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)

827 Southwest 2nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204

Tues, Wed, Thurs – 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Fri, Sat – 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sun – 12:00 pm – 6:00pm

There’s something about Korean food in a taco that is just amazing. Koi Fusion is no (Seattle) but they are representing Korean tacos for the people of Portland. This location is located in the same pod as Gonzo, Fuego de Lotus, and a beer cart so there’s stiff competition near by.

I got the beef tacos for $2.50 each and a pork rice bowl for $7. The pork was well marinated but again not quite as flavorful as Marination’s. The pork rice bowl was also really good. It pretty much tasted like bulgogi. The kimchi was a nice touch though, it added a little kick to the mixture of brown rice, bean sprouts, and cabbage.

Overall it was delicious food served cheap and fast. The atmosphere was also very nice with the hippies playing their instruments in the background and beer being served.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (189 Ratings)

9811 15th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106

Mon-Sun 10:00 am – 11:00 pm

This place is pretty far from downtown Seattle but if you happen to be in the West Seattle area (specifically the White Center area) you have to give it a try. This place is one of the best values in Seattle. Not only is it really cheap it is also really really good. I had the five taco combo which comes with a drink for under $6. I selected two beef, two spicy pork (my favorite), and a chicken taco. The combo comes with a grilled onion and pepper. I made the mistake of taking a bit into the pepper will all the seeds intact. After the burning stopped I was able to really enjoy the tacos. The spicy pork also has a little kick to it but is definitely do able for most people. The beef was also very tender and seasoned perfectly.

These guys are known for their tacos but there are so many other items on the menu I want to try. I’ve heard the torta is suppose to be amazing here. The Lengua (cow tongue) is also suppose to be really good if you are into that stuff.

So if you want one of the best values and probably one of the best taquerias in Seattle give this little taco truck in West Seattle a try.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Start (78 Reviews)

722 Thompson Lane
Nashville, TN 37204

Mon-Sat 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

After a week in Nashville I was sick of eating steak, burgers, and fried food. I was recommended Baja Burrito by the hotel’s concierge staff for fresh Mexican food. The location was a little away from downtown Nashville but easily reached just off the 440 and the 65 freeways. The restaurant is also pretty easy to spot with the brightly painted Volkswagen Beetle up front. Once you get inside head to the counter and look up…that’s your menu. But I’ll save you the trouble. Get the three fish tacos or the brisket torta (not actually on the menus but was posted on a piece of paper on the side), either one will run you $6.83 after tax.

Both of my orders required a little more time than the normal Chipotle/Q’doba burritos that these guys also offer here. Understandable since the fish and the brisket needs to be cooked/warmed up as well as assembled in the taco and torta.

The fish taco was not the best that I’ve had but it was still very satisfying. My issue with the tacos were not the meat or the toppings but the tortilla/taco shell. It was super flimsy and pretty much broke once you pick it yup. The brisket torta on the other hand was absolutely amazing. The meat was so tender and juicy it pretty much fell apart as you are eating it. Add in avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, onions, and cilantro and you have one of the best tortas I have ever eaten. Of course when you stuff a sandwich to capacity its going to be messy, so be prepared with extra napkins.

I also tried all of the salsa/sauces. Most were good but nothing special. The one that stuck out was the pineapple salsa. It added a nice sweetness to all of the food. I do wish there was a little more spice to that salsa but that’s just personal preference.

In summary, it was an amazing find in city full of burger and fried food spots. Unfortunately as I was looking for less oily food I ended up getting fish tacos with fried fish and a torta that dripped oil from the meat. But whatever…food was good.

Note – There’s plenty of parking all around the building. Seating was also plentiful indoors and outdoors.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (126 Reviews)

5008 Maryland Way
Brentwood, TN 37027

Mon-Fri 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM & 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sat 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The short time I’ve spent in the Nashville-area I didn’t see many Asian restaurants. So when I was recommended Soy Bistro for lunch I was a little skeptical. I did a quick Yelp search and notices that there were a decent number of reviews and it still had five stars. I was still a little suspicious. You don’t really see many place with that many reviews and still have five stars. So I have to try this place out for myself. I came here in a group of six right at noon so I was expecting to stand around waiting for people to leave but we were luck and got a table pretty quickly.

When you walk into this place you will notice the menu on your right side. Pick between their different tacos or rice bowls. I tried a little of both with a chicken traditional bowl for $6 (plus $2 for meat) plus tax and a beef taco Korean style for $2.50 plus tax. The taco came out first and was really awesome. Very reminiscent of Koi Fusion in Portland flavor-wise. The taco had bulgogi beef with some type of slaw on top. Much like Koi, this place was way above average but still playing runner up to Marination in Seattle for Asian style tacos. The rice bowl was really just fried rice. Again really delicious and above average. The rice was really moist and they gave you plenty of chicken. The portions for the rice bowl was pretty big. I was really stuffed after trying to finish the whole bowl.

My only complaint was that they close for two hours between lunch and dinner. I tried to come back around 4:30 PM the next day for a to go order; unfortunately, they were not open for dinner yet. Despite the weird closure times, I was pleasantly surprised to get such good Asian fusion food in this area. Seriously though, who would have known there would be this awesome of an Asian restaurant in Nashville, TN (Brentwood, TN to be exact).

Note – Very fast service. Great for a quick lunch.

Yelp – 5.0/5.0 Stars (51 Reviews)

11728 Aurora Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133

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

Updated – New Physical Location:
5314 15th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

Mon-Sun 10 am – 10 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.

Update (05/25/2013):
It seems to be the trend to start a food truck and then open a physical restaurant once you’ve made it. El Camion just joined the ranks of Marination and Skillet and opened a new physical location in Ballard. This location obviously has more seating but there will be lines at dinner. If you like the outdoor seating arrangements at the truck locations no worries because these guys have outdoor/patio seating as well. Another big big plus is that they serve beer. As for the food, it does seem to taste even better than the food truck. I had the Chorizo con Huevos Burrito for just about $7.00. It comes with egg,s chorizo, beans, rice, and cheese. It is so damn good. You just got to try it for yourself. Go get one.

Greenwood Location:
Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (190 Ratings)

Ballard Location:
Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (172 Ratings)

1006 Wharf Street
Victoria, BC V8W 1T4
CANADA

Mon-Sun 11:30 am – 5:00 pm

Best Fish Tacos in the Northwest period. I absolute love this place. I get up to Victoria for work once every other year and I come here every time. I normally go for two Wild Salmon Tacones (tacos wrapped-up like hand roll sushi). It may not sound like a lot of food but trust me this is all you really need. However, if you are feeling especially hungry you can get a side of the half order of spicy seafood poutine. Not much spice to it but definitively delicious especially when you pick out a piece of fish in the glob of sauce and french fries. Whoever came up with this is a genius. In fact I was told by a fellow customer that the executive chef at Red Fish Blue Fish appeared on Top Chef Canada.

The location is right on the pier creating a very scenic view with your meal. Being in the North West you should also expect rain and/or the cold. Make sure you are prepared because there is limited covered seating.

Also, there will be a line! Be patient because it is worth it.

So in summary, for about $10 you can pick up two tacone and feel good you are eating 100% sustainable sourced fish.

Yelp – 4.5/5 Stars (167 Ratings)

1412 Harvard Ave
Seattle, WA 98122

Mon-Sat 11:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sun 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Depending on which location you go to you are either in a small restaurant in Capital Hill or at a food truck in some random location (check their website for current location).  No matter where you are, either location will be serving up delicious Asian style tacos, Spam sliders, and kimchi fried rice (my favorite).  The fried rice comes with chunks of kimchi as well as an egg to top it off.  I normally also add pork to my fried rice to make it a little more filling.  For their tacos they have a pork, beef, chicken, and tofu.  I thought all of the meat tacos (have not had the tofu yet) were good but the clear winner for me was the pork.

For under $10 you can get the kimchi fried rice with your choice of meat and a taco or a Spam slider.

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (176 Ratings)

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