Thursday Kitchen

Following the pandemic, where restaurants are smart to remove any barriers that keep customers from visiting, finding a spot that offers no reservations is somewhat of a rarity. Luckily, you can still find a number of places that are walk-in only for when you’re feeling spontaneous (or forgetful). Whether you’re looking for the best restaurant in Chelsea market to sit at the counter, or need to find a swanky dinner in Brooklyn on the fly, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite walk-in only spots around the city.

Our quick take on every restaurant/cafe/bar/bakery we visit in NYC, updated as we go (plus a score for El Prez). Tips/tricks/suggestions provided for all types of situations (e.g., reservation requirements, best order options, pics, pricing, etc.). Newest reviews at the top of the list. This is a combination of some well-known spots, holes in the wall, late night bites, and neighborhood gems across the city (predominantly Manhattan & Brooklyn). PRO TIP: If you want to search for the best spots according to us, just 'CMND/CTRL + F' for "8." or "9."

The East Village has a little bit of everything. Towards the west it is more posh as it connects to Union Square, towards the north it is extremely neighborhoody/family oriented near Stuytown, the east brings you the edginess of old-NY and Alphabet City, whereas the south is the trendy area of LES. East Village has a little something for everyone in it. The restaurants here serve up delicious food without being stuffy establishments. The East Village is filled with a pleathora of food options for all palates and budgets! Don't have a reservation, no problem - this guide is for you! My guide includes all day cafes, fast grab n' go options, and some phenomenal sit down restaurants spanning cuisines from italian, australian, Mexican, farm to table and a handful of different mediterranean and Asian cusines. Majority of the restaurants are in the $-$$ price range! Purchase of the guide includes an amazing interactive map that captures all these specifics and more!