Truly great cheap eats in Providence RI

[chickiebaby]

Providence, show me whatchoo got! Not okay eats, but great eats. And NOT on Thayer Street. Thanks!

[joe777cool]

You cant beat United BBQ on Ives St for cheap and very decent BBQ

[okra]

link

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United Bbq
146 Ives St, Providence, RI 02906

[bmisbin]

I agree La Lupita is great. Also Banh Mi sandwich at Asian Bakery 310 Broad St $2.99.

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La Lupita
1950 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02909

[lslao]

Recently went to Asian Bakery for the first time and got their BBQ banh mi sandwich for $4: delicious!

http://www.omnomnutrition.com

[sarabean]

we love la lupita in olneyville square for awesome tacos, huarraches, and quesedillas. rancho grande on plainfield st is a great value as well.

[dagwood]

Luxe Burger Bar. Excellent burger that you design yourself with a side of fries for $6.99. Throw in a drink and you're looking at $10. Or split a plate of chili nachos with a pal for the same price.

[Sean]

Beef Barn is awesome

Crazy Burger has eclectic menu items that are reasobably priced

Of course, all the Coney Island and NY systems weiner joints in the state

Stanleys Burgers in CF and Providence

[Frobisher]

I will take cheap to mean you can get a main under $10.00. Using that criteria and staying within the city limits:

Red Fez
Not Just Snacks
Cactuz on Smith St. for slightly-Americanized burritos and tacos
Pho Horns for Vietnamese
La Petite Mange on Weybosset. Hit or miss, but when it hits very solid.
Hewtins sausage/hot dog truck.
Don Gallo's on Chalkstone for Mexican.

For a great grinder - Anthony's Deli on Admiral or Sandwich Hut on North Main.

[shoes]

We love the Walt's Roast Beef chain in the Providence area - you get sandwiches of juicy roast beef on a buttered grilled roll made to order and lovely fries - crunchy outside, soft inside. About $6.

[joe777cool]

I love Walts too, but I think its a bit pricey for what it is (fast food). My meals generally run $10 (a walts combo and an extra sandwich).

I also have to say that the sandwiches arent the same since the bbq sauce changed. Kraft changed their "original recipe" to a "new original recipe" that chages completely different, and not in a good way IMHO.

[Clams047]

We like Walt's, but find the Beef Barn in N. Smithfield near Woonsocket ( 1 Greenvile rd) to be the best in the area for a low priced, but quality roast beef sandwich. The small side salad with their French dressing is a nice compliment.

[Gin n Tonic]

Use the "Search this board" function, giving results like this:

Cheap Eats, Rhode Island
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/457771

Obscenely Cheap in RI?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/644464

Rhode Island Cheap Eats
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/321668

[JaneRI]

and this one....scrumptious under $10 in/around Providence:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/447046

[Frank Terranova]

Wish I could help. But cheap eats Mean Cheap ingredients. Simple as that.

[invinotheresverde]

We've had this discussion before. There are other factors involved in the price of a meal other than the ingredients. Some places opt for more expensive:

Rent
Linen
Flatware
Dishes
Glassware
Uniforms
Training
Sound system
Interior decorator/decor
Wine program
Employee benefits
Chef/Sous/Pastry positions
Employee pay rate
Etc.

[joe777cool]

to actually address the subject, and not just add snark, my favorite cheap eat is $1 taco tuesday at El Rancho Grande in Providence

Frank - cheap ingredients arent necessarily bad. Many ethnic restaurants take inexpensive cuts of meat and with lots of love make them delicious. In fact that is how American BBQ started; slaves taking the cuts of eat nobody else would eat and making them great. Try keeping an open mind

[Frank Terranova]

Interesting dialog on this subject. As far as the love thing. all the chef's I know all cook from the heart so there is the love thing. It all surrounds itself with food prices and that dirty word Labor. At 35-38% cost it doesnt leave much room for profits Thats the point I should have mentioned first.

[joe777cool]

when I said "love" I meant long cooking periods, heavy seasonings, sauces, different cooking preparations. Any neewbie with a spatula and a grill can cook a $12 filet mignon. Its those people that can turn a $3 hunk of gristle and tendon into something delicious that are worth their salt in my book anyways.

On a side note, the Pilgrims fed lobsters to their livestock because they thought it wasnt fit for human consumption. Before the 1980's, fisherman couldnt sell a Patagonian toothfish if they tried.....you may know it by its new name, Chilean Sea Bass, one of the most sought after and expensive fish in the world.

"Quality" is in the eye of the beholder sometimes.

[StriperGuy]

I completely disagree with the above statement.

Some of the most remarkable meals of my life have been at humble ethnic restaurants that did not charge a ton for their food.

No foie gras, or caviar for sure, but shore of that excellent ingredients, really fresh, well made, etc. I recently posted a thread on the Boston board where over 100 restaurants that meet that criteria are included.

[atheorist]

Hear, hear. And sniffing such remarkable meals out is the meaning of "Chowhound."