if you're looking for korean bbq just go to k-town 32nd street bet. broadway and fifth ave.

also check out Joe's shanghai in chinatown on Pell Street.

great vietnamese saigon grill on university place or 91st and amsterdam..

There is a restaurant called Taim (falafel, middle eastern food, and smoothies) that just got reviewed in the New Yorker and sounds pretty good. No web site but here are some reviews:

http://tinyurl.com/268fec

Wow, thank you so much for all of your responses! I've had a good time looking them all up and seeing what would fit us best. I think we'll just have a make a list of "to-try" places and work our way through it. Some of the suggested restaurants that look to fit us best that we will try are:
Degustation (does anyone know of a website for this restaurant?)
Dumpling Man
Gyu-Kaku
La Bonne Soupe
Momofuku
Stanton Social
Wallse
I'm so excited, I want to hop on the train now and head out to the city!!

I really enjoyed my weekend in NYC last week. One of my regrets was not getting to La Bonne Soupe. Well, I will the next time!

Fun and unique is the perfect definition for Les Sans Culottes East. It is a French country Bistro located on 2nd avenue just north of 57th. The food is really very good and the prices are more than reasonable - well within your budget or below-particularly for what you get. Before the entree is served, each table gets a large rack of a wonderful assortment of French country sausage -take a knife and keep hacking off all that you want, a large basket of fresh whole veggies and usually fruit too, a crock of pate and a basket of crusty bread. All of these items do not appear on the bill! We try to get there whenever we are in NY and love to take guests just to see the expression on their faces when all is brought out. Everyone that we have taken there has gone back on their own.

Sushi Samba 7 is a fun vibe. We threw our daughter's 21st Birthday party there, on their rooftop, and it was a huge hit.

They provided more food than I'd ordered, a complimentary round of drinks for the 12 young women, and generally took good care of them. Great sushi and entrees. A cool place for twenty-somethings.
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I ,myself, have not been but I have read that Chez Josephine's is fun. Run by one of Josephine Baker's adopted sons. Anyone ??

Chez Josephine's was mentioned on another post last month. Maybe my French dining in Manhattan one.

Be sure to make reservations at Degustation. The place seats very few people. If you are on a strict budget, go easy on the wine & you should still be able to enjoy a few really good dishes.

lucky chang's is gross and a place for frat boys and bachelorette parties. Being stuck in a pool next to Micheal Musto, ugh.

Dumpling Man is not really a scene--more take out, fine to grab lunch there if tooling around the east village.

stanton social is fun--must reserve ahead.

WD-50 is great and I can't figure out how people walk away hungry--I have eaten there at least 50 times and have never walked away hungry.

Falai (not the cafe, the restaurant) is fun and a scene, chef is attractive too and the kitchen is open so you an ogle away with the rest of the diners.

check out eater.com for new places too.

I found a great restaurant in NYC this weekend... it's called Turkish Cuisine, and you guessed it, they serve Turkish Cuisine. It's nothing fancy, but good reasonably priced food in a cozy environment. It's on Ninth ave in the 40's... an area where it's hard to find good affordable meals. The two of us each had appetizer, entree, a couple beers, and a shared dessert all for about $50. I highly reccommend this place!