best of a bad lot

A person or thing in a group that is slightly better or more desirable than anything or anyone else in the group, even though none of the options available are desirable. To be honest, none of the apartments we can afford looked very nice, but this place seems to be the best of a bad lot. I don't care for Mary's new college friends. She's still the best of a bad lot, but she's become a real troublemaker since meeting them. I don't love the dress I got, but it was the best of a bad lot, believe me.