Baller
El Siete Mares
3831 W. Commerce St., (210) 436-6056, elsietemaressa.com
At El Siete Mares you can find delicious weekday specials. The menu includes enchiladas de camarón, which comes with two shrimp enchiladas topped with tomatillo sauce and mozzarella cheese. The $5.99 special is served with rice, salad, French fries and shrimp-based garlic soup.
Guillermo's
618 McCullough Ave., (210) 223-5587, guillermosdowntown.com
Guillermo's is an Italian-American favorite where 99 percent of their lunch menu is under $15. For $9.99 you can get a gourmet sandwich like the meatball, provolone and feta with a side salad or spinach bow-tie pasta salad. Mamma mia, that's a spicy deal!
Hot Joy
1014 S. Alamo St., (210) 368-9324, hotjoysa.com
Fried chicken on steroids is how we like to describe Hot Joy's hot fried chicken. The chicken is served with chili oil, Szechuan peppercorn, sour chilies, and blue cheese for only $13.99. On the Hot Joy menu, the meal is listed under the "Large" category. It's safe to say this is a hot deal. Or stop by on Wednesdays when the eatery has their signature twice-fried crab fat caramel wings and other fun iterations for $5.
Lüke San Antonio
125 E. Houston St., (210) 227-5853, lukesanantonio.com
Normally it would be hard to walk out of Lüke's without dropping a President Grant, but the restaurant does offer daily express dishes for $10 such as Monday's Tabasco honey-fried chicken with red beans and rice or Thursday's pork jambalaya. Pick one up for a power-lunch special.
Osteria Il Sogno
200 E. Grayson St., (210) 223-3900
Osteria Il Sogno, San Anto's primo destination for authentic Italian cuisine, has a fun secret. The margherita pizza, originally priced at $14, is a steal if you get to it fast enough, dropping to $6 if you get there at 6 p.m., $7 at 7 p.m., etc.
The Monterey
1127 S. St. Mary's St., (210) 745-2581, themontereysa.com
Every Tuesday between 6 and 10 p.m. The Monterey offers a $5 burger special. The burger is a bacon cheeseburger with house pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The special includes fries, but we were sold at the mention of bacon. Be prepared for a long wait.
Tribeca Di Olmos
4331 McCullough Ave., (210) 320-0698, tribecadiolmos.com
Tribeca Di Olmos is a restaurant that specializes in American cuisine. Pizza, seafood, steak; you name it, they got it. At Tribeca, you can also find delicious pastas including pesto tagliatelle with chicken. The $14 dish is served with parmesan cheese and wild mushrooms. Yum.
Sushi Zushi
Multiple locations, sushizushi.com
At Sushi Zushi, you can try the sushi sampler. For $14 you can purchase an assortment of nigiri and maki-zushi, including tuna, salmon, yellowtail, octopus and shrimp. You will also receive your choice of a California, Philadelphia, spicy tuna or spicy salmon roll.
Casual
Burger Boy
2323 N. St. Mary's St., (210) 735-1955, burgerboy.com
There are several reasons Burger Boy has become a revered establishment in San Antonio. Quality food and low prices are two of those reasons. Try the Bates Special, which includes a burger boy, regular fries and a regular drink, for only $4.59. If you're feeling extra hungry, you can also upgrade to the Working-Man Special, which includes a double-boy, large fries and drink for $6.29.
El Pollo Regio
Multiple locations, elpolloregio.net
Make sure to try El Pollo Regio's chicken combo for only $6.99. The meal includes four pieces of chicken, a side of rice, beans, four corn tortillas, grilled-onions, two salsas and a 12-ounce drink. It's all in the name; El Pollo Regio's chicken is royally delicious.
Laguna Madre's
Multiple locations, lagunamadreseafood.com
The Fisherman's Platter at Laguna Madre's includes a fried cod fillet, four fried shrimp and four fried oysters. Also included with the platter are fries, coleslaw, bread and hushpuppies. All that seafood for only $13.95 sure sounds like a catch. Visit all three locations — 5123 Rigsby Ave., 402 SW Military Drive, 10614 Westover Hills and 18195 U.S. Hwy. 281
Lung Fung
14530 Brook Hollow Blvd., 210) 494-4607
Lung Fung is a North Side restaurant and buffet that serves Chinese favorites for under $10. The restaurant offers personal dinners that include soup, crab Rangoon, an eggroll, rice and chicken teriyaki with an extra choice of meat for only $9.95, or two extra meats for $11.95.
Pizza Italia
3023 Thousand Oaks Dr., Suite 101, (210) 494-8646, pizzaitaliasa.com
Want just a taste? Pizza Italia serves by the slice for $1.99 each. Add a house or Caesar salad and a soda and you've got yourself an easy $6 lunch. The pizzeria also offers a large pepperoni pizza for $7.99 on Mondays after 5 p.m.
Qué Tortas
7500 Eckhert Rd., (210) 680-1826
At Qué Tortas, not only can you get the daily special, which includes a stuffed torta, a drink and a serving of fries for $9.99, but you can also purchase a tray of taquitos for only $4.99. Is this Qué Tortas or Qué Oferta?
Radicke's Bluebonnet Grill
237 N. W.W. White Rd., (210) 337-4007
Radicke's Bluebonnet Grill specializes in good old Southern home-style cuisine. The menu often includes items such as chicken-fried steak, fried pork cutlets and hamburgers with onions and gravy. Try the daily special for $7.95, which also comes with two veggies and a homemade bun.
Royal Pizza
4415 De Zavala Rd., (210) 399-2220, royalpizzasanantonio.com
Where else can you get away with four slices of pizza and a soda for just $3.99? That's less than a dollar per slice. Royal Pizza also offers a 'za world tour of over 50 specialty recipes, all named for and inspired by a European city, for around $10.
Rudy's Seafood's
4122 S. Flores St., (210) 532-1315, rudysseafood.com
Rudy's Seafood's Fish and Shrimp Combo includes fish, shrimp, fries, a small cup of tartar, coleslaw and two slices of bread for $11.57. And that's including tax! We'd carry Rudy out of the restaurant if I could. Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!
Thai Spice and Sushi
8327 Agora Pkwy., Selma, (210) 658-1665, thaispicesushisa.com
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday (noon to 3 p.m. on weekends), you have your choice of 24 menu items that come with rice, a spring roll and the soup of the day for $7. Don't forget to bring a friend to help roll you away from the table afterward.
Youz Guyz
316 Pat Booker Rd., Universal City, (210) 659-8930, youzguyzcheesesteaks.com
Ten dollars gets you 10 inches at this Philadelphia eatery, as in a meal consisting of a 10-inch original Philly cheesesteak, fries and a drink. The establishment delivers friendly and speedy service too ... as long as you're not a New York Rangers fan.
Healthy-ish
Fratello's Deli
2503 Broadway, (210) 444-0277, fratellosdeli.com
Looking for something cool to satisfy you in the summer heat? Check out Fratello's Deli where you can find a number of cool gourmet entrees. For under $10 you can try several different types of panini freddi: Calabrese, Romano, Muffaletta and the list goes on.
MAAR's Pizza and More
14218 Nacogdoches Rd., (210) 599-7400, maarspizzaandmore.com
MAAR's Pizza likes to remind its customers that their pizza and pasta is made with 100 percent extra virgin olive oil and 0 percent trans fat is used in all of their fried food. That sounds pretty healthy to me. What's even better about MAAR's pizza is that you can get a 14-inch pizza for only $14. Also, they provide free Wi-Fi. I know, that sounds out of this world.
Max's Wine Dive
340 E. Basse Rd., (210) 444-9547, maxswinedive.com
Max's Wine Dive in the Quarry specializes in wine, but you can also find some delicious eats, including pulled pork stuffed peppers. The gluten-friendly meal ($12.75) is stuffed with pulled pork and cotija and topped with chipotle aioli and cilantro chimichurri.
Pho Cong Ly
300 W. Bitters Rd., (210) 499-5572, phocongly.com
The bowls of pho are huge. They're probably big enough that Godzilla and King Ghidorah might think they are the Pacific Ocean and start fighting. It's kind of scary. But what's not scary is the price. Each of the 22 different types of pho goes for just $7.85.
Panchos and Gringos
900 Nolan St., (210) 227-6700
People often stop at Panchos and Gringos for the restaurant's amazing breakfast and lunch. We've even heard the words "best pancakes" thrown around a few times. Whenever you stop, make sure to also try the eggs Florentine. The company takes pride in making sure its eggs are extra fluffy and extra filling.
Taste of Malabar
5999 De Zavala Rd., Suite 109, (210) 561-4409
A $10 budget can get you far at Taste of Malabar, also known as Taste of India. The restaurant offers 12 vegetarian meals for $9.95 along with many chicken and tandoori specials. You can also try their vast assortment of naan bread for $1.50-$2.50 each.
Tacos
El Milagrito Café
521 E. Woodlawn Ave., (210) 737-8746, elmilagritocafe.com
Between Monday and Friday at El Milagrito Café, you can purchase the restaurant's daily lunch special. For only $5.99, the specials include not only an authentic Mexican entrée, but also a drink to go with it. As a bonus, all plates are served with rice, refried beans, salad and two handmade tortillas.
Los Robertos Tacos
Multiple locations, losrobertostacoshop.com
Everyone knows breakfast is the best meal of the day, and so does Los Robertos by making its breakfast tacos three for $2.99 between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. You can also catch their assorted weekday specials that don't max $6.99, or six carne asada tacos for $6.50.
Mama Margie's Mexican Café
10927 Culebra Rd., 210) 277-7090, mamamargies.com
Mama Margie's Mexican Café has served San Antonio some of the cheapest, yet most delicious, tacos one can find. But did you know that the chain's Culebra store also serves $6.99 daily specials that include entrees such as the beef enchilada plate, the chicken fajita plate and the carne guisada plate?
Taco Cabana
Multiple locations, tacocabana.com
What could possibly be better than bean and cheese nachos washed down by a beer or margarita? Getting bean and cheese nachos washed down by a beer or margarita for only $3. Between 4 and 7 p.m., Taco Cabana's happy hour allows customers to get the perfect mid-day pick-me-up.
Taquería Chapala Jalisco Mexican Restaurant
1819 McCullough Ave., (210) 735-5352
Large portions with itty-bitty prices, Taqueria Chapala Jalisco Mexican Restaurant serves specials such as three tacos for just $2.99. The taquería serves breakfast all day with ample servings of chorizo, eggs and bacon to go around.
Taquería Datapoint
4063 Medical Dr., (210) 615-3644
It might be possible for Taquería Datapoint to have too many deals. They sell all tortas for $4.75, all burritos for $4.50 and all orders of mini taquitos for $6.50. For plates that keep both your stomach and wallet full, try out the combination or cheese enchilada plate for $7.50.
Taps Y Tapas
1012 N. Flores St., (210) 277-7174, tapsytapas.com
Ten dollars can go a long way during Taps Y Tapas' Social Hour. You can either get three tacos and two tallboys, two tacos and two pints, or one taco, two pints and a tallboy. There are different ways to mix it up at Taps Y Tapas, see which suits you the best.
