55 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10003 -
Thanks for all the suggestions. But University and 12 St. is a little further than we would like. I was looking for a place just a five or ten-minute walk away. There are two Italian restaurants very close by: Tre Giovani on LaGuardia and Porto-Bello on Thompson. Has anyone tried either of those? I was considering Otto, but it has been criticized for being very noisy. We would like to have a conversation without yelling at each other. .
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Otto
1 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003Tre Giovani
548 Laguardia Pl, New York, NY 10012Porto Bello
208 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012›1 Reply -
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There is also the hummus/middle eastern place on the east side of university, we were there once about a year ago and it was satisfying in an affordable, reasonably healthy way, with actual service (which you wouldnt get at num pang, though the sandwiches are delicious).
Pop bar (i think that is the name) is a new(ish) place also on that stret of university - we were only there for beers (big selection) and an order of tots, but it seemed well priced if you're looking for a burger.
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Num Pang Sandwich Shop
21 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003Nanoosh
111 University Pl, New York, NY 10003Pop Pub
83 University Pl, New York, NY 10003 -
linguafood
Dec 28, 2011 09:42 AM
There's a number of places on University place that are fairly cheap. Num Pang is on E. 12th just past University Pl., which is a very decent bahn mi place.
There is also an Asian noodle place on the corner of E. 13th and University Place, can't think of the name right now.
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Num Pang Sandwich Shop
21 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003L'Annam
121 University Pl, New York, NY 10003›2 Replies-
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re: kathryn
linguafood
Dec 28, 2011 10:14 AM
That's probably it. No, great it is not, but perfectly acceptable. ETA I haven't eaten there in quite a while, so maybe the quality's gone down.
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I happen to like Bar Carrera. It is not that far away - on West Houston and Macdougal. Not expensive. You could get a few little sandwiches or split some cheese/meat plates and get a cheap bottle of wine and stay around your price range.
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Bar Carrera
146 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012 -
