What To Eat At Madison Square Garden on a Budget

Whether they're looking for a small snack or some heavy barbecue, Knicks and Rangers fans will have plenty of food options to pick from at the Garden this season. MSG's executive chef Tom Tedesco kindly let us stuff our faces with the many choices. —Amy Parlapiano

SI Staff | Oct 19, 2017

What To Eat At Madison Square Garden on a Budget /

What To Eat At Madison Square Garden on a Budget

UNDER $10: Sausage Boss's Sausage and Chips ($8.50)

A safe and affordable option: With MSG's Chase Card Deal, you can get a classic sausage and peppers plus chips from Sausage Boss for just $8.50. The sausage isn't too spicy and though it's not a meal that's going to blow you away, it's always a reliable pick.

UNDER $10: Simply Chicken's Chicken Dog ($7.25)

A unique option from Simply Chicken, this is exactly what its name suggests: chicken in hot dog form, topped with mustard and coleslaw. The mustard is a little overpowering and on the spicy side, but it's an interesting alternative to a standard hot dog, and Chef Tom called it one of his favorite items.

UNDER $10: La Esquina's Nachos Con Queso ($9.75)

These are not your run-of-the-mill stadium nachos. This could stand as a meal all on its own—the organic chips come with cheese, red and green salsa and jalapenos, and the cheese sauce is made fresh.

UNDER $10: Steamed Vegetable Dumplings with Soy Ginger Sauce ($8.95)

Another option for a smaller, cheaper meal. If you're willing to go a little bit over the $10 limit, you can add a piece of sushi for $3.50.

UNDER $10: Hill Country's Mac and Cheese ($6.50)

Another good option if you're just looking for a quick snack.

UNDER $10: Carnegie Deli's Potato Knish ($6.50)

My coworker Connor had never had a potato knish in his life before our tasting session at MSG, which was shocking news to me. He tried this one and came to realize what most people know at this point: It is very easy to enjoy a potato knish. If you ate dinner beforehand and are just looking for a little snack, this would be a good choice.

UNDER $10: Kobeyaki's Tempura Sweet Potato Fries ($6.25)

If you're looking for a small snack rather than a full meal, skip the basic popcorn and go for the Tempura Sweet Potato Fries. They're the best thing I tried all night.

UNDER $20: Charlie Palmer Steak Sandwich: $17

"It's easier to eat than I thought it would be," said my coworker as he bit into the arena's new offering. The 5-oz whole New York Strip is, indeed, very tender and the caramelized onions add a ton of flavor (as does the chef's signature steak sauce) . And as an added bonus, the pickle is delicious too (it's a sweet one). They don't skimp on the steak, so if you're on a $20 budget, this should fill you up for the evening.

NOT SUB-$20, BUT VERY CLOSE: Kobeyaki's Braised Pork Bun + Tempura Sweet Potato Fries + Drink: $20.50

The pork bun was a standout favorite among those of us who had a taste (and of Chef Tom, who said it's his favorite sandwich right now). The coleslaw makes it a bit sweet, but it's really excellent, though, as I mentioned earlier, the real MVP here is absolutely the tempura sweet potato fries—you can't make a stop at Kobeyaki and not order them. If you use your Chase Card, you'll get the pork bun, fries and a (non-alcoholic) drink for $20.50. If you don't have a Chase Card, the pork bun is $13.00 on its own and the fries are $6.25.

UNDER $20: Fuku's Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich ($12.50) + Fries with Jalapeño Seasoning ($5.50)

Fans of David Chang, rejoice! Fuku is available at the Garden. We embraced the spicy and tried both the spicy chicken sandwich and the jalapeño-seasoned fries. For those who, like me, are very lame and unadventurous when it comes to spicy-food-tolerance, you won't have much to worry about with the sandwich. It's got a bit of a kick, but nothing too extreme. The fries, on the other hand, are very spicy, and it's an immediate kick. They were a hit, though—overheard from a coworker as we were munching: "Man, these spicy fries are awesome." Another Chase Card Deal to take advantage of here if you're so inclined: the chicken sandwich, fries and a drink are all $20.00 with a Chase Card (worth it if you can get a water or soda to wash the spice down with).

Carnegie Deli (prices vary)

If you're looking for that authentic Jewish deli experience at MSG, you'll find it at the famous NYC standard Carnegie Deli. The deli itself closed last year, and the Garden is now the only place in Manhattan where you can get yourself one of its classic sandwiches. We tried the Pastrami sandwich ($15.50), the corned beef sandwich ($15.50) the combo sandwich (selection of two meats ($16.50) and the potato knish ($6.50). With the Chase Card, you can get the sandwich and the knish for $17.00.

UNDER $20: Carnegie's combo sandwich ($16.50)

Another look at a Carnegie sandwich—they do not skimp on portion sizes here.

UNDER $20: Aquagrill's Lobster and Shrimp Roll with Chips ($17.50)

The shrimp on top of this is interesting, and gives it a more unique flavor than that of your standard lobster roll. It has an interesting, citrusy flavor to it. The problem with lobster rolls is that, despite being delicious, they're always expensive and they're never particularly large portions, so you're left still feeling hungry. In this case, you can add on the Utz chips with Chesapeake Bay crab seasoning as a way to extend the meal a bit. (With a Chase Card, that's $17.50, without one, the lobster roll on its own is $20.00).

UNDER $20: Sushi (prices vary)

If you're into the whole sushi-at-sporting-events trend, you can certainly satisfy your desire for it at the Garden. Chef Tom brought out an assortment of just about anything you could want: tuna sushi and salmon sushi (those go for $3.50); different kinds of rolls (Avocado, California, spicy tuna, etc. ... those vary from $5-$7) and sashimi ($4.50-$5), which Chef Tom says he eats "pretty much every night here."

Hill Country BBQ: Prices vary

There's plenty to stuff your face with at Hill Country Barbecue. We tested the Chopper BBQ Brisket Sandwich ($14.50), the slow-smoked pulled pork sandwich ($14.00), the mac n cheese ($6.50), and the assorted mini pies ($4.95). The sandwiches were standard—not extraordinary, but if you're looking for barbecue, you'll get your fix here. The mac and cheese was a good-sized side, as well, and the Chase Card Deal here is $16.00 for a sandwich and any side. If you combine the mac & cheese with the brisket, you may keel over, so maybe take it slow, as you're definitely going to want to make room for those pies.

UNDER $20: Hill Country's Chopper BBQ Brisket Sandwich ($14.50)

A closer look at the brisket sandwich.

UNDER $10: Hill Country BBQ's Mini Pies ($4.95 each)

A closer look at the mini pies. My favorite thing I tried all night was the banana cream pie (center back). After trying bites of multiple fried chicken sandwiches and chicken dogs and steak sandwiches, we didn't think we had enough left in the tank when we got to the pie portion. We were wrong. They are all delicious. Treat yourself.

Published Oct 19, 2017

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