Seeking: Seattle's best cheap eats for convenience
Short on ambiance but big on value
Hello and welcome to all the new subscribers! It’s been a bit, but I promise this week’s issue will be worth the wait 🙃
Have you ever been to a mediocre restaurant and paid $60 for a meal for two without drinks? I sure have, and I’m sick of it! Lately, I’ve been feeling the squeeze of going out to eat (like many of us) and wanted to create something to help make it a little easier to save money when you still want to go out on the town.
And despite what the haters might say, Seattle does have good food — it’s just that what you pay doesn’t always make sense for what you get.
But this is a (non-exhaustive) list of cheap eats that does make sense. I’m always seeking that perfect balance of quality + price + ambiance and all of my recommendations are always chosen through that lens. In this week’s issue, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite cheap eats for convenience. They might be short on ambiance, but they’re big on value and my go-to’s for when I don’t feel like cooking or need something quick when I’m out and about.
In the next issue I’ll share the best cheap eats for ambiance (they do exist!), but if you have a secret convenient cheap eat that you’d like to share, please drop it in the comments and I’ll add it to this list!
💎 Local Gems
Tacos Chukis | Multiple locations | Under $10 | This is my most frequented cheap eats spot since one of their locations is within walking distance. I love getting a baby burrito for a mid-day snack or three tacos (one of each meat) for a full meal.
El Camion | Multiple locations | Under $10 | The burritos + tacos are more expensive than Chukis ($12-15), but you can get a tamale the size of your head for about $5. Is it the best tamale? Not quite, but it’s a great value and I love the salsa variety.
Dick’s Drive-In | Multiple locations | Under $10 | You know this one — a cheap eats institution!
Spice Waala | Multiple locations | Under $10 | I love how transparent they are about their pricing on their IG and the food is great too. I like the kathi rolls and the chaat.
Aa Sushi | Ballard | Under $30 🍽🍸 | After seeing The Infatuation’s write-up of this spot, I knew I had to check it out. Ambiance is on the simpler side, but it’s worth it for affordable nigiri ($7.50 for 4 pieces of seared salmon), ramen ($5.50), and rolls ($4-7). Drinks are cheap too (beer/wine for $7) and the service is very kind and welcoming.
Mike’s Noodle House | C-ID | Under $15 | Whenever I want a hot bowl of noodle soup, I go to Mike’s (and the places below). I like that you can fully customize your soup (you mark your options on a little menu card) depending on what you’re feeling that day. I recently tried the Szechuan beef noodle bowl (soup comes on the side) and loved it.
Canton Wonton House | C-ID | Under $15 | Great wonton soup with many variations for about $12/bowl.
Szechuan Noodle Bowl | C-ID | Under $15 | In addition to noodle soup, they serve several kinds of dumplings.
Saigon Deli | C-ID | Under $10 | There’s a reason why this is where we get our supply of bánh mì for our summer Pickle Bánh sessions. It’s one of the only places where you can get a sub-$7 sandwich that is also easy to transport.
A+ Hong Kong | C-ID | Under $20 | This one is a little pricier because the portions are HUGE as everything is intended to be shared family style. I recommend coming with a group and getting the beef chow fun ($16), Mongolian beef ($17), pea vine in garlic or broccoli in garlic ($14), and the chicken fried rice ($15). That will easily feed 3-4 people. Not to be confused with the A+ Hong Kong Kitchen!
Mas Cafe | Fremont | Under $15 | Incredible breakfast burritos ($13.50) and cheap coffee. Great to pick up on your way to Gasworks. @zoeinseattle reviewed it here!
Sizzle & Crunch | University District, SLU | Under $15 | It’s like a Vietnamese Chipotle where you can build your ideal bowl. I’m obsessed with their house cilantro green sauce that goes on everything.
Still steaming from the wok Thai Tom | University District | Under $15 | An Ave classic, this hole-in-the-wall has its own kind of ambiance where it feels like you might lose your eyebrows if you sit too close to the woks. Cash-only!
U:Don | University District, Capitol Hill | Under $15 | A familiar concept in Japan, this build-your-own udon spot allows you to pick your sauce and add as much tempura as you’d like. It can add up fast, but it can be done cheaply and there are other affordable options like Gyu-don ($12.50) on the menu too.
Aladdin’s Gyros | University District | Under $15 | Another Ave institution, I’ve enjoyed plenty of these late-night gyros and I didn’t even go to UW!
Mee Sum Pastry | Pike Place Market, University District | Under $10 | Whenever I’m in the market (and there isn’t a huge line) I get a BBQ pork hombow ($5) to eat at the overlook or while I walk.
Michou Deli | Pike Place Market | Under $10 | This has to be the cheapest spot in the market with $5 half sandwiches (that are still huge, $9 for whole), $7 salads, and baked potatoes for $4.50/lb. And there’s rarely a line!
Red Bowls | Downtown | Under $15 | They are only open for lunch and closed on weekends, so it’s tough to make it here if you don’t work downtown, but they’re slinging some of the freshest poke for the best prices you can find ($15).
Crackle Mi | Ballard, Fremont | Under $15 | Similar to Sizzle & Crunch on this list, this place makes incredible Vietnamese bowls ($13) and bánh mì ($10) for reasonable prices.
Buddha Bruddah | Beacon Hill | Under $20 | These plates might be a little more expensive than others on this list, but they’ll last you at least two meals. I always get the Huli Huli chicken ($16) with the Crying Tiger and Nam Jim Jeaw sauces.
Grillbird | West Seattle | Under $20 | This is my #1 takeout place by far. They are always incredibly fast, the teriyaki is the best in the city, and the price is RIGHT. My boyfriend and I can usually split a plate ($18 - cabbage base, brown rice, cucumber salad) but if we want leftovers, we’ll each get our own.
Maruta Shoten | Georgetown | Under $10 | If you’re craving a Japan trip, head here and pretend you’re walking through the aisles of a Japanese 7/11. Pick up freshly made sushi ($4-8) or get a hot bowl of ramen ($7.50) and then pick up a few fun snacks. Hot tip: all sushi is half off after 4:30 pm!
Bloom Bistro | Georgetown | Under $10 | Not only do they make great bagels ($5 with schmear), they also have very reasonable breakfast and lunch sandwiches. We like to get the sausage bfast sando ($8) and the BLT ($10) on rosemary salt bagels.
Taqueria El Sol | South Park | Under $15 | This is our go-to breakfast burrito ($11.25) spot. It might be parked in a gas station, but sometimes a ray of sun will shine right on your face while you eat your burrito at a wobbly table and you feel like you might be in California.
Emerald City Fish & Chips | Hillman City | Under $15 | Not only are the fish and chips ($10 for a two-piece) incredibly good, but the first time we went here, the fry cooks threw on some calamari for free so we could try it which really solidified this place for me as a Seattle treasure. I will be getting the calamari next time.
Umami Kushi | Rainier Beach, Madrona (pop-up until 4/25/25) | Under $10 | Ozaku pan ($7) is a great on-the-go snack and I love Umami’s unique flavors. On the weekends they also make beignets and will be serving beignets + Molly Moon’s ice cream at their Madrona pop-up soon.
👀 On my radar:
Dim Sum King | C-ID | Under $10 | This is a takeout dim sum spot where you choose what you want and they fill up a box for you. Items range from $1.50-3 each and it’s cash-only if you spend less than $10.
Ox Burger HH | Capitol Hill | Under $10 | I’m a big fan of Taurus Ox, so their burger outpost is on my list. They have a crazy HH from 2-5 pm where burgers run from $6-8, and you can add on fries for $3.50 (all alcohol is also 50% off).
Frelard Tamales | Fremont | Under $10 | No longer just a takeout window, it’s a bigger sitdown spot in partnership with El Sueñito Brewing, which also hosts events like drag brunches. You can still get tamales from the window for $8 though.
Cedars of Lebanon | University District | Under $10 | Another Ave spot that came up in my research and has many gyro takeaway options for $8.
Green Tree | Greenwood | Under $15 | Also came up in my research as reasonably priced with a range of highly-rated Vietnamese and Chinese dishes.
Next time: cheap eats with ambiance!