Five Stunning Eats I've Found Under $15

Hey there! 

Thank you all for taking the time to complete my rather extensive survey. 

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Your responses were vital for me to understand your needs and generate content from now on! So keep calm; all of the proposals you suggested will be addressed. I'm glad to know that everyone here loves food the same as me, and want to be part of this community around good dining in NYC.  

I've realized that you are interested in cheap eats! The survey shows that 62% of you are keen on discovering budget-friendly dining options.

Therefore, I wanted to share with you my favorite places to eat for 15 dollars or less I've tried so far. My disclaimer: I've only been in NYC for three months, so long-time residents might have other gems to add - feel free to share! We can update this post with more options whenever you want. 

1. Chick Chick

Chick Chick is an Upper West Side Korean restaurant on the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 90th Street. It is a relaxed and casual place where they serve fried chicken sandwiches, ramen, Korean gochujang-drenched wings, and kimchi fried rice. Our favorite here was the Chickwich sandwich ($14), which had a flawless and crunchy crispy chicken, pickles, and lettuce -which helped with the fresh taste- Monterey Jack cheese and their classic Chick Chick sauce. All this was under a soft, slightly sweet potato bread that matched perfectly. 

Other food websites also recommend the Nashville Hot Chickwich ($14), but since we also had the Sweet & Spicy crispy waffle chicken, we thought it would be too much spicyness. They also have amazing truffle parmesan fries ($11) -there are a fair amount- or you could also ask for the regular ones ($9). I know some of you are Chilean subscribers, so I could say it is similar to Chicken Love You but with a unique Korean twist.

2. Los Tacos No.1

This might be well-known because it is named in many food guides and influencer recommendations, but I'd say it deserves a place here because its tacos are great. They have five locations in Manhattan: Noho, Tribecca, Park Ave, Time Square, and Chelsea Market, which is the famous one. However, unless you really want to visit this popular food market, I suggest avoiding Los Tacos No.1 here because they have a 40-minute queue almost every time. 

You can choose between grilled meat ($5.65), grilled chicken ($4.95), marinated pork ($5.25), or even cactus ($4.75) on corn or flour tortillas. All of them include onion, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole. My favorite, by far, is the marinated pork. Don't be picky and ask for your tacos with all the ingredients because the mix of flavors is incredible.

You can order two for a pretty light lunch and spend between $9-$12. But if you are too hungry, you can still have three and don't spend more than $16. 

3. Super Taste

This local went viral on TikTok. That's why we ended up going. 

And it is, as American influencers say, totally worth the hype. Super Taste is a counter service spot located in Chinatown, and it's famous for its hand-pulled noodles ($6 to $12.75) from Western China and its $5 ten dumplings box. 

One of my favorite things since we moved to NYC is the diverse Asian cuisines this city has, and Chinatown is one of the best neighborhoods to explore them. On a food tour during the end of summer, we stopped here for their Steamed Pork and chive Dumplings ($5). We mixed it with their chili crisp oil, and it was gorgeous. You can order them fried as well!

There are a few tables, and they are cash only. If you are far from Chinatown, they opened another location in the Upper East Side in August -right on First Ave, between 78th and 79th streets- (I haven't gone), but I assure you nothing costs over $13.50 here. Although there are also a few tables, you can take out or choose for a delivery. If we had better weather, I would say the best you could do is take out and eat your noodles and dumplings in Central Park. But this city is almost frozen (am I being too exaggerated?). 

(Not my photo, check it here).

4. Sushi at Wegmans

If there's one thing I've struggled to find in this city, it's good sushi. Although I recognize I haven't gone that much because most of the spots are offensively expensive. However, while I was at Astor Place, one of the NYU neighborhoods I frequent daily because of my graduate studies, my friend and classmate, Jesus, told me they had opened an amazing market called Wegmans right on the corner. He is an expert in cheap or free everything in this city and has pretty good taste, so I trusted him and went to grab some lunch there. This new market already had a location in Brooklyn and apparently is quite famous. On their upper floor, they have plenty of food bars where you can grab a box and fill it with pasta, Asian food, veggies, and poke bowls, among others. They have many options, and one of them is a sushi bar. At first, it looked like the one Whole Foods has, but honestly, I don't like their sushi. Though this Wegmans one was excellent. I bought a box with six pieces of Alpine King Salmon Nigiri and six pieces of Salmon Roll for $14.99. However, they have other cheaper options and a lot of different delicious rolls!

5. 7th Street Burger

If you think exploring the NYC food scene is already overwhelming, imagine what it's like to find a good burger. We are literally in a burger city; almost every food spot has one, and the endless options sometimes make us avoid them. But this burger spot stands out in a city overrun with options. 7th Street Burger has been -until now, and considering fair price and quality- my favorite burger place. This simple local with almost no tables has 10 locations in Manhattan, one in Williamsburg, and the other in New Jersey. You can check the addresses here. We went to their Upper West location after a never-ending visit to the Natural History Museum, a few blocks away. Their menu is quite simple: they only have two types of burgers (meat and vegetarian), which you can make double or simple. 

However, aside from their unique smashed patties, the fries are by far the most crunchy ones I've tried so far. They are even better if you like to order them with melted cheddar. Please go to this place! 

Remember, I always look for more suggestions, so don't hesitate to share your findings. Have you already been to these places? Let me know. 

Happy eating!