It’s that wonderful time of year where some of New York’s finest restaurants offer three-course meals for a (sometimes only slightly) reduced price. Restaurant Week runs through Feb. 5 and, though $25 for lunch and $38 for dinner (plus tip and tax) may be a less than desirable amount to spend, Brokelyn is here to help you figure out on which dough you should spend your dough on. Just nine Brooklyn restaurants made the cut for the money-saving deals this season, which seems weird because there are way more than nine restaurants in Brooklyn, but we added a few in Manhattan worth making the trip across the bridge for good food deals too.
BENCHMARK
339 2nd Street, Park Slope
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch: Monday through Friday
Dinner: Sunday through Friday
Known for its New American faire with locally grown produce and organic-fed animals, Benchmark’s normally pricier menu becomes more accessible with this year’s offer. Menu highlights include a fillet mignon and a cookie dough eggroll for dessert. We know $38 may not be ideal, but cookie dough eggroll? Come on!
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Cherry Izikaya
138 North 8th St., Williamsburg
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch and Dinner: Monday through Friday
What we love about Cherry Izikaya: it has four courses for restaurant week (win!). However, its menu isn’t that expensive normally so you might be better of ordering a la carte. Our recommendation is to do the $20 Monday night ramen special which includes an appetizer and a beer or wine, or its daily happy hour from 5-7pm, which offers food discounts including $5 sushi rolls as well.
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French Louie
320 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill
Restaurant Week Offer:
Lunch: Monday through Friday
Dinner: Sunday through Friday
We think this lovely French restaurant offers a lot of bang for your buck especially for lunch. You can also save three dollars all year round with their Monday prix fixe menu instead of the $38 restaurant week dinner option.
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Greenhouse Cafe
7717 Third Ave., Bay Ridge
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch/Dinner: Sunday-Friday
There are lots of options to choose from at the Greenhouse Cafe during restaurant week. However, this continental cuisine seems more responsibly sampled at their $26 three-course two-hour boozy brunch, which includes bottomless cocktails and coffee/tea. If you can get all that food plus drinks, why wouldn’t you?
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Madiba Restaurant
195 Dekalb Ave., Fort Greene
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch/Dinner: Sunday through Friday
This authentic South African cuisine has a smaller amount of options on the Restaurant Week menu but we trust they’ve picked their strongest items, including durban samoosas, vegetable breyani and malva pudding. The menu is the same for lunch and dinner so if you’re looking for some South African flavor at a cheaper price, check out their lunch instead.
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Esh
98 North 6th St., Williamsburg
Restaurant Week offer:
Dinner only: Tuesday through Friday
We love the space here at Esh and the Israeli BBQ menu is definitely unique. But its $10 Radeburger and a burger happy hour special steals the show for us on this one. Check that out from 4:30-7pm on weekdays or all day on Tuesdays.
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MP Taverna
470 Driggs Ave., Williamsburg
Restaurant Week offer:
Brunch: Saturday and Sunday 11-3
Dinner: Everyday!
This restaurant is a modern take on traditional Greek cuisine, but its menu for Restaurant Week isn’t listed online. We say check out the brunch instead! You get to try two appetizers (staying true to their typical family style feel even though they’re individually portioned). Check out the grilled octopus; it looks bomb.
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Tanoreen
7523 Third Ave., Bay Ridge
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch: Tuesday through Friday
Dinner: Sunday through Friday (closed Monday)
Tanoreen’s authentic Middle Eastern cuisine is a crowd pleaser to all of its costumers. Reservations are highly encouraged for this spot. In addition to this menu, the Restaurant Week dinner will have specials offered nightly. We say check out the lunch here. They’ve definitely got the most options (and fierce yelp reviews).
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Zenkichi
77 North 6th St., Williamsburg
Restaurant Week offer:
Dinner only: Monday through Friday
This modern Japanese brasserie offers cuisine beyond sushi. We love the dark, zen feel of this place and that the second course is served with rice and soup. If you’re looking for your typical spicy tuna rolls, however, this is not your place. Restaurant week options include lamp chop tataki and rocksalt jidori chicken.
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OUTSIDE OF OUR BOROUGH…
If you’re feeling really adventurous and want to spend that food budget elsewhere, here are our picks outside of Brooklyn.
Catch NYC
21 Ninth Ave., Meatpacking, Manhattan
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch: Sunday through Friday
Catch is a trendy seafood restaurant in Meatpacking with beautiful décor and amazing food. $25 for Top Chef-created entrées? Yes, please.
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Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch: Monday through Friday
Dinner: Sunday through Friday
With all of the expensive restaurants you never get around to seeing, why not check some off during restaurant week? Dress up with friends and pretend you always dine in Lincoln Center on duck leg confit.
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La Loterira
29 Seventh Ave. South, West Village, Manhattan
Restaurant Week offer:
Lunch: Monday through Friday
Dinner: Sunday through Friday
During lunch at this Mexican restaurant you get your regular three-course meal plus a house beer or margarita. We think that’s worth the commute to Manhattan.