New York is not the kind of city where it’s easy to get drunk! That’s because drinking here – whether in bars or restaurants – is, for the most part, very expensive. Wine glasses cost an average of $15 – and I will not even begin to list the price of the bottles. Drinks cost that average as well. Beers cost around $ 8. Obviously, these values vary widely and there are cheap locations, but overall I would say it’s something that is expensive. Even for the establishment. The license to sell alcoholic beverages in an establishment is very expensive – and some restaurants choose not to pay this rate and end up offering no alcohol option on the menu. The good side of all this? You can bring your own. That’s right – you can have dinner/lunch and drink without spending a fortune. This is called BYOB – bring your own bottle. I researched a few options to write this post.
Hillstone – it s a super-famous chain here in the United States, and at this particular location doesn’t charge you for bringing your bottle of wine – only one per table and the wine can not be on the restaurant’s menu. The atmosphere is super cool and the place serves American dishes. At lunch, there are salads from $15, burgers for $20 and other entrees for $27 on average. At dinner, the prices are a little bit higher. The place is super well rated.
Click here to check out the menu
Address: 378 Park Ave S.
Spicy Village – it is a Chinese restaurant. The menu includes options such as soups, noodles and dumplings, culinary classics. It’s super well rated on Foursquare – and was even featured on the New York Times! The environment is simple but the best of all are the prices: the most expensive dish costs $ 7.25! Open for lunch and dinner.
Click here to check out the menu
Address: 68B Forsyth St.
The Milling Room – super cool atmosphere for a date night, The Milling Room has a policy of not charging for the cork on Tuesday nights. The menu is very varied, with pasta from $20 and meat dishes from $26, plus appetizers from $12. Opens only for dinner.
Click here to check out the menu
Address: 446 Columbus Ave.
Poke – Rated as one of the best sushi restaurants on the Upper East Side. It has sushi and sashimi for $3 and simple rolls (with 6 pieces on average) starting at $4.50. Opens only for dinner.
Click here to check out the menu
Address: 343 E 85th St.
Tartine – Is a very small French restaurant, open all day, with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. At lunch, it has entrees starting at $10 and the choices include soup, omelet, sandwich, Croque monsieur, burger. At dinner, the dishes are more elaborate and cost from $20. The venue also opens for brunch, with classic options starting at $13.
Click here to check out the menu
Address: 253 W 11th St.
Gaia Italian Cafe – This authentic Italian place is simple and focused on the food, not the service3. It means that you place your order at the counter, pick up your fork and knives, napkins and glasses at the designated place and wait at the table for your food. There are paninis for $7, salads for $10, and the pasta varies by day, there is always a special one. The place only opens for dinner Friday and Saturday and it is highly recommended to make a reservation for Saturdays – only by phone 646 – 3503977. They do not accept groups of 6 or more people (only for dinner, with reservation). The rating on Foursquare is great and the photos are mouth watering!
Click here to check out the menu. Also, check the hours of operation
Address: 251 E Houston St.
More tips
- To search for more restaurants like these, download Foursquare and Yelp and search for BYOB.
- If you type “BYOB restaurants New York” on Google, you’ll also find more options.
- Do not worry about glasses or opener, as restaurants provide this.
- To buy your wines, look for “Wine Shops near me” on Google, and it will show you the stores next to you. Prices vary, but you can find bottles starting at $7. You will find beers in any supermarket or drugstore.
Did you like these tips?
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.
