There are a number of crappy towns in NJ that are closer to NYC than Paterson and Passaic.

most of them arent crappy.. name some ? maybe if its closer to the holland you can say newark, but thats really about it..

fwiw I was in Corona before this, that area isn't dangerous is it? same issues with supermarkets closing at 8/9pm there.

Not super dangerous (though relatively speaking, it's not a "safe" place in NYC) but, I think you may be off here. I google maps'd supermarkets Corona and found a 24 hour supermarket, and several others open until 10-midnight.

Either way, you get what you pay for. You're living in very cheap NYC neighborhoods - you're not going to have the same immediate access to stuff. Gonna have to go grocery shopping after work until you can upgrade your living situation. You could also use a delivery service like FreshDirect, but that might be more expensive than what you're looking for.

Yeah for Corona I may have to walk it back a little, there was a place a couple blocks away from me open until 10pm, but most places closed at 8 or 9pm. There were a couple other places I never really went to because they were further away and not en route to anywhere I ever needed to go. But checking now it seems that they were open until 11:30/12:30. Any 24 hour places were relatively far away.

BTW, is there a way to search for something on google maps (or yelp or wherever) with max travel time by subway/walking as a parameter? For example I'll search for stuff within let's say a 2 mile radius on Yelp. I don't know where any of the results are in relation to the subway at first, so I have to check each one on google maps for travel time. So there's time wasted on that, but more importantly, I might be missing places that are 3 miles or 5 miles away but have shorter travel times because they're close to the subway.

I was being a bit over-the-top - meant there are a number of towns which yet haven't rapidly appreciated in value such as Hoboken, JC, and pretty much all the other river towns.

Both Passaic and Paterson are both surrounded by towns which are not nearly as problematic yet are relatively inexpensive (compared to the Jersey City's of the world). A town like Nutley comes to mind - still relatively affordable, a decent town center, and in a good location.

One town I'm surprised doesn't cost a lot more is Rutherford. It has a lot of great old and well-kept homes, relatively quiet, a nice downtown, and 2 stops from NYC by train. There are a lot of similar towns located further from NYC which are far more expensive (though I can't speak to Rutherford's schools, could be a reason why). I think it has some great upside.

agree,, property taxes are high is a reason, really good schools , but that goes for all of n jersey obv, you are right on it being undervalued in relation to other cities close by. I also think harrison fits that description , just that its more urban setting .. If nj transit keeps subsidizing sea streak , the atlantic highlands area is also good value,, if such a thing exist nowadays

Any recommendations for low-key spots?

Heading out there this weekend, we're doing dinner at Buddakan on Friday night when we get there. Going to US Open all day Saturday, then just hanging out in the city/doing touristy stuff Sunday and Monday.

Looking for recommendations you guys have on spots that aren't necessarily fine dining but are still good/unique. Anything is fine, pizza, counter order stuff, breakfast/brunch, bar food, etc.

Prob won't really be north of 40th street, so mostly looking for lower east side/Brooklyn recommendations.

Pizza by the slice -

Prince St Pizza in NoLita (get the square pepperoni slice)

Joe's in the West Village or Union Square.

Note that you will be eating these in the street but they are both really good.

Sit down pizza -

Juliana's in DUMBO

Lucali in Carroll Gardens

Paulie Gees in Greenpoint (get the Hellboy pie) and grab a craft beer at Brouwerij Lane before/after your meal

All will have a wait esp Lucali, so go early or be prepared to wait a long time.

Breakfast/Brunch

Get the pancakes at Clinton St Baking Company in the LES. Again probably a wait but they take your number and you can walk around in the area.

Upland in flatiron has a great brunch as well(and dinner)

Five Leaves in Greenpoint for Instagram hipster brunch but the food is actually really good.

Misc cheap food

Xian Famous Foods (many locations) get the lamb cumin noodles and spicy spinach dumplings and eat them immediately

Taim (multiple locations) is GOAT level falafel

Even tho it's above 40th st Levain Bakery has prob the best cookies ever, go during off peak hours

Enjoy

For "touristy" things 9/11 memorial and walking the High Line are pretty good.

Thanks Mullen! I feel like going down Yelp/Eater rabbit holes in NYC is impossible because there are so many damn options, good to have things narrowed down.

Just got back from a 5 day trip. May post TR if I have time. To add or confirm to Mullen's post, Joe's pizza was really good and open late. Think I was there at 130am.

Had a late lunch at Jack's Wife Freda's and they had some good brunch options.

The pizza at Lombardi's was great and fast.

Not sure if they do Smorgusburg in Brooklyn on Sunday's too, but on Saturday it was fun with good food. A bunch of food truck like options set up tents and have food and beer.

Brooklyn Brewery was fun w/ free tours and a good tour guide.

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan was pretty cool as well. Crowded, but really good views.

Just left le Bernardin for lunch

was my first time getting lunch there and the service and quality still off the charts A++

Got the trout and snapper and banana smore, all fantastic

Visiting New York for the first time in about four years; where is the best BBQ? I know it's not known for it, but there's gotta be some good joints, right?

Also interested in the best burgers, donuts, coffee, bagels and cafes where I can sit on my laptop for a few hours without annoying anyone (so free wifi and power outlets are essential).

Is it worth lining up for a cronut?

The cronut line doesn't take too long to get through, maybe 20 mins if its at the door? Could be unpopular opinion, but I preferred the cookie shot.

Don't line up for a cronut, you'll get an equally awesome dessert at any rando restaurant

I like Hometown BBQ for best in NYC, but it’s a trek to get there. Fette Sau in Williamsburg is also amazing. For Manhattan, I guess I will say Mighty Quinn’s though I did have a trip there recently where it wasn’t as good as the previous times I went.

Donuts - Dough or Doughnut Plant

+1 to lolcronuts. Levain Bakery cookie >> cronut.

Bagels/coffee/burgers etc just Yelp whatever area of the city you’re in and there will likely be a ridiculously elite spot, and there’s plenty of coffee shops where you can get some great hipster pastries and drinks and laptop it up for awhile. Probably Williamsburg or anywhere in the village for the best spots.

Going there for first time ever for UFC 217. Any recommendations where to stay. Budget is about 300 a night.

for manhattan bbq, i recommend hill country on 26th street

cronuts or other special desserts at DA bakery can be fun, but just be sure to check their website because they only sell them at certain times. for example cookie shots are only available in the afternoon.

+1 to Hill Country, they also have one in Brooklyn Heights which is very solid. Although not as in the limelight compared to the past, I'm still a fan of Blue Smoke on 27th. Great drink selection and they have a cool jazz club in the basement.

The lounge of the Ace Hotel is a hot spot for spending a few hours on a laptop and there's a Stumptown Coffee Roasters attached. For a pretty large space, it fills up w/freelancers pretty quickly during the week.

Eleven Madison Park re-opened this weekend.

Not sure what you're looking for, but I've had a lot of success on the app Hotel Tonight. A fair number of Midtown hotels which would be close to MSG and some downtown ones. You typically get the hotel's smaller rooms and not the best views, but they are pretty cheap for good hotels. Avg $150 a night. Not sure the availability on fight weekends though. I've never had a problem booking day of.

Thanks for all the input!

Any other recommendations of just ****ing delicious food? Items that are "must try" and worth potentially lining up for? Preferably in Manhattan or Brooklyn.

Halal Guys on 53rd & 6th

Pastrami sandwich at 2nd Ave Deli

Oysters at Grand Central Oyster - The oyster pan roast for that matter as well

Choco chip cookie from Jacques Torres