Cheap eats
If you thought eating out in Sydney is expensive, this list is here to prove you wrong! There are some ridiculously cheap food specials that will make you want to eat out without having to feel the pinch on your wallet. So the next you’re your friends ask whether you want to go out and eat, don’t give the excuse of saying “I’m broke”. Just find some loose change in your pocket and you’re good to go!
– Monday –
1. $3 Sliders @ Contrabando
Mondays are always a struggle when you’ve had a nice and relaxing weekend. At Contrabando, they help you slide into your Monday with $3 sliders!
Contrabando is a classy joint that offers delicious Latin food that is bound to satisfy your tastebuds! The atmosphere is always buzzing, no matter what time of the day. These sliders include mini burgers and rolls in a variety of flavours including the open fire rotisserie pork, cucumber, coriander, lime & red onion salsa and smoked chilli wagyu beef cheek, yoghurt, lettuce & tomato.
On top of these sliders, you can add some sweet potato fries drizzled with chipotle mayo or a plate of matchstick fries with coriander salt for only $5! And for those looking for some drinks to wash all that food down, you can add a beer to your meal for $5 as well. At Contrabando’s, you know you can feast like a king all for a reasonable price!
Address: 21 Bent Street, Sydney NSW 2000 (basement)
Website: http://www.contrabando.com.au/
Deal Hours: 12 to 3pm
2. $5 Steak @ The Forresters
The Forresters is an ongoing Surry Hills favourite and has been around for many years. They’ve got great daily specials everyday that would suit everybody’s taste buds, enticing customers to come back for more each day.
Having a steak priced at $5 is probably the cheapest price you can get for a bar/pub standard. I’m not talking backyard barbeque on a nice Sunday afternoon. The steak is cooked by the chefs in the pub kitchen and also comes with your choice of side like fries, mash potatoes, or mac n cheese with the gravy of your choice.
However, there’s a catch. In order to score yourself the $5 steak, you will need to order any drink from the menu. Here’s a tip: order a can of soft drink for $2.50 (it’s the cheapest drink on the menu), and then you may proceed to enjoy your steak. This will bring your meal up to $7.50 which is still an awesome deal.
Address: 336 Riley Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Website: http://www.forresters.com.au/
Deal Hours: All day
– Tuesday –
3. $1 Dogs @ The Soda Factory
The Soda Factory has got the best deals from Monday to Friday to keep their customers flocking back everyday. It is a cosy yet buzzing environment where you and your friends can lay back on the couches, have a one on one date, or stand by the tall counters whilst sipping on some beers.
$1 hot dogs are not just a plain, soggy looking sausage on a stale bun. The Soda Factory has smothered them with toppings and 2 of these dogs are more than enough to fill your tummy especially if you’re a small eater.
The dogs also come in creative flavours like The Al Capone – Italian sausage topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella, olives, & fresh basil, and The Elvis Presley, a dessert dog with deep fried banana topped with peanut butter & strawberry jam.
Customers used to be able to order these hot dogs just by themselves, but the Soda Factory has now implemented a rule where you have to buy something else on top of your hot dog order. So grab a drink or some fries to share with your friends. No matter what you order, the dollar dog deal is still a deal that you will always come back for.
Address: 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Website: http://www.sodafactory.com.au/
Address: 5pm till late
4. $3 Gourmet Tacos @ Contrabando
Everybody loves a good taco, especially when it is topped with a generous amount of ingredients and is bound to fill your tummies. Contrabando offers a wide selection of tacos that you can enjoy ALL DAY. These tacos always have a reasonable serving of sauce so that your taco is not dry, and adds a great deal of flavour! Popular flavors include Smoked chilli wagyu beef cheeks and Al pastor – open fire rotisserie pork with chipotle vinaigrette & petty cash salsa.
For those who simply can’t get enough of Contrabando’s tacos, ask in store to see when they are offering their all you can eat taco special. This is something you definitely need to try once in your life and I’m sure there will be no regrets!
Address: 21 Bent Street (Basement), Sydney NSW 2000
Website: http://www.contrabando.com.au/
Deal Hours: 12 to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm
5. 2 for 1 Steak @ Doncaster Hotel
At the Doncaster Hotel, you can score yourself 2x300g steaks for just $19 in total on Tuesdays. So if you’re sharing with a friend, it will only cost you $9.50! If you think this is as good as the deal will get, you’re wrong. On top of your steak, you get a free flow of sides that range from salads to pastas.
If you thought your steak would be served to you like any other restaurant, you thought wrong. On Tuesday nights, you get to cook your own steak. There is an open grill next to the salad bar, and is accompanied with a variety of sauces, seasoning and appropriate utensils that you would need to cook your steak. The experience of cooking your own steak at a pub is definitely something that is fun and somewhat exciting. Make sure to cut your steak open before you take it off the grill to check if it’s cooked!
Address: 286 Anzac Parade, Kensington NSW 2033
Website: http://www.contrabando.com.au/
Deal Hours: 5:30 to 9:30pm
– Wednesday –
6. $1 Tacos @ The Cuban Place
$1 tacos. No surprises. No catches. You don’t need to buy anything off the menu or buy any drinks to claim this deal. Just simply go to the counter and ask for however many tacos you want. But bear in mind, you are only allowed to order 3 tacos at a time so take it easy on your order! These tacos come in only one flavour, but it is something you can’t get sick of. The taco consists of succulent pieces of marinated chicken garnished with salad leaves, finely chopped tomatoes, and topped with sour cream and sliced chilli, all on a warm mini tortilla.
6 tacos are more than enough to fill your stomach, and it is considered a relatively healthy meal, as there is hardly any oil in the fresh ingredients used. Accompany your tacos with a mojito and relax and enjoy the buzzing atmosphere of the Cuban Place.
Address: 125 York St, Sydney NSW 2000
Website: http://www.thecubanplace.com.au/
Opening Hours: 5pm till late
7. $10 Fried Chicken Bucket @ The Soda Factory
Enjoy a casual night out to The Soda Factory, where the deals and specials never seem to end. Wednesdays at the Soda Factory consists of an oily, crispy, tasty and simply irresistible deal.
For just $10, you can get a bucket consisting of 8 big pieces of fried chicken – this is great to share between 2 people. If you’re not a big fan of fried foods, but still love chicken, check out the next post!
Address: 16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Website: http://www.sodafactory.com.au/
Deal Hours: 5pm till late
– Thursday –
8. FREE Pizza @ The Angry Pirate
Yes you read it right. FREE pizza! But there obviously is a catch. You need to purchase either a beer, wine, or cocktail from the bar in order to unlock the pizza prize. Situated right opposite Redfern station, the Angry Pirate is just screaming for you to drop by and have a few drinks and reward yourself with some pizza.
Pizzas come out in twos throughout the night, so don’t expect to receive the same number of pizzas as drinks that you may have ordered! And also, don’t expect a gourmet pizza with lots of toppings or ingredients. The pizzas are plain and simple, consisting of no more than four ingredients on each pizza. But really, free slices of pizza… What more could you ask for?
Address: 125 Redfern Street, NSW 2016
Website: http://www.theangrypirate.com.au/
Deal Hours: 5 to 8pm
– Friday –
9. $0.50 Chicken Wings @ The Toxteth Hotel
10 pieces of chicken wings for $5? Yes please! The deals just keep getting better, and at Toxeth Hotel, you can score a piece of chicken wing for just 50c. The deal runs throughout the day, where kitchen hours are between midday till 10pm. This gives everyone the excuse to devour a whole bowl of chicken wings, and only pay a small amount for it!
Check out their menu or website for other daily specials that you can score! Why not accompany these little pieces of chicken delicacies with some sliders? They come in a selection of chicken ,fish, beef, zucchini fritter, and duck. The food at Toxteth Hotel is the right place to visit to let your tastebuds run wild.
Address: 345 Glebe Point Road, Glebe NSW 2037
Website: http://www.toxtethhotel.com.au/
Deal Hours: 12pm to 10pm
– Saturday –
10. $6 Gourmet Tacos @ El Loco in Slip Inn
El Loco at Slip Inn has a quaint and charming ambience that will make your Saturday night experience that much more memorable. Decorated with fairy lights and colourful tables and chairs, El Loco gives off a fun and friendly vibe that is a suitable venue for all ages. Mexican food is definitely a favourite in Sydney, and tacos are such simple yet heavenly creations that is the most popular dish ordered at El Loco.
For just $6 each, you are expected to receive a wonderful treat that includes cabbage, coriander, and spring onions in every taco. Hot favorites include Al Pastor (pork) with pineapple salsa, Pollo (chicken) with sweet corn salsa, and Camaron (prawn) with pico de gallo and salsa verde. For a refreshing change, go for Tofu with pico de gallo, mayo. Feeling adventurous? The ‘Secret Taco’ will surprise you for sure.
Tip: For those who are watching their calories and want to cut down on the carbs, you can substitute the tortilla for a lettuce leaf instead!
Address: 11 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Website: http://merivale.com.au/el-loco-at-slip-inn
Deal Hours: 4pm till late
– Sunday –
11. $4 Sliders & Ciders @ The Workers
Sliders and ciders for just $4 each, now that is a deal (or rhyme) that you wouldn’t be able to forget! For those who are upset that the weekend is over and are dreading the start of a new week, don’t worry, these sliders and ciders will be sure to cheer you up.
Check out the other food options on the menu, the food at The Workers are always up to standards, especially the Workers burger!
Address: Level 1, 292 Darling Street, Balmain NSW 2041 “
Website: http://www.theworkersbalmain.com.au/
Deal Hours: 2pm to late
Best deals in town!
Some of these deals are genuinely too good to be true. So grab some of your friends and try out some of these food places on this list! If we’ve missed out on any of your favourite deals, do let us know in the comments box below!