Arriving in NYC on 16th for a week. Could you tell me some leads of good & clean restaurants. Being from south, I have two boys who only eat- Pizza, Chicken & Hamburgers. I know I'm in trouble thats why I'm asking. I'm trying to stay in the $10 per person range, if possible. Thanks in SC

It's really not that important to eat near your hotel. That area is expensive and uninteresting. So you eat anywhere else in New York and then come back to your hotel.

Is there any way to get the boys to expand their horizons, food wise. I mean they can have chicken and burgers in SC. OTOH, pizza is a great thing in NYC. Put pizza in the NY search and you will find lots of ideas.

Hmmm... Try Burger Heaven on 9 East 53rd Street, just east of 5th Avenue. It fits your requirements - cheap burgers near the Hilton. It's not great but acceptable.
If you want to venture away from your hotel, you may want to try the Corner Bistro in the West Village (331 West 4th Street at Jane Street)... they're also cheap & are known for their burgers - indeed some of the best in the city.
I'm afraid there isn't very good pizza near the Hilton. But if you trip it down to John's on Bleecker Street (just off 7th Ave.), you'll get the real deal. Part of the problem is that midtown is very corporate and prices reflect that. You can eat very well for $10 in this city but not in midtown. By the way, the "Egyptian guy", a street vendor on the corner of 53rd. and Ave. of the Americas (right outside your hotel) is very famous & does a roaring business between 7:30 pm & 4:00 am. If you go, ask for the chicken & rice platter with lots of white sauce & spicy sauce.

There is good pizza near the Hilton!! Angelo's has 2 locations nearby, one in the Ed Sullivan theater where Letterman is taped (Broadway & 53-54 st)
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant...-oven-pizza01/

and another on west 57 st. b/w 6th-7th.
I haven't tried it but Bella Vita on 58 st b/w 6th-7th gets great reviews on menupages
http://www.menupages.com/restaurantd...0&cuisineid=50

Georgio's Country Grill is good for all they like
http://www.menupages.com/restaurantd...0&cuisineid=50

Old Castle Pub also sounds ideal.
http://www.menupages.com/restaurantd...0&cuisineid=50

Your only problem will be the $10/person. You may have to stretch a bit at some places depending on how hungry they are.

Here's a list of burger places in the area. The Burger Joint in the Parker Meridien hotel is FAMOUS and considered by some to be the best burgers in the city.
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants...dResturantIds=

To use menupages.com your hotel is in the west 50's. Select that and then select the food you want (ie pizza, burgers, delis).

If you like BBQ, Virgil's in Times Square is good (although maybe not as good as home). John's pizza mentioned by mdn also has a location in Times Square (in a converted church).

If they like hot dogs, one of the best deals in town is at Papaya King (really just a snack bar rather than a restaurant). 2 hot dogs and a drink for $3.50 (price just went up). They have 3 locations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray's_Papaya

With a $10 per person budget, you're almost restricted to pizza places and fast-food outlets. Setting a $10 per person food budget for NYC is very unrealistic!
Some of the suggestions on this thread are way beyond that budget figure.

Apologies. Mclaurie is absolutely correct as always. Angelo's is very good and so is Burger Joint. I still prefer John's over Angelo's but will recommend both. It could be impossible to make it through to Burger Joint as I expect it will be absolutely mobbed... but you can try.

Take them to brunch at 202 in Chelsea Market: Best Brunch in NYC: NYMagazine Spring '06.
M

You've been given lots of great choices. But feeding someone for $10 (meal, drink, tax and tip) is going to be very dicey. And if they're teens I think you're sunk (based on how much food my brother and his friends used to scarf down).

$10 is really minimal in NYC. For instance - at Burger Heaven a cheesburger plate is $9.80 and a coke $2 - so with tax and tip you're talking $15 per person. So I think you should prepare yourself to spend more - and then be happy if you don;t have to.

Right across from the parking garage entrance of the Hilton on 53rd is a terrific convenience store/deli with an amazing hot/cold buffet. There is a nice (and very clean) seating area. They cook breakfast (cheap) to order. Or, you can collect take-away - sandwiches, etc. - (picnic ware provided). The buffet is available early to late and the food is excellent. (Best meatballs I've enjoyed anywhere.)

Will they eat sandwiches? If they will try any of the "Cosi" restaurants. There are many locations and some are open late-night http://www.getcosi.com

What about Heartland Brewery? It is very close at 51st Street. I have never eaten here but it is always packed when I walk by the windows (it's on the way to Le Bernadin). Probably over $10 a head, however.

There is a coffee shop on 6th between 57th/59th Sts., opposite side of your hotel, that has cheap burgers, soup, sandwiches. It is always crowded, so the food must still be good. I used to eat here all the time when my friend's boyfriend was employed as a short-order cook.

Thanks, you all have been very helpful. I have something to go on