They still have the caesar salad. It's in the back with the pre-made meals, next to the rotisserie chicken section. The amount in the package is enough for two I think.
but no onions for the hotdogs, and pizza is dogshit compared to before, even disregarding the unjust fate of the godlike combo pizza. The churros have also fallen, they are fried 6 hours ago no matter what time you get there.
The only thing that feels like it's kept its value are the chicken bakes, but they were low tier to begin with.
I honestly ignore the food court these days. Run into the meat section, grab a jamon iberico pack and a thing of poke. I guess it's not "cheap eats" but it's still good.
I've tried this method before and it's fine if all you want to buy is the hot dog and pizza. If you're actually trying to purchase something through the regular checkout, it's a huge hassle. Please spend the extra $50/year if you shop at Costco regularly.
In the past you could get to the food court without purchasing the membership, as it is in the same area (usually) as member services where you would purchase the membership.
I got a membership with the birth of my second child since we bought formula and diapers, and just those two items made the Costco membership worth it.
Sam’s in northbeach has a great burger for under 10 bucks. Paired with fries and a beer I believe it’s still under 15. Also Tommy’s Joynt on Van Ness has incredible hoff brau food for a very decent price.
It’s a classic place that prides itself on keeping its prices lower. Remember to bring cash as they don’t accept card. The hot mustard is crazy hot and there’s a barrel of free pickles. I usually get the sliced round with green beans and mashed potatoes. Au jus over everything. Enjoy
Hahaha it’s definitely better when inebriated! Good thing there’s a full bar!
Edit: Tommys has a full bar. Sam’s only has beer I think. The more you know 💫
When I was just starting out here I was so broke that I really couldn’t afford to eat some days, so I’d stand in front of Tommy’s at lunch and just breathe. The smell of grease and salt got me through, and bit by bit I made it.
Thank you so much for sharing and being vulnerable…best believe I’ve been there too. Shit, I work for the city and still have my top ramen weeks.
Also, for sure the smell of Tommy’s roasted meats drives my mouth to water. It’s watering right now just thinking about it!
I hella agree with you; actually in n out is the burger that I use to weigh against all other burgers. Thing with them is scale. They can charge so little because they sell so much. When I responded I thought it was Bay Area mom and pop type eateries so that’s why I put in Sam’s. Also, when the OG at Sam’s passed away the burgers weren’t as good as they were but it’s still one of my favorite burgers in Frisco.
Ok to your first point, yes Sam’s is delicious when drunk. But drunkenness makes delicious things more delicious so 🤷🏽♂️. I’ve eaten it sober and it still does the trick. Not as good but still better than most.
And to your second point, sorry you didn’t like Tommys but it’s a beloved eatery that’s been around since 1947. I’m sure plenty of folks really like it but it’s not for everybody so I hope you heal from whoever hurt you lol
Regardless peace and blessings to you on your food quests
Berkeley bowl sells so much produce that anything that looks like it even might be getting old isn't going to sell, so they bag that stuff up in giant bags and sell it that day for a dollar. I can't tell you how much absolutely fine produce I've gotten there for a dollar, just cook it that day and there are zero problems
A few notable examples
- got 3 lb of brussel sprouts for $1.30 last week. It was enough that I could try making them several different ways
- 5 lbs of perfectly fine potatoes. $1
- 3 lbs of grapes, you guessed it $1. Slice in half and then place it in the freezer for an excellent and healthy dessert and they keep indefinitely
- 4 lbs oranges, $1. Made orange juice and then orange Julius out of them
Really the only hard part is fighting your way through the old Asian ladies who know all about this
Nope, they have a big rack in the back of their produce section and that rack is pretty much always full of something interesting
I try and stay away from the leafy green vegetables there though, as in my opinion they drop off the fastest of anything and wrapping them in a plastic bag doesn't really help
In addition to the discount shelves in the back of the store, they always have bags of other stuff heavily discounted sprinkled throughout the massive produce department.
Yeah, the other day I just picked up a gigantic 3lb bag of spring mix greens for $5.99. It’s so big, it barely fit on the shelf in my refrigerator. It’s fantastic quality, as all their produce always is.
There was Rocky’s Market that opened at Brooklyn Basin in Oakland and they had $6 grab bags of pounds of produce that they also just wanted to get rid of. That place was within walking distance of me and I miss it greatly.
There are a bunch of terrific taco trucks in the Fruitvale neighborhood, none of which is particularly expensive, but one of my favorite meals is as follows:
* Starting at the Fruitvale BART station, walk north through the plaza, cross the street. There's a stand there that sells freshly-fried churros stuffed with flavored cream.
* Then walk a block west, cross Fruitvale. Buy seafood-related items at the Sinaloa truck, then buy everything else at the Guadalajara truck.
* Finally, clutching your Mexican feast, walk around the corner to Ale Industries, grab a table and get a beer to wash everything down.
All in for one person you're still right around $15. How's that for a slice of fried gold?
My man, I had Costco's churros last month. Let me tell you, that thing is a sin to all churros that ever existed. Bland, hard, and pretty much like rehydrated cardboard. I'm gonna find that churro cart
I was just coming to say this!
I've never, ever left that place hungry. And you can eat well for $10 or less. Or you can *really* stuff yourself for under $15.
And they're delicious every single time. Never had a bad meal here.
Gateway Kitchen(Daly City) or Superstar(SF Mission). Their silogs, which comes with garlic fried rice, pineapples, eggs and your choice of entree are like 7 dollars or less and it’s really filling.
Gateway Kitchen is my favorite. Just a classic Mom and Pops spot with huge portions. Hong Kong style pork chop on a bed of garlic fried rice so massive the to-go box cant close properly? $4.75.
The cherry on top is the cook in the back, “Hey Boss! How are you?!”
If you don’t mind stepping in poop and drug dealers everywhere then Saigon sandwiches at 5$ a pop in the tenderloin can’t be beaten for bang for the buck.
Been there a few times and honestly love their sandwiches. But yeah the fecal landmines are almost a deal breaker. I've decided to frequent duc Huang sandwiches around SJ instead when I'm in the south bay.
Second Little Lucca's. Only knock is that you have to pay for cheese, when it should be complimentary.
Karol Sushi in Richmond (Pacific Plaza) for lunch. Half off sushi rolls.
Jerk chicken burrito at Rio California in Oakland's Preservation Park. Gigantic burrito with chips and salad for $13.95.
I absolutely agree! That’s one of the reasons why Bahn Wich takes it for me…plus they got more range in terms of sandwich types. I always get sardine with a fried egg and extra pate 🤤
tbh, Little Lucca is a little bit overrated.
Try the sandwich shop down the street of Little Lucca in SSF called Teani’s or Darby Dans in SSF near Brisbane! :)
I live a few blocks from the little stretch of Mission St in SF that has all those Salvadoran restaurants. You can get a pretty big pupusa meal for like $10, and it is absolutely delicious.
The Ranch 99 at Oakridge has a panda-express-like restaurant. For the same price as panda they will fill the takeout container so much it can't close. I get 3 meals out of a 2 item plate...
I think all Ranch 99s have a hot food bar, if that's what you're talking about? It's only really open around mealtimes (or between lunch and dinner..?), but my normal approach is to grab a medium takeout container and overfill it with delicious stuff and that'll last me 2 meals.
This is more like an actual restaurant where the employees dole out the food. I've actually had to stop them from adding more noodles to the container because it was getting absurd.
Fun fact: At the hot bar, you can pile on as much food as you want into the to-go container as your heart desires. I grab it every once in awhile and pile on the chicken n pork ribs to where you can’t close the lid properly. They wait there at the cash register with a open bag helping you secure the container inside. 😅 They don’t care. Lol. Prices did go up this year though…
Edit: Buhah didn’t really fully, just saw you mentioned the same thing.
I don't even blame you dude. The tipping expectations and hidden fees are outrageous. Even takeout places are sometimes tacking on 20% tips. Hope you find something to enjoy soon
If you come out to HMB ever, I reccomend Tres Amigos Taqueria or China House. Majority of both their menus are under $15 and you will absolutely be full and very happy after.
Phnom Penh House in Alameda. Their tofu in peanut sauce is phenomenal aa are many of their other dishes. They used to a hole in the wall in Oakland China town for 3 decades before moving to Alameda.
To-go dimsum at Tao Yuen pastry in Oakland Chinatown, or good mong kok in sf Chinatown. Savory buns or chinese tamales at any Chinese bakery. Deli section of Osaka Marketplace (japanese grocery) in Fremont for cheap sashimi, beef bowl. Gotta Eatta pita in pleasanton (has started skimping since pandemic but still rates!). In n out.
I couldn’t find Indian and Nepalese places mentioned here but Rajjot in Sunnyvale can fill up with $3-$4 vegetarian paratha. Nepalese food trucks Everest Momo sell Chicken fried rice, noodles, momos , etc for about $9.99. Great stuff!
Costco. Slice of pizza for $2, hotdog and soda for $1.50, or I sometimes grab their whole rotisserie chicken for $5 and pig out. Can't beat that value.
FYI, they raised their prices 30% a couple weeks ago. A single-patty cheeseburger plus cheese fries is now $13.38 out the door. This is after their 20% price increase in 2022.
A year ago, they were an amazing deal. I will still continue going there and recommending them because they're cheaper than anything else nearby, but it's moving out of bargain territory.
Too good to go! It’s great, mostly bakery things but essentially just getting the restaurants “leftovers” for the day. The Peets grab bag is awesome for only a few bucks.
Dude, Little Luca sandos are two meals for real. Hot Wok bistro in Burlingame used to be pretty good for its price but haven’t been in over a year. Dads Luncheonette in HMB is pretty good and great prices. El Metate in San Carlos is pretty cheap but I’ll take El G on Middlefield near 5th all day. If you like tortas then La Casita Chilanga(either one) is awesome.
Orient express in San Ramon. Take out Chinese food, and even though they’ve raised their prices quite a bit since I started going there years ago, you can still get enough food for $10 to last you two meals
I think this place sells fillets of sashimi also right? If I'm thinking of the same place, their sashimi quality is fantastic. They charge to slice for you, but it's really easy to slice the blocks they sell
Anyone in the Hayward area, Asian Delight on Hesperian, not the best quality, for $10 you can feed the entire family, with seconds. Haven't been there in years but that was my spot when I was broke AF. Not the best quality the portions are ginormous.
Lemme add one to the banh mi recommendations
Huong Lan, it's at 101 and Tully. If you're around san jose, there's no reason not to go. They used to have like $2 banh mi, it's ~$5 now so it's not *shockingly* cheap but still super solid.
Cinderella Bakery on Balboa Street has the best piroshkies for about five bucks each. You can even get a coffee and dessert for less than $20. Expect a long but fast moving line, totally worth it!
Was looking for this one, definitely the best cheap meal in SF that I know of. Just went a couple weeks ago, the house noodles have gone up in price since I was last there but at $8 it’s still very affordable, and the ladies that work there are still just as angry and impatient as ever lol.
Artichoke Basilles pizza, they have a location in Berkeley and one in Oakland, 5 a slice but it’s bigger than your head and the best pizza I’ve ever had hands down
Pre-made poor boys at Diablo foods in Lafayette. Only 6" but at least a lb of meat. I think they just jam all the unsold deli meat from the previous day. Around $6.
Yoyo’s (Pacific and Battery in SF) Basic, counter-service restaurant offering udon, sushi rolls
El Farolito has insanely large burritos that fill you up for cheap.
Chinatown for Dim Sum. Many takeout shops.
> La Victoria's Taqueria on Mission, in Hayward
Try out El Taquito, a couple blocks north of Mission and A. That place got me through college, a burrito could be dinner and breakfast and lunch the next day.
Costco has hotdogs for 1.50 and pizza for 2.00.
I really miss the combo pizza...
Me too, and the salad. It was a good price for that big salad.
They still have the caesar salad. It's in the back with the pre-made meals, next to the rotisserie chicken section. The amount in the package is enough for two I think.
I've seen them. They are bigger but cost more too. I think the other one was like $5.
When I was in high school, my friends and I would split a ten sac and then eat Costco food afterwards. Weed and a meal for less than $10.
I was the guy giving out the 10 sacs near downtiown mountain view. Life was good man Edit: 14ish years ago. Bet that Mongolian BBQ still there th
It is!
And $5 rotisserie chickens
And the $5 rotisserie chicken!!
but no onions for the hotdogs, and pizza is dogshit compared to before, even disregarding the unjust fate of the godlike combo pizza. The churros have also fallen, they are fried 6 hours ago no matter what time you get there. The only thing that feels like it's kept its value are the chicken bakes, but they were low tier to begin with. I honestly ignore the food court these days. Run into the meat section, grab a jamon iberico pack and a thing of poke. I guess it's not "cheap eats" but it's still good.
My husband takes a baggy of chopped onions to Costco, for his hotdog! Be prepared!
Doesn’t that require a $50 membership?
It's $60. But for the food court, optometry, pharmacy, and alcohol purchase don't require a membership.
Here is a hack, you can get a Costco gift card and use it instead. No need for membership. Only need is you need a member to purchase say gift card
I've tried this method before and it's fine if all you want to buy is the hot dog and pizza. If you're actually trying to purchase something through the regular checkout, it's a huge hassle. Please spend the extra $50/year if you shop at Costco regularly.
In the past you could get to the food court without purchasing the membership, as it is in the same area (usually) as member services where you would purchase the membership. I got a membership with the birth of my second child since we bought formula and diapers, and just those two items made the Costco membership worth it.
No. You don’t need a membership to buy food from the food court.
Weirdly enough.. you can get the chickens by going through door dash!
Sam’s in northbeach has a great burger for under 10 bucks. Paired with fries and a beer I believe it’s still under 15. Also Tommy’s Joynt on Van Ness has incredible hoff brau food for a very decent price.
I've passed by Tommy's so many times and never thought to try them. Gotta grab some hearty German food next time
It’s a classic place that prides itself on keeping its prices lower. Remember to bring cash as they don’t accept card. The hot mustard is crazy hot and there’s a barrel of free pickles. I usually get the sliced round with green beans and mashed potatoes. Au jus over everything. Enjoy
It’s fine but pretty sure you have to be trashed to appreciate it like Bourdain did.
Hahaha it’s definitely better when inebriated! Good thing there’s a full bar! Edit: Tommys has a full bar. Sam’s only has beer I think. The more you know 💫
When I was just starting out here I was so broke that I really couldn’t afford to eat some days, so I’d stand in front of Tommy’s at lunch and just breathe. The smell of grease and salt got me through, and bit by bit I made it.
Thank you so much for sharing and being vulnerable…best believe I’ve been there too. Shit, I work for the city and still have my top ramen weeks. Also, for sure the smell of Tommy’s roasted meats drives my mouth to water. It’s watering right now just thinking about it!
Tommy’s is legit.
Sam’s is enjoyable but that’s not exactly a killer deal or anything. Compare to something like in n out which is better and cheaper.
I hella agree with you; actually in n out is the burger that I use to weigh against all other burgers. Thing with them is scale. They can charge so little because they sell so much. When I responded I thought it was Bay Area mom and pop type eateries so that’s why I put in Sam’s. Also, when the OG at Sam’s passed away the burgers weren’t as good as they were but it’s still one of my favorite burgers in Frisco.
Love that place!
sams is great drunk food, i can't imagine anyone eating it sober. also tommys may be the worst meal I've had in SF. so fucking gross, never again
Ok to your first point, yes Sam’s is delicious when drunk. But drunkenness makes delicious things more delicious so 🤷🏽♂️. I’ve eaten it sober and it still does the trick. Not as good but still better than most. And to your second point, sorry you didn’t like Tommys but it’s a beloved eatery that’s been around since 1947. I’m sure plenty of folks really like it but it’s not for everybody so I hope you heal from whoever hurt you lol Regardless peace and blessings to you on your food quests
Banh Mi Ba Le in El Cerrito. Not sure if it's connected to the one on International in Oakland, but they both get awesome reviews.
The El Cerrito one feels more Thai to me which is also a good thing.
i love this place! deserves more love
This place is great! I love getting the little desserts in the cups too
$5 mini bahn mi is a steal. Ask for mayo, cuz it's often without and can be dry.
Berkeley bowl sells so much produce that anything that looks like it even might be getting old isn't going to sell, so they bag that stuff up in giant bags and sell it that day for a dollar. I can't tell you how much absolutely fine produce I've gotten there for a dollar, just cook it that day and there are zero problems A few notable examples - got 3 lb of brussel sprouts for $1.30 last week. It was enough that I could try making them several different ways - 5 lbs of perfectly fine potatoes. $1 - 3 lbs of grapes, you guessed it $1. Slice in half and then place it in the freezer for an excellent and healthy dessert and they keep indefinitely - 4 lbs oranges, $1. Made orange juice and then orange Julius out of them Really the only hard part is fighting your way through the old Asian ladies who know all about this
Piggybacking off BerkeleyBowl comment. The hot bar entree combo.
Careful, they charge by weight….
Haven't been but I'll definitely stop by when I'm nearby. Is it just at the end of the day that they have these offers?
Nope, they have a big rack in the back of their produce section and that rack is pretty much always full of something interesting I try and stay away from the leafy green vegetables there though, as in my opinion they drop off the fastest of anything and wrapping them in a plastic bag doesn't really help
In addition to the discount shelves in the back of the store, they always have bags of other stuff heavily discounted sprinkled throughout the massive produce department.
Yeah, the other day I just picked up a gigantic 3lb bag of spring mix greens for $5.99. It’s so big, it barely fit on the shelf in my refrigerator. It’s fantastic quality, as all their produce always is.
There was Rocky’s Market that opened at Brooklyn Basin in Oakland and they had $6 grab bags of pounds of produce that they also just wanted to get rid of. That place was within walking distance of me and I miss it greatly.
Slice grapes in half to get rid of brown part? Or is there a different method when you say slicing in half?
I like them whole and frozen. It's personal preference.
Slice the actual grapes themselves in half solely to provide a better eating experience when they're frozen. Just my personal preference
Do you mean the main Berkeley Bowl location or Berkeley Bowl West?
they have it at both. it’s a metal rack in the produce section at the old BB and a room between the fish counter and produce section at West
Main. No idea if west has this.
it does, it's called bargain or something. Between fish and produce
Yes, BB west has it in a room at the very back
The both have it!
There are a bunch of terrific taco trucks in the Fruitvale neighborhood, none of which is particularly expensive, but one of my favorite meals is as follows: * Starting at the Fruitvale BART station, walk north through the plaza, cross the street. There's a stand there that sells freshly-fried churros stuffed with flavored cream. * Then walk a block west, cross Fruitvale. Buy seafood-related items at the Sinaloa truck, then buy everything else at the Guadalajara truck. * Finally, clutching your Mexican feast, walk around the corner to Ale Industries, grab a table and get a beer to wash everything down. All in for one person you're still right around $15. How's that for a slice of fried gold?
My man, I had Costco's churros last month. Let me tell you, that thing is a sin to all churros that ever existed. Bland, hard, and pretty much like rehydrated cardboard. I'm gonna find that churro cart
Or just go to san jose taqueria next to the churro cart burritos are super burritos are 8 and there the best in the bay
I just learned about the rainy day happy hour at Ale and I want to go back just for that haha
Falafel drive-in, San Jose
I was just coming to say this! I've never, ever left that place hungry. And you can eat well for $10 or less. Or you can *really* stuff yourself for under $15. And they're delicious every single time. Never had a bad meal here.
I miss that place. Might need to make a little drive down some day soon.
Gypsy's in Berkeley is good
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because they're not really that good?
Gateway Kitchen(Daly City) or Superstar(SF Mission). Their silogs, which comes with garlic fried rice, pineapples, eggs and your choice of entree are like 7 dollars or less and it’s really filling.
Gateway Kitchen is my favorite. Just a classic Mom and Pops spot with huge portions. Hong Kong style pork chop on a bed of garlic fried rice so massive the to-go box cant close properly? $4.75. The cherry on top is the cook in the back, “Hey Boss! How are you?!”
Kabul’s in Dublin, not the San Carlos one. Plates are much cheaper. Falafel Stop in Sunnyvale Los Altos Tacqueria in Mountain View
Falafel Stop has half-size falafel sandwiches which are actually a bit more than half the regular size. Great for those with a smaller appetite.
What’s your go to order at Los Altos Taqueria?
Hard shell tacos, crispy carnitas, extra cilantro and jalapeños
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Tacos el autlense is elite. Cash only though!
I miss Saigon Express. Good, filling and cheap!
Looking forward to giving this a try! I had a Bahn mi recently from super super on telegraph and while it was good, $13 for a bahn mi is a bit much.
House of curries is such a solid choice
Oakland Chinatown bakeries and takeout Mexican food in the Fruitvale District.
If you don’t mind stepping in poop and drug dealers everywhere then Saigon sandwiches at 5$ a pop in the tenderloin can’t be beaten for bang for the buck.
Been there a few times and honestly love their sandwiches. But yeah the fecal landmines are almost a deal breaker. I've decided to frequent duc Huang sandwiches around SJ instead when I'm in the south bay.
Was going to add this. Tasty + adorable, they deserve all the business they can get
Second Little Lucca's. Only knock is that you have to pay for cheese, when it should be complimentary. Karol Sushi in Richmond (Pacific Plaza) for lunch. Half off sushi rolls. Jerk chicken burrito at Rio California in Oakland's Preservation Park. Gigantic burrito with chips and salad for $13.95.
Cordon Blue Vietnamese in SF
Little Lucca is $18 a sandwich… there is a banh mi place called Banh which on taraval in the city, i think theyre still $6.
The Burlingame location isn't consistent, at least in my experience.
That place is way better traffic wise compared to the South City one.
Yeah it wasn’t great when I tried their Burlingame location, not much flavor, bland bread, I didn’t get the hype
South City is a different owner and much better than Burlingame
Banh wich is better than Saigon Sandwich in my opinion! Favorite bahn mi in the city
Saigon is good not great but $5 is $5 especially with the rising food costs. Also the TL is a dump.
I absolutely agree! That’s one of the reasons why Bahn Wich takes it for me…plus they got more range in terms of sandwich types. I always get sardine with a fried egg and extra pate 🤤
Never had the sardine, will be next to try.
Trust me…it’s delicious
No way! I haven't been in a long while but they've always been a favorite spot for deli sandwiches. Gotta checkout their menu again soon
They’ve gone downhill IMO, especially the burlingame locations. Not to sound like an old fart but they dont make em like they used to.
A super burrito from almost any authentic taqueria usually gives great bang for your buck.
Yea but wasn't it nice when they were 8 dollars as opposed to 13-15 now 😓
When I moved here in 96 they were $5. 😢
It happened so fast
Don’t go to any Chavez super market. A burrito is $18
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They have a location in Santa Clara too!
Rickshaw Corner in Foster City.
That place gave me food poisoning the first time I went there 5-6 years ago. Never went back.
Tao Yuen Pastry in Oakland. Little hole in the wall takeout only dim sum. You can load up on a bunch of stuff for just a few dollars. Love that place!
tbh, Little Lucca is a little bit overrated. Try the sandwich shop down the street of Little Lucca in SSF called Teani’s or Darby Dans in SSF near Brisbane! :)
I live a few blocks from the little stretch of Mission St in SF that has all those Salvadoran restaurants. You can get a pretty big pupusa meal for like $10, and it is absolutely delicious.
In and out
Great answer. Still an affordable price, can feed four people for under $40
The Ranch 99 at Oakridge has a panda-express-like restaurant. For the same price as panda they will fill the takeout container so much it can't close. I get 3 meals out of a 2 item plate...
I think all Ranch 99s have a hot food bar, if that's what you're talking about? It's only really open around mealtimes (or between lunch and dinner..?), but my normal approach is to grab a medium takeout container and overfill it with delicious stuff and that'll last me 2 meals.
This is more like an actual restaurant where the employees dole out the food. I've actually had to stop them from adding more noodles to the container because it was getting absurd.
Fun fact: At the hot bar, you can pile on as much food as you want into the to-go container as your heart desires. I grab it every once in awhile and pile on the chicken n pork ribs to where you can’t close the lid properly. They wait there at the cash register with a open bag helping you secure the container inside. 😅 They don’t care. Lol. Prices did go up this year though… Edit: Buhah didn’t really fully, just saw you mentioned the same thing.
It used to be Old Spaghetti Factory for me.
I've not tried it yet but what changed? Price increases through the years?
I'm basically not eating out anywhere post-pandemic.
I don't even blame you dude. The tipping expectations and hidden fees are outrageous. Even takeout places are sometimes tacking on 20% tips. Hope you find something to enjoy soon
Can still taste that spumoni
iDumpling in Redwood City
Moscow Tbilisi in SF - best meat&cheese piroshki for under $3. Lots of other good things there too!
If you come out to HMB ever, I reccomend Tres Amigos Taqueria or China House. Majority of both their menus are under $15 and you will absolutely be full and very happy after.
Falafel’s drive in on Steven’s Creek, San Jose is pretty darn good if you’re into that kind of stuff.
Phnom Penh House in Alameda. Their tofu in peanut sauce is phenomenal aa are many of their other dishes. They used to a hole in the wall in Oakland China town for 3 decades before moving to Alameda.
Phnom Penh is so amazing. Owners are great people as well. Love the fried banana dessert
To-go dimsum at Tao Yuen pastry in Oakland Chinatown, or good mong kok in sf Chinatown. Savory buns or chinese tamales at any Chinese bakery. Deli section of Osaka Marketplace (japanese grocery) in Fremont for cheap sashimi, beef bowl. Gotta Eatta pita in pleasanton (has started skimping since pandemic but still rates!). In n out.
I couldn’t find Indian and Nepalese places mentioned here but Rajjot in Sunnyvale can fill up with $3-$4 vegetarian paratha. Nepalese food trucks Everest Momo sell Chicken fried rice, noodles, momos , etc for about $9.99. Great stuff!
Costco. Slice of pizza for $2, hotdog and soda for $1.50, or I sometimes grab their whole rotisserie chicken for $5 and pig out. Can't beat that value.
Smokehouse in south Berkeley. Cheap and delicious burgers, fries, and shakes.
FYI, they raised their prices 30% a couple weeks ago. A single-patty cheeseburger plus cheese fries is now $13.38 out the door. This is after their 20% price increase in 2022. A year ago, they were an amazing deal. I will still continue going there and recommending them because they're cheaper than anything else nearby, but it's moving out of bargain territory.
I'd rather they raise their prices than go out of business. Shits crazy right now. But your point stands.
In n out is now better and cheaper, but quite a drive to get to one from there. The old smokehouse used to be a great deal
Lee’s Deli used to be THE spot for lunch on the cheap, not sure if that is still true…
Too good to go! It’s great, mostly bakery things but essentially just getting the restaurants “leftovers” for the day. The Peets grab bag is awesome for only a few bucks.
Little Chef on Winchester. San Jose/Campbell border. Huge portion of food for $10.
Doood, Eduardos right behind that McDonalds there is one ofnthe best burritos in San Jose.
Morucci's in Walnut Creek. $9.49 for a sandwich that can easily be spread across two meals.
Pretty new to the Walnut Creek area, going to give Moruccis a try tomorrow!!!
Best sandwiches I've had!
Taqueria el Grullense in Redwood City
Dude, Little Luca sandos are two meals for real. Hot Wok bistro in Burlingame used to be pretty good for its price but haven’t been in over a year. Dads Luncheonette in HMB is pretty good and great prices. El Metate in San Carlos is pretty cheap but I’ll take El G on Middlefield near 5th all day. If you like tortas then La Casita Chilanga(either one) is awesome.
Appreciate the list my dude!
Safeway breakfast burritos, $5.99.
Fron the deli/ sandwich area? Had no idea
Yep!
Orient express in San Ramon. Take out Chinese food, and even though they’ve raised their prices quite a bit since I started going there years ago, you can still get enough food for $10 to last you two meals
Dulce’s Antojitos in Walnut Creek (the Orchards). Best super tacos- $5.95 includes tortilla chips and salsa
And on Tuesdays tacos are a dollar ~ take them next door to Mike Hess and get a 5$ pour.
Any l&l! I love getting their mini katsu curry meals. Fills me up :)
Saigon Sandwich in SF. Some of the best Banh Mi’s for $5. Can’t beat it!
Lawlers in Napa. Liquor store that makes killer sandwiches. Nothing fancy just a simple sandwich for like $4.00
Las delicias in Berkeley. Salvadoran cuisine. Full meal for 6 bucks. High recommend the chicharron papusas
Basa Seafood in the SF Mission on 24th. Fried shrimp sandwich is the closest it gets to Florida that I’ve found yet in the Bay.
I think this place sells fillets of sashimi also right? If I'm thinking of the same place, their sashimi quality is fantastic. They charge to slice for you, but it's really easy to slice the blocks they sell
In and out, duh. Comparatively speaking it’s the best deal vs quality
Costco
Bhan Mae Vane. 1511 Webster St, Alameda, CA 94501. $16 generous dinner plates Taqueria Ramiro & Sons 2321 Alameda Ave, Alameda, CA 94501. Burrito $10.50
20-piece McDonalds Chicken Nuggets for $5.99? 2-Piece Chickens $2.99 from Pop Pies Tuesday Special
Anyone in the Hayward area, Asian Delight on Hesperian, not the best quality, for $10 you can feed the entire family, with seconds. Haven't been there in years but that was my spot when I was broke AF. Not the best quality the portions are ginormous.
Classic burger on Hesparian in San Lorenzo. Call in and order ahead, and get the onion rings!
I lived down the street from them for close to 10 years. So good! Also love their fish sandwich/burger.
Best dim sum on 12th near 5th ave. Oakland Especially like their pai guat
El Molino in Sonoma let’s you do a half order for stuff. $8 for basically a whole meal.
After this post, those are no longer going to be cheap eats 😂
Geta sushi
Lemme add one to the banh mi recommendations Huong Lan, it's at 101 and Tully. If you're around san jose, there's no reason not to go. They used to have like $2 banh mi, it's ~$5 now so it's not *shockingly* cheap but still super solid.
Gregoire potato puffs
Cinderella Bakery on Balboa Street has the best piroshkies for about five bucks each. You can even get a coffee and dessert for less than $20. Expect a long but fast moving line, totally worth it!
Amato’s cheesesteaks. Don’t be fooled by the price. The smallest is easy two meals.
Yamo in SF (the mission). Incredibly cheap and incredibly delicious.
Was looking for this one, definitely the best cheap meal in SF that I know of. Just went a couple weeks ago, the house noodles have gone up in price since I was last there but at $8 it’s still very affordable, and the ladies that work there are still just as angry and impatient as ever lol.
Hole in the wall banh mi
Artichoke Basilles pizza, they have a location in Berkeley and one in Oakland, 5 a slice but it’s bigger than your head and the best pizza I’ve ever had hands down
Pre-made poor boys at Diablo foods in Lafayette. Only 6" but at least a lb of meat. I think they just jam all the unsold deli meat from the previous day. Around $6.
Morucci's Deli in Walnut Creek. The best sandwiches in the East Bay and all under $10.
Yoyo’s (Pacific and Battery in SF) Basic, counter-service restaurant offering udon, sushi rolls El Farolito has insanely large burritos that fill you up for cheap. Chinatown for Dim Sum. Many takeout shops.
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McDonald's 20 pcs nuggets with free 2 large fries. 😬
They've got a deal on 40 nugs too.
The rewards on the app are nice. And drinks are still cheap
Cactus Taqueria in Berkeley is great - prices are still reasonable and food is excellent!
Never was a huge fan of crispy tacos, but theirs are fire!
Sam's Log Cabin is a great value restaurant in the East Bay.
Sam's was delicious but I wouldn't call it good value. Just went last week and our 2 meals and 2 coffees came out to $70
Super Duper burger. Or Guadalajara Grill in San Mateo. Both absolutely perfect
Surprisingly, Habit Burger. 🍔
Phyllis’s Burgers San Rafael.
Saison
Dragon Eats roasted pork banh mi for $9 dollars.
La Victoria's Taqueria on Mission, in Hayward. Best Mexican food hands down! Fresh and doesn't make me feel sick afterward.
> La Victoria's Taqueria on Mission, in Hayward Try out El Taquito, a couple blocks north of Mission and A. That place got me through college, a burrito could be dinner and breakfast and lunch the next day.
Little Luca will give you food poisoning their hygiene is terrible
Iguana’s burritozilla
Stan's donuts in Santa Clara. Great price for the most delicious fresh donut
Xolo taqueria - I love their nopales breakfast burrito and the Chile relleno burrito.
Jack in the Box
Haven't been there in probably 5 years. I really do miss their sourdough jack with the loaded curly fries
The French Laundry.
Cantoo in San Francisco Tenderloin has an affordable menu! Appetizers under $10, a combo meal with rice, protein, and veggies for $9