We have this friend (let’s call him Joe) who works downtown but, with a family and a mortgage, can’t justify lunching out often–especially when his wife lovingly packs him a perfectly good turkey sandwich every day.
So Joe has become resourceful about this, devising ways to dine out in the big city without breaking the bank. In fact, many of his meals in some of the city’s nicer dining rooms add up to less than $5.
In these challenging economic times, we thought it would be helpful to try out some of his tips and see if we could put together 10 comfortable, delicious downtown lunches for less than $5 (pre-tax and tip). Our final lineup is based on a combination of price, ambience, food quantity, quality and level of shame involved in keeping the tab under $5. Here’s what we found:
Bowl of lobster bisque, $4.25
SHAW’S CRAB HOUSE, 21 E Hubbard St.; 312-527-2722
Few people think cheap when they think Shaw’s, but the seafood restaurant was one of our most enjoyable lunches under $5. Even though we could have pulled off the same feat in the fancy main dining room, we chose the more casual, bustling Blue Crab Lounge because it is easier place for a thrifty diner to blend in, we adore its chewy sourdough bread–and we do have some shame. Those who want to keep the check below $5 can order Shaw’s tangy house salad full of lovely mixed greens ($4.25), but for a richer experience, go for a bowl of divinely rich New England clam chowder made with heavy cream and plenty of clams ($3.95). Even better is the velvety lobster bisque, which is accented with sherry, julienned vegetables and plump nuggets of lobster. Add two baskets of the lounge’s fresh crusty bread with sweet butter and attentively filled glasses of water and you have a splendid, filling lunch.
Bratwurst on pretzel roll, $4.95
KEEFER’S KAFFE, 20 W. Kinzie St.; 312-467-9525
By night this is Keefer’s private party room, but by day it becomes a sunny, comfy dining area with a plasma TV and fireplace. It’s also a virtually shame-free way to appreciate high-quality Keefer’s food at bargain rates. Under $5 lunch seekers can get a bowl of Keefer’s terrific (though not creamy like Shaw’s) New England clam chowder or chili for $4.95 along with a nice chunk of baguette with butter. Still, we prefer the excellent Paulina Market bratwurst on chewy pretzel roll with chef John Hogan’s special sauerkraut and a light as air homemade potato chips. These boiled babies with a sharp mustard are plenty tasty. Although our refillable ice water came in a paper cup, food comes on real plates with real silverware, although you bring it to your table on a tray.
Meatball “sandwich,” $3.45
BUCA DI BEPPO, 521 N. Rush St.; 312-396-0001
“So let me be clear,” said the Buca di Beppo server as she tried to suppress a smile. “You just want a meatball and some bread?” “Yep,” we said, bowing my head, biting my lip and trying not to laugh. Our lunch companion, who also happens to be the Tribune restaurant critic, ordered nothing but a bowl of soup ($4.95). With fairly straight faces, we also evaded her offers of appetizers, drinks, bottled water and side salads, determined to keep our individual tabs below $5. Phew, the hard part was over. Soon a hefty basket of thick, fresh Italian bread wedges accented with onion, salt and rosemary came to the table. They went beautifully with the garlicky, fist-sized meatball ($3.45) smothered in a chunky marinara sauce. The huge bowl of creamy tomato basil soup spiked with plenty of garlic was equally satisfying. Other possible variations on a side dish/appetizer lunch include a platter of garlic-laden escarole ($4.95); a side of two Italian sausages in marinara sauce ($4.95); three giant wedges of bruschetta ($4.95) or for those who have always wanted to eat dessert for lunch, the humungous, three-layer bread pudding made with chocolate chips, raisins and marsala wine custard, then topped with a little pitcher of hot caramel ($4.95).
Chicken finger lunch, $3.95
NORDSTROM CAFE, 4th floor of Nordstrom, 520 N Michigan Ave.; 312- 464-1515
Sometimes a restaurant’s best bargains can be found on its kids’ menu. And if the menu doesn’t specify an age limit (Nordstrom doesn’t–yet), there’s no reason for those who feel like a kid at heart (or at least in their stomachs and wallets) to order from it. That’s what we did at Nordstrom Cafe, where a plate of chicken fingers, grapes, potato chips and barbecue sauce goes for $3.95. Ditto for a personal cheese pizza. When we ordered at the counter, we were politely reminded that these were kids’dishes and when the waiter came to deliver our food, he sailed right by our table in search of smaller people. But otherwise, the shame factor was minimal. Our satiation levels were another story. It is not like we ran out to buy a second lunch after we were finished with the excellent thin crust, wood oven-baked pizza or the tasty medley of textures and flavors in the chicken finger combo, but we were not stuffed either. And maybe that is a good thing. Kiddie lunchers can also try the hot dog or grilled cheese sandwich lunches for $3.95.
Mutton curry with bread, $4.50
BABA PALACE, 334 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-867-7777
Last year this cab drivers’ fave moved from Hubbard Street to its brighter, more comfortable River North location. The portions are hefty, so we love that you can get half orders. The half orders ($4.50) includes a choice of fresh naan, chapati or basmati rice. We sampled the mild tender mutton curry, the not-too-spicy daal and a heapin’ half helping of chicken biryani studded with spices and preserved lemon slices. The naan gets a little chewy when cold. Water is self-serve from a little counter that is stocked with jalapeno slices, lemon wedges and onions. Other daily specials include spinach and potato stew, fava beans, stewed beef nihari, spinach and chicken and spicy frontier chicken.
Deuces wild breakfast special, $4.70
CAFE LUNA, in Howard Johnson’s, 720 N. LaSalle St.; 312-664-8100
Eggs, pancakes and bacon–it’s not just for breakfast anymore, especially when you want to lunch on the cheap at a downtown diner. We are especially fond of the one at the cozy Cafe Luna, where its filling “deuces wild” goes for $4.70. The meal includes two pancakes, two eggs, two sausage patties and two pieces of bacon, all of which are terrific except for the skinny, flavorless bacon. Thrifty diners can also try several omelets for less than $5 or the cafe’s pancakes with fruit topping for $4.55; a plain short stack goes for $3.50. Coffee costs $1.20 but is faithfully refilled.
Dim sum, $4.15
65 CHINESE RESTAURANT, 336 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-372-0306 (also 225 S. Canal St; 312-474-0065 and 201 W. Madison Ave. 312-782-6565).
The shame factor in this Chinese eatery is pretty much non-existent seeing as most of their combination plates (pairing an entree with rice or noodles) cost less than $5. But did you know that you can also assemble a decent little dim sum lunch with about four or five items for $4.95? The vinyl booths, formica tables and fluorescent light don’t earn this cafeteria-style restaurant big ambience points, but we did enjoy the shrimp dumplings, pork siu mai, barbecued pork buns and egg drop soup, which checked in at $4.15. Skip the bland steamed chicken bun. The water is self-serve, the utensils are plastic and the dishes and cups are Styrofoam, but few downtown spots can beat these prices.
Two double tacos, $3.90
PEREZ RESTAURANT, 855 W. Randolph St.; 312-666-3640.
Don’t be scared by the address, this excellent Mexican spot is one of the few places on the trendy Randolph strip that does not charge an arm and a leg for a decent lunch–although prices have gone up in the last couple of years. Still, lunchers can make a meal by ordering two of the eateries delicious double tortilla tacos ($1.95 each), two tostados ($2 each), a gordita ($2.95) or a filling sandwich torta ($3.95). Pair them with Perez’s free chips and salsa (they make three kinds here, all terrific), and you have plenty of food.
T-bone steak, $4.99
RONNY’S, 16 W. Randolph St.; 312-346-9487.
When you order a T-bone steak lunch–complete with salad, baked potato and garlic bread–for $4.99, you know that a certain amount of gristle will be in your future. And gristly, leathery, overcooked thin steak is just what Ronny’s delivers in its famously cheap T-bone lunch. Still, we thought this ultra-fast, shame-free meal accompanied by a decent chef’s salad, a big buttery baked potato and thick, crispy piece of garlic bread, served in a handsome, comfortable dining room (we sat in deep, red leather easy chairs) had enough other things going for it to make it recommendable to the budget diner.
Lunchers get in a cafeteria-style line and should be ready to shout out their order as soon as they get to the grill. About 45 seconds after shouting “T-bone lunch, medium rare,” we had a heaping platter of food. A little farther down the line was the salad. We ignored the desserts and attractive-looking fruity drinks, asked for an ice water and paid the unbelievably cheap bill.
Knish and matzo ball soup, $4.80
ASHKENAZ, 12 E. Cedar St.; 312-944-5006.
If you go for the overstuffed sandwiches here, you are not going to get out for cheap. But careful selections from this menu can produce a lot of food for your fiver. We recently dined on lunch combinations that included a spinach knish and small matzo ball soup ($4.80); a fresh bagel with cream cheese and a cucumber salad ($3.50) and a hot dog with a side of potato salad ($4.25) and felt very satisfied dining in the outdoor cafe.
Cheap lunch tips
1. Decide how much you will spend and do not lose your nerve.
2. Never order a drink.
3. Avoid lunching with “friends” who will be embarrassed by your money-saving skills.
4. Seek out unlimited bread baskets.
5. Don’t be unnerved by withering looks from your waitress.
6. Don’t be intimidated by questions like: “And what would you like for your entree?” or “What will we be drinking today?”
7. Know which restaurants have no maximum age limit for money-saving children’s menu items.
8. Embrace the concept of soup as entree.
9. Don’t extend your thriftiness to the tip, especially if your server has not treated you like the cheapo you are.
10. Never let your veal chop-eating, martini-drinking dining companions convince you to split the tab evenly.
— Monica Eng
