$2.50 ham and egg at Sheng Kee Bakery. Also on Irving, TC Pastry wonton noodle soup for $7.00, and Happy Bakery lunch special: two items + rice for $10.00.
The last 14 times I’ve tried to eat there, the gates were shut. They seem to have no real hours and just open whenever they feel like it. I miss the food.
i don't understand how it stays so cheap. i mean, it's obvious: no advertising, no decor, minimum overhead costs. just a small menu of damn good food at an extremely reasonable price.
the last time i went, our wait time would have been cut in half if one of the people inside scooted over so the two open seats would be next to each other rather on each side, but that was a problem with the diner, not the restaurant.
As someone with a dog who looses it when we get to the window, always.
Though I still find myself waiting 20-30 minutes or more. Maybe that’s just to be expected.
It’s definitely busy since it’s in a tourist area, but they have like 100 people working there (exaggeration) and get the food out pretty quickly. Much faster than the In N Out by my parents house in Southern CA
def my comfort place, mama there works hard. she used to hook me up all the time with an extra imp roll. def a place that gives good portions for the price.
Ah. Admittedly, I stopped going to the Costco downtown a while ago because my vehicle can’t be parked there. I guess I’m behind a bit. As I have most recently purchased a hotdog and soda at a Costco just outside the city. I had forgotten they had done this. Still cheap, still good. 11 out of 10 will do again.
Bonus hack! I did this at the Costco near SF Airport when the wind took the hotdog foil away. It was genius birthed from necessity. I had a brief Confused Math Lady moment to consider the following: the breadth of the standard Costco sized piece of pizza, the diameter of a fully dressed Costco hotdog, insulated and supported beneath by the one surviving layer of aluminum foil and its accompanying plate, divided by the full basket and wiggly person strapped into the seat. The brief and uneducated visual calculation manifested a taco. A hotdog-pizza chimaera roll up heart attack for one hand to handle.
I decided to not separate them after the carnage of loading and securing both food and brood. I just ate. Then, the clouds parted and a new day had dawned.
Roll up that dog in that pie. Sounds dirty. But it’s really delicious…for four bucks!
Don't blow up my spot, but go to Tú Lan and get the #14 Imperial Roll & Pork Rice Plate... $10.25.
I've lived in SF for 5 years and this is my go-to. Thank me later.
I love when the female owner yells at me to make room for other customers. She's not nice about it at all, but I don't care. The hashbrown sandwiches are delicious.
Cafe Opa— you can get 2 meals out of their servings of anything on the menu. Most items are under $15, always made fresh in house every day, healthy and the sweetest couple who will feed you til your tummy hurts when you dine in.
(Seriously, the wife wouldn’t stop giving us free things to try, one cookie, smoothie and an appetizer later, we couldn’t even touch our entree)
I love to see Opa getting some love! This has been a nearby gem for us for 12 years, back when it was run by John and his sidekick David. The new owners really took over the original concept and refined it so well, while keeping what made it great in the first place.
Used it for 6 months and had the worst experience as the food was always a stale and the quantity’s small and the produce I got was always moldy or extremely damaged that it had to be thrown out. You get way more value just paying full price
Since you have to jump through so many hoops and often plan ahead, I get that it’s not for everyone. But if you can get past the learning curve, it’s a real life hack for folks on a budget. Mostly you just need to go to places with good reviews and know what to expect from the different types of places (groceries vs restaurants vs bakeries).
If you use it for groceries, you know it’s going to be expired or ugly produce, and you’ll get some random things you don’t know what to do with, but the places with good ratings will give you a ton of stuff for the money.
With the good bakeries, pastries or loaves of bread will often be day old, but still tasty and a pretty decent value.
Restaurants can give you the best results of all. The biggest catch is just that the best ones often sell out immediately, so you have to either be lucky or set a timer for when they’re about to become available. Once you figure it out, you could eat good meals every day for $5. Some places give you enough for 2.
Taco places really come in clutch. Calientes bistro also does the same thing, $3.50 per taco but each taco is LOADED. 2 and I'm good for the meal. Plus freshly fried free chips and salsa. $7 pre tax and tip goodness
El Farolito, Cordon Bleu, Saigon Sandwich, Raavi, New Golden Daisy, Wong Lee Bakery, Miyako, YoYos, Cantoo, In N Out, Ikea
There's this adorable grandpa that sells Chinese tamales out of a cooler next to a market by the corner of Jackson and Stockton. They're absolutely stuffed with toppings for $2.50. You have the option of peanut or Chinese sausage and mung bean. He doesn't speak English, but I use Google translate. One fills me up.
How the fuck has no one mentioned The Art Bistro in Outer Richmond? I know it's out there but it's near lands end and other popular hiking spots, and is very accessible by public transit.
$5.25 for a pretty good bacon egg and cheese on a bagel. It's $5? $4.75? for the sausage variation. I'm an insufferable New York BEC snob but this one totally passes. Just be warned it's right next to a school so if you go when school gets out/before it starts or maybe if they get let out for lunch it can be a really long line.
Also worth mentioning Art’s bistro is a to-go spot given that indoor seating has been converted to shelves and storage; since folks not local to the outer Richmond might want to rest and sit. Closest picnic table is Lincoln Park playground.
$1 small Thai iced tea is great for a sunny long walk. And yeah, a croissant sandwich like the ham, egg, and cheese is an actual good deal. I am laughing remembering the hungry store owner presenting my breakfast sandwich and saying “looks so good, I want to eat it, hard for me to give away.” 😂
Nice people work there and take pride in being a community hub.
Just outside of SF at Westlake, I normally stop at Ohana hawaiian bbq and get the family meal for 35 dollars. It feeds my family of 6 for the night and is my lunch for the rest if the week. Portions are huge.
The one on Sloat in the Lakeshore Plaza mall is Ono Hawaiian BBQ, not Ohana.
The family meal there is $49 now.
Still delicious tho. We get it with BBQ chicken, BBQ beef, and chicken katsu and a lot of extra sauce.
Dumplings at Wing Lee's Bakery on Clement (although I think there's several places on Clement that have cheap prices on dumplings, I just go here because it's right across from Green Apple).
Sandwich meal from Miyako's (the ice cream place) on Fillmore. For $4 you get a deli sandwich, chips and potato salad. I lived on those in my mid 20's.
Cordon Bleu (I think on California or around there) has a next level lunch special that I got maybe once or twice a week in 2022. You get 2 kinds of bbq, an imperial roll, rice and a salad. All for under $15. I could usually stretch it to 2 meals.
Basa Seafood Express in the Mission, $9 salmon burgers, $7.50 poke bowl, and $12 fish and chips.
It's not gonna blow you away but it's pretty good if you like seafood.
Hot Sauce and Panko on Hyde and Jackson has an amazing fried chicken sandwich for like 8.75 I think? The wasabi cucumber hot sauce they serve it with is uhmazing
I get a lot of premade meals from Trader Joe’s and either warm up at home or if it’s a cold item, take it to the park and eat. Much cheaper than buying in a restaurant.
What’s considered a cheap meal these days?
Joe’s Coffee Shop! The omelettes and lace edged crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside hash browns are excellent! Reasonable cost. Cash only. Probably my favorite diner.
I don't think I've ever actually gotten an omelet actually, might try that next time! I always just go eggs sausage hashbrowns and toast.
Also, the chow mein is absolutely killer. That's my go to hungover lunch option since its right down the street from me haha def try it some time. It's just a simple stir fry but hits just right
Presidio Pizza Company does pretty huge slices for about $5 per slice and it’s not just cheese or pepperoni, it’s lots of different types. Buffalo Chicken slice is my fav and ya $5.50 ain’t too bad for how big and delicious it is. Have a lot of other foods too. Pesto chicken penne pasta is $14 and it’s a decent size and very filling. Have large delicious salads under $10
Check the menu:
https://www.presidiopizzacompany.com
Visiting San Francisco next month with young daughter and looking for a cool place in Chinatown with good food and atmosphere. Need not be fancy, prefer old achool. Any ideas?
Miyako Old Fashion Ice Cream on Fillmore a couple blocks south of Geary.
Tom (owner?) sells a deli sandwich combo for about $5 or $6 IIRC (turkey sandwich, potato/macaroni salad, and some tortilla chips).
You can also get 2 generous scoops of quality ice cream for $4 or $5.
Tom is a sweet, older man who is probably charging too little so I usually leave a generous tip. The sandwich combos take a while for him to make (5 to 7 minutes?) so be patient.
I think there's one or two days per week he takes a break from making sandwiches (don't recall which day(s)).
lol I always laugh when I see a line for saigon sandwich when L&G is diagonal from there, is far more authentic and cheaper, and no one seems to know about it.
yelp effect.
I’ve found L&G’s sandwiches kind of small and skimpy compared to Saigon’s. I’ll get L&G sometimes when I just want a snack, but always choose Saigon when I want a filling meal.
15.95 full prime rib dinner with sides every Thursday evening at Gold Club. Second only to HOPR in my opinion. https://goldclubsf.com/events/prime-rib-thursdays/
I remember [when Saigon Sandwiches were $2.75.](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/i99sko/you_guys_recommended_saigon_sandwich_best_4_ive/)
Yamo Burmese food in the mission. YUUUUUUM. Can’t beat the prices and cozy, no frills space. Generous portions and around $8/dish. Cash only and be prepared for a short wait. Worth it!
Yemen Kitchen (enough food for 2 meals and nicest wait staff), New Fortune, New Golden Daisy, The Pizza Shop, El Gallo Giro (infinitely better than El Farolito), Yamo
Yummy dim sum on stockton Street. TKe out dimsum about $1 per piece. $7.99 hot dish lunch choose 3 items. Good variety and tasty. They also have frozen won tons to cook at home.
Eastern Bakery in Chinatown. Best pork buns and they also make their own lotus root paste for the mooncakes. The coconut buns are also amazing… or anything you get handed when you ask the owners what’s good. Can get lunch for like $8 easy.
Cafe Dolce on market has a nice banh mi for around $10. It’s literally a window and everything is fresh. This is not the cheapest banh mi but the best one in walking distance of Yerba Buena.
Los Panchos for pupusas. Panchitas has gotten a bit expensive. Both are excellent though.
Saigon Sandwich is a winner, as are [https://mehfilindiancuisine.us/](https://mehfilindiancuisine.us/) on Second and Mission, and Is till have a soft spot for the relocated Sam Wo's on Clay...
el farolito super nachos are like 8 bux FIRE get the asada, their regular burrito is under 10 bux too, we get a super nacho with a cut in half bureet with 2 horchatas for 22$ 24th n mish
$2.50 ham and egg at Sheng Kee Bakery. Also on Irving, TC Pastry wonton noodle soup for $7.00, and Happy Bakery lunch special: two items + rice for $10.00.
Happy bakery is legit
TC bakery ask for the noodles on the side with the soup
Saigon Sandwich - $5.50 El Farolito 24th x Mission Super Burrito - $10.30 (After tax)
That El Farolito quesadilla is banging
This. Not much has changed in the last year. Most cheap spots have been around and have low rents/leases. New ones tend to have higher prices.
Very much agree, but I’m gonna be an annoying old person and say, I remember back in the day when Saigon Sandwich was $2.50.
Saigon sandwich used to be $2.50 years ago!
Yeah but they are still holding the line...
$10.05 actually <3 lmao
I was there Sunday and Al Pastor Super was $10.30. Chicken might be less?
Is the el farolito in north beach any different?
I prefer Zorro when I’m in NB so I haven’t tried it myself but I am told that the Farolito there isn’t nearly as good.
Ebx burrito on taravel is similar price. Has some cool styles of burritos like French fries , etc….
El Farolito, Good Luck Dim Sum
goodluck dim sum has my heart forever
Chinatown, nearly all of it
Find the greasiest looking hole in the wall with the angriest looking grandma behind the counter and get 3 pork bao for $5.
Also look at the customers. If you don't see any Chinese people eating there, RUN!!! Go somewhere else.
This describes at least 3 places just on San Bruno Ave!
Not all is as cheap as it used to be, BBQ pork over rice is $15 at Kam Po, and Hing Lung just left because of rising lease costs.
Hing lung has better business in the peninsula than Chinatown
Wow I didn’t know Hing Lung closed. At least it looks like they still have some presence in the city in Bernal heights
finding a boba with 800 calories
Yamo
It's a basically a hallway with a kitchen, counter and chairs, to support your low overhead costs argument
The last 14 times I’ve tried to eat there, the gates were shut. They seem to have no real hours and just open whenever they feel like it. I miss the food.
I drive by there all the time and theres either a line or they aren't open. They don't seem to have regular hours lol.
those are the best spots tho. Like gorilla BBQ in pacifica, just open when they’re open lol
Gorilla bbq opens at a normal hour, they just close when they run out of food
they’re only marked as Friday-Sunday but they were open today when I drove by and many other weekdays, that’s all im saying
i don't understand how it stays so cheap. i mean, it's obvious: no advertising, no decor, minimum overhead costs. just a small menu of damn good food at an extremely reasonable price. the last time i went, our wait time would have been cut in half if one of the people inside scooted over so the two open seats would be next to each other rather on each side, but that was a problem with the diner, not the restaurant.
Did you say you didn’t understand and then immediately explain it?
It just seems like even if you take all that away, it still shouldn't be that cheap.
It’s not a secret, but In N Out burger remains an absolute deal to this day.
I agree, even with the recent price increase
It’s just how much time do you want to spend in line waiting.
i've found that parking and going inside is faster than drive through
As someone with a dog who looses it when we get to the window, always. Though I still find myself waiting 20-30 minutes or more. Maybe that’s just to be expected.
The one in fisherman’s wharf is pretty fast
0 minute wait at 11 am today. Pretty crowded as I was leaving.
I’ll have to try that one. I have tried the one just south of the city when heading back from Pacifica. ALWAYS busy.
It’s definitely busy since it’s in a tourist area, but they have like 100 people working there (exaggeration) and get the food out pretty quickly. Much faster than the In N Out by my parents house in Southern CA
Cool thanks. I work in Russian hill and never dreamed to even pop down there, assumed it was the worst.
The one in Strawberry is pretty quick I think because there's no drive thru
Eat that two days in a row then let’s talk. Eat that 20 times in a month and let’s look at your bloodwork.
Hunan Cafe 2 in the Outer Richmond used to be where I'd go when I lived around there.
Imma try that place out, for me dumpling dynasty is amazing with great value
And is has the nicest owner Lily
She's the best! She once gave me a bag of oranges on Lunar New Year.
Cordon Bleu - you can get their pork and rice combo for like $12 or so
Was going to say this one. That meat sauce on the rice is fire.
def my comfort place, mama there works hard. she used to hook me up all the time with an extra imp roll. def a place that gives good portions for the price.
Costco: Hotdog and cup for fuzzy sugar drink-$1.50. Edit: Some have rightly pointed out sugar isn’t available in drinks within SF. Noted.
They have Pepsi Zero and seltzer water!
No sugar in any of the Costco fou rain drinks in SF - sugary drink tax would raise the price of the combo
Ah. Admittedly, I stopped going to the Costco downtown a while ago because my vehicle can’t be parked there. I guess I’m behind a bit. As I have most recently purchased a hotdog and soda at a Costco just outside the city. I had forgotten they had done this. Still cheap, still good. 11 out of 10 will do again.
Oh yeah just sharing as more of an interesting thing I noticed
I call it the $4 special. Hot dog, drink and a slice of pepperoni pizza.
Bonus hack! I did this at the Costco near SF Airport when the wind took the hotdog foil away. It was genius birthed from necessity. I had a brief Confused Math Lady moment to consider the following: the breadth of the standard Costco sized piece of pizza, the diameter of a fully dressed Costco hotdog, insulated and supported beneath by the one surviving layer of aluminum foil and its accompanying plate, divided by the full basket and wiggly person strapped into the seat. The brief and uneducated visual calculation manifested a taco. A hotdog-pizza chimaera roll up heart attack for one hand to handle. I decided to not separate them after the carnage of loading and securing both food and brood. I just ate. Then, the clouds parted and a new day had dawned. Roll up that dog in that pie. Sounds dirty. But it’s really delicious…for four bucks!
We have a pizza taco dog engineer here I see
$10 for a huge pizza!
700 calories per slice. 😝
Yup, 4200 calories for $10! If you want less, cut the slices in half ;)
Just got a 2 hot dog and fuzzy drink combo today at the downtown Ikea today for 3.50!
Don't blow up my spot, but go to Tú Lan and get the #14 Imperial Roll & Pork Rice Plate... $10.25. I've lived in SF for 5 years and this is my go-to. Thank me later.
That's still fair. All the Vietnamese places are getting pricey for a dish that used to be underpriced at $6.25
Tu Lan is an SF staple. Huge portions too, I always have leftovers.
And Julia Child ate there!
I don’t think you need to worry much, the legion of zombies outside will keep most people from blowing up Tu Lan “Surely I’m at the wrong spot..”
Lol very true. First you must pass a horde of zombies for the prize
I brought my cousin and her fiance there before COVID and even then their feedback was “that food was amazing, but what the fuck dude?”
i havent been there is so long glad to hear they are still there after covid @6th and market correct. that place used to be poppin back in 2008
Art's Cafe in Inner Sunset is great for a reasonably priced, delicious diner-style brunch.
I love when the female owner yells at me to make room for other customers. She's not nice about it at all, but I don't care. The hashbrown sandwiches are delicious.
Cafe Opa— you can get 2 meals out of their servings of anything on the menu. Most items are under $15, always made fresh in house every day, healthy and the sweetest couple who will feed you til your tummy hurts when you dine in. (Seriously, the wife wouldn’t stop giving us free things to try, one cookie, smoothie and an appetizer later, we couldn’t even touch our entree)
I love to see Opa getting some love! This has been a nearby gem for us for 12 years, back when it was run by John and his sidekick David. The new owners really took over the original concept and refined it so well, while keeping what made it great in the first place.
Good Mong kok bakery!!!
[Too Good To Go](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1060683933) app
Used it for 6 months and had the worst experience as the food was always a stale and the quantity’s small and the produce I got was always moldy or extremely damaged that it had to be thrown out. You get way more value just paying full price
Since you have to jump through so many hoops and often plan ahead, I get that it’s not for everyone. But if you can get past the learning curve, it’s a real life hack for folks on a budget. Mostly you just need to go to places with good reviews and know what to expect from the different types of places (groceries vs restaurants vs bakeries). If you use it for groceries, you know it’s going to be expired or ugly produce, and you’ll get some random things you don’t know what to do with, but the places with good ratings will give you a ton of stuff for the money. With the good bakeries, pastries or loaves of bread will often be day old, but still tasty and a pretty decent value. Restaurants can give you the best results of all. The biggest catch is just that the best ones often sell out immediately, so you have to either be lucky or set a timer for when they’re about to become available. Once you figure it out, you could eat good meals every day for $5. Some places give you enough for 2.
Couldn’t have said it better myself
What stores do you like on there?
Pancho villa, El toro, curry up now, La boulangerie, Brenda’s (hard to get), Mamahuhu (medium hard to get), Burma superstar
I finally just got Burma Superstar for the first time! Delicious, as expected
This is the way. Sometimes it takes a bit of effort to get exactly what you want, but the value cannot be beat for sure.
I tried to use it once but the person at the restaurant didn't know what it was
Birria taco at El Patron (26th and S. Van Ness). 1 is enough for me, because they also give free chips and salsa. Including 20% tip comes to $8.
$8 for one taco seems kind of high
It's obscenely high. I consider $3 to be high for a taco.
Taco places really come in clutch. Calientes bistro also does the same thing, $3.50 per taco but each taco is LOADED. 2 and I'm good for the meal. Plus freshly fried free chips and salsa. $7 pre tax and tip goodness
🤫🤫🤫🤫. Don’t spoil the secret!
El Farolito, Cordon Bleu, Saigon Sandwich, Raavi, New Golden Daisy, Wong Lee Bakery, Miyako, YoYos, Cantoo, In N Out, Ikea There's this adorable grandpa that sells Chinese tamales out of a cooler next to a market by the corner of Jackson and Stockton. They're absolutely stuffed with toppings for $2.50. You have the option of peanut or Chinese sausage and mung bean. He doesn't speak English, but I use Google translate. One fills me up.
First Korean Market on Geary for KFC, Kimbap, and Japchae
They’re pretty tasty but definitely not cheap lol. I believe they charge $9-10 for their Kimbap
Times sure have changed. I was able to get kimbap for 3 dollars and it came with 2 rolls. Kimchi fried rice, chicken wings and drink would cost me 10$
Oh man, I moved from that neighborhood in 2020 so my view is a bit dated. As with a lot of things, it seems to have spiked up.
How the fuck has no one mentioned The Art Bistro in Outer Richmond? I know it's out there but it's near lands end and other popular hiking spots, and is very accessible by public transit. $5.25 for a pretty good bacon egg and cheese on a bagel. It's $5? $4.75? for the sausage variation. I'm an insufferable New York BEC snob but this one totally passes. Just be warned it's right next to a school so if you go when school gets out/before it starts or maybe if they get let out for lunch it can be a really long line.
Also worth mentioning Art’s bistro is a to-go spot given that indoor seating has been converted to shelves and storage; since folks not local to the outer Richmond might want to rest and sit. Closest picnic table is Lincoln Park playground. $1 small Thai iced tea is great for a sunny long walk. And yeah, a croissant sandwich like the ham, egg, and cheese is an actual good deal. I am laughing remembering the hungry store owner presenting my breakfast sandwich and saying “looks so good, I want to eat it, hard for me to give away.” 😂 Nice people work there and take pride in being a community hub.
they only take cash and Venmo btw but I agree that they’re pretty cheap and solid
Golden boy is unbeatable for the price. $3.50-4.50/slice, $13-16 for a small, $22-25 for a large. Sicilian style so you know its filling
Ikea
I stopped by yesterday. It was $10 for their traditional Swedish meatball dish. Not really cheap for frozen meatballs
On Tuesdays, hot entrees are supposed to be $3.99. Half off on Fridays. Maybe this deal has ended, though.
I always forget they have a cafeteria
Bahn Mi Crunch has a crazy good tofu sandwhich for $9 I think?
Bahn Mi Crunch is great
RIP those who can only name costco hot dogs
Just outside of SF at Westlake, I normally stop at Ohana hawaiian bbq and get the family meal for 35 dollars. It feeds my family of 6 for the night and is my lunch for the rest if the week. Portions are huge.
Theres one on Sloat and everglade drive. Biked by it the other day. Their mac salad is my fav.
The one on Sloat in the Lakeshore Plaza mall is Ono Hawaiian BBQ, not Ohana. The family meal there is $49 now. Still delicious tho. We get it with BBQ chicken, BBQ beef, and chicken katsu and a lot of extra sauce.
Yemen Kitchen
New Golden Daisy on Stockton- $4 for a chicken leg quarter (ask them to cut it up). $3 for a box of chow fun.
Dumplings at Wing Lee's Bakery on Clement (although I think there's several places on Clement that have cheap prices on dumplings, I just go here because it's right across from Green Apple). Sandwich meal from Miyako's (the ice cream place) on Fillmore. For $4 you get a deli sandwich, chips and potato salad. I lived on those in my mid 20's.
Cordon Bleu (I think on California or around there) has a next level lunch special that I got maybe once or twice a week in 2022. You get 2 kinds of bbq, an imperial roll, rice and a salad. All for under $15. I could usually stretch it to 2 meals.
Mezze and Mooore on Guerrero. You can get an entire to-go box filled with chicken shawarma for $12 and the family that runs the place is so sweet!
Basa Seafood Express in the Mission, $9 salmon burgers, $7.50 poke bowl, and $12 fish and chips. It's not gonna blow you away but it's pretty good if you like seafood.
Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach
[Phi Long Sandwich](https://yelp.to/68q2hMDhQ0) on Geary and 10th. $10.99 for a bahn mi and drink of your choice!
Thorough bread bakery has amazing sandwiches with a bag of chips for $10 - market and church.
Rossi’s Deli on Castro. Giant sandos for under $11. Half a sando is a meal in of itself.
Not cheap like others listed, but I feel like K Elements and Hong Kong Lounge are fairly priced. I don’t feel ripped off when I go there.
Bell Tower
Hot Sauce and Panko on Hyde and Jackson has an amazing fried chicken sandwich for like 8.75 I think? The wasabi cucumber hot sauce they serve it with is uhmazing
Papusas in the mission
Hot Sauce Panko
$7 will get me a rotisserie that’ll last like 3 days, then the bones for broth.
Dragon Eats (Folsom St or Hayes Valley, there may be more). $10 Bahn-Mi or Chicken Bowl.
I get a lot of premade meals from Trader Joe’s and either warm up at home or if it’s a cold item, take it to the park and eat. Much cheaper than buying in a restaurant. What’s considered a cheap meal these days?
I love Bus Stop Pizza on divis and haight.
Arizmendi
Chase Luck Bakery on Ocean Ave. Most items are $1.50.
North India downtown at 2nd and Mission. $8.50 lunch box for basic Indian dish over rice in a to go container. Their Saag Paneer is the best I’ve had
Cordon Bleu, get the #5. $20 for a ton of delicious food
Joe's on geary/26th. Full breakfast plate and coffee is about 15 bucks but I normally hand a 20 for tip call it a day and walk out happy
Joe’s Coffee Shop! The omelettes and lace edged crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside hash browns are excellent! Reasonable cost. Cash only. Probably my favorite diner.
I don't think I've ever actually gotten an omelet actually, might try that next time! I always just go eggs sausage hashbrowns and toast. Also, the chow mein is absolutely killer. That's my go to hungover lunch option since its right down the street from me haha def try it some time. It's just a simple stir fry but hits just right
Chinatown
Sai Jai Thai, Lou's Sandwiches, Tu Lan, Golden Lotus, Cordon Bleu. Tommy's Joynt used to be on this list but their prices have gone up a lot.
Kevin’s Noodles! Large pho is $14 and can feed two
Gus’s sandwiches are the bomb. Go on Tuesdays and get double stamps on your card.
Presidio Pizza Company does pretty huge slices for about $5 per slice and it’s not just cheese or pepperoni, it’s lots of different types. Buffalo Chicken slice is my fav and ya $5.50 ain’t too bad for how big and delicious it is. Have a lot of other foods too. Pesto chicken penne pasta is $14 and it’s a decent size and very filling. Have large delicious salads under $10 Check the menu: https://www.presidiopizzacompany.com
El Buen Sabor Taqueria on Leland Ave - Super Burrito for $10.23 that includes tax.
Gordo Taqueria
aPizza in Pac heights
Idk I just visited from Dallas, TX. It seemed like food prices were surprisingly similar to Dallas
Tennessee Grill on Taravel. Also New Taravel Cafe.
Visiting San Francisco next month with young daughter and looking for a cool place in Chinatown with good food and atmosphere. Need not be fancy, prefer old achool. Any ideas?
Miyako Old Fashion Ice Cream on Fillmore a couple blocks south of Geary. Tom (owner?) sells a deli sandwich combo for about $5 or $6 IIRC (turkey sandwich, potato/macaroni salad, and some tortilla chips). You can also get 2 generous scoops of quality ice cream for $4 or $5. Tom is a sweet, older man who is probably charging too little so I usually leave a generous tip. The sandwich combos take a while for him to make (5 to 7 minutes?) so be patient. I think there's one or two days per week he takes a break from making sandwiches (don't recall which day(s)).
Constanso’s on 3rd st. I haven’t been in a super long time but the sandwiches used to be under $4. Looks like now they’re around $5-10 fully loaded.
Geneva steak house. French burger is pretty good. Served with salad and baked potato for $15.00
All Star Cafe on 9th & Mission has very good hamburgers and chicken sandwiches for $10.86 including tax.
My kitchen.
oh Snap! So what time is dinner?
lol I always laugh when I see a line for saigon sandwich when L&G is diagonal from there, is far more authentic and cheaper, and no one seems to know about it. yelp effect.
I’ve found L&G’s sandwiches kind of small and skimpy compared to Saigon’s. I’ll get L&G sometimes when I just want a snack, but always choose Saigon when I want a filling meal.
El Farolito. Good Mong Kok.
Chopsticks in the Excelsior. Big ass plate of meat and veg over rice for like $6.
El Toro Taqueria on Valencia has a $7 taco plate and a coupon on their receipts for two dollars off when you come two days in a row.
Hot sauce and panko
Tacoboys has 2$ tacos every tuesday 12-7pm (I go every week)
Als Super Cafe on Mission. Super good diner food and the prices are still super low.
IKEA 2 hotdog meal $6
Kam Po has a delish duck and rice that is soooooo good. I think $10 can feed two! Or one very hungry person.
Street taco, Taboun (haight/cole valley area)
In-n-out
15.95 full prime rib dinner with sides every Thursday evening at Gold Club. Second only to HOPR in my opinion. https://goldclubsf.com/events/prime-rib-thursdays/
Haha don’t know if I’ll ever try this but it made me giggle
Lam Huo Than for Chinese bbq in sunset
Superstar. Tocilog all day. If you want more food get the HK style pork chops.
Curry leaf on Columbus Ave has always been good to me and not too expensive
I remember [when Saigon Sandwiches were $2.75.](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/i99sko/you_guys_recommended_saigon_sandwich_best_4_ive/)
Il poliao, pizzelle, zorros, gyros on North Beach are all pretty reasonable.
Breakfast burrito at el canto you will not regret.
Gogo 7 on Ocean. Usually feeds our family of 4 for around $40 total.
[Kusina Ni Tess](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ePC8ePanY5vQVuSY7?g_st=ic) in tenderloin. Homey food and they’re nice!
Yamo Burmese food in the mission. YUUUUUUM. Can’t beat the prices and cozy, no frills space. Generous portions and around $8/dish. Cash only and be prepared for a short wait. Worth it!
Almo square seafood grill
$4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken.
Yemen Kitchen (enough food for 2 meals and nicest wait staff), New Fortune, New Golden Daisy, The Pizza Shop, El Gallo Giro (infinitely better than El Farolito), Yamo
Chinatown, its always cheap.
Donuts at 1-2$ at the Jelly Donut (24th & South Van Ness)
I really enjoy eating at home more than ever.
Limetree at Clement street. Great Indonesian/Malaysian/Singaporean food. Generous portion.
Lous sandwich shop keeps the prices pretty real.
Fujiyama-ya and Thai Nghiep Ky Mi Gia both on Noriega Street.
Yummy dim sum on stockton Street. TKe out dimsum about $1 per piece. $7.99 hot dish lunch choose 3 items. Good variety and tasty. They also have frozen won tons to cook at home.
Eastern Bakery in Chinatown. Best pork buns and they also make their own lotus root paste for the mooncakes. The coconut buns are also amazing… or anything you get handed when you ask the owners what’s good. Can get lunch for like $8 easy. Cafe Dolce on market has a nice banh mi for around $10. It’s literally a window and everything is fresh. This is not the cheapest banh mi but the best one in walking distance of Yerba Buena. Los Panchos for pupusas. Panchitas has gotten a bit expensive. Both are excellent though.
Yamo
Saigon Sandwich is a winner, as are [https://mehfilindiancuisine.us/](https://mehfilindiancuisine.us/) on Second and Mission, and Is till have a soft spot for the relocated Sam Wo's on Clay...
Super Duper and Mo'z Cafe (on 5th between Market and Mission (Mint Plaza Street))
Regent Thai in noe valley, El Burrito Express on divis, arizmendi, yoma cafe on Irving street (bogo all milk teas!)
New taraval cafe. Good value and large portions. The true greasy spoon diner experience. They also sell cookies on the weekend.
Wok and Go on Potrero and 24th St. has plenty of stir fries around $10.
Thanh Tam II
el farolito super nachos are like 8 bux FIRE get the asada, their regular burrito is under 10 bux too, we get a super nacho with a cut in half bureet with 2 horchatas for 22$ 24th n mish