Cheap Eats - Who when what and how much?

[caleb]

Cheap Date Night, Tracy's Saloon, Minneapolis, MN. $30 buys a pitcher of beer or bottle of wine, two salads, two entrees, and a shared dessert. You will not be sorry because the food is actually really good.

The Black Sea, St. Paul, MN. It's Turkish food. Of course it's good and cheap.

The Lotus, Downtown Minneapolis. Great place for a huge bowl of pho after skiing at Wirth. And it's next to a gay porn shop so you know it's good.

The Lagoon, in Frogtown near the Capitol in St. Paul. Great noodle dishes.

If you spend more than $10/person w/tip at any of these last three you're doing it wrong.

[caleb]

Three more, all less than $10:

Shish on Grand in St. Paul, just west of Mac. Get the chicken shawarma in Lebanese flatbread.

The Wienery on Cedar in Minneapolis. If you can catch it between health code shutdowns you're in luck. Sit at the counter, pay in cash.

Just down the street from The Wienery you'll find Chai's Thai. The special thing about this place is that since they don't have a liquor license they're happy to let you pack your own. Pick up a sixer at the package shop across the street and bring it with you to lunch or dinner. The waitstaff will be happy to provide you with glassware, and there's no corkage fee.

[Cookietruck]

all about the cheap mexican places down here

el tacorrido, usually get 6 tacos and 2 (mexican of course) cokes for 14 bucks, get to act like i know a little spanish too...the bistec and al pastor is awesome. also a molcajete salsa, basically roasted jalapenos with a little onion and tomato...soooo good.

taqueria arrandas, another one, prices have gone up in the last few years, still a pretty awesome place

pollo regio right by my house too, they have an awesome jalapeno sauce...usually get pollo entero, a whole chicken, tortillas, rice, beans and a grilled onion for $14

pho thaison when i want something i eat less often

[ZenNMotion]

Here's a tip for sniffing out cheap and different- ethnic restaurants nestled into industrial highway no-mans land near the airports. Little holes in walls that during the week serve mostly to cabbies and specialize in big portions, and short menus that specialize in what Mama used to make back home in Addis, or Seoul, or Lima. On weekends they're destinations for family Sunday dinners- expect to wait for a table. Food sometimes isn't what you might expect, but I sometimes ask for a little sample to try before committing to an order of something out of my experience. And invariably order it. Cheap tab= tip generously!

[steve garro]

Carnitas, adobada, and chorizo in that order...the three major food groups.

I like how you think!
I go Adobada/Al Pastor with a side of fries & a Grande Jaimaica.
- Garro.

[Jonathan]

Yesterday on a whim, while shopping at a German Deli in Sanford, yes the Sanford made famous as the town that tried to cover up the death of Trayvon Martin, I ordered a freshly made brat encased in a pretzel roll with a full strength Coke which sadly and appropriately has been AWOL from my diet. I took my brat outside and sat at a table and consumed said brat and coke while staring down a brave little bird who had called dibs on any and all crumbs. Downtown Sanford was quiet, devoid of the blue heads that usually frequent these little FL towns in winter. It was almost too quiet, because that kind of quiet not only lulls little scavaging birds into a false sense of safety but it also means the big box stores, mega mall and chain restaurants out by the interstate are doing quite well. It's the kind of quiet that deludes a town into thinking that covering up the murder of a young man is better for all concerned. For those few moments, hope resided in $5 worth of perfection in one little german sandwich washed down with 12 oz of magical sugar water.

[sladejw]

Chef Liu's in Atlanta. Spicy garlic eggplant. Man, I don't even like eggplant.

[Shinomaster]

One of my favorite food carts in Portland is run by an adorable Indian woman and her goofy sons. It's all vegetarian and the lunch special comes with a giant, soft piece of naan. The one I get is vegan actually, as the korma is usually too creamy. I always feel great after eating this stuff and it really is two lunches for me ( or I split it with my better-looking half). This was only $5.00 for a number of years, but it just went up to $6.00.

[sonny]

One of my favorite food carts in Portland is run by an adorable Indian woman and her goofy sons. It's all vegetarian and the lunch special comes with a giant, soft piece of naan. The one I get is vegan actually, as the korma is usually too creamy. I always feel great after eating this stuff and it really is two lunches for me ( or I split it with my better-looking half). This was only $5.00 for a number of years, but it just went up to $6.00.

where is this one at? looks legit-

[Shinomaster]

where is this one at? looks legit-

SW 12th and Yamhill, right behind the Library (I work two blocks away). On Saturday it's pretty busy with Indian people who come in from the burbs. The five course lunch special is pretty fast, but expect a wait if you order a complex meal off the menu. Menu The food isn't too spicy hot, but their hot sauce is.

[Eddie]

I'd get on a plane to Portland just to enjoy that.

[maunahaole]

I don't see how they can serve that on a plate for that price and still make a living.

Eddie, if you go to PDX, you would never return. Way too many beers to try. Also a small and growing craft distillery community.

[Shinomaster]

Ha, it's really good for what it is (lunch cart), and sometimes it's great. You have to find a place to eat it though, and it's usually raining!

[Eddie]

I don't see how they can serve that on a plate for that price and still make a living.

Eddie, if you go to PDX, you would never return. Way too many beers to try. Also a small and growing craft distillery community.

I spent an overnight there a few of years ago, probably <24 hours. Managed to hit ~five brew pubs and found 12th and Hawthorne at 3AM. Burrito was so good that I went back six hours later and had another one for breakfast. I'm due back.

[Dorman]

Trestle Inn Restaurant & Saloon, Finland, Minnesota USA

Really in the middle of nowhere. Actually, you start in nowhere and end up further away. Great food, cheap but don't be thinking it's healthy for you by any means. I'll be there either tomorrow night or Sunday. Stop by and say hello.

[Shinomaster]

This small heap of Mexican food is the "Veggie Taco" at Maya's in Portland. It's a block from where I work and I've been eating these for years. It's two, thick, home made corn tortillas with a pile of beans, queso, pico and chips. The guac. is $.75 extra. This taco is $3.00 and comes on a real plate with all the cups of salsa you can drink. The habenero is awesome but it burns me a new one sometimes.. For years this taco was only $2.50.. One can also get a pile of various animal meats on top for an extra buck. Best lunch deal downtown imho.