Cheap Food Critic

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)

Location: Truly a Mobile truck.  Track them down here

Hours: Hours are normally lunch time on weekdays and afternoons on Sat but to be sure check their Twitter.

A newcomer to the mobile scene but they have made a huge splash winning the 2011 Mobile Food Rodeo in Seattle.

I tried their Seattle Cuban, the Picadillo, and Collard Greens with Ham Hock. I really enjoyed everything except the Picadillo which is what people seem to be raving about. I’m not sure what it really was about that Picadillo that let me down. I came here with high expectations that may have caused some of the disappointment. Or it maybe the lack of salt on the Picadillo. To me, all it really tasted like was Chinese five spice with bay leaves.

With that out of the way, now for the good stuff. The Seattle Cuban was fricking awesome. I really love the mojo pork and the red onion relish. The bread was also pressed perfectly leaving a crunchy shell for all the juiciness within. The sandwich came with a mango sauce which I though was not really necessary since there were already hunks of mango inside the Seattle Cuban. Maybe it would add more to the regular Cuban sandwich, since it does not come with mango. When eating the sandwich it was messy; the layer of butter on the bread will drip everywhere. Make sure you grab a few extra napkins.

As for the collard greens with smoked ham hock (meat from pig legs)…man, this was good! I definitely didn’t grow up eating greens but having traveled all over the US I have come to really appreciate it. For one, collard greens comes from the same family as kale; so the stuff is good for you. But most importantly it’s just delicious stuff (if cooked right). Snout and Co didn’t do anything anything with the greens I haven’t had already but the execution of the smoked ham hock added to the saltiness of the greens was an amazing combo.

In the end there was a lot more good than bad at Snout & Co. I would come back here for the sandwiches and the collar greens any day but will probably skip Picadillo in the future. So your next trip here, pickup the Seattle Cuban for about $9 after tax and if you really want to splurge try out the Collard Greens Carne style with smoked ham for about $5 after tax.

Note – The location I went to was in the Trident Seafood Headquarters at 5303 Shilshole Ave NW (they are here from 11-2). This location is really hidden. I had to drive all the way around this huge complex to find the food truck next to the loading bay for the semi-trucks.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 (31Ratings)

6538 4th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98108

Mon-Sat 10:30 am – 8:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Hidden in the industrial part of Seattle you’ll have to dodge the semi-trucks and potholes to get here but it is sooo worth it. The restaurant itself is pretty small. There’s three booths and three tables inside and two outside (for the three months of nice weather in Seattle). Also, parking is a little awkward (you’ll see when you get here) but at least there’s parking. As you get inside and see the crazy names of the burgers on the menu (such as the Ohayou Gozaimasu, Godzilla Attack, or the Ninja Delux) you might be a little confused. No worries though the service is super awesome here. They will help you make the right selection.

As for the food…I really love the Ohayou Gozaimasu (“Thank You Very Much” in Japanese) burger but this time I went for the Katsu Curry Burger. The Katsu Curry Burger was super crunchy from the pork katsu yet meshed well with the shredded cabbage, tomatoes, red onions, and pickles. The bun was nothing special but it did its job of holding all the veggies and meat together. It’s hard to compare but I love the Ohayou Gozaimasu burger because of the fried egg but as an over all sandwich I think I would prefer the Katsu Curry Burger. It’s definitely my favorite item here so far.

For most people all you would need to get here is one of their specialty katsu burgers and a drink for a very filling lunch or dinner. The burger (with the of the Ohayou Gozaimasu) and a drink would run you under $10. However, this trip here I really wanted to try the curry fries so my meal with the Katsu Curry Burger was just over $12 after tax. I really didn’t even touch the fries because the burger was so fricking filling…it’s ginormous. Although I really enjoy the french fries seasoned with Nori or curry it was the wasabi mayo dipping sauce that makes them so addicting.

Note – Winner of the Seattle Weekly’s Best Burger 2011, Best Place to Get Fatter 2011, and the 2012 Sustainability awards.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 (121 Ratings)

159 Yesler Way
Seattle, WA 98104

Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat 11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Tat’s Delicatessen if you have not heard is the one of the many awesome sandwich spots down in Pioneer Square. These guys and Salumi have lead the pack of sandwich places in this area the last couple of years. They also seem to be having a competition as to who can have the longest line during lunch time. For me, I will go either one of these locations without hesitation. So, deciding which one to go it is a matter of who has the shortest line. Tat’s makes it easy for you to check out how busy they are with the Line Cam. Make sure you check it out before coming here to avoid the massive wait times.

My go to sandwich here is the 8 inch Tat’stromi which contains pastrami, coleslaw, and Swiss cheese all on a hoagie roll. The saltiness of the pastrami in combination with the mild cheese flavor and the cool creaminess from the coleslaw is amazing. You really get all the flavors from each ingredient in every bite.

The other sandwich I recommend here is the Cheese Steak with pepper jack cheese and all the fixings (grilled onions, grilled hot peppers, grilled green peppers and mushrooms). A little fancier than the normal cheese steaks but very good flavors. Just like any another cheese steaks it’s going to be messy; make sure you grab extra napkins. Either the Cheese Steak or Tat’stromi sandwiches will set you back about $9 after tax but remember they are very large sandwiches (even with the 8 inch).

I am so glad I do not work in the area because I would go here so much I would probably gain 20 pounds. But I guess if you are going to cheat on your diet this is the type of food you want to have (might as well make it count, right?).

The restaurant itself is decent size with about 20 tables. But if there’s no tables available at Tat’s make your way over to Occidental Park and grab a seat there.

Note – Credit cards are accepted. Also, make sure to get a punch card if you plan on making this a regular lunch spot.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (399 Reviews)

5016 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Mon-Sun 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

Hawaii BBQ…it has been way too long. Located a little further up on Ave but back in college I made the trek up here at least once a week. Feeling a little nostalgic after hitting up Groditos I decided to make sure I got back here before my next trip out. Coming back after a few years it looks exactly the same as I remembered it. Probably because there have not been many changes (with the exception of some new menu items). Catering to mostly college kids including many student athletes (pictured on their walls) they have kept their prices really affordable.

When deciding what to order don’t get overwhelmed by the wall of menu items (see picture below). Pretty much everything comes in very generous portions and is absolutely delicious. I’ve had the following so far over the years: yakisoba with chicken, katsu don bowl, spam misubi, spam fried rice, and #70 Hawaiian Club Plate.

This trip out I got the Club Plate. It was probably about two pounds of food loaded up with chicken katsu, chicken mochiko (kind of like popcorn chicken), a fried egg, fried rice, and some sauce for the chicken. All of this for under $8.00!!! The mochiko and the katsu were both very good on their own but dipped in the plum-ish sauce really makes it delicious. Once you get pass some of the mountain of meat you can get to the fried egg and the fried rice below. Don’t try to eat the whole plate in one seating. You’ll probably end up with a stomachache with that much food. I can wait to got back and try some of their new items.

Note – Cash only but there is a BofA a block south on the ave or you can use the atm machine in the store.

Yelp – 4/5 (170 Ratings)

213 N 85th St
Seattle, WA 98103

Mon-Thu, Sun 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Fri-Sat 10:30 am – 9:30 pm

I used to come here all the time when I was in high school and college. However, being a little bit out of the away for me now I have not had a chance to get back here in awhile. Finally, after a few years hiatus I made it back. I really didn’t remember how good this place is until I took that first bite of the wet burrito with chicken. I also forgot how big these burritos are…I guess I could have just looked at the pictures of babies next to the burritos on the wall. Despite only finished half of my burrito I was fricking stuffed.

Get any of the burritos for under $10. They also bring you a basket of fresh tortilla chips; pair them up with the homemade salsas at the salsa bar and you have a winning combo. I think everyone I’ve tried so far has been awesome (especially the really hot one).

The restaurant is also really huge and has an outdoor seating area. Another big plus is that they have parking (a little snug but it’s better than looking for street parking).

Note – Although the name has healthy in it, I really doubt it is. If you ate that whole burrito it would probably be over 1,000 calories.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 (386 Ratings)

210 NE 45th St
Seattle, WA 98105

Mon-Thu, Sun 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri-Sat 11:00 am – 2:30 am

The best BBQ in Seattle from a truck outside a gas station?  Yes sir.  This place is legit.  They have six different sauces and five different types of sliders (pulled pork, brisket, chicken, sloppy joe, and veggie sloppy joe). I’ve had the brisket slider and the pulled pork slider with the Pinky’s Hot and the chicken slider with Honey Tamrin sauce. All the meat was smokey and super juicy. The Pinky’s Hot sauce was tangy and the perfect amount of spiciness. This sauce would have probably been good on every sandwich but the guy behind the counter recommended the Honey Tamrin sauce on the Chicken. I’m so glad I listened. The sauce with chicken were a perfect pairing. You throw in the soft ciabatta bun and fried onion strings for a little crunch…YUM! Of the three sliders I’ve had so far I would say the brisket was my favorite.

For $10.35 I got sampling of three sliders but I probably only need two of them. They maybe called sliders but they really load up the meat and toppings.

Update – I came back here and found out they allow you to have more than one of the sauces on the sliders. The lady recommended trying the horseradish sauce with the Tamrin sauce. I loved this combo! Try it next time you are here.

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (51 Reviews)

1706 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144

Mon-Sat 10:30 am – 9:00 pm

Teriyaki restaurants are like Starbucks in Seattle…they are fricking everywhere. But who is the king of teri? In south Seattle it’s Toshio’s Teriyaki. This place has been around forever and has built up a cult following that will eat there everyday. I can definitely understand why. Their chicken is always super moist and flavorful. My guess is they are able to keep the chicken moist by leaving the skin on. I haven seen any other places do this but then again the chicken at those places are normally pretty dry.

I normally go for the chicken teriyaki (the #1) with sauce on the rice. You can also get beef or pork for about the same price. Whatever the protein it comes with two scoops of rice, and a side salad. This will run you about $8 after tax. Add an extra $.50 if you are paying with debit or credit card.

Note – The parking lot is pretty small and can be difficult to get in/out. Park around the corner for easy access.

Yelp – 3.5/5.0 (84 Ratings)

There is a growing list of cheap food in Seattle but what if you do not have the time to get to all of them? How would you prioritize your meals in Seattle? Well, here is how I would rank the best cheap food in Seattle as of today.

1. Paseos
2. Marination
3. Green Village
4. Phnom Penh Noodle House
5. Tubs Gourmet Subs
6. Hallava Falafel
7. Rancho Bravo
8. Dick’s Drive-in
9. Seattle Deli and/or Saigon Deli
10. Mike’s Noodle House

1237 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98144

Mon-Sun 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

It’s always a struggle for me whether Saigon Deli or Seattle Deli makes the better Vietnamese deli food. So I am taking the easy way out and just declaring a draw. I enjoy both of these places and both are really really cheap. The deciding factor for which deli I get food from normally depends on which one is closer to where I am or whichever I had most recently (I like to switch it up). Despite the similarities, I really enjoy each of these places for different reasons. My favorite sandwich at Saigon Deli is the BBQ Pork (compared to the chicken sandwich at Seattle Deli). I also enjoy the lunch/dinner items here better than Seattle Deli. But it really depends on what is on the menu that day. For under $10 you can pick up two banh mis and a coffee or a banh mi and a combo rice plate.

When ordering here be prepared for a line no matter what time you show up. No worries though the lines move very quick. There is a small parking lot on the east side of the building…a huge plus considering meter maids are no joke in this area.

Yelp – 4.5/5 (248 Ratings)