NYC - Looking for inexpensive & fun dining during the week

[niniem]

I am traveling with my 18 year daughter to NYC for a couple of days - and we are looking for some fun places to grab breakfast, lunch & dinner. We are staying at 7th & W. 48th area. Any recommendations would be helpful.

[niniem]

thanks for all of the links. We are looking for $25 pp and happy to travel. It is our 5th time to NYC and have enjoyed places like Frank Restaurant in the East Village area and Popover Cafe Upper West Side.

[kathryn]

Your request is pretty high level. Manhattan has thousands of restaurants.

What's your budget, per person, before tax/tip/drinks for you? How "inexpensive" is inexpensive, to you? $20pp? $30pp?

When are you coming? Do you plan to make reservations in advance or are you willing to wait for a table?

Where are you traveling from? Is this your first time in NYC? If not, what else have you enjoyed in the past?

How far are you willing to go from 7th Ave and 48th? Any other neighborhoods you will be visiting?

What cuisines do you like or dislike? Allergies? Avoids?

I'd also check out Midtownlunch.com (reviews of only lunch in Midtown, usually under $10) and RealCheapEats.com.

First time in NYC
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/890082

Some common tourist inquiries:

Near MoMA:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/771459
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/767638

Near the Metropolitan Museum of Art (and Whitney and Guggenheim, ish):
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/07/where-to-eat-near-the-met-nyc-metropolitan-museum-of-art-upper-east-side-new-york.html
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793684
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/795435
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793684

Near the American Museum of Natural History:
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/05/where-to-eat-near-the-natural-history-museum-upper-west-side-new-york.html
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793258
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/748686

Near Macy's/Herald Square:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/725320
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/757797#6192796
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/06/where-to-eat-near-penn-station.html

Soho:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/701593
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/757797#6192796

5th Avenue shopping:
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2010/11/where-to-eat-near-fifth-avenue-and-rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-ice-skating-nyc-manhattan.html

Pre-theatre:
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/06/where-to-eat-near-times-square-nyc-theater-district-midtown-new-york-manhattan.html
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/05/where-to-eat-a-pre-or-post-theater-dinner-nyc-theater-district.html
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/671275
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/755684
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/715535
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/788254