Restaurant week. It's coming, and we'd like you to be prepared.
If you're not familiar with Restaurant Week, well, that's what we're here for, isn't it?
During Restaurant Week, from January 18th to February 5th (excluding Saturdays), you can dine at some of New York City's swankiest restaurants for prices you can actually afford.
Here's how affordable it is: NYC's fine dining could usually set you back a cold hundred. During Restaurant Week? You can get a three course lunch for $25 and a three course dinner for $38.
We know, we told you the deals are incredible. Read on to check out just how incredible they are.
1. Hakkasan (311 West 43rd Street)
bookbook_c 和漂亮辣妈逛吃逛吃逛吃 brunch完了吃晚餐 今天又长胖了😂😂😂Asiate的view真的不错哦 俯瞰central park全景😄😄#asiate#hakkasannyc#nyc#foodie#friends
Hakkasan is one of NYC's most expensive Chinese restaurants - and with good reason. It's also got some of the most delicious food in the whole city.
We're talking duck salad that'll turn your world around, the most amazing sea bass that's ever been prepared in the state of New York, and a really interesting twist on dessert dumplings.
Remember how we mentioned that you could eat three courses of dinner for $38? Right, well let's just take a look at Hakkasan's prices when it's, you know, not restaurant week.
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The black truffle roasted duck costs $59, the stir-fry brazilian lobster tail by itself costs $48, and the wok-fried lobster costs $61.
Did you want to eat the peking duck? Well that's $88, so don't even think about it. Unless, you know, it's restaurant week. Then it'll only cost $38. Which is a huge victory, if you ask us.
2. Ai Fiori (400 5th Avenue)
lammie77 Delicious dinner at #aifiori with @gracesaygrace. #nyceats #twomichelinstars #ilovepasta #foodie
Ai Fiori is available during restaurant week for Monday through Friday lunches. Let's just review the facts: During restaurant week, three course lunches cost $25. Did we fully refresh you on the brilliance of Restaurant Week? Great.
Okay, well let's discuss the situation at Ai Fiori for a second. It's a beautiful, elegant setting, with perfectly prepared squid ink pasta, superbly presented, melt-in-your-mouth ravioli, and really amazing blue crab spaghetti with chillies.
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Sounds like a great lunch, right? Okay, their normal lunch is prix fixe, and it costs $45 for two courses, and $63 for three courses.
Instead, you'll get three courses for $25. Sure, it's a more limited menu, but we'll take it. It's going to be absolutely delicious. They've got pan-roasted chicken, house made pasta ribbons, and butternut squash soup. Make a reservation, like, yesterday.
3. ABC Cocina (39 East 19th Street)
This is ABC Cocina's first time participating in Restaurant Week, so that makes it a big deal. It's available for Restaurant Week reservations from Monday through Friday for lunch.
Its food is all sourced from small, sustainable farms, and is powered by green technology through its building materials and lighting. These are all great perks.
Another great perk is how much it would typically cost to eat at ABC Cocina. Their lunch prix fixe costs $33, to give you some idea.
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Also, for Restaurant Week you get three courses, and one course of a cheeseburger costs $20, one course of arroz con pollo costs $26, and one corse of black sea bass costs $32.
So coming to ABC Cocina during restaurant week definitely means getting your money's worth, which we're all about.
4. Gotham Bar and Grill (12 East 12th Street)
jeaniusnyc Hello Sexy Risotto! ❤️ Absolutely loved this Seafood Risotto at Chef Alfred Portale's iconic @gothambarandgrill in the Village! Ruby red shrimp, calamari, jersey tomato, pancetta opal basil, wilted arugula, and Calabrian chile combined to create fresh, zesty, flavors with every bite. 😋 Named NYC's #BestRestaurant for American cuisine by @zagat, they still got it after more than 25 years! Bravo! 👏 Loved the impromptu dinner with Daryl of @unbuttoningpants and @ewfeiler! 😘😘 #gothambarandgrill #seafood #risotto #seafoodrisotto #allbuttonsbursting #finedining #topnycrestaurants #eeeeeats #foodwinewomen
Gotham Bar and Grill is offering lunch during Restaurant Week from Monday through Friday. We recommend you get on it, and make a reservation as soon as you can.
Why, you're wondering? Just because we started to believe in a higher power after we tried the famous Gotham chocolate cake. It's so intensely delicious, and served with orange flavored crunch ice cream, so it's really something stellar.
Oh, the wild mushroom risotto with white truffles might just the best thing you'll eat this decade. Also, the rack lamb is perfect, and we're not really on point with the moral quandary of foi gras, but we heard it's delicious too.
Their typical lunch prix fixe is $38, and this lunch prix fixe is $25, for three luscious, decadent courses so... you see our point.
,5. Giorgio's of Gramercy (27 East 21st Street)
timmmykirk #giorgiosofgramercy Mmmmmmm, Porterhouse for two...(actually three since our kitty Rikky will get some of the leftovers.)
Treat yourself, your date, friends, family, or whoever else (casual acquaintances?) to lunch or dinner at Giorgio's of Gramercy from Monday through Friday, or for dinner on Sunday during Restaurant Week.
It's not an order, but we're imploring you to do this for your own sake. The arugula salad, hangar steak, salmon, and penne Bolognese at Giorgio's are all really special.
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They also have very good roasted oysters, and the papardelle with braised veal is known to turn nonbelievers into veal obsessives. Oh, also, the s'mores bread pudding for dessert is something everyone should get to try at least once.
Their typical three-course dinner prix fixe costs $50, and since this prix fixe deal costs $38, we figured we should let you know about the difference. What will you do with that $12? That's got to be up to you.
6. Nougatine at Jean-Georges (1 Central Park West)
Talk about treating yourself! Were you talking about that? Isn't that the point of restaurant week? Jean-Georges is seriously fancy, and the fact of Restaurant Week allows those of us who normally can't justify the expense to experience it.
The tuna tartare at Jean-Georges is the best tuna tartar in North America, we're sure of it. It's beautifully plated and swimming in a delicious, bold sauce.
The black sea bass here is cooked perfectly, and the fish flakes right off and melts in your mouth. Oh, also, try the chocolate lava cake. Trust us. Have we ever lead you astray?
You'd normally spend $30 per entree at Jean-Georges (sautéd black sea bass costs $34, sesame crusted salmon costs $30, seared beef tenderloin costs $38) and their typical tasting menu costs $98. So you're doing pretty well spending $38 for three courses, if you ask us.
7. Trattoria L'Incontro (21-76 31st Street - Queens)
yoonalee417 delicious pasta for lunch 🍴🍝 #TrattoriaLincontro #carbsoverload #zuppadipesce #yoonaeats
Trattoria L'Incontro is a gem of Astoria, and it's offering restaurant week lunch from Monday through Friday. We'd like to make an impassioned case for you to check it out.
First, because it's the best restaurant in Astoria, and probably Queens too. Second, because it'll never be this inexpensive again.
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Everything here stands out, but what really stands out are the prosciutto e burrata, the mezza luna, and the osso buco. It's all phenomenal, and you'll definitely leave feeling way too full. Don't sell yourself short though, try that Nutella pastry.
Every quality entree here costs $30 or more. Normally, this would raise our blood pressure, but since it's Restaurant Week and you get three lunch courses for $25, it's all good homie.
Check out 10 Best NYC Restaurants That Serve Delicious Gluten-Free Food.
[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]