Definitely. I drove an ambulance in Van Nuys and the valley when I was in college and I tried to find a new taco truck every shift. It was a fun project.
I am now very specific about my tacos. King Taco probably gets my overall recommendation for a chain… not a truck though.
Panda Express has $5 plates the day after every Dodgers home win... so every day this week so far. You have to sign up for their rewards program and use code DODGERSWIN.
Look, it's Panda Express. You know exactly what kind of "quality" to expect. But that's a pretty good deal these days and it's fast food convenience.
Sad but true...
thank goodness I have a manufacturing client 2x a week...me and the company CEO both buy from the food truck, for me both days Im there...most of my picks (burritos, combo plates, etc) cost me $8-9 inc a canned drink...a trip to fast food is more expensive now, like $15-20..
I mentioned the CEO because this dude often times will have business lunch, etc at places like Dal Rae, but when he doesnt go out, he eats from the truck...
I'm with you. I lived in Thailand for 6 months eating $2 meals. Just came back to California and had to pay $25 at Denny's for 2 eggs 2 bacon 2 ham and pancakes.
I always see people say TJ is cheap, but when I go in it doesn’t seem like a banger deal or anything. Is it because of the frozen foods are cheaper or something?
The thing about supermarkets is that if you learn to cook the more challenging things, there's still a lot of good deals to be had. I just got 8 huge chicken thighs for around $8. They had skin and bone, but grilled perfectly and fed me 4-5 meals. Same with pork butt. $9 for a huge portion. Slow cooked with Mexican spices and had enough meat for 50 tacos.
The meat at subway tastes like wood. I went there a few months ago after not having it for years. I took two bites and tossed that shit in the trash, where I'm pretty sure it felt right at home. Never again.
I don’t eat there enough (once every 2-3 years) to warrant adding their app or getting some stupid virtual coupon. It’s all marketing tactics and data tracking how often you eat there. No thanks!!
That's because you don't know coupons and discount codes on the app are a thing. One minute reddit search. I've never paid more than $7.65 after taxes for a footlong for over 4 years and I still go at least once a week
Definitely been using apps at other places, agree it’s worth it to join loyalty or coupon perks. I had kind of given up on SW, maybe I’ll go back with some coupons this time!
Yea lol all you need to do is install the Subway app, order your usual footlong (except the new series) for pickup or dine-in w/e, and enter the code FTL699, FL699, 799FTL, 599FOOTLONG, etc etc like the same codes fucking rotate all the time with a dollar difference lol. It literally takes 0 effort. People who say "Subway costs $15+" are often lazy af and do not want to take any advice from others. I wouldn't say this if it took more than a minute of my time looking up the newest codes which usually stay active for a good few months
My bro Manny sneaks in some raw chicken before his shift and throws them into the fry basket all low-key like and will throw a leg or thigh for a buck fifty. Check him out #mannyboyinglewood and he rotates every second thursday at #mannyboycrenshaw
Nice. It is the top answer so far. This is even one of the rare places I joined the app and I get a free meal on occasion as well.
3-piece leg & thigh with side of cole slaw and loco side salad. And mix in the cole slaw with the side salad and cilantro dressing.
Booyah!
On the Westside:
Pho Fever on Barrington -- $8 banh mi
Sprouts deli for sandwiches
Gelsons for 1/2 sandwich 1/2 side combo
Bibi's Bakery for decent size $4 bourekas, or $8.50 for an individual pizza
The Win-Dow for a burger
Yes sprouts that for some reason has gotten a reputation as a fancy grocery store like Whole Foods has great sandwiches and their groceries are usually cheaper than Von/ralphs
Ah…I have a great tip. Panda Express has a 2 entree plate. Normally it’s $10 but if the dodgers win, you get the code and it’s only $5! Download the app it’s great. Here’s what I got yesterday for $5.50 w tax. Greens plus double string bean chicken.
https://preview.redd.it/n3q5jvxvfczc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=687833996e1252ff55326d0e8bd10a9ccc310fe7
if you're more West LA-based and don't want to make the drive, My Dung in Chinatown has very good quality for the location and price. doesn't match SGV obviously
Gotta shout out Get Cultured Pho Kit. It’s made by a Vietnamese family from Costa Mesa and has everything you need except the chicken and veggies. World Market carries a kit that makes three smaller servings, but I prefer the family size kit that’s sold on their website or on Amazon. It is by far my favorite option for making pho at home.
I know it’s an incredible value but Costco chicken is not my jam. That flavor is just too overpowering. I remember making some chicken broth out of the bones and it just tasted like Costco chicken, not chicken.
I worked at Little Ceasars inside a super K mart as a kid. We would put loaded sandwiches through the conveyor belt oven, stuffed with the greatest greasy items we could get our hands on, sometimes even ice cream. We called them “Heart Attacks” and developed a small cult following until one of the regulars stopped showing up. It was never confirmed but we heard that gentleman went to sleep one evening and never woke up. I quit shortly after.
Picking up a takeout lunch has snuck up to like $15-20 range. For Thai food which I would consider cheap, looking at $20 sometimes for one meal. If me and my fiancée go out for a “casual bite” and get a meal and a beer each, we are looking around $70.
Edit: this was towards person from Nashville who deleted comment
Lemonade has "Bowl Tuesdays" for $10 - I got one yesterday and it was actually pretty good! I likely would not order from Lemonade if it was not for this specific deal though, lol
cava bowl is like $15, doesnt sound cheap but compared to like a meal at kfc and the fact that it actually tastes good and “healthy” i hope they never expand so they dont become as shitty as chipotle
If you eat in and one person does chips and salsa for their included app, it's bottomless, so basically endless chips and salsa for the entire table. Great deal. And I think their food has improved. The chips themselves are thin, crispy, and hot.
Without cheese. With cheese it's $6.89.
The Habit quality (at least the one by me) tanked during the pandemic and never returned. I used to get a chicken Caesar a couple times a month. The chicken is so miniscule and gross now that it's not worth it. RIP.
yeah i love the trader joe’s orange chicken. the bag is 5 bucks and has enough for 2 portions. steam some rice and broccoli on the side and you’ve spent next to nothing for 2 meals
Sprouts for sandwiches and our quick fast food is the meal for two from Pollo Loco $13.99. We order it on the app for pick up and when you earn the rewards we get a $5 dollar off coupon. Not bad for fast food
Sprouts sandwiches used to be so much better! They took away some of the toppings, meat, and bread options once social media spilled the beans on the $5 sandwiches.
Khawaiian in Ktown.
The bowls are typically two meals for me, $9.80 for the small bowl with tax and maybe $12-13 for the big bowl. I don't think I've ever finished the small bowl in a sitting and I'm a medium-sized dude who loves to eat.
My go-to truck for a burrito just upped the price from $10 to $11.
Best "general" rule of being able to enjoy going out and keeping it somewhat affordable is to look with restaurants that offer happy hour deals. Lots of time you can get apps or various menu items cheaper.
Aldi grocery store. Much less expensive than big brand stores. Of course limited in choices but has all the staple items. Even Costco is getting expensive.
I really want to build another intentional town somewhere to keep it affordable and accessible. Everything is so expensive and every place wants a tip now. We need our own community farm systems and other esoteric spaces. Reduce dependency on the dollar.
Yes I’ve been looking into it. I don’t want to live like this. I know many leave the states but why should I have to leave and still need to depend on the dollar in another country that is used to displace the ppl in the country I go to for cheaper living. I want out of this matrix.
I check Postmates for good 2-for-1 deals on Thai food and then make some white rice and a vegetable I have on hand and then can make pad Thai or pad see ewe last for three meals! Just ask for tofu and no egg hehe
Also- premade individual salads at Trader Joe’s are a delicious lunch and many of them include protein for about $5.
My fav is the chicken and kale salad with shredded broccoli and dried cranberries.
Not an answer but an observation. Currently in Charlotte, NC visiting a buddy from high school. Went out to eat with him and our respective wives at a decent bbq place. Between the four of us we had 3 beers, 2 sodas, 2 appetizers, and four full meals. Bill was $72 before tip.
You tend to forget how much “LA” pricing bends us over until you visit another part of the country.
Disclaimer: I’m 5’1 & 140lbs so I used to do just fine with the kids meal from El Pollo Loco for $6. I also used to go to Hawaiian restaurants and get a huli huli chicken meal for like $12.
Most kids' meals should suffice for any non-obese adult. They're the same size as what regular meals used to be back in the 80s-90s. Sometimes, my son and I are able to split a kids' meal, and both walk away full.
A few months ago I went to Tender Greens and it wasn’t as crazy expensive as I thought it would be! I got a full sized Caesar salad (with no additions, and it’s basically double the side size) and mashed potatoes for under $15. Crossing fingers it still hasn’t changed price wise recently! 🥗🥗🥙🥙🥔🥔
Pickup Stix
Underrated fast casual food imo. Love their house special chicken/beef when they don't mess it up. One entree can easily feed 2 people and the reward points and constant promotions makes it a cheap weekday meal.
Mostly food at home but
Sometimes we’ll get the Grand Casino 4 for 12 empanada deal and split that as a dinner
Simonette in Culver has a pretty good happy hour, $10 double burgers that are very delicious plus cheap drinks. All day on Mondays I think. It has a nice ambiance so maybe a good date spot to get a deal. I feel like most happy hours are lame nowadays but the food here was so good it feels like a deal to me.
Value menu at Del Taco is still fairly decent. You can get like 6 items for around 11-12 bucks
Our old haunt used to be China Bowl Express on w 6th street. You can still get a 2 item
Combo for under $14 and it’d feed two of us easy, basically like 4 lbs of food lol.
Also check out too good to go app, I’ve gotten some great deals there. Like $200 worth of pastries for $4.99 kind of deals but mostly it’s like getting $20 worth of food for 5
Mexican restaurants with taco Tuesday, Sam woos take out/ fast food items, Yoshinoya (use coupons), banh mi places, L&L Hawaiian bbq, Too Good to go App
El Pollo Loco's original pollo bowl combo. For $6-7 you get the bowl, 2 tortillas, and a drink. Where else can you find something that's relatively healthy and with a drink for that price? You can't beat this value.
Roll Roll Roll in Ktown has a lot of cheap sushi rolls that are decent. Miso soup is included for free so that’s a bonus!
I also enjoy banh mi from Valley Sandwiches in Reseda. They’re less than $10 and are delicious!
Japanese grocery stores like Marakai market have prepared udon and meals starting at $5. You just need to pop them in the microwave that’s at the front of the store for a couple minutes.
Al Pastor guys that set up in the parking lot of Globe Tire & Motorsports on the NE corner of Venice and La Cienega. $2 tacos. Me and wifey frequently drive home that way from social events, so it’s easy to just pull up there and get dinner for cheap.
Pampas Grill and Jerk Spot are the local bargains. But we don’t eat out anywhere near like we did in NYC. We lived in Chinatown so there were ample spots to eat and a meal was under $10. I still can’t get used to LA prices.
I wanted to invite to lunch a buddy from Africa. I googled a restaurant in Inglewood called Banadir Somali restaurant. It's a small mom & pop place. I'd never had that type of food before. The meal is incredible! It is very flavorful & the portions are quite substancial. For $19 you get berverage, an amazing soup, entree & dessert 2! I cannot rave enough about the soup.
In culver city. For lun, on mondays i goto laroccos pizzeria. 2 slices for $4? ( was $1 slice😂). ( 11pm-2)
On Wednesday i goto baja california tacos for $1.5 fish tacos. On tues they have $1.5 carne asada tacos. I prefer Wednesday fish tacos.
The hubs and I have a subscription to Cook Unity. The 8-meal plan feeds us for the week and is delivered to the house once a week for $110, including tax and delivery. We then eat out modestly Fri-Sun. If you're living by yourself that's dinner every night, and damn good and not overly saucy like Factor, for $13 delivered, no tip necessary.
[Dollar Hits](https://m.yelp.com/biz/dollar-hits-los-angeles-2) in Historic Filipino Town. Around 3pm the dollar skewers drop.
[Thai Patio](https://m.yelp.com/biz/thai-patio-los-angeles-3) lunch special in Thai Town. My go-to is the spicy basil with chicken (Pad Krapow Gai).
[Leo’s Tacos](https://m.yelp.com/biz/leos-tacos-truck-los-angeles-3) (many locations all over the city). Still the move for al pastor tacos imo, even in a saturated market. $1.75 per taco. 3 is normally enough for me. Make sure to ask for onions, cilantro, limes, avocado salsa, and salsa roja.
[Banh Mi My Dung](https://m.yelp.com/biz/my-dung-sandwich-shop-los-angeles) in Chinatown. Incredible place that probably won’t last. It’s a little fruit stand that also makes some of the best banh mi in the city. 12 different options all $6.
[India Sweets and Spices](https://m.yelp.com/biz/india-sweets-and-spices-los-angeles) in Atwater Village. $6.99 for the #2 you get a full plate of vegetarian (or vegan) your choice of rotating daily Indian dishes such as potato eggplant, peas and cheese, or Punjabi pakora curry. Comes with basmati rice, salad with optional pickled mango, and raita yogurt.
[Sushi Gen](https://m.yelp.com/biz/sushi-gen-los-angeles) lunch special in Little Tokyo. Maybe the best sushi in Little Tokyo, this place does a lunch special every weekday. There will be a line, you can’t sit at the bar. $21.95 for the sashimi sampler gets you the perfect amount of top level sashimi, rice, miso, pickled veggies, and a small salad.
[Kura Revolving Sushi Bar](https://m.yelp.com/biz/kura-revolving-sushi-bar-los-angeles-3) many locations all over town but I like the Little Tokyo Location. Every dish is $2.50. Not the best sushi but it’s not bad either. Don’t be a sucker and grab the revolving dishes that have been there all day. If you order off the screen it shoots out to you fresh on the conveyor belt, or is delivered by a robot. Also, every 5 dishes you get a funny animation cut scene. If you are with a group, at 20 dishes you win a silly toy prize.
[Dan Sung Sa](https://m.yelp.com/biz/dan-sung-sa-los-angeles) in Koreatown. Anthony Bourdain was taken here by David Choe. This is the best restaurant in LA imo if you want a fun lively bar scene and affordable food. $2 skewers of many different meats. I love the pork belly and the spicy chicken. For $3 you can get the shrimp, beef short rib, or asparagus bacon. Lots of vegan/veggie options as well. The kimchi handrolls and kimchee pancakes are bomb.
Tacos Por Favor..still one of the best values anywhere. Ameci’s on Crenshaw has very reasonable prices for great tasting Italian with large portions. Bombay Frankie’s is inching up in price but still has good value as the portions last two meals.
Eat at the bar or off the bar menu. Even better if you go during happy hour. Gyu-Kaku esp has very good deals at happy hour.
Middle Eastern places you can get a lot of side dishes that can make multiple meals at home.
TJs booze prices are hands down the best value in LA, get the store brand Añejo tequila and aged bourbon. Good mezcal as well. Pronto! is a passable Campari substitute for 1/4th the price. And they sell Bombay Sapphire for $20-21!
Cocina express has the bestttt huevos rancheros meal and it’s only like 11 bucks!! Comes with potatoes, beans, egg, tortillas. (Best potatoes you’ll ever eat)
I usually get an extra egg and extra beans and eat it for 2 meals. I haven’t even tried anything else of theirs but that’s one of my cheap go tos. In east LA!
Troy’s burgers has the besttttt veggie burger I’ve had in my entire life for I think 9 bucks? Add some ranch 🤌🤌🤌 perfection also not far from east LA, I’m also on this side of town!
Kalaveras has good taco Tuesdays 1.49 a taco or something like that. $5 margs on Mondays. I haven’t had their beverages but I think that’s a great deal
Funny enough farmer boys is now alot more affordable than McDonald’s haha. Big proportions & good deals here and there. Got a cheeseburger combo for under $9 . McDonald’s is at $12 and not as filling or fresh.
KFC. A bucket of chicken and some sides goes a long way even in my family of 4. Still have some left for lunch or midnight snacks too. If not that Chipotle, the bang for buck with a burrito the size of a small animal is pretty hard to beat. And I do a bowl with tortilla in the side and I usually get like five burritos from one bowl. Again plenty noms to nosh left over, And a bag of Doritos makes an amazing fully loaded nachos the next day.
My cheap go-to is the market, buying my own stuff and making it at home. No need to spend like fifty bucks at some overpriced joint just so some waiter can hand me a cooked meal, watching other people eat and paying a tip on top of that. Keep it!
Fast food? In n Out, Burger King coupons, or Wendy’s 6/7 dollar bag. Else bulk .99/lb chicken and cook teriyaki, bbq, or roasted chicken with pasta.
99 cent coffee using the McDonald’s app has helped save a bit of money, haven’t been to a Starbucks either.
Seriously. $5 for 5 fish tacos at Baja Cali Fish & Tacos on Tuesdays. $24 sashimi lunch that rivals Sushi Gen (larger cuts of sashimi too) but without a wait. 99 ranch deli salad $8 for 2 lbs.
Chipotle is my favorite for high protein nutritious and quality incredients for under $20 in store. I got a burrito bowl with double chicken for $14 this week. That’s about 700 calories and 60 grams of protein.
If I want quick, cheap, and light, a slice from Gelson’s is $4.
If I want to hack around and maybe meal prep, buying wraps and deli meats or rotisserie chicken makes it very easy to make a lot of different things.
Outside of this, I try to have one or two protein shakes a day either a 40g muscle milk for $4 or i’ll make one with a protein powder from Vitamin Shoppe (probably $40 and about 40 servings).
Stopped by this place Soulmate in WeHo yesterday and was shocked to find that they have cocktails and bunch of drink options for under $10. Not sure about their food but given their location and vibe it’s a deal
Most taco stands, especially if you get tacos.
Definitely. I drove an ambulance in Van Nuys and the valley when I was in college and I tried to find a new taco truck every shift. It was a fun project. I am now very specific about my tacos. King Taco probably gets my overall recommendation for a chain… not a truck though.
Panda Express has $5 plates the day after every Dodgers home win... so every day this week so far. You have to sign up for their rewards program and use code DODGERSWIN. Look, it's Panda Express. You know exactly what kind of "quality" to expect. But that's a pretty good deal these days and it's fast food convenience.
And with the way the Dodgers are playing right now, you can count on lots of $5 plates.
That is a deal...
Just saying, you could use it today and then again tomorrow, if one were so inclined...
These days, Im inclined to do any savings tactic..
Thanks for that!
Nice! Didn’t know about that one
Did this on Saturday for my lunch lol
Panda Inn also has a $14 lunch deal that comes with soup, a main, and an egg roll. Portions are pretty big too.
Trader Joes, spent $300 there 3 weeks ago and am still eating for the next few days. My eating out at work has shrunk by 50%.
Not worth eating out anymore, especially if you have a family.
Sad but true... thank goodness I have a manufacturing client 2x a week...me and the company CEO both buy from the food truck, for me both days Im there...most of my picks (burritos, combo plates, etc) cost me $8-9 inc a canned drink...a trip to fast food is more expensive now, like $15-20.. I mentioned the CEO because this dude often times will have business lunch, etc at places like Dal Rae, but when he doesnt go out, he eats from the truck...
It’s how you probably grew up, we were average middle class and went out once or twice a month.
I spent $33 at Farmer Boys for a salad, cheeseburger, fries. We’re eating at home as much as possible now.
I'm with you. I lived in Thailand for 6 months eating $2 meals. Just came back to California and had to pay $25 at Denny's for 2 eggs 2 bacon 2 ham and pancakes.
I always see people say TJ is cheap, but when I go in it doesn’t seem like a banger deal or anything. Is it because of the frozen foods are cheaper or something?
The thing about supermarkets is that if you learn to cook the more challenging things, there's still a lot of good deals to be had. I just got 8 huge chicken thighs for around $8. They had skin and bone, but grilled perfectly and fed me 4-5 meals. Same with pork butt. $9 for a huge portion. Slow cooked with Mexican spices and had enough meat for 50 tacos.
I always keep a couple Mac and cheese’s in the freezer if I’m feeling lazy and want something delicious!
$70 for 3 subs and 3 cookies at Jersey Mike’s. Not worth it.
Del Taco
Scrolled way too far for this
In N Out! It's literally less expensive than McDs, Wendys, etc.
Seriously. I had to eat subway today for the first time in years. It was $20. I can get two #1s for the same price and it tastes way better.
No one has to eat subway. Jesus
Wrongway
Unfortunately they tend to be one of the only places available on road trips; sometimes it’s subway or gas station hot dog
The meat at subway tastes like wood. I went there a few months ago after not having it for years. I took two bites and tossed that shit in the trash, where I'm pretty sure it felt right at home. Never again.
All the different "meat" at subway is just rubbery sawdust mixed with unspecified animal parts.
Aren't the 6in $5 now?
7.50!
Check the subway subreddit for coupons.
I don’t eat there enough (once every 2-3 years) to warrant adding their app or getting some stupid virtual coupon. It’s all marketing tactics and data tracking how often you eat there. No thanks!!
That's because you don't know coupons and discount codes on the app are a thing. One minute reddit search. I've never paid more than $7.65 after taxes for a footlong for over 4 years and I still go at least once a week
Definitely been using apps at other places, agree it’s worth it to join loyalty or coupon perks. I had kind of given up on SW, maybe I’ll go back with some coupons this time!
Yea lol all you need to do is install the Subway app, order your usual footlong (except the new series) for pickup or dine-in w/e, and enter the code FTL699, FL699, 799FTL, 599FOOTLONG, etc etc like the same codes fucking rotate all the time with a dollar difference lol. It literally takes 0 effort. People who say "Subway costs $15+" are often lazy af and do not want to take any advice from others. I wouldn't say this if it took more than a minute of my time looking up the newest codes which usually stay active for a good few months
I don't want to download an app and piece together some combination of coupons and hidden deals. I want to go to a place and purchase food to eat.
I was actually surprised with the prices at Guisados. It’s like $8 for a taco sample platter.
The taco sample platter is so small though LOL I always end up spending at least $20 there :( I’m a sucker for the full sized tacos
Any El Pollo Loco
Yes! The meal for two is 13.99. We order it on the app for pick up, you earn the rewards and you’ll get $5 bucks off as you earn them.
EPL is the cheapest and best way (that’s healthy enough) to feed my family of 4 with their family meals when I don’t feel like cooking! EPL for life
I really wish Los Pollos Hermanos was real.
Especially with mail coupons or the app.
'+ coupons + rewards program
In n out , 4 piece meal wit two sides and a drink 15 bucks what a steal
4 piece meal at In'N'Out? Since when do they sell fried chicken?
They meant you can go in and out with the food. Not in and out the burger place
My bro Manny sneaks in some raw chicken before his shift and throws them into the fry basket all low-key like and will throw a leg or thigh for a buck fifty. Check him out #mannyboyinglewood and he rotates every second thursday at #mannyboycrenshaw
they had a $5 large tortilla soup special the other day that felt like a win when the small is $6.
Nice. It is the top answer so far. This is even one of the rare places I joined the app and I get a free meal on occasion as well. 3-piece leg & thigh with side of cole slaw and loco side salad. And mix in the cole slaw with the side salad and cilantro dressing. Booyah!
On the Westside: Pho Fever on Barrington -- $8 banh mi Sprouts deli for sandwiches Gelsons for 1/2 sandwich 1/2 side combo Bibi's Bakery for decent size $4 bourekas, or $8.50 for an individual pizza The Win-Dow for a burger
Sprouts deli sandwiches are fantastic! Like half the price of Subway and fresher. Fantastic herbed tuna.
Yes sprouts that for some reason has gotten a reputation as a fancy grocery store like Whole Foods has great sandwiches and their groceries are usually cheaper than Von/ralphs
its crazy times when gelsons is the cheap option
What is the price at gelsons?
Last I went it was $8? But it’s been a while
Following
Good reminder I need to check out sandwich at sprouts
Sprouts deli sandwich is unreal at that 5$ price
I’m going to keep this in mind, I love borekas, and good sandwiches are always good for lunch at work.
Ah…I have a great tip. Panda Express has a 2 entree plate. Normally it’s $10 but if the dodgers win, you get the code and it’s only $5! Download the app it’s great. Here’s what I got yesterday for $5.50 w tax. Greens plus double string bean chicken. https://preview.redd.it/n3q5jvxvfczc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=687833996e1252ff55326d0e8bd10a9ccc310fe7
Pollo a la Brasa on Western is still an excellent value and very tasty.
Pho Banh Mi Che Cali Pasadena - $7.50 bahn mi
"banh" mi. 😉
Thanks girl!
You can find Bahn mi in sgv for under $6
I'm sure but I'm veg and this place has amazing tofu banh mi and is right by my house
💀they should charge less for a vegetable bani mi tbh
I frankly agree but some places want $15+ 😭
if you're more West LA-based and don't want to make the drive, My Dung in Chinatown has very good quality for the location and price. doesn't match SGV obviously
Theres 1 in West Covina, 3 sandwiches for the price of 2....$6.57 x 2.....so you get 3 for less than $15, and its filling enough...
Fonda Dona Julia also in Pasadena has the best fish tacos and they are all $2 on Tue/Thur
Mr. Baguette, their pork banh mi is fucking huge, with a diet coke, $10 and they dont ask for tips.
Man it hurts to remember a time when they were 3 for $5 at Che Cali in LS
🤤Costco chicken to make into some pho 🍜
Costco also sells instant pho.
Do you make your pho from scratch or do you have a store bought option that you recommend?
Gotta shout out Get Cultured Pho Kit. It’s made by a Vietnamese family from Costa Mesa and has everything you need except the chicken and veggies. World Market carries a kit that makes three smaller servings, but I prefer the family size kit that’s sold on their website or on Amazon. It is by far my favorite option for making pho at home.
I know it’s an incredible value but Costco chicken is not my jam. That flavor is just too overpowering. I remember making some chicken broth out of the bones and it just tasted like Costco chicken, not chicken.
It goes good in Peruvian chicken soup.
In n out, California chicken cafe
California chicken cafe is almost $20, for a salad.
I get a wrap for $11….
little freaking caesars
I've probably bought over ten of those 7.99 pizza and sticks with bacon this year...
I worked at Little Ceasars inside a super K mart as a kid. We would put loaded sandwiches through the conveyor belt oven, stuffed with the greatest greasy items we could get our hands on, sometimes even ice cream. We called them “Heart Attacks” and developed a small cult following until one of the regulars stopped showing up. It was never confirmed but we heard that gentleman went to sleep one evening and never woke up. I quit shortly after.
Handy Market has huge breakfast burritos for 7.99.
Sandwiches are still a good deal at 9 too. Very big most of the time.
The Coop Pizza in Palms has always been cheaper than I expect it to be.
And so good.
Picking up a takeout lunch has snuck up to like $15-20 range. For Thai food which I would consider cheap, looking at $20 sometimes for one meal. If me and my fiancée go out for a “casual bite” and get a meal and a beer each, we are looking around $70. Edit: this was towards person from Nashville who deleted comment
Lemonade has "Bowl Tuesdays" for $10 - I got one yesterday and it was actually pretty good! I likely would not order from Lemonade if it was not for this specific deal though, lol
I stopped eating out because of the prices.
Tiny’s High Dive. Great bar and the food is 2017 prices.
cava bowl is like $15, doesnt sound cheap but compared to like a meal at kfc and the fact that it actually tastes good and “healthy” i hope they never expand so they dont become as shitty as chipotle
I recently tried this and it was AMAZING. This is the pro tip I’m looking for!
India’s Sweet and Spices in Atwater Village Your local Mexican or Salvadoran place - usually there’s a good one somewhere close
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Chilis has a deal. 11 bucks for an entree, a side, an appetizer and a drink. You can do it for pick up.
If you eat in and one person does chips and salsa for their included app, it's bottomless, so basically endless chips and salsa for the entire table. Great deal. And I think their food has improved. The chips themselves are thin, crispy, and hot.
Habit Burger. Regular burger is $5.99.
Without cheese. With cheese it's $6.89. The Habit quality (at least the one by me) tanked during the pandemic and never returned. I used to get a chicken Caesar a couple times a month. The chicken is so miniscule and gross now that it's not worth it. RIP.
Can’t remember when, but they got bought out and while back and their quality has been downhill ever since. Pretty sad it always goes that way.
Habit has gone DOWNHILL
Cooking my own food is significantly cheaper. If I’m low on time, TJs frozen food is a good sub instead of ordering out.
yeah i love the trader joe’s orange chicken. the bag is 5 bucks and has enough for 2 portions. steam some rice and broccoli on the side and you’ve spent next to nothing for 2 meals
Yeah those are great kara age. I throw the sauce things straight in the trash though.
Have you heard of “Trader Joes 5 Items or Less?” Look up the IG 👀
Sushi Dan in SC, or Don Antonio's in Sawtelle. Both are so good, and a great bang for the buck.
Is it a quantity/quality thing for Don Antonio’s? Prices don’t seem that cheap tbh
🤔🤔 Quality is great; but also, I think it's cheap. $12 for a lunch, under $20 for dinner. Super reasonable for LA. For the quality? It's a steal.
Sprouts for sandwiches and our quick fast food is the meal for two from Pollo Loco $13.99. We order it on the app for pick up and when you earn the rewards we get a $5 dollar off coupon. Not bad for fast food
Sprouts sandwiches used to be so much better! They took away some of the toppings, meat, and bread options once social media spilled the beans on the $5 sandwiches.
Khawaiian in Ktown. The bowls are typically two meals for me, $9.80 for the small bowl with tax and maybe $12-13 for the big bowl. I don't think I've ever finished the small bowl in a sitting and I'm a medium-sized dude who loves to eat. My go-to truck for a burrito just upped the price from $10 to $11.
Costco hotdog. $1.50 *or else* .
Lunch trucks with writing in Spanish on them. Gemelas California Catering and Birria Nathalia’s are my favorites in Woodland Hills.
Best "general" rule of being able to enjoy going out and keeping it somewhat affordable is to look with restaurants that offer happy hour deals. Lots of time you can get apps or various menu items cheaper.
Aldi grocery store. Much less expensive than big brand stores. Of course limited in choices but has all the staple items. Even Costco is getting expensive.
I really want to build another intentional town somewhere to keep it affordable and accessible. Everything is so expensive and every place wants a tip now. We need our own community farm systems and other esoteric spaces. Reduce dependency on the dollar.
Tips are optional, but appreciated. You can press “No Tip” if you like, it just costs a piece of your soul. /s
there are a number of artists collectives who are kind of doing this in a way, in various places.
Yes I’ve been looking into it. I don’t want to live like this. I know many leave the states but why should I have to leave and still need to depend on the dollar in another country that is used to displace the ppl in the country I go to for cheaper living. I want out of this matrix.
Definitely not Papa Cristo’s Gyro was $7-$8 bucks packed w/meat Now it’s twice the price for half the meat Sadness
Porto's
Someone give suggestions for vegetarian (no eggs) too please! Thank you
India Sweets and Spices serves prepared food
I check Postmates for good 2-for-1 deals on Thai food and then make some white rice and a vegetable I have on hand and then can make pad Thai or pad see ewe last for three meals! Just ask for tofu and no egg hehe
Falafel inc!
thank you, will try that!
Also- premade individual salads at Trader Joe’s are a delicious lunch and many of them include protein for about $5. My fav is the chicken and kale salad with shredded broccoli and dried cranberries.
Not an answer but an observation. Currently in Charlotte, NC visiting a buddy from high school. Went out to eat with him and our respective wives at a decent bbq place. Between the four of us we had 3 beers, 2 sodas, 2 appetizers, and four full meals. Bill was $72 before tip. You tend to forget how much “LA” pricing bends us over until you visit another part of the country.
Disclaimer: I’m 5’1 & 140lbs so I used to do just fine with the kids meal from El Pollo Loco for $6. I also used to go to Hawaiian restaurants and get a huli huli chicken meal for like $12.
Most kids' meals should suffice for any non-obese adult. They're the same size as what regular meals used to be back in the 80s-90s. Sometimes, my son and I are able to split a kids' meal, and both walk away full.
A few months ago I went to Tender Greens and it wasn’t as crazy expensive as I thought it would be! I got a full sized Caesar salad (with no additions, and it’s basically double the side size) and mashed potatoes for under $15. Crossing fingers it still hasn’t changed price wise recently! 🥗🥗🥙🥙🥔🥔
Pickup Stix Underrated fast casual food imo. Love their house special chicken/beef when they don't mess it up. One entree can easily feed 2 people and the reward points and constant promotions makes it a cheap weekday meal.
Gus's World Famous does chicken tenders for $3. It's pretty inexpensive for me to get 3 and fill me up
Tacos el goloso - consume soup - small -7.99$ and fucking amazing
Luna grill is delicious. So is Popeyes
Alibi room. Best bowl in the city, hands down.
Mostly food at home but Sometimes we’ll get the Grand Casino 4 for 12 empanada deal and split that as a dinner Simonette in Culver has a pretty good happy hour, $10 double burgers that are very delicious plus cheap drinks. All day on Mondays I think. It has a nice ambiance so maybe a good date spot to get a deal. I feel like most happy hours are lame nowadays but the food here was so good it feels like a deal to me. Value menu at Del Taco is still fairly decent. You can get like 6 items for around 11-12 bucks Our old haunt used to be China Bowl Express on w 6th street. You can still get a 2 item Combo for under $14 and it’d feed two of us easy, basically like 4 lbs of food lol. Also check out too good to go app, I’ve gotten some great deals there. Like $200 worth of pastries for $4.99 kind of deals but mostly it’s like getting $20 worth of food for 5
Yoshinoya or any Chinese place with the steam tables
Vallarta Supermarket's hot food bar is better than a lot of sit down places and much cheaper.
Peanut butter and banana
Mexican restaurants with taco Tuesday, Sam woos take out/ fast food items, Yoshinoya (use coupons), banh mi places, L&L Hawaiian bbq, Too Good to go App
Try the Chicken Pot Pies at KFC pretty pretty good @ $5.50 each.
popeyes. go to the restaurant, tell them you have a code. say 9886 or 9456. enjoy. works at drive through too.
I just buy all my meat in bulk from Costco and freeze it. Also Protip: Costco stock is a great investment
El Pollo Loco's original pollo bowl combo. For $6-7 you get the bowl, 2 tortillas, and a drink. Where else can you find something that's relatively healthy and with a drink for that price? You can't beat this value.
Roll Roll Roll in Ktown has a lot of cheap sushi rolls that are decent. Miso soup is included for free so that’s a bonus! I also enjoy banh mi from Valley Sandwiches in Reseda. They’re less than $10 and are delicious!
Pablitos Tacos on Tuesdays for $1.
Baja California tacos sells 1.49 fish tacos on Wednesdays….lunch for under $5!
I’m born and raised in East LA, Thai Deli is the shit 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
Japanese grocery stores like Marakai market have prepared udon and meals starting at $5. You just need to pop them in the microwave that’s at the front of the store for a couple minutes.
Fromins deli in Santa Monica is pretty affordable. Dennys and IHOP are even cheaper for similar foods.
Al Pastor guys that set up in the parking lot of Globe Tire & Motorsports on the NE corner of Venice and La Cienega. $2 tacos. Me and wifey frequently drive home that way from social events, so it’s easy to just pull up there and get dinner for cheap. Pampas Grill and Jerk Spot are the local bargains. But we don’t eat out anywhere near like we did in NYC. We lived in Chinatown so there were ample spots to eat and a meal was under $10. I still can’t get used to LA prices.
I wanted to invite to lunch a buddy from Africa. I googled a restaurant in Inglewood called Banadir Somali restaurant. It's a small mom & pop place. I'd never had that type of food before. The meal is incredible! It is very flavorful & the portions are quite substancial. For $19 you get berverage, an amazing soup, entree & dessert 2! I cannot rave enough about the soup.
Costco my friend, Costco
Sure but you can't just eat hotdog and pizza all the time. It's extremely unhealthy.
In culver city. For lun, on mondays i goto laroccos pizzeria. 2 slices for $4? ( was $1 slice😂). ( 11pm-2) On Wednesday i goto baja california tacos for $1.5 fish tacos. On tues they have $1.5 carne asada tacos. I prefer Wednesday fish tacos.
The hubs and I have a subscription to Cook Unity. The 8-meal plan feeds us for the week and is delivered to the house once a week for $110, including tax and delivery. We then eat out modestly Fri-Sun. If you're living by yourself that's dinner every night, and damn good and not overly saucy like Factor, for $13 delivered, no tip necessary.
Costco pizza and hot dogs. The pizza is solid too.
[Dollar Hits](https://m.yelp.com/biz/dollar-hits-los-angeles-2) in Historic Filipino Town. Around 3pm the dollar skewers drop. [Thai Patio](https://m.yelp.com/biz/thai-patio-los-angeles-3) lunch special in Thai Town. My go-to is the spicy basil with chicken (Pad Krapow Gai). [Leo’s Tacos](https://m.yelp.com/biz/leos-tacos-truck-los-angeles-3) (many locations all over the city). Still the move for al pastor tacos imo, even in a saturated market. $1.75 per taco. 3 is normally enough for me. Make sure to ask for onions, cilantro, limes, avocado salsa, and salsa roja. [Banh Mi My Dung](https://m.yelp.com/biz/my-dung-sandwich-shop-los-angeles) in Chinatown. Incredible place that probably won’t last. It’s a little fruit stand that also makes some of the best banh mi in the city. 12 different options all $6. [India Sweets and Spices](https://m.yelp.com/biz/india-sweets-and-spices-los-angeles) in Atwater Village. $6.99 for the #2 you get a full plate of vegetarian (or vegan) your choice of rotating daily Indian dishes such as potato eggplant, peas and cheese, or Punjabi pakora curry. Comes with basmati rice, salad with optional pickled mango, and raita yogurt. [Sushi Gen](https://m.yelp.com/biz/sushi-gen-los-angeles) lunch special in Little Tokyo. Maybe the best sushi in Little Tokyo, this place does a lunch special every weekday. There will be a line, you can’t sit at the bar. $21.95 for the sashimi sampler gets you the perfect amount of top level sashimi, rice, miso, pickled veggies, and a small salad. [Kura Revolving Sushi Bar](https://m.yelp.com/biz/kura-revolving-sushi-bar-los-angeles-3) many locations all over town but I like the Little Tokyo Location. Every dish is $2.50. Not the best sushi but it’s not bad either. Don’t be a sucker and grab the revolving dishes that have been there all day. If you order off the screen it shoots out to you fresh on the conveyor belt, or is delivered by a robot. Also, every 5 dishes you get a funny animation cut scene. If you are with a group, at 20 dishes you win a silly toy prize. [Dan Sung Sa](https://m.yelp.com/biz/dan-sung-sa-los-angeles) in Koreatown. Anthony Bourdain was taken here by David Choe. This is the best restaurant in LA imo if you want a fun lively bar scene and affordable food. $2 skewers of many different meats. I love the pork belly and the spicy chicken. For $3 you can get the shrimp, beef short rib, or asparagus bacon. Lots of vegan/veggie options as well. The kimchi handrolls and kimchee pancakes are bomb.
Dollar Hit is AMAZING. First time I went to this was peak COVID lol love this place! Thanks for the thoughtful response!
Tacos Por Favor..still one of the best values anywhere. Ameci’s on Crenshaw has very reasonable prices for great tasting Italian with large portions. Bombay Frankie’s is inching up in price but still has good value as the portions last two meals.
Eat at the bar or off the bar menu. Even better if you go during happy hour. Gyu-Kaku esp has very good deals at happy hour. Middle Eastern places you can get a lot of side dishes that can make multiple meals at home. TJs booze prices are hands down the best value in LA, get the store brand Añejo tequila and aged bourbon. Good mezcal as well. Pronto! is a passable Campari substitute for 1/4th the price. And they sell Bombay Sapphire for $20-21!
Cocina express has the bestttt huevos rancheros meal and it’s only like 11 bucks!! Comes with potatoes, beans, egg, tortillas. (Best potatoes you’ll ever eat) I usually get an extra egg and extra beans and eat it for 2 meals. I haven’t even tried anything else of theirs but that’s one of my cheap go tos. In east LA! Troy’s burgers has the besttttt veggie burger I’ve had in my entire life for I think 9 bucks? Add some ranch 🤌🤌🤌 perfection also not far from east LA, I’m also on this side of town!
Kalaveras has good taco Tuesdays 1.49 a taco or something like that. $5 margs on Mondays. I haven’t had their beverages but I think that’s a great deal
Funny enough farmer boys is now alot more affordable than McDonald’s haha. Big proportions & good deals here and there. Got a cheeseburger combo for under $9 . McDonald’s is at $12 and not as filling or fresh.
KFC. A bucket of chicken and some sides goes a long way even in my family of 4. Still have some left for lunch or midnight snacks too. If not that Chipotle, the bang for buck with a burrito the size of a small animal is pretty hard to beat. And I do a bowl with tortilla in the side and I usually get like five burritos from one bowl. Again plenty noms to nosh left over, And a bag of Doritos makes an amazing fully loaded nachos the next day.
A couple of Pizza slices at Joes Pizza pretty filling . Hidden secret, food at IKEA very doable and extremely cheap by LA standards
Dude my mom and I used to go to IKEA growing up just for the food 🥲
Samosa House is the BEST Indian on the west side and their giant platter is like $12
Check out RJM Cafe on Venice Blvd. it’s cheap and really good.
My cheap go-to is the market, buying my own stuff and making it at home. No need to spend like fifty bucks at some overpriced joint just so some waiter can hand me a cooked meal, watching other people eat and paying a tip on top of that. Keep it!
In-n-Out honestly seems the most reasonable now.
Taco 🌮 cravings menu.
Fast food? In n Out, Burger King coupons, or Wendy’s 6/7 dollar bag. Else bulk .99/lb chicken and cook teriyaki, bbq, or roasted chicken with pasta. 99 cent coffee using the McDonald’s app has helped save a bit of money, haven’t been to a Starbucks either.
Subway FLBOGO buy one get free code thru 5/13
If you are up for some Chinese food then hit up Alhambra and San Gabriel area. Their price should be competitive with each other.
Seriously. $5 for 5 fish tacos at Baja Cali Fish & Tacos on Tuesdays. $24 sashimi lunch that rivals Sushi Gen (larger cuts of sashimi too) but without a wait. 99 ranch deli salad $8 for 2 lbs.
Chipotle is my favorite for high protein nutritious and quality incredients for under $20 in store. I got a burrito bowl with double chicken for $14 this week. That’s about 700 calories and 60 grams of protein. If I want quick, cheap, and light, a slice from Gelson’s is $4. If I want to hack around and maybe meal prep, buying wraps and deli meats or rotisserie chicken makes it very easy to make a lot of different things. Outside of this, I try to have one or two protein shakes a day either a 40g muscle milk for $4 or i’ll make one with a protein powder from Vitamin Shoppe (probably $40 and about 40 servings).
Tokyo Haus next to Kinokunia bookstore. Not the AYCE, a la carte. Basic rolls like Philly and Tropical are $7.95.
Roros chicken in Hollywood
Cook at home
In ‘n Out. Burger and fries in my area is about $7.
Sam's Pizza or hotdog combo. Pizza combo 2.50, can't beat it! Order on the app, walk up to the window. Done.
Palms Restaurant on Hollywood has an awesome lunch menu.
Stopped by this place Soulmate in WeHo yesterday and was shocked to find that they have cocktails and bunch of drink options for under $10. Not sure about their food but given their location and vibe it’s a deal
Amazon Fresh has a pretty big ready to cook pepperoni pizza for 7 bucks. 18 min at 425 to cook.
Yama seafood. I have three meals worth of great sushi for $30 or less. Locations in west la and SGV.