Where To Get A Last-Minute Dinner In The East Village

Walk around in the East Village, and you’ll probably come across an establishment with chairs, menus, and a kitchen. This is a called a restaurant, and the neighborhood is packed with them. You’d think this would make it easier to find a last-minute place to get dinner in the neighborhood - but there are always a lot of people in the East Village who enjoy sitting down and eating things. That’s why we made this guide. It has 12 spots where you can either make an easy reservation or walk in at any given time and get a table without having to wow a host with your unparalleled charisma.

The Spots

Kafana is a neighborhood spot with brick walls and dim lighting, and it’s an ideal place to drink some wine and eat an excessive amount of meat. The food here is Serbian, and it consists of things like pork schnitzel, pork chops, lamb shank, and chicken liver rolled in bacon. There are also some small plates like fries, mashed potatoes, and a cheese pie that’s just a very dense mass of dough and cheese. So yes, you will get full at Kafana. Bring a few friends for a big, casual Friday night meal, or have a date night here with someone who enjoys meat, cheese, and potatoes.

At Haile, you can get a great meal for less than $20, and you probably won’t have to wait for a table. Those are two very good reasons why you should know about this East Village Ethiopian spot. There are a few different combos that come with various meat and/or vegetable dishes, and all of the entrees come with two sides. We especially like the ye siga wot (strips of beef) and shira wot (chickpeas) - and we also like the fact that if you share a big plate of food with someone here, you can be pretty certain they like you (because you eat with your hands).

When Hunan Slurp first opened, it was about as busy as the section of ground in front of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. But now that its aura of newness has worn off, you can eat here pretty easily. So if you’re wandering around with a couple of friends one night, trying to find a spot where you can sit down and eat something quick, get some noodles here. We especially like the hometown lu fen with sliced beef and peanuts, and you should start with some cucumbers and the smoked sausage. There are also some big communal tables if you’re with a group, or if, for some reason, you enjoy eating in very close proximity to strangers.

Han Dynasty serves some very good Szechuan food, and it’s perfect for just about any non-fancy scenario. It also gets very busy, but it’s walk-in only, and food comes out quickly, so you probably won’t find yourself standing in the doorway for an hour while you stare at a group in the corner that just won’t get up. Stop by any weeknight, or come with a group on a Friday night and share some chicken, green beans, wontons, and several orders of dan dan noodles.

Whenever we walk by Ravagh, we usually see at least a few empty tables. And we always consider walking in, claiming one, and eating a bunch of well-seasoned lamb kebabs. We also like the crispy rice and the ghormeh sabzi (a stew with beef, parsley, scallions, and bean). This is a fairly big place with two rooms and plenty of tables, and it’s good for dinner with parents, a couple of friends, or someone you went to school with who wants to reconnect for some reason. Most things cost under $20, and, while there are white tablecloths on every table, service is casual.

Let’s say it’s a Friday night and you’re looking for something quick and easy, but every place you walk by appears to be as crowded as a Best Buy on Black Friday. Go to K’ook. It’s a Korean spot in a basement on 6th Street where you can hang out with a friend and eat some good tofu stew or bibimbap. There are also roughly 30 other things on the menu, most of which cost less than $20. Split an order of Korean fried chicken or rice cakes with someone, and avoid telling other people about this place.

Benemon is perfect for when you need a spot where you can potentially spend around $20 on dinner, and you don’t feel like doing so in the frozen food aisle at Trader Joes. This neighborhood Japanese place specializes in rice bowls and curries with things like pork katsu, eel, and popcorn chicken, and it’s a charming space with brick walls and an excessive number of light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. If you want to have a drink, there’s also a great selection of sake.