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How Foxtrot Market Can Be a Frugal Instagram Fantasy

By Alex Gonzalez

Feb 27, 2020

Don’t be fooled by the bright, Instagram-friendly lighting, the ivory aesthetic and the shelves of wine. The new Foxtrot Market locations you’ve seen in Uptown and University Park are very much approachable. Sure, the idea of an “elevated” bodega may elicit a few eye-rolls, but Chicago-based Foxtrot, surprisingly, is an...

Wabi House’s spicy miso ramen — pricier than Maruchan, but you get what you pay for.

Budget Bites: Good Ramen Isn’t Cheap, but Wabi House Has a Lunch Deal for Noodle Cravers

By Alex Gonzalez

Feb 20, 2020

It’s not hard to find a good ramen joint in Dallas. There’s probably a ramen shop within walking distance of your apartment. Contrary to the stereotype, though, eating ramen every day may burn a hole in your wallet. Sure, you can buy several blocks of Maruchan ramen for 25 cents...

Blackened catfish atop a bed of dirty rice, topped with corn maque choux prepared by culinary student Alex Callahan

Get a 3-Course Meal for $15 Every Thursday at El Centro College

By Alex Gonzalez

Feb 13, 2020

It’s no secret that many of Dallas’ chefs and restaurateurs are products of El Centro College’s Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality program. People such as Chris Vogeli of III Forks and Janice Provost of Parigi are among alumni of the junior college and constantly recruit students of the program to work...

Budget Bites: Get a Meal at III Forks for Less Than $20

By Alex Gonzalez

Feb 6, 2020

You might think one of Dallas’ better steakhouses may burn a hole in your wallet, but III Forks has a happy hour when guests can have wine, cocktails and filling bites at a discounted price. During happy hour, from 4 to 7 p.m. daily, wine by the glass and draft...

Smokey John’s to Have Shoebox Lunches During Black History Month

By Alex Gonzalez

Jan 30, 2020

In honor of Black History Month, Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que and Home Cooking is offering guests a low-cost meal with a valuable educational opportunity. For only $10.50, guests can purchase what’s called a shoebox lunch, packed with your choice of barbecue entrees, a side, a dessert and a piece of fruit...

Ravenna is in a prime location of downtown Dallas.

Stay on Budget at Ravenna (Almost All Day Long)

By Alex Gonzalez

Jan 24, 2020

A happy hour that starts in the morning and goes on for seven hours sounds like a pipe dream (if you don't have to work, anyway). A little Italian joint in downtown has made this their reality. At Ravenna, guests can experience happy hour prices on weekdays between the hours...

Try the Cheap Eats and Drinks at the Moth’s New Happy Hour

By Alex Gonzalez

Jan 16, 2020

You might be hard-pressed to find inexpensive food and cocktail options in the Design District. At most bars and restaurants, nearly every cocktail will cost you double-digit prices. But at Meddlesome Moth, there’s a new happy hour, where Design District bar hoppers can eat, drink and be merry in style,...

Why Your Next Downtown Lunch Should Be at Partenope Ristorante

By Alex Gonzalez

Dec 24, 2019

While upscale Italian concepts can be found throughout Dallas, perhaps one of the best bangs for your buck is lunch at Partenope Ristorante in downtown Dallas. Named for the queen of Naples, Partenope serves a chic selection of Neopolitan pizzas, hearty pastas and other expected plates for an Italian menu. Going to...

Budget Bites: Take the Poke to Tacos at Malibu in Oak Lawn

By Alex Gonzalez

Nov 25, 2019

Poke is (still) all the rage right now, and tacos never go out of style. Luckily, one restaurant in Dallas has managed to bring those two elements together. At Malibu Poke, guests can enjoy a variety of poke dishes, including poke bowls, salads and, now, tacos. Malibu Poke is the...

A beef shawarma sandwich with hummus, fries and stuffed falafel at One Hummus in Richardson.

Head to One Hummus in Richardson for this $10 Shawarma Lunch Deal

By Brian Reinhart

Nov 22, 2019

If you’re near Richardson and have $10, you have access to one of the Dallas area’s best new lunch specials. One Hummus, a Mediterranean restaurant that opened at Belt Line Road and U.S. 75 this past spring, has a menu with a distinctive Jordanian flavor. It also has a bounty...

Prince Edward Island mussels steamed in a white wine, citrus, fennel and chili broth ($6)

Budget Bites: Apertivi Hour at MoMo Italian Kitchen Has Us Eager for 5 p.m.

By Alex Gonzalez

Nov 19, 2019

Happy hour just got molto bene at MoMo Italian Kitchen in Lake Highlands. This spot offers pastas, pizzas, risottos, meats and fish dishes in a quaint and lovely setting. And every weekday, guests of MoMo can enjoy discounted cocktails and light bites during their apertivi hour. MoMo’s apertivi hour takes...

Gas station tacos, as we wish all gas station tacos could be.

These Gas Station Tacos Are a Cheap, Plentiful Marvel

By Taylor Adams

Nov 12, 2019

Getting tacos from an unnamed place in a Chevron and finding some incredible barbacoa is like discovering you're able to sense something in the future. Stumbling on something so unexpectedly great is like you’ve discovered you have a superpower. We’re not claiming anyone at the Observer has superpowers, but we...

Budget Bites: A Good Lunch Deal (for Raw Fish) Is at O Sushi

By Philip Kingston

Nov 4, 2019

Our Budget Bites feature normally has a limit of around $10, but I applied for and received an exemption to write about slightly more expensive sushi. My grandmother is fond of saying “never buy the cheapest weenies.” If you don't want to pay $16 for a complete lunch, sushi isn’t...

This Lower Greenville spot is good from the morning to the evening (but especially the latter when we can get cheap food).

$3 Chicken Biscuits Are a Welcome Late-Night Snack on Lower Greenville

By Alex Gonzalez

Oct 28, 2019

After the 9-to-5 grind, driving through Dallas traffic is a nightmare. Especially when you’re hoping to get to your favorite bar in time before their happy hour ends. Luckily for those who often struggle to crack that 3 to 7 p.m. window, Halcyon on Lower Greenville has drink and food...

We Found an Unsuspecting Happy Hour in Legacy West

By Alex Gonzalez

Oct 23, 2019

One of Legacy West’s most interesting shops is putting the “lit” in literature. Literally. While there are many Barnes & Noble locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, there's only one Barnes & Noble Kitchen, which is far north of I-635. It's a smaller version of the still remaining bookstore, with a full-service...

Frozen margarita and frozen Malibu and Red Bull

Happy Hour at Bitter End Is Anything But Bitter in Deep Ellum

By Alex Gonzalez

Oct 11, 2019

Budget Bites is a series that looks for the best food and drink deals at restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth. Because being on a budget doesn't mean you can't eat out in a city like Dallas. As more bars continue to open in Deep Ellum, many members of the community are...

Cedar Springs Tap House is known on the Strip as the place you can get a burger, fries and a beer for just $6.50.

Find a Deal on the Strip Throughout the Week at Cedar Springs Tap House

By Alex Gonzalez

Oct 10, 2019

One of the most underrated gems in the gayborhood is a quirky sports bar, where every guest who walks through the door is treated like family. Sure, Cedar Springs Tap House may not have a dance floor or dancer poles, but it’s still a staple on The Strip. While a...

The open kitchen of Sushi Axiom in Oak Lawn

Budget Bites: Find a Good Deal at Sushi Axiom in Oak Lawn

By Alex Gonzalez

Oct 4, 2019

After a summer of service, Sushi Axiom seems to be a hit in Oak Lawn. With its vibrant Asian-inspired atmosphere, stylish open kitchen and incredible happy hour deals, it's easy to see why it's popular. This sushi bar opened its doors at this location in May, following the closing of...

Short rib sliders and smoked peach bruschetta

Budget Bites: Get a Good Deal with Sixty Vines’ Happy Hour

By Alex Gonzalez

Sep 20, 2019

Budget Bites is a series that looks for the best food and drink deals at restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth — because being on a budget doesn't mean you can't eat out in a city like Dallas. One of Dallas-Fort Worth’s popular wine bars finally has a happy hour. During “tappy...

The highlight at Sweetsie is actually the egg rolls.

Sweetsie Bakery and Café Has a Cheap Meal in an Egg Roll

By Dalila Thomas

Sep 16, 2019

Budget Bites is a series that looks for the best food and drink deals at restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth — because being on a budget doesn't mean you can't eat out in a city like Dallas. Cookies, pies, sandwiches and salads are all things you’d expect from a café. But...

Cheap Bastard

Saving Money While Eating Out

Primo’s Is Back with Great Happy Hour Deals

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