Looking for a delicious dinner in New York City without breaking the bank? From affordable eateries to upscale dining experiences, New York City offers a wide range of dining options in the $15-50 price range. Whether you're craving pizza, sushi, or a juicy burger, you'll find plenty of affordable and tasty choices in the Big Apple. Not sure where to start? Check out our guide to the best dining spots in New York City within the $15-50 price range.
Not your average slice shop. No salads or pasta here, just pizza - though on Wednesdays, L'Industrie cooks a particular sandwich. Check their Instagram for specialties of the day, and get in line when they open at noon.
Intimate Brooklyn-based dinner spot where the natural wines take center stage. Visit for locally-sourced small plates and to sample from their extensive list of bottles. The outdoor patio is the ideal setting for date night.
Relaxed, contemporary Telavivian cuisine with a penchant for experimentation. Open seven-days-a-week, morning till late. Come for dinner, stay for drinks.
Mediterranean-influenced menu in an industrial colorful space. There's a large bar downstairs and a six-seat mezcal bar on the mezzanine. DJs start spinning at 8 pm so you can dance after dinner.
A bright and warm Brooklyn spot specializing in Georgian fare. Their namesake dish, the Cheeseboat, should not be missed - a boat-shaped bread served with different toppings. Dine inside or out, weather permitting.
Sichuan noodles, dim sum, and other Chinese plates in Williamsburg. A new venture from Yiming and Xian - of New York's Café China success. Make a reservation. Outdoor dining and delivery are available.
Tiny Japanese restaurant specializing in udon. The menu includes other dishes such as donburi, sushi, and fried gyozas. An ideal spot for date night or lunch with a friend. Reserve at either NYC location to avoid waiting.
Elevated take on the American-Irish pub concept. Hudson Hound is an inviting spot for hearty meals, lively celebrations, and even just casual conversation over beer. Eat well, drink well, and socialize.
The menu here goes by less is more, offering a few powerful main dishes and sides. Grab a drink and try to scope out a seat at the bar. No reservations but the tables flip quickly.
All-you-can-eat hot pot and Chinese barbecue. An ideal place for a large groups to hang when they're not ready for the party to be over. Open late night. Has four locations throughout the New York area.
Classic Tuscan food in a rustic-industrial style space. A restaurant with great respect for seasonality, and with over 150 wines on its menu. Their calamari is a popular dish to start.
Wood-fired Italian restaurant specializing in seasonal ingredients. All pasta is made by hand on-site, and each pizza features Barano's own in-house Mozzarella. Though best for dinner, the Williamsburg venue also serves brunch.
Farm-to-table Venezuelan fare served in an elegant and modern setting. Think nostalgic, comfort food. They also offer "Cocktail Fountains", which come in a large crystal vase and hold 10-12 drinks - enough for the table to share.
Nami Nori is a casual temaki bar specializing in open-style sushi hand rolls. The menu features signature temaki, crunchy varieties, classics, and a special vegan section. Locations in West Village and Williamsburg.
Creative comfort food by celebrity chef, Marcus Samuelsson. Celebrating the roots of American food in the heart of Harlem - in a space that reflects the same inclusivity as the community that surrounds it.
New American cuisine in a open-air setting. Good for big groups, weekend brunch, and happy hour - the bar stays open until late. Strangeways take natural wines seriously too, so it's a worthy spot for those with a penchant for vino.
Nestled between warehouses in Greenpoint and serving creative Japanese comfort fare in a chic setting. Food perfect for sharing. Good for big group meals and they even have independent bungalows for a more intimate setting.
Energetic ramen shop serving authentic Hakata-style tonkotsu in the heart of the Theater District. Service is famously fast, with bowls of rich broth and pork buns hitting tables just minutes after ordering.
Second-floor Midtown izakaya with the tight dimensions and smoke of a Tokyo tavern. Chefs grill chicken skin, heart, and thigh over open charcoal.
East Village counter serving Pakistani riffs on bodega classics like the Chapli Kabob chopped cheese. Ten stools line the window, but the massive, spicy portions usually end up as takeout.
St. Marks slice shop with unusually generous seating for the neighborhood. Crispy vodka and burrata slices get finished with fresh olive oil and grated cheese before hitting the wooden tables.
West Village counter serving thick, focaccia-like squares topped with whipped mascarpone or hot honey. The compact space is mostly standing-only, with lines spilling onto the sidewalk for house-baked sandwiches.
Minimalist noodle counter specializing in tsukemen, or 'dipping ramen.' Thick, house-made noodles arrive next to a concentrated broth for dipping; ask for dashi at the end to turn the rest into soup.
Curbside food truck running a tight four-item menu dedicated to slow-stewed beef birria. Touchscreen orders turn into paper boats of double-corn tacos, eaten standing on the sidewalk with cups of rich red consommé for dipping.
NoHo spot serving regional Thai street food in a cinematic, maroon-hued dining room. The inventive cocktails are a main draw – each one pays homage to an iconic film.
Compact Hell's Kitchen dining room serving polished Thai comfort food rooted in family recipes. The small, modern space stays quiet enough for conversation over clay pot rice and crabmeat dumplings.
Airy West Village temakeria serving open-style hand rolls amid light woods and cream tones. Two U-shaped counters anchor the space, where chefs pass over individual rolls while the nori is still crisp.
Tight Greenwich Village storefront serving slow-roasted, Dao Kou-style chicken and aromatic dipping powder. The tender meat comes with plastic gloves for pulling it apart at a handful of small tables.
Small ramen shop below street level, focused entirely on a rich, creamy Tori Paitan chicken broth. Most seats are at the long counter facing the open kitchen – expect a line for a pre-theater bowl.
Narrow West Village seafood spot serving crisp fish and chips, grilled skewers, and sticky toffee pudding from an open kitchen. Counter seats face the action while tightly packed tables fill the intimate dining room.
East Village fixture serving classic sushi and Japanese home cooking for over three decades. The open sushi bar is the heart of the room, usually filled with solo diners and local regulars.
Stone-lined Mediterranean spot near Bryant Park mills ancient grains on-site for rustic pastas and pizzas. Two massive wood-burning ovens anchor the open kitchen, keeping the room loud and warm.
Lively NoHo dining room serving family-style Thai seafood with serious heat. Tables are packed tight with groups sharing whole steamed fish and curries that don't hold back on spice.
Counter-only bar serving hand rolls defined by crispy nori and warm seasoned rice. They're passed across the bar one by one – intended to be eaten in seconds.
Mexican brasserie tucked beneath a corner taqueria, accessed through a discreet door and the kitchen. The low-lit, cavernous dining room is loud and energetic, fueled by strong margaritas and shared plates of grilled corn and tacos.
Retro luncheonette from George Motz focused on the regional American smash burger. A long counter faces the open kitchen where cooks press onions into thin beef patties on the flat-top.
Tokyo-style ramen shop focused on light, clean-flavored chicken broth over the usual heavy tonkotsu. Custom noodles are thick and chewy, served in a calm, modern room that draws solo diners.
Loud, cash-only Italian spot built around a wood-burning oven for thin-crust Neapolitan pizza. Handmade pastas come in big portions, and the kitchen stays open late – until 4 am on weekends.
Bi-level Gramercy dining room channels 1970s Bombay with walls of tiffin boxes. Groups share truffle cheese kulchas and rich butter chicken under a massive chandelier.
Chinatown restaurant from childhood friends reinterpreting the Cantonese food they grew up on. The menu is built for sharing – expect modern takes like salt and pepper chicken served with scallion biscuits.
Tiny Canal Street corner spot slinging crisp, airy pizza to a fast-moving line. Staff finish orders with fresh basil and pecorino for eating right on the sidewalk.
Tiny self-service shop in the East Village for Shanghainese street food. Pan-fried sheng jian bao arrive with thick, crispy bottoms and hot soup that demands careful bites.
Modern Garment District dining room serving authentic Shanghainese comfort food. Trays of crisp-bottomed shengjianbao and steamers of soup dumplings crowd the tables alongside braised pork belly and sautéed eel.
Polished Southeast Asian dining room on the border of SoHo and Chinatown. Tropical cocktails and chili crab fried rice crowd the tables in the dark, plant-filled room.
Tiny sushi nook serving fresh maki rolls in a signature push-up tube. Lines form early for the limited daily stock, and a strict one-roll-per-person policy is enforced.
Mott Street basement slinging heaping platters of pan-fried flounder and Cantonese-style crab. Wood-paneled walls and fluorescent lights keep the dining room strictly 1968.
Fiery, inventive Sichuan pop-up with a serious cult following. The tasting menu is a go-to for groups, built around signatures like Chongqing chicken wings and thrice-cooked bacon.
Corner diner serving Asian-influenced American classics under the rumble of the Manhattan Bridge. Expect long weekend waits for the honey butter pancakes and chicken katsu club.
Cash-only Nepalese spot dishing up family-recipe momos and traditional khaja sets. The cozy dining room is often full, but a quiet garden in the back offers more space.
Neighborhood trattoria serving the home-style cooking of Bologna, with a clear focus on handmade pasta. The rustic room is anchored by a large, wood-paneled bar – a remnant from a film set – that gives the space a timeless, lived-in feel.
