Cheap Dinner Suggestion, along Mass Ave in Cambridge (or into Arlington)

[Kat]

Looking for a cheap, family friendly spot for an early dinner along Mass Ave. in Cambridge or into Arlington after spending the day in Cambridge. Cheap would mean about $12 each (no alcohol or dessert), so probably pizza, sandwiches or burgers. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

[Kat]

Thank you, thank you! So many choices now!

[threedogs]

My daughter's boyfriend (now fiance) used to live in the area, and they loved going to Newtowne Pizza for the pizza, beer, onion rings & deals. They now live in New Haven & frequent Pepe's - and I used to make pizza all the time - so you can see that pizza is just about in her blood, lol. Looks like a pitcher of beer & a pizza is still only $12 - and while I haven't been there for awhile, when I did go I really liked the pizza (I'm not crazy about beer, so I can't tell much about that). Since you seem to indicate you don't want alcohol, it's *much* cheaper.

They're near Porter Square at 1945 Mass Ave in Cambridge, not to be confused with a similar named place in Billerica.

[emannths]

The beer selection has improved greatly over the Bud/PBR/Sam Adams choices of 5 years ago. You still might get a slightly dirty tapline, but it's the cheapest pint of Longtrail or Lagunitas around at something like $4 (don't bother with the "23oz" pour--they're actually 17oz pours).

The pizza's pretty good--nice yeasty dough, though my friends complain that it's too greasy (doesn't bother me). They do good chicken/eggplant parm sandwiches, and their burgers would be good too if the kitchen bothered to pay attention to how you ordered it. The service is friendly, though at busy times can be...inattentive, but what do you expect from the place?

Oh, and did I mention that it's cheap?

[threedogs]

Yeah, my daughter would (still) do the napkin thing to sop up the excess oil on the pizza. I think this place has been around close to forever - what was funny was that when she & her (now) fiance were first going together, she suggested we meet there for a family time. When I got there I realized it was one of the places her dad took me, before she was even born! Hadn't been there since.

It became a neighborhood hang-out for them. Now they don't have to watch the pennies so much. I realize that my memory (of the food & general opinion of the place) just might be tinted with a bit of nostalgia, though...

[emannths]

For an inexpensive, neighborhood place, you could do a LOT worse. With the exception of the fact that most of the burgers come out overdone, I think they do a pretty good job preparing what's on their menu. If you go in wanting a pizza or an eggplant parm sandwich, you'll leave happy. And now that they have good beer for low prices, they get mega bonus points.

Plus, for someone like me who grew up in Chicago, the perpetual plethora of Boston jerseys and accents at the bar really contribute mightily to the atmosphere.

[AaronInBoston]

I have a couple favorites that meet your budget constraints. Greek Corner is definitely excellent and has many dishes 12 or under. Entrees: Chicken Kebab plate is great, as well as a lamb souvlaki or gyro wrap. Apps : falafel and eggplant spread. Down in Arlington on Broadway (runs parrallel to mass ave) you have zocalo a mexican restaurant. Great mexican food (most of it is not spicy at all) and most dishes are 12 or under. They have the best enchilada plates for 10$.

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Greek Corner Restaurant
2366 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

[rysilva]

+1 on Greek Corner and Zocalo. Not a fan of cheap Italian (comellas). Make a sauce at home with tomato juice, stock, and butter that's 10x better and cheaper than what you could get there. Thailand Cafe across from Flora in E. Arlington is good and cheap.

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Greek Corner Restaurant
2366 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

Zocalo
203 Broadway, Arlington, MA 02474

[KWagle]

I second the recommendation for Zocalo. They serve food from Veracruz and Oaxaca, which is somewhat different from what most people commonly think of as 'Mexican'.

If you eat meat, Anna's Taqueria is excellent, especially their griddle-fried quesadillas which are crispy and flavorful on the outside, as long as you get them out of their foil within 20 seconds or so. (If you don't eat meat, well, one grilled vegetable is a lot like the next.) The portions are satisfying, and the prices--under $6 for 'most everything--strike me as absurdly low for the quality.

[Kat]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions! We are sure to find one of them that appeals to everyone.

[antimony]

Greek Corner was also my first thought, and I second the stalls in the Porter Square exchange. Depending on how far into Arlington is OK, and how adventurous any kids are, the Little Q Hot Pot might be fun.

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Greek Corner Restaurant
2366 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

[grant.cook]

Little Q is fun, but the a la carte ordering for the hotpot can sneak up on you.. lots of food, though.. always left full. Hot pot might be strange for kids, and young kids might not deal well with hot broth..

I second the porter food court, and Anna's is nearby if you just want a big burrito..

[antimony]

I figured the OP'd know the kids in question and be able to tell if it was a great or terrible idea. I didn't eat tomatoes as a kid but loved cabbage; at a pizza joint I would have sulked over my garlic bread, at Little Q I would have been in heaven. You do need to watch how much you order, but you can stuff yourself silly on not much per person. Just don't order too many things to begin with.

[emannths]

I'd go to Rod Dee in Porter Square if the family is open to eating Thai (rad nar or pad see you are good kid-friendly dishes).

[cambridgedoctpr]

i recommend thailand cafe that is on mass ave near MIT though this is clearly not a burger place.

Also had a good pizza at Otto's in Harvard Square proper though this is take out only. You could sit at Au Bon Pain if the weather is nice.

[emannths]

Thailand Cafe is good. But lest OP be confused, it's only good for the Sichuan Chinese, not for the Thai!

[Boston_Otter]

There's plenty of inexpensive eats along that stretch, including Comellas (cheap, plentiful Italian next to the Capitol Theater), Zing Pizza (Porter Sq.), Stone Hearth Pizza, the Garden of Eat-In Pizza, Whatta Wing (Arlington), Panera, Boca Grande, Anna's Taqueria... and I'm sure I'm forgetting other places. Can't really think of a burger place, weirdly.

[smtucker]

In Porter Square, there are a bunch of small Asian restaurant/stalls in the old Sears building which now houses Lesley University. Heading towards the Arlington line [from Porter Square] you will find the Greek Corner and Quindao Garden. You can easily eat for $12 per person at either one.

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Greek Corner Restaurant
2366 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

[emannths]

And they validate parking at the Porter Exchange, so you can park for something like $2 in their lot (I've never done it, so that number may be wrong, but I know it's cheap).

[Boston_Otter]

As much as I love the Japanese/Korean spots in Porter Exchange, they didn't seem to fit the "pizza/sandwich/burger" request :)

I heartily agree with Greek Corner. Wonderful cheap eats!

[emannths]

I took the pizza/sandwich/burger thing to be a resignation (due to price constraints) rather than a request. Either way, OP can sort it out.

Greek Corner is tasty.

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Greek Corner Restaurant
2366 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

[phonelady]

For burgers, R F O'Sullivan's or Christopher's?

[Blumie]

For burgers, Bartley's.

[digga]

There's Four Burgers on Mass Ave in Central Sq.

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Four Burgers
704 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139