CHEAP EATS
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[March 28th, 2007] "You want fries with that?"
This is the siren song for any cheap eater. It means a very large plate of some sort of meat or veggie scramble will soon appear in front of them, whether it's at a diner, a burger joint or a bar that just so happens to serve the best breakfast after 3 am. On the side will be a pile of thinly sliced Idaho russets. With one bite, the cheap eater will, once again, know the beauty that can only come from the truly fattening.
This is the way of the cheap eater. So is knowing the best place to find pho, tongue burritos that take two hands to handle or sushi rolls full of soft-shell crab—that won't make you crabby when you get the bill.
That's why we Willamette Week-ers devote a good portion of our winter (and our stomachs) to packing on the pounds in search of the best cheap eats this city has to offer. We've included 150-plus artery-clogging, hangover-easing joints for your enjoyment. We've also made sure to pick out some awesome places for pizza, breakfast and square deals—even some spots for free eats. Plus, writer Mike Thelin artfully displays the "perfect Portland plate"—a.k.a., what a cheap eater should be taking to their next barbecue/picnic/tailgater.
If you don't find your favorite place to eat, there might be a few reasons why:
1. Each fall we publish another guide to P-town's fine dining establishments. It might've ended up there. (Psst: That's where Pok Pok is.)
2. To be considered a "cheap eat" means breakfast and lunch must cost $10 or less (dinner around $15), or the place just serves really huge portions at hard-to-believe prices.
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3. I'm sure some of your soon-to-be personal favorites are here, as well as a few that aren't (sorry, we can't go everywhere—we tried). We also may have never heard of the place. If so, we want to know about it. Call us. Send us an email. Whatever you do, LET US KNOW!
And, even though we've triple-checked all the info printed here, we know that restaurants change quicker than Britney Spears' hairstyle. Many places keep longer hours in the summertime, for instance, so call before you go.
Eat on,
Byron Beck, Special Sections Editor
PUBLISHER: Shawna McKeown
Editor: Byron Beck
Assistant Editor: Ben Waterhouse
Copy Editors: Kat Hyatt, Matt Buckingham
Contributors: Angela Allen, Elianna Bar-El, Stephen Marc Beaudoin, Michael Byrne, Bradley Campbell, Kyle S. Cassidy, Lizzy A. Caston, Sue Ceswick, Kelly Clarke, Shoshanna Cohen, Liz Crain, Kat Hyatt, Ian Gillingham, Nigel Jaquiss, Casey Jarman, Issac Kaplan-Woolner, AP Kryza, Lance Kramer, Jessica Machado, Amy G. McCullough, Richard Meeker, Aaron W. Mesh, Joanna L. Miller, Carin Moonin, Becky Ohlsen, Brian Panganiban, Paige Richmond, Anika Sabin, Jason Simms, Laura Shinn, Beth Slovic, Nate Smith, Hank Stern, Mike Thelin, Miriam Wolf
Art Director: Tom Humphrey
Designers: Erik Blad, Brian Brown, Thomas Cobb, Maggie Gardner, Tom Humphrey, Cari Vander Yacht, Matt Wong
Photographers: Jaclyn Campanaro, Tom Humphrey, Tom Oliver, Missy Prince, Jason Quigley, Faulkner Short, Matt Wong
Introduction: Cheap Eats 2007.
The Perfect Portland Takeout Place: Build your own four-star meal.
Hot Chefs, Cheap Eats: Where the pros eat cheap.
Breakfast and Brunch: Five faves with estimated wait times.
Pizza Places: The holy 'za on your terms.
Square Deals: Dirt cheap eats.
Free Eats: Partake of Portland's culinary cornucopia without dropping a cent.
Restaurant Listings: From A to M
Restaurant Listings: From N to Z
Is Tabor Hill Cafe listed? I'll be severely pissed off if it isn't. I'm tired or defending WW from Mercury hipsters.
Please do me a little justice
Thank goodness Pause isn't listed. Have been there twice with big groups of folks (all ages, professional, courteous, et al.) and been hassled ridiculously by the creep of an owner. When confronted about the rude treatment, the owner said, "I don't care about you or your friends and I don't need your money!" Well, he sure ain't getting anymore from us. There are plenty of friendly proprietors who deserve it more. Thanks wweek for highlighting so many of them! Cheers!
i just finished a pie from pizza fino, a small italian joint on denver recently featured in your cheap eats article. i'll start by saying that the pie was fantastic, one of the best thin crust pizzas i've had in ages. i'd probably rate it better than EFNY, who i haven't had a pie from lately, but used to love. unfortunately, it was half again the price. sorry, but - JESUS CHRIST, $23.50 for a large three topping? and this is in cheap eats? what, are you people on drugs or am i that out of touch? and no, i'm not. don't get me wrong - again, great pie, but definitely should not be included here. if you told me it was a gourmet pizza, i'd believe you and expect to pay that, but this was way overpriced to be in the cheap eats.
I have always had good luck relying on WW's foodie reviews, so I am wondering if the WW employee who wrote the positive review for Two Brothers (the Balkan food restuarant at the corner of SE Belmont and SE 39th) really ate there?
My girlfriend and I dined at Two Brothers last Friday night. I am 49 years old. The meal we had was the worst restaurant meal I have had during my 24 adult years of living and working in Portland. If the food we were served was representative of real Balkan food, then it is no wonder the Balkan region in Eastern Europe has suffered thru centuries of war. This was food prepared so thoughtlessly that it would make anyone combative.
The "goulash" tasted like canned stew out of a Dinty Moore can, sans potatoes and carrots. The mashed potatoes served on the side of the goulash were instant mashed potatoes out of a box. The cornbread was worse than public school cafeteria cornbread. My girlfriend ordered a spinach-filled pastry entree. It was tasteless and unseasoned. The cooked pastry dough was soft and limp, not brown and crisp.
Normally at 8 pm on a Friday night in Portland, restaurants are full or close to it. But when we entered Two Brothers, only three of the tables had people sitting at them. By the time we left 30 minutes later, we understood why there were so few customers. In a town like PDX with so many good places to eat out, word gets around fast if an eatery doesn't measure up.
Next time, WW, please make sure your reviewer ate at the restaurant before they review its food, guys.
whats the point of making a new cheap eats every year if you are just going to put the same issue with the same resturants? Maybe try Berlingame Pizza, a pizza shop inside of a mini mart which rules over all pizza shops mentioned. Yea, Escape is good, but to order a legit pie from them you cannot just get a slice, need it to be fresh. Also, My Fathers Place, cheap, good. Or how about the crepe lady outside of Nordstroms in Pioneer Square?! AMAZING!!!! do your research, branch out AND LISTEN TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOVE MINE!!!
Cha Cha Cha's has the best chimichangas in town, and they're only $4.50. Also, never buy a gyro from Greek Cusina. The lamb meat comes from a box, not from the rack like it should. Just go across the street and buy one from the small greek restaurant there. The price is virtually the same, the meat is off the rack, and they're way bigger. Greek Cusina also has low health inspection ratings. Rat poop anyone?
I agree, and tho owner is a creep too. How to get that place outa here?
The Arleta Library Cafe in Southeast Portland on 72nd St. across from the Mt. Scott Community Center should definitely be recognized as one of Portland's best cheap eats. Not only do they have the best sandwiches in town (loaded and at at a great price), but they have an awesome brunch, and scratch baked goods. Two people can easily dine here for under $20 and leave full with a cookie for later.
I was amazed that The Overlook wasn't included! This place offers a LOT of food for a little cash. 2 people could easily split most entrees too. The salads are HUGE and also can be shared by at LEAST 2 people, maybe 3.
My favorite is the Monte Cristo! It is not the typical Monte Cristo which at first I wasn't sure of... But one taste and you are hooked! Easily a 2 person meal as well.
Here is their menu that I pulled up from delivered dish. (Note: getting it delivered is NOT cheap. This is just a good place to see the menu) :)
I am very disappointed in the WW! For over a year The Waypost on Williams have been serving all local and organic sandwiches, and other yummy treats for way under 10.00! Yet I still have not seen The Waypost in the cheap eats section or in the new restaurant guide. It is a great place to come and eat a delicious sweet turkey sandwich with our homemade "whole slaw".
Stop on by! 3120 N Williams!
I'M HUNGRY!