20 Trendy Restaurants: Overrated to Underrated

Trendy restaurants in NYC are always extremely hyped on social media, but are they really worth the money? Most of these places serve the food via "family style" but not really. They want you to order several entrees depending on how big your party is and share them all. The only issue is that for instance for a party of 4, they recommend about 6 entrees at over $20 a piece plus drinks and tip. Once you leave these places, you're about $75 in debt and most likely still going to grab a slice of dollar pizza later. So that all of my readers don't make the same mistakes that I did, I decided to rank 20 of the trendy restaurants I've been to in NYC from most overrated to most underrated.

1. Avra Madison: Pretentious, snooty, expensive. Not recommended. 
2. Stanton Social: The food is good, but the portions are very tiny and overpriced. The oreo pancakes look normal sized on Instagram, but in real life, they're silver dollars.
3. STK: The menu is basically all steak and the steak is not even that good. The atmosphere is attractive, but rather basic.
4. Tao: The food portions aren't too small, but $35 for kung pao chicken is a bit much. 
5. Sushi Samba: The sushi is just okay.
6. Beauty & Essex: Gorgeous atmosphere, but the food portions are very small and it's really expensive. Gotta go for the Instagram though! 
7. Buddakaan: Known to be a go-to spot for the Kardashians which is cool, but I personally did not enjoy the food.
8. Bodega Negra: Home of the famous melting chocolate ball with a cake underneath. Really nice spot, but expensive
9. Vandal: Really cool atmosphere and amazing desserts! Great for birthday celebrations.
10. Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar: Worth it for the Instagram. The drinks are very tasty and the sunset view is beautiful! 
11. Mr. Chow: Another spot with many celebrity spottings and the food is pretty good to be honest!
12. Nobu: Extremely hyped thanks to Drake. Many celebrity spottings and amazing sushi! 
13. Hotel Chantelle: The rooftop is beautiful and the brunch is really good. Cheap drinks ($1 shots!) and not a very expensive place overall.
14. The Smith: The mac and cheese is worth the trip. 
15. Cafeteria: Open 24 hours which is really cool and it's comfort food so how can it be bad? 
16. Bar Pitti: Worth it. 
17. By Chloe: Rather expensive for a grab and go spot, but it's all natural vegan food so it's understandable and well worth it. The guac burger is to die for! 
18. Fig & Olive: One of my personal favorites. Beautiful atmosphere and rather low key. 
19. Catch: Great brunch deals and large portions. Price matches up to serving sizes and location/atmosphere/hype.
20. Hillstone: Very underrated spot. Great food and decent portion sizes. Expensive but not terrible. 

Hopefully this helps out all you food connoisseurs and now you know my opinion on what restaurants to avoid and what restaurants to attend!