Cheap Things to Do in NYC From Tool Lending to Free Pool

3.9 (195)

Mon, Wed, Fri, 10:00 – 18:00; Tue, 13:00 – 20:00; Thu, 10:00 – 20:00; Sat, 10:00 – 17:00; Sun, 13:00 – 17:00

107 Norman Ave

Tools, board games and a demonstration garden sit alongside books at this Greenpoint branch on Norman Avenue in Brooklyn. A free tool lending library and an Eco Lab for craft and sustainability workshops stand out, with a kids area, workspaces and programming in English and Polish.

3.8 (133)

Mon – Thu, 11:00 – 22:30; Fri, 11:00 – 23:00; Sat, 11:30 – 23:00; Sun, 12:00 – 22:30

1588 Amsterdam Ave

Budget-friendly Chinese takeout comes from this Amsterdam Avenue kitchen in Manhattan, where vegetable lo mein arrives in generous portions and boneless spare ribs come with fries. Phone orders are welcome, and hours run until 10:30 PM most nights and 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday.

4.0 (62)

Mon – Sun, 14:00 – 04:00 (+1)

360 Bedford Ave

A well-kept free pool table in back and baseball on TV set the pace at this Brooklyn neighborhood bar on Bedford Avenue. Beer and simple drinks keep the lineup straightforward, Tuesday brings karaoke, and doors stay open from 2:00 PM to 4:00 AM daily.

3.6 (135)

Mon – Sun, 11:00 – 20:00

237 Grand St Store B

Roast duck over rice as a lunch special, or in a roast duck noodle soup, is the order at this cash-only Chinatown kitchen on Grand Street. Ginger and soy sauce go with the duck, staff speak English, and hours run daily from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.