A romantic date in Manhattan for just $15 a person? Yes, it is possible.

Festive lights at Milon restaurant in the E. Village (photo: L Koch)

You don't have to be a corporate raider to enjoy quality time with your sweetheart at these local restaurants and watering holes.

The trick to budget dating is to get your partner tipsy enough not to notice the imperfections in your surroundings.

Top 5 cheap date tips

#1- Party like it's your birthday

Cost: $15 a person

The stretch of 1st Avenue between 5th and 6th streets is arguably the birthday capital of Manhattan and is a festive spot to bring a date. The west side of the block is crowded with inexpensive Indian restaurants adorned with blinking Christmas lights.

Breeze past the shouting restaurateurs and head straight up the stairs to Milon restaurant (93 1st Avenue). Its insanely cheap dishes and BYOB policy ensure you'll have a memorable evening.

Bring a $3 bottle of wine from Trader Joe's and order a range of dishes like nan, banana fritters, Saag Paneer and Aloo Gobi Matar. If wine isn't your style, you can swig from a handle of rum or break open a 6 pack of Miller High Life to compliment the meal.

A note to tall patrons: duck when entering the restaurant or risk ensnaring yourself in lights, balloons and inflatable objects hanging from the ceiling.

BBQ offers ginormous drinks and $1 shots. Good times! (photo: L Koch)

#2- You can't go wrong with huge margaritas

Cost: $15 a person

Squash those awkward, "getting to know you" jitters by starting your date at Dallas BBQ, a New York City restaurant chain known for its ginormous frozen drinks (think Spring Break in Cancun).

The fishbowl-style "Texas Size" margaritas sell for just $7.99-- and you can add a shot of liquor for $1 more. The "Strawberry Crush" is perfect for Valentine's Day.

The alcohol-fueled crowd at Dallas BBQ can get a bit rowdy and the customer service isn't top priority, but who cares?

After a giant Pina Colada you won't notice the hair in your food or the crunchy bones in your vegetable tempura.

Dallas BBQ has locations throughout the city, including Times Square, the East Village and Chelsea.

Mel Ramos sculpture at a Chelsea gallery last summer. (photo: L Koch)

#3- Look cultured while enjoying FREE wine and art

Cost: FREE!

If $15 is too steep for you, it is possible to go on a sophisticated date in Manhattan and spend nothing.

Head to Chelsea on Thursdays for the weekly Gallery Night festivities.

Several art galleries participate each week, so you can sip free wine at one gallery and then hop to the next for a change of pace (or when the booze runs out).

Check the ArtCards website for information on upcoming New York City gallery shows and events. Plan to be in Chelsea between 6PM and 8PM on Thursday night.

#4- Feast on cheap Thai in Hell's Kitchen

Cost: $15 a person

$1 pizza may be the cheapest dinner date in NYC! (photo: L Koch)

Midtown is not known for its inexpensive restaurants, but there are some great deals in the area-- particularly if you venture to 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen.

Yum Yum Bangkok (650 9th Avenue) is a Thai eatery located just a few blocks from Times Square and many Broadway theaters.

The fixed price dinner is only $15, and is a veritable feast. It includes soup, salad, a spring roll, an entree and dessert.

True, portions are conservative and the food is mediocre, but you won't look like a cheapskate when you bring your date here. The ambiance is just funky enough to make your restaurant selection seem trendy and not cheap.

If Yum Yum Bangkok is full on your date night, no worries; there are at least two sister restaurants-- both named Yum Yum-- located within a 1 block radius that share the same low prices.

#5- Party on Manhattan's cheapest date street

Cost: $10 a person

Get in touch with your inner frat boy by taking your date to St. Marks Place in the East Village, the ideal location for budget daters. You will only need to spend $10 to ensure a romantic evening on this street.

In a one block stretch between 3rd and 2nd avenues, St. Marks Place offers numerous dive bars and inexpensive restaurants. Start off your evening at Grassroots Tavern (20 Saint Marks Pl), where a pitcher of beer costs $7 during Happy Hour.

Bond with NYU frat boys at Continental in the E. Village. (photo: L Koch)

After consuming your liquid appetizer, embark on a 30-second walk to nearby 2 Bros Pizza (32 St Marks Pl). This tiny pizza parlor may lack ambiance and seating, but you can't beat the price: just $1 per slice.

There's no need to splurge on a movie after dinner, as St. Marks provides plenty of entertainment. Simply munch on your pizza outside and enjoy the street life. As you witness the antics of pseudo-punks, bar hopping NYU students and Japanese tourists, you may feel like an observer at Mardis Gras.

If heavy drinking is your scene, spend your hard-earned $10 bill at Continental (25 3rd Ave).  The main appeal of this NYU hangout is the drink special: 5 shots for 10 bucks.

Continental is the murkiest of dive bars and Yelp reviewers warn of surly staff, spiders lurking in the booths, and vomit in the bathroom sink. The downtrodden ambiance means this bar is a quick place to down shots before leaving for greener pastures.

While the NY Destinations columnist does not condone binge drinking, stopping by the Continental for 5 shots is the cheapest way to kick start a romantic evening. Who knows- you may not even have to go anywhere else afterward, besides your apartment!

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