Updated November 2026
The holidays are coming, which means gifts, travel, and that one cousin who suggests a “fun group dinner” at a place where the bread costs $18. My wallet is already in witness protection.
So I went back through everything I have eaten this year and pulled out the deals that actually held up. Not the “deals” where the prix fixe is three tiny plates and a sad sorbet. Real food, real portions, real value. Some of these I have hit more times than I would admit to my doctor.
Seven deals. Ranked. Let’s go.
The Quick Answer
Best overall: Hawksmoor’s $55 Sunday Roast
Best value: Gallagher’s $34 three course lunch
Best before a Broadway show: Le Rivage’s $70 prix fixe
Best brunch: Hutong’s unlimited dim sum
Best solo bar seat: Tallow’s $10 martini happy hour
Best gamble: And Son’s $27.99 Adult Happy Meal
1. Hawksmoor: The $55 Sunday Roast
The verdict: Still one of the best deals and best meals in New York. I am there about once a month at this point. I should be paying rent.
What to order: The Sunday Roast. Three thick slices of beef, Yorkshire pudding, crispy roast potatoes, carrots, cabbage, gravy for days, and the slow roasted garlic, which is the secret weapon. Put it on everything. Pro tip: always go pink. Do not overthink it. Start with the charcoal-roasted scallops and save a piece of Yorkshire pudding for the butter left in the shell. Nobody can prove I drank it.
Price: $55 for the roast. Sundays only, so plan accordingly.
The martini situation: Right at home next to that much beef. The cocktail program is great. The bone marrow Bloody Mary is a solid drink, just manage your bone marrow expectations.
The honest note: The burger is still bar only. I understand why. I still find it annoying every single time.
Shannon pulled the reservation. Again. I will take the credit. Again.
Read my full Hawksmoor Sunday Roast review, then [the R.I.P. Notorious B.E.E.F. follow-up](LINK NEEDED). Hawksmoor sits on my Best Steakhouses in NYC list for a reason.
2. Gallagher’s: The $34 Steakhouse Lunch
The verdict: A three course steakhouse lunch for $34 in Midtown is practically a government subsidy. Deli sandwiches cost twenty bucks now. This is a winning lottery ticket on the sidewalk.
What to order: Caesar, sliced filet mignon, cheesecake. The filet is the star. Around six ounces, sliced, with crispy potatoes and mushrooms, cooked perfectly. Better than a lot of lunches that cost way more. Go get the filet.
Price: $34 for three courses, served daily until 4pm. It is not served on Thanksgiving or Christmas, so don’t show up on the holiday expecting a miracle.
The martini situation: I added a steak tartare and a couple of martinis because I was technically off the clock and that is what adults do.
The honest note: The Caesar will not change your life. It does its job and doesn’t embarrass itself, which in this city counts as high praise.
Read my full Gallagher’s lunch review
3. Le Rivage: The $70 Prix Fixe Before a Show
The verdict: Three courses for $70 in the Theater District, and they are regular portions, not some half-sized special. Le Rivage is one of the few places where I actually recommend the prix fixe.
What to order: The French onion soup burger. Rich, messy, deeply satisfying, and worth every nap afterward. It’s on my Best Burgers in NYC list for a reason. Solid steak frites too.
Price: $70 for three courses. Some items have an upcharge (the burger is $25 extra), and it’s still a great deal.
The martini situation: Perfect for any time of the day
The honest note: Even when I have paid full price, it has always been worth it.
4. Hutong: Unlimited Dim Sum Brunch
The verdict: A genuinely great brunch in one of the most stunning rooms in the city. Chrome everywhere. Not a single fingerprint. I have questions about who cleans it.
What to order: The crab sticks and wonton dumplings are the standouts. If you add the Peking duck, it’s worth it: crispy skin, tender meat, no complaints.
Price: When I went, it was a $68 prix fixe with unlimited dim sum, an entrée and sides, plus a $25 duck upgrade. Hutong has since switched to a $48 Unlimited Dim Sum weekend brunch, with Peking duck as a $30 per guest add-on. Twenty bucks cheaper than what I paid. I am choosing not to be bitter about it.
The martini situation: I did the duck math very carefully, with a full stomach and a slight martini buzz.
The honest note: The entrées were fine, but the dim sum stole the show. It’s also on Blackbird, so if you’re sitting on credits, this is a smart play.
Read my full Hutong review, and see where it landed in my 5 NYC Restaurants Worth Burning Your Blackbird Credits On.
5. Tallow: The $10 Martini
The verdict: Ten dollars for a martini in this city is a steal, full stop.
What to order: Happy hour runs 5 to 7. The $10 menu covers a vodka martini, a gin martini, a shot and a beer, a Toki highball, wine and spritzes. There’s something for every friend you’d ever bring along.
Price: $10 a drink at happy hour.
The martini situation: This is the martini situation. My usual: extra dirty, blue cheese olive, well vodka, shaken right in front of you. For ten bucks it hit exactly where it needed to.
The honest note: The bathroom. Tallow is inside Shaver Hall, so you leave the restaurant and wander a food hall maze to find one. After a couple of martinis, that’s not the adventure I’m looking for.
Read my full Tallow Steakhouse review
6. And Son: The $27.99 Adult Happy Meal
The verdict: It doesn’t pretend to be the best burger in New York. It’s simple, it’s playful, and it gives you exactly what it promises.
What to order: The Adult Happy Meal: a burger, fries, and a beer. The burger has Big Mac vibes from the house sauce, just bigger and juicier. Ask for extra sauce, because one cup isn’t enough. The wings are worth adding.
Price: $27.99. Go before 7pm and you get to roll a die. Hit a seven and the whole thing is free.
The martini situation: I skipped it. The beer came in a sleeve, about 24 ounces, which is two to four glasses depending on how honest you are with yourself.
The honest note: I was rushing to a birthday party and forgot to roll the die. Rookie mistake. It just gives me an excuse to go back.
7. Monterey: The $75 Birthday Prix Fixe
The verdict: Worth it, with an asterisk. It’s the priciest deal on this list, but for a group birthday it saves you from the chaos where half the table wants one thing and the other half complains about prices.
What to order: Caesar or salmon belly, prime rib, then the cloud cake, which looked great and tasted even better. The chocolate cake is the richer option.
Price: $75 for three courses. My final bill came to about $166 a head, and the cocktails are where that number comes from.
The martini situation: Cool smooth and to the point
The honest note: They ran out of prime rib. On a Friday. In Midtown. At a place known for prime rib. They handled it gracefully and swapped in three dry-aged porterhouses for the table, and the steaks were good. I still felt a little robbed.
The Final Verdict
If you only do one, make it the Hawksmoor Sunday Roast. If you work in Midtown, Gallagher’s at lunch is the best $34 you will spend all year. If you just need a cold drink and a bar seat, Tallow’s $10 martini will take care of you.
Prix fixe menus are like banana juice. You don’t always want one, but when the situation calls for it, it’s exactly what keeps everybody happy.
As always, what do I know? I am just a fat guy from Brooklyn trying to survive the week, one martini at a time.
Looking for more NYC restaurant reviews? Check out my Best Steakhouses in NYC, Best Burgers in NYC, and Best Restaurants in NYC lists.