Best Monday Night Specials In NYC

Monday night in New York City is the stuff of trendy, in the know parties held behind closed doors and tired workers, longing to trudge home after a long weekend of partying and the obligatory office show-up. Set against this backdrop is the call of the special, beckoning the stalwart few to come on out and have a good time for just one more night. Monday night specials can be the stuff of legend, nabbing you an otherwise unaffordable meal, or front row seats at a sold out show. It can also mean a defrosted and tired chicken wing. Don't know where to go and what to avoid? Read on.

Uva
1486 2nd Ave.
New York, NY 10075
(212) 472-4552
uvanyc.com

A rustic, easy going atmosphere permeates this chat 'em up Upper East Side wine bar/restaurant. The perfect spot for mingling and good times, Uva is known for its unique Meatball Mondays menu. A wide range of meatball appetizers at $9 include the Manzo, made from delectable kobe beef with perfect shallots with a creamy sauce of dried porcini mushrooms, served with pearly white polenta. Meatball main dishes at $15 include melt in your mouth meatball-filled ravioli, and a vegetarian version fashioned from ricotta cheese and spinach, tinged with nutmeg. The dessert balls are unbelievable at $6 and include cinnamon ice cream sliders with apple sticks and caramel sauce and traditional rice pudding balls drizzled with Concord grape sauce.

Dempsey's
61 2nd Ave.
New York, NY  10003
(212) 388-0662
dempseysnyc.com

Arguably the East Village's best Irish pub, the wait staff at cavernous Dempsey's serves up their classic Monday $10 Burger and Beer Special all night long. Think you're not hungry? Dempsey's oozing and juicy, La Frieda meats beef blend burger dripping with bacon aioli sauce, coupled with an ice cold beer is calling your name. The staff at this spacious establishment is super friendly and Guinness -- the pub's most popular pour -- is purchased by the owner in small batches to preserve freshness.

Related: NYC's 7 Best Irish Pubs

Buttermilk Channel
524 Court St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-8490
buttermilkchannelnyc.com

This is a serious culinary establishment, but don't let their commitment to the best ingredients and creative presentation fool you. Buttermilk Channel has a friendly, Brooklyn vibe and eclectic atmosphere. It also has a $30 three-course Monday Dinner Special menu well worth checking out. The cauliflower and leek soup served with pickled raisins and brioche croutons as an appetizer is equal parts perky and soothing to the palate. The second course offers a variety of choices, including perfectly prepared buttermilk fried chicken with cheddar waffles and savoy cabbage slaw. If you can't face the stove on a Monday night, this is your place.

Monday Night Magic At The Players Theatre
115 MacDougal St.
New York, NY  10012
(212) 615-6432
mondaynightmagic.com

Monday Night Magic at The Players Theatre is an innovative look into the world of magic. Not your mother's Las Vegas strip show, MNM features innovative, professional magicians who treat their craft with respect, wowing the audience with subtle renditions of unimaginable feats. Each show features four magicians performing distinctly varied forms of magical art, but the real fun happens during the extended intermission when additional performers do up close and personal performances of their craft.

Dovetail
103 W. 77 St.
New York, NY  10024
(212) 362-3800
dovetailnyc.com

Personal redemption and dining at an award-winning, contemporary American restaurant may seem a contradiction of sorts, but Meatless Mondays at Dovetail are just that. The creative spin Chef John Fraser gives to classic dishes, plus the undying emphasis on farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients infuse all pairings served at this elegant, Upper West Side restaurant. The Monday menu changes monthly, offering up new constellations of vegetarian options. A wide range of locally-sourced ingredients inform the three or four-course, prix fixe menu and can be either vegetarian or vegetable-focused.

Related: 8 Best Margaritas in New York City

Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.