Cheap Food Critic

3517 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98118

Mon-Sun 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

This place may look like a broke-down school bus on Rainier (and it maybe) but who really cares…the Mexican food being served from it is damn good. When coming here it’s pretty hard to miss but if you didn’t see the big white school bus keep an eye out for the racks of old car tires; that’s how you know you are close. If this is your first time here skip the menu and just order the torta and/or the mulitas with asada or chicken (both are probably some of the best if not the best in Seattle). The torta and 2 mulitas will cost you a “whopping” $8.50 after tax.

The torta is pretty much the Mexican version of a sandwich. My favorite part of the tortas here are the super buttery roll that are toasted on insides to give them a nice little crunch. Inside the bun these guys also pack in a generous amount of meat with slices of tomatoes, diced onions, jalapenos, lettuce, and mayo. One downside, because the buns are so soft they will break apart especially with the amount of stuff they pack into them. Not a huge issue, just grab a handful of napkins before you leave the bus.

I was never a huge fan of mulitas because they are pretty much just tacos with two tortillas (twice the carbs). But these guys toast up the tortillas to a super crunchy state. It’s almost like eating a perfectly packaged nacho with your choice of meat, a slice of avocado, cheese, and cilantro. I could probably eat these everyday.

In summary, overlook the junk yard feel and get the best tortas and mulitas in Seattle.

Note – There’s probably 6 seats inside the bus and 2 covered benches outside. But you probably drove here (because no one walks in Rainier) just eat in the comfort of your own car.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (179 Ratings)

111 Tumwater Blvd SE
Tumwater, WA 98501

and

5225 Lacey Blvd SE
Lacey, WA 98503

and

1018 Capitol Way S
Olympia, WA 98501

Mon-Fri 10 am – 8 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am – 7 pm

An Olympia staple that everyone must try for themselves. If you find yourself down in the Capital of our great State of Washington give these guys a try. I normally go for the half Italian cosmo (toasted) with a side of chili. The sandwich and the chili will run you just about $$10 after tax. Getting it cosmo or toasted will make a world of difference but it will take a little longer so be patient.

I’ve had almost every sandwich at Meconi’s but I keep going back for the Italian. It’s filled with Salami & Capicola along with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Italian oil, oregano, and provolone cheese. The Italian oil pops out immediately with a little tanginess. In addition to the sandwiches, these guys have some pretty awesome chilli. The chilli here is probably one of my favorite anywhere. I really can’t pinpoint what it is but this chilli is so delicious. It’s filled with beans, tons of beef, and tanginess from the tomato paste.

Maybe because Meconi’s is located in South Sound but there’s really not many reviews online about this place. I would however, put this place up with many of the Seattle sandwich spots in Pioneer Square.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (50 Ratings)

SW 5th and Stark
Portland, OR 97204

Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Tabor has been featured in almost every food magazine out there for their Czechoslovakian food. Given the accolades I was really excited about getting their Original Schnitzelwich (chicken). The Schnitzelwich goes for $8 here and is worth every penny. My initial impression of the sandwich was that it looked like a super-sized version of Jack in the Box’s Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta sandwich. Tasted wise, it obviously was way better than the fast food sandwich. The Schnitzelwich includes a hot chicken schnitzel on a Ciabatta roll with lettuce, paprika spread, sautéed onion, and homemade horseradish sauce. The horseradish was my favorite part of the sandwich. It was not too overpowering like some horseradish sauces can be. The ciabatta was also nice and soft, a nice contrast to the crunchy breading around the chicken. Once you get the meat its explodes with flavor and juices.

I’m pretty sure I could have eaten the whole sandwich in one seating but my stomach would have been in a serious hurting if I did. The sandwich is massive; you will need two hands just to hold it. Having said that, I can’t wait to go back and try the pork version and stuff my face again. I might even pay the extra $2 to get the Presidential Schnitzelwich which is the Original with slab of melted Munster cheese and you get a sticker.

Tabor did not disappoint food-wise. But I do have one complaint…their website says they opened at 10 AM but the day I was there they did not open until 11 PM.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (97 Ratings)

4302 Fremont Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103

Mon-Sat 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am – 8:00 pm

If you are looking for a monstrous burger and a beer for lunch or dinner this is the spot to go. Located in the North-end of the Fremont neighborhood it is also a great place to start off a night of drinking (they also serve local beers on tap here). Make sure during nice sunny days to take your burger and beer outside to their large patio. If you prefer to avoid the skin cancer there’s also plenty of seating inside.

I haven’t had anything here but the burgers so I can’t speak to the sandwiches salads, or soups. But with burgers this good why stray away from them? My favorite here is the BBQ Smash which comes with charred onions, bacon, cheddar, and bbq sauce all for about $9. The meat in the burger was cooked perfectly at a medium, leaving a juicy and tender consistency. However, when you reach the charred onions (fried onions) and you get a nice crunch to offset the tenderness of the meat and softness of the hamburger bun. And don’t forget about the bacon! It was probably my favorite part of this burger. There were about 3 thick strips of bacon that added the much needed saltiness to the burger.

Obviously this place does draw some comparisons to Red Mill Burger. However, I really don’t think it is fair to compare the two. I believe both places are serving up some of the best burgers in town and trying to compare them would like splitting hairs. Whichever is better is really up to personal opinion. So try them both for yourselves.

Note – There is a parking lot which is nice but it is pretty difficult to maneuver yourself out of the lot when it is filled up.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (351 Ratings)

SW 3rd & Ash St
Portland, OR 97204

Mon – Fri 11:00 am – When they sellout
Sat-Sun 12:00 pm – When the sellout

After hearing some pretty good reviews about Big Ass Sandwiches food truck I made it my very first stop in Portland. However, the lines were crazy long…rapping around the corner of the block. I decided to come back later in the day hoping the lines would have died down. That was a horrible idea. At 4:00 PM I came back and they were sold out of everything and were getting ready to close for the day. I was determined to get these damn Big Ass Sandwiches! Came back the next day and waited in a line with about 15 other people a good 15 minutes before the truck even opened. Once opened, it still took about 15 minutes to get to the cashier to put in the order and another 15 minutes for the food to be prepared.

I got the Gut Bomb for $9.50 which comes with roast beef, cheese sauce, bacon, and French fries all on a ciabatta roll. Don’t forget to ask for the Aardvark sauce (this stuff pretty much makes anything taste awesome). When unwrapped (see pictures below) it looks like there was an explosion of fries and meat in your sandwich. This is probably the messiest sandwich I have ever had. Grab as many napkins as you can, you will need them all. The sandwich, despite the gimmicky name and fries is in essence a very good roast beef sandwich.

So would I eat this sandwich again? Definitely yes! Would I wait in 45 minutes to get this sandwich again? Hell no! Despite being a very good sandwich the wait times are a little too crazy for me. I just don’t have the time to be waiting in line that long when there are so many other great places to eat in the area. I do recommend you at least try them out yourself if you have time.

Note – This place does accept credit cards. It seems the line of people here are mostly tourists hoping to try food they have seen on the Food Network.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (129 Ratings)

19915 64th Ave W, Ste 101
Lynnwood, WA 98036

Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Hidden behind a little strip mall on Aurora you can find some truly unique and delicious Banh Mis. Located a little North of the city in Lynnwood, Yeh Yeh’s has created quite a following despite only being in business for a few years. I guess that’s what happens when you make great food…if you make it, they will come.

The first time I came here was before all the foodie hype about this place. I though I was just going to any old cheap Vietnamese deli. This was dispelled very quickly as I was surprised to find out how how much more in price the sandwiches were compared to other place in the Seattle area. I just assumed it was a premium for not being in the International District. However, after getting my food I realized the price difference was actually because you get a much larger sandwich filled to rim with meat and veggies. Although still cheap I can still remember the good old days when you could get banh mis for $1 each and if you bought 5 you would get one free.

As I stated, the banh mis themselves are a little different from other places in Seattle, don’t come here expecting the same sandwiches like Seattle Deli or Saigon Deli. Some of the the more noticeable differences include the use of a different bread than most of the other local Vietnamese delis, the much larger sandwiches, as well as a different ratio of fillers for their sandwiches. Overall its a nice little twist to the Vietnamese sandwich without sacrificing its authenticity.

My most recent trip here I ordered the Grilled Chicken and the Grilled Pork Sandwiches.
My order did take a little longer because of the lunch rush. Next time I will definitely call it in first. For both my sandwiches it was $8.42 after tax. The sandwiches were both filled with meat, cilantro, jalapenos (optional), onion, as well as pickled daikons and carrots. Also, the bread was fresh, soft in the inside, and crunchy on the outside if eaten right away. But the bread may get a little soggy if you wait a little bit to eat it.

If these guys were not unique enough they also have a Pastrami and Philly sandwich…I am intrigued. I can’t wait to come back and see what type of Vietnamese twist they added to these classic sandwiches.

Note – Parking maybe a little tight; the tiny parking lot is shared with the Asian grocery store next door.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (166 Ratings)

3201 4th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98134

Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 5:30 pm

Finally, a proper cheese steak with Cheez Whiz in Seattle! Its been about 6 years since I had the real deal in Philidelphia so I don’t really remember how the cheese steaks tasted out there. However, I do remember all the good locations didn’t use all that fancy-pants cheese and toppings. It’s all about the Cheese Whiz, meat, and onions (in some instances).

Having driven by this place many times I decided to do a little research on Yelp and Urbanspoon. The results…overall good but there really wasn’t much out there on these guys. Normally when there is a place serving up good food all the foodies flock to the location and jack up the number of review. So coming here I didn’t really expect too much based on my research.

Boy was I wrong. These guys are probably one of the most under rated food trucks in the area. I don’t really know why it’s not more popular…It could be because they don’t really participate in the mobile food meet-ups, or maybe it’s because they don’t really move from the SODO location, or maybe these guys are just are not as good at marketing themselves. Who knows?

Serving up really only 3 products: the Steak, the Cheese Steak, and the Pizza Steak. All three come with the delicious steak chopped up so fine that it’s almost like ground beef consistency (when cooked up) then stuffed in a long hoagie roll. The hoagie held together pretty well considering the amount of cheese and meat juices thrown in them. The meat could have use a little more seasoning (but that just my personal preference). No matter which menu item you get make sure you head to the sidebar and load up on the pickled peppers. I don’t know if the peppers are homemade or canned but they added an awesome little kick to the sandwiches.

During my trip to Philly Boys Cheesesteaks got the Cheese Steak with Cheez Whiz for a total of $8.50 after tax.

Note – Cash only and there is only one table. So get your food to go.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (399 Reviews)

11728 Aurora Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133

Mon-Fri 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sat-Sun 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

El Camion is doing it right up in North Seattle. Being on Aurora they are in stiff competition with many other Mexican Food trucks. These guys have maintained the authenticity that we all appreciate yet created an environment that anyone would feel comfortable coming to. The food truck is conveniently located in the North end of the Home Depot parking lot (where else can you get amazing tacos and a hammer). It has plenty of seating in the outdoor tent or on nice days in the uncovered tables. Parking is also plentiful and away from the Home Depot’s craziness (especially on the weekends).

As for the food, the quality of its meats and the other fillers are top notch. So far I have tried the Chicken Torta, the Adobada tacos (Marinated Spicy Pork), Fish taco, and Pollo Asada tacos (Grilled Chicken). I think out of all of these I really enjoyed the torta the most. The torta’s bread was super fluffy and crunchy on the outside where it was grilled. Plus the chicken is always seasoned really well. Honorable mentions for the Adobada and fish tacos also. Both would be great options if you didn’t want to stuff your face with the torta. One little disappointments here, the salsas/hot sauces are nothing special (average at best). My favorite green sauce is still from Rancho Bravo.

For a little more than $10 you can get the Chicken torta, fish taco, and a Adobada taco. Plus you can put it on your credit card.

Note – Although this location does not move these guys do have another truck that does. Find out where they are on Twitter.

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (159 Ratings)

SW 5th Ave & SW Stark St
Portland, OR 97204

Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sat-Sun 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Brunchbox is now one of my very favorite places to eat in Portland. Open pretty much all day every day it’s easy to come by get some breakfast or lunch sandwiches. It is a food truck but there are quite a few public benches you can use while eating…you will just have to fight the other lunch-goers and the local vagrants for them. But before you grab a seat, ordering here can be a little confusing so to help you out I have a step-by-step guide on how to order at Brunchbox:

Step 1 – Grab a placard and a sharpie posted on the walls of the food stand. You can find the breakfast on the left-side and the lunch sandwiches on the right-side.
Step 2 – Either select the set sandwiches of custom make your own.
Step 3 – Bring your card to the counter and pay for your food.
Step 4 – Wait patiently for about 15 minutes. It does take awhile to assemble these packages of goodness.

Not too difficult once you know what to do, right?

Well, I ended up getting the Redonkadonk based on some reviews online for $10. The sandwich came with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayo, beef, cheese, bacon, ham, spam, and an egg all sandwiched between two Texas toast grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, two grilled cheese sandwiches sandwiching all that protein! I know it’s a heart attack waiting to happen but it was so fricking good. This sandwich contains pretty much all the good stuff in life. How could it not be good? I would recommend everyone eat this sandwich! Make sure you bring a buddy and split it though. It is a whole lot of food.

I can’t wait to come back here and try some of the other sandwiches, like the Monstrosity (the Redonkadonk with more beef and bacon minus the veggies, egg, and spam) and their breakfast sandwiches.

Note – Credit cards are accepted here.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (241 Ratings)

211 SW 6th Ave
Portland, OR 97205

And

621 SE Morrison St
Portland, OR 97214

Mon-Sun 8:00 am – 3:00 pm (Both locations)

Bunk Sandwiches is another one of the many restaurants featured on the Food Network or Travel Channel. I visited the downtown location just off the SW 6th and Pine MAX station. To my surprise there was no line to order food here. It must have been because I came here on a Sunday and avoided the normal workday lunch rush. Although there was no line it was still about a ten minute wait for my sandwich.

I ordered the Pork belly Cubano as featured on Best Sandwich in America (Travel Channel) for $9. The sandwich was a little on the small side considering the trend of big sandwiches all over Portland (ie Big Ass Sandwiches and Brunchbox). However, it’s not necessarily a bad thing; remember, the meat in the sandwich is fatty chunks of pork belly…not good for you stuff. So enjoy this sandwich in moderation.

When you do decide to kill the diet and have this sandwich expected the pork belly to be very-very greasy (as expected) but full of flavor. The sandwich is also complemented with the normal Cuban sandwich fixings such as ham, cheese, mustard, and pickles. All that fat and Cuban fixings are then packed into a roll and pressed until the bread becomes a hard shell for the sandwich. It also came with a small side of kettle chips. Nothing special about there…it’s just kettle chips.

One thing I really like about this place is that they serve drip Stumptown coffee here. It’s a good way to get Stumptown coffee without having to wait in the massive lines at the Stumptown coffee house.

In summary, what this little sandwich lacked in size it definitely made up in flavor and calories. This is the type of place I would come back for sure to try out some of the other sandwiches. I probably won’t be getting the Pork Belly anymore just for the sheer fattiness factor. Having to run 10 miles just to eat this sandwich again is just not worth it.

Note – Credit Cards are accepted. The downtown location was extremely small. There was only about five tables outside and about nine stools inside.

Southeast Portland:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (388 Ratings)

Downtown Portland:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (25 Ratings)