help! leaving tomorrow for NYC
 

I will be in NYC by myself for three days this weekend with nothing to do.

I've been there many times, and all I really do is walk about. For me, that's fun.

But are there places in Manhattan to walk and eat for not-to-much money that I should be sure not to miss?

I hate Times Square and touristy stuff. I like restaurants where you can eat good food at the bar and not worry about the "cool" factor.

And neighborhood-y bars/pubs that are not too loud, where I can enjoy a pint or three and still feel like I'm in NYC?

thanks

E. VIllage and Lower East Side are good areas for moderately priced good meals and also pubs/bars.

Do a NNY search. There was a really good post recently done by someone who did NYC on the cheap and did some off the beaten path stuff.

NNY search?

do a text search here on NYC and cheap. One recent useful one is http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34503435

My favorite neighborhood with lots of "local", reasonable restaurants is Union Square area. Try Duke's, on 19th street right behind City Crab for great home cookin' type foods. Great Jones (on Great Jones street bet. Lafayette & Bowery) for down & dirty cajun, small but excellent. It's going to be a beautiful weekend in NYC! Enjoy

The upper west side is another great are for good, interesting and reasonable restaurants. And for free, you can spend a ton of time just looking and/or learning at Tower or one of the two gigantic B&Ns - open until midnight at least.

Famous old/atmospheric bars

White Horse Tavern (circa late 1800s) at Hudson and 11 st in the west village. Cheap beer, ok-decent burgers

Old Town Bar and Grill flatiron districe, 45 E. 18th St. (btw. Park Ave. & Broadway) inexpensive beer and food. Very neighborhood atmosphere.

Pete's Tavern 18th st & Irving Place

Any ethnic food is usually a good deal. Ninth Ave. from 40's-50's has lots to choose from.

For very New Yorky outdoor atmosphere, the Boat Basin Cafe at 79th & the Hudson River (all the way west).

The Boat House in Central Park sits right in front of the "lake" where you can rent row boats. More expensive here though.

If you like Spanish food, El Faro on Greenwich St. (& Horatio) is nothing to look at but has (IMO) excellent paella and sangria.

Sorry, I meant NYC but hit post too fast. Here is the thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

If the weather is good (and it is supposed to be this weekend), take a walk along the Hudson River Walkway. It runs from the Upper West Side (hop on near the Boat Basin Cafe on 79th Street) all the way down to Battery Park.

Two things we did when in NYC that I enjoyed:
1. Visited Columbia University campus.
very nice...grounds and bldgs.

2. Went to Chelsea Market. Lots of shops soup/sandwich shops, pizza. More of a local area.

Just a heads up for your transportation expectations in NYC this weekend - it's the Gay Pride parade on Sunday - starts at 12 noon on 5th Ave and 52nd street - goes all the way down the the Village. A great spectacle - but a traffic nightmare. Subway or walking is your best bet.

That said - it's supposed to be gorgeous on Sunday - walking along the Hudson River path all the way down to Battery Park city- then stroll over to Tribeca and eat at Yaffa's, Bubbys,The Harrison, Salaam Bombay, or Gigino. Drink at Puffy's on Hudson - one of oldest and really great bars in the 'hood.