Cheap Eats (<$25) Especially Chinatown and Village?
 

What are some good cheap (&lt;$25pp) restaurants in NYC, especially in Chinatown or the Village? Also, does anyone have any good suggestions for live jazz on monday night in manhattan, without a huge cover charge. Some cover is to be expected, but I have checked Birdland and Blue note and such places, but the ticket prices are kind of high, not to mention I wasn't interested in the acts they have the nights I am in NYC.

Assume you mean less than $25 per entree - not $25 for whole dinner including drink, tip and tax (for the latter you will be limited - more or less - to coffee shops).

Suggest you check New York Magazine and Time Out New York web sites - both have had recent articles on inexepensive dining in NYC.

New York Noodle House in Chinatown has always been my favorite in Chinatown. But I've never had a bad (nor expensive) meal anywhere in Chinatown.

Jules Bistro has no cover to my knowledge and decent food.
http://www.julesbistro.com/index.html

The Jazz Standard under Blue Smoke is another idea.
http://www.jazzstandard.net/red/seco...zCalendar.html

Most restaurants in chinatown are &lt; 25 pp.

My favorite Chinese restaurant is in the lower east side, Congee Village on Allen and Delancey. In the village for cheap food I like Dojo on W.4th between Mercer and Broadway.Their tofu burger was a cheap staple of mine when I was going to school at NYU.

The Garage on 7th Avenue and Christopher Street is a fun place for about $25 per entree, and it has fun jazz. Monday night is Big Band night, and I don't think there is a cover charge. At least none that I've ever paid. http://www.garagerest.com

I agree with the Governator's Dojo recommendation. It's cheap eats that provided for me well during my college days at NYU. There's another location on St. Mark's Place.

Some other places to consider are Dallas BBQs on 8th and University Place, Cowgirls Hall of Fame on Hudson Street, between Christopher and 10th Street, Peanut Butter &amp; Co on Sullivan Street and 3rd Street.

I'd also check out citysearchnyc.com if you still don't get the recommendations you like.

Hey, Governator, what school? I graduated from CAS.

You MUST try out Momofuku Noodle Bar around 1st ave and 10th. It's AMAZING. The chef started two other places and was featured in NY Mag couple wks back.

Cleopatra's Needle is a nice non-tourist jazz club on the UWS. No cover, $10 minimum, live music every night. They have a website with a schedule.

bigapplejazz.com has a good list of jazz venues with prices.

Corner Bistro in the Village would definitely fit the &quot;cheap&quot; bill. It's also delicious! It's known for having some of the best burgers in the city, and the beer is inexpensive as well.
http://cornerbistro.citysearch.com/

mcnyc, I went to NYU for a certificate in computer programming in 1978 in the school of continuing ed. It got me my career, going on 29 years now. Survived on those $3 Dojo tofu burger platters. I think the Dojo on St. Marks is closed down now. Also for those of you who read Mr. Cheap's NYC, Cabana Carioca , the Brazilian restaurant on 45th , that had great bar specials is closed now too.

There are plenty of places in Chinatown for less than $25 for two including the $1 cart. You can also get some good meals in Little Italy. If you are short of cash, head over to Zabar's and pick up some goodies to keep in your room. Of course, there is always Ray's Pizza.

I just learned that Tai Hong Lau on Mott Street has a half-priced Peking Duck special on Monday nights.

Also, during the day, I would recommend Momofuko Ssam Bar on Second Avenue and 13th Street; their ssams, kid of a Korean burrito for lack of a better description, are about $10 and you can customize your order.

Agree with the recs for Momofuko Noodle on First Avenue as well as NY Noodletown, which is one of my Chinatown favorites. Be willing to share a table there. Hard to spend $25..I usually spend about $15 for a big dinner.

Check Joe's Pub for jazz..their usual cover is $12 and the room is small with great sight lines.

www.joespub.com

Chinatown: Joe's Ginger - (113 Mott St. btwn Canal/Hester), Joe's Shanghai - 9 Pell St. btwn Bowery/Mott, Wo Hop - (17 Mott St/Canal), Big Wong - 67 Mott (btwn Bayard/Canal), New Bo-Ky - 80 Bayard Street (btwn Mott/Mulberry. East Village: Holy Basil = Thia Food (149 2nd Ave, 2nd Flr.(btwn 9th/10th Sts.), Angon on the Sixth = Indian 320 E. 6th St. (btwn 1&amp;2 Aves), Caracas Arepa Bar = S. American (931/2 E. 7th St btwn Ave A/1st Ave), Frank = Italian (88 2nd Ave btwn 5/6th Sts.), Mama&quot;s Food Shop = American (200 E.3rd St. btwn Aves A/B), Soba-Ya = Japanese/Soba (229 E. 9th St. btwn 2/3rd Aves)... just to name a few!

Holy Basil is great, but it's definitely pricey. I would go to Sea in the Village instead. Dirt cheap, very good Thai food w/ a fun atmosphere. There is usually a band at Arturo's playing jazz for dinner, but I'm not sure about Monday night. Arturo's is on Houston and Thompson, and has about my favorite pizza in NYC.

Cafecito on 12th and Ave C is really good cheap Cuban. Supper is also great, look on menupages.com for the exact address.