"Forget under $40—the steak frites at Lori Jayne, a restaurant inside Bushwick's Alphaville bar, cost $20. The chuck flap is sliced paper thin, with a crisped crust and a ruby red center, doused in a sichuan peppercorn-heavy au poivre, and served on a bed of skinny, hand-cut, golden-brown fries—all in a paper food tray you'd usually receive at a baseball game. Add on a $10 burger or a $12 frozen strawberry-basil margarita, and your total check will still be lower than just the steak frites at most of the places on this list. Technically a special, this cult-favorite tends to be available every night (check Instagram to confirm)." - bryan kim, willa moore
Lori Jayne