c/cheap-eats-heroes

That $4 coney dog cart downtown is a better deal than three fast food stops

I got the coney dog with everything and a side of fries for $4.25 last Tuesday outside the courthouse. The chili is real beef, not that watery stuff. I have spent $12 at two drive-thrus this week and felt hungry an hour later. This cart fills me up until supper. The guy running it has been there for six years, and he remembers regulars. Who else has a cart or stand that beats the chain prices in their town?

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price.alice•2d ago

The taco guy who remembered my usual order, and my name, after one visit

Stopped at this little taco truck off 5th and Main, the one with the orange awning, last Tuesday for their $2 al pastor. The guy running it, older fella with a scar on his hand, handed me my order and said "extra lime, no cilantro, right?" I had only been there once, three weeks ago. He even asked if my kid was feeling better, since I mentioned her cold that one time. I tipped him the whole $3 I had in change, but now I'm wondering, do you folks have spots where the staff just naturally remember you like that, and does it make you go back more often?

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parker_campbell•3d ago

Just found out the $3 banh mi place downtown has been using pork belly this whole time

I grabbed one from Saigon Bites on 4th Street today and noticed the texture was way richer than usual, so I asked the owner. She told me they switched to pork belly two months ago to keep up with beef prices, still at the same $3 price. Anyone else got a hidden spot that quietly upgraded ingredients without raising the cost?

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nathanbennett•4d ago

Warning: that $3 taco truck near the old post office is playing games with portions

Went to the spot on 5th and Main last Tuesday, ordered two carnitas tacos and got maybe 2 bites of meat in each. The guy before me got a fat pile so I asked and the cashier just shrugged and said prices went up. I paid $6 total, walked over to the window to watch, and saw them scoop with a tiny spoon for new customers. 10 minutes later a regular walked up and got loaded plates. I'm not going back unless they fix that, has anyone else noticed this at other trucks in the area?

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karenw90•5d ago

Rant: I was wrong about gas station tacos in Portland

I always figured gas station food was a gamble you lose, but a buddy at work kept raving about the place on 82nd and Division. He said the al pastor is marinated overnight, and the tortillas are hand pressed every morning. Finally caved and got two tacos for $5.50, and honestly they beat most sit down spots I've tried. Anyone else got a weird hidden spot that broke their rule of thumb?

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nelson.finley•9d ago

Just hit 50 taco truck visits this year, here's what $4.50 gets you

I keep a little tally on my phone, and last Saturday I crossed 50 stops at the taco truck behind the old Shell station on 12th St. That's 50 times I've grabbed their carnitas or al pastor, and I finally counted up how much I've saved versus sit-down spots, like $300 easy. The magic number that surprised me was the 8th visit, when the guy started throwing in extra salsa and a free horchata without asking. Anyone else keep a running count at their go-to cheap spot, or am I just weird about tracking my savings?

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jakewhite•9d ago

I finally asked a line cook why his taco plate costs $6.50, his answer split my brain in half

Honestly, every time I hit up La Bufa on 5th, I used to complain about the tortillas being a little dry and the wait being long. Then one day I told the guy behind the counter that the $6.50 plate was good but could use more salsa, and he just said, 'You're paying for the meat, not the show.' He explained they buy whole beef cheek and braise it for 6 hours, so they cut corners on the toppings to keep the price down. Now I'm torn between wanting them to fix the tortillas and raising the price, or leaving it alone because $6.50 for that much beef is the best deal in town. Anyone else got a spot where the flaws are part of the price? Does the shortcoming make it more real or just worse?

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jessicamiller•10d ago

Hot take: the food truck line is overrated, the gas station burrito wins

Last Tuesday I waited 40 minutes for the trendy taco truck on 5th and paid $11 for a tiny tortilla with no flavor. Then I grabbed a $3.50 breakfast burrito from the Shell station on Maple, and it was stuffed with eggs, potatoes, and real salsa. Am I missing something, or are we all just paying for the Instagram vibe?

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grant_palmer•10d ago

Appreciation post: the $2.50 taco plate behind that gas station on 42nd Ave

I stopped at that little taqueria next to the Shell station on 42nd Ave last Tuesday because I was low on cash, and the pastor taco with grilled onions and a homemade salsa verde blew away spots charging $6, so who else has found gold in a spot you'd normally drive past?

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carr.willow•11d ago

Overheard a guy at the taco truck explain his $5 rule

Last Tuesday I was waiting in line at the El Poblano truck on 5th and Main. This older guy ahead of me told his buddy he only eats places where the main item costs less than $5. Said it keeps him honest and he's never had a bad meal that way. Made me think about how I usually just hunt for the biggest portion per dollar. I checked my usual spots and yeah, my favorite banh mi place is $4.75 and the pupusa joint is $3.50. He also said if they charge extra for salsa, walk away. I actually never noticed my regular Chinese spot upcharges 50 cents for hot oil. Anyone else got a weird price rule they use to pick food spots? I might start testing his numbers this week.

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henry_kelly54•12d ago

Rant: the taco truck prices near the flea market are getting out of hand

Stopped by that spot off 12th and Main last Saturday, the one with the green awning that used to do three tacos for $5. Now they want $8 for the same three and the portions look smaller, my buddy said he's done going there. Is anyone else seeing this creep at their usual cheap spots or is it just my side of town?

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faith_lopez48•13d ago

Found a hidden tamale lady near the bus depot, best $2 I ever spent

So last Tuesday I missed my transfer downtown and had 40 minutes to kill. Walked behind the old bus depot on 5th and there's this lady with a cooler selling tamales out of it. Got one for $2 and it was still steaming, wrapped in corn husk. Filled with pork and this green salsa that had a real kick. She only shows up between 11 and 1 on weekdays, cash only. Has anyone else stumbled on a food cart or cooler spot that beats every restaurant in town? I'm going back tomorrow to try the bean ones, hope she's still there.

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tarab54•13d ago

A five dollar taco critique changed my whole lunch routine

Last Tuesday I posted a pic of my go-to $5 al pastor torta from a cart on 7th and the top comment said 'bro, that salsa is just ketchup with chili flakes, no heat at all.' I was mad for a day, but they were right. So I went back and asked for their green sauce, the one under the counter, and now I get the torta with extra of that and skip the red. It woke me up to how many spots hide the good stuff, so what cheap places near you have a secret menu item you had to pry out of them?

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faithjones•14d ago

The 15-minute banh mi hunt that took 2 hours

I swear I remembered a vietnamese spot near the bus depot in Portland that had $4 sandwiches, but it closed and I wandered around for 2 hours before finding another place that charged $6.50. Has anyone else lost a go-to cheap spot and had trouble locating a replacement?

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wendy674•15d ago

That $3 taco truck in the lot by the old gas station surprised me

I stopped at a taco truck in El Paso last Tuesday because I was starving and broke. The al pastor tacos were $3 each and I figured they'd be greasy and bland. Instead the meat was juicy, the pineapple actually tasted fresh, and the salsa had a real kick. I got three tacos and a horchata for under $11, which beat any sit-down spot I've hit this month. But the chicken burrito there was dry and skimpy, so you gotta stick to the tacos. Has anyone else found a truck where one item is amazing and the rest is a gamble?

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wyatt_ross27•16d ago

Taco truck in a gas station parking lot outshines every sit-down spot

Last month I was hauling a load through Bakersfield and stopped for gas. There was a taco truck wedged between the pumps and a dumpster, and the al pastor had that crispy edge you only get from a real trompo. Three tacos cost me $7.50 and I still think about them. Anyone else found gold in a spot that looks like a health code violation waiting to happen?

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mason.paige•17d ago

How I stopped chasing taco trucks and started following the lunch crowd instead

I used to plan my cheap eats around whatever food truck had the longest line on Instagram, you know, assuming popularity meant quality. But last summer in Austin I got burned twice by hyped-up trailers charging $14 for soggy tortillas. Then I noticed the construction workers heading to this random taqueria on Menchaca at 11:30am sharp, every single day. I followed them one Tuesday and got a massive al pastor plate with rice and beans for $7.50. Now my rule is simple, if day laborers and delivery drivers eat there on the regular, it's gonna be legit and cheap. I still check apps but only to find the spots that look half empty, not half famous. Has anyone else switched up their food hunting strategy based on who's standing in line, not just the reviews? My last find was so good I felt guilty telling people about it, but that's this group's whole deal right?

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rowan_wells67•19d ago

That $4 gas station tamale was the best thing I ate in Boise

A buddy dragged me into the Shell on Fairview Avenue swearing by their hot case, and I laughed until I bit into one with the husk barely steaming. Now I drive across town every Friday for a dozen, have you folks found any other hidden gems hiding behind a counter you'd normally skip?

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rowank69•20d ago

The $3 taco truck burrito that came with a free side of chaos

Last Friday I hit up that taco truck on 5th and Main, the one with the orange awning that always has a line. I ordered their super burrito for $3.50, figured it was a steal. When I opened the foil, there was a whole plastic fork inside, like baked into the rice and beans. Not on top, not beside it, but somehow folded into the tortilla. I laughed so hard I almost dropped it on my shoes. Took a bite anyway, taste was fine, but now I always unwrap my food and check for surprises first. Have any of you found weird stuff in your cheap eats, or is this just my luck?

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quinn_nguyen•21d ago

That $4 burrito from the gas station in El Paso gave me the worst night of my life

I ate it at 9pm, woke up at 2am with my stomach trying to escape, and I'm wondering if anyone else has a cheap spot that's secretly a biohazard or if I just got the one bad batch.

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spencer_johnson22•21d ago

Found a $4 spring roll spot but they forgot my order twice

Went to Lucky Panda on 5th Ave last Tuesday for their lunch special, cheapest egg rolls in town at $4 for 3. Waited 25 minutes and they gave my order to someone else, then when they remade it the spring rolls were cold and soggy. I get that places get slammed but this is the second time in 3 weeks, anyone else deal with spots that are cheap but mess up constantly? Is there a better late lunch option near the bus depot?

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