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Mott Haven has perhaps some of the best Mexican food in the city and has an okay variety these days.
Never been, so can't really compare, but my go to Mexican restaurant is in Sunnyside. Its my favorite. And I'm not even that big into Mexican food, but this place in Sunnyside is off the heezy.
If you want to spend under 2k in NYC, you can either 1: live in a yuppie educated area with a roommate, or 2: live in a ghetto area where nobody has graduated high school or has a job by yourself, or 3: live by yourself in kinda boring but very safe outskirts-of-the-city neighborhoods like central/western Staten Island, far east Queens, far south Brooklyn, etc, but have a real long commute (unless you're lucky enough to work there).
I had the same choice (actually, I couldn't even manage 2k, I set my limit at 1600), I went for the second option. I don't care that I stick out like a sore thumb in my neighborhood, it doesn't stop me from going to the grocery store when I need or, or hopping on the train to go to NYU land when I want to hang out with my friends and get food. Anything to not have a roommate. And I'd rather have a 30 minute commute and have people ignore my existence on the street than a 70 minute commute and have people be friendly in my area. I am from NY though, so I'm used to it.
Since you want to be on the UES I'd recommend you try somewhere like southern East Harlem. You could have an extraordinarily short commute, maybe even walking distance... Get in soon though, the rents are rising here really fast. If you're not as antisocial as I am, you might want to consider living in some yuppie college area for a little while with a roommate while you get acquainted with teh city, and then get your own place in less-green pastures (but not have to share) after a while.
I would just change your first sentence from $2k to $1.6k. In Queens, it is very easy to find studios/1-brs for less than $2,000 in every neighborhood except for Long Island City. As long as you don't need new construction or luxury amenities. In western Queens, the floor is more like $1,600-1,700 for 1-bedrooms and less for studios.
Never been, so can't really compare, but my go to Mexican restaurant is in Sunnyside. Its my favorite. And I'm not even that big into Mexican food, but this place in Sunnyside is off the heezy.
Probably De zmole which is very good, but La Morada in Mott Haven is more than very good.
As someone from the SW, I struggle with Mexican food here because it isn't the more tex-mex SW style I grew up on. Not that other stuff isn't good as well, but I'll offer that anyone (like me) craving the SW US style should check out Lobo in Cobble Hill Brooklyn. Not fancy, but definitely hits the spot. And I'll solicit any other recommendations in this vein.
I would try to live on the UES, likely between First and Second Avenue in a 5 story walk-up. I think you might still find something between $1600 and $2,000.
I am not vouching for the guy but I often walk past his office and he has what seem to be reasonable (for Manhattan) neighborhood listings in his window. Second Avenue Subway is a nice perk. Neighborhood is very safe.
As someone from the SW, I struggle with Mexican food here because it isn't the more tex-mex SW style I grew up on. Not that other stuff isn't good as well, but I'll offer that anyone (like me) craving the SW US style should check out Lobo in Cobble Hill Brooklyn. Not fancy, but definitely hits the spot. And I'll solicit any other recommendations in this vein.
Oh, nice. Do they have hard shell ground beef tacos? I can't tell from the menu if they are hard shell.
Depends on what you are willing to trade off- you might get a dumpy walk up studio on a high floor for under $2k in UES, but you will be near all the action. Failing that I would look to Astoria, pretty good commute to UES, and a fair amount of good restaurants and bars in the Astoria area as well. You should be able to get a decent apartment in your price range. Sunnyside is a decent backup option, a bit cheaper and further out but it is getting to be a "hot" area.
Probably De Mole which is very good, but La Morada in Mott Haven is more than very good.
That being said, the other posters are rght--a person who has never lived in a city before should strike Mott Haven from the list.
I've been wanting to try La Morada for a while now! Any recommendations?
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