EVER WANTED TO TREAT YOURSELF, BUT YOUR SAVING ACCOUNT SAYS OTHERWISE? FROM TACOS TO NOODLES, THIS LIST OF QUALITY CHEAP DINNER DEALS IS FOR YOU!
Going out for dinner can honestly be such a sad time for your wallet. Unlike breakfast and lunch where the meals are moderately priced, maxing out at 20ish dollars, restaurants are out for your ENTIRE Kiwisaver when it comes to dinner time. Luckily there are still some real ones out there who offer a delicious dinner at an even tastier price.
So, to help you guys make better life choices I’ve compiled a list of my absolute favourites so you can ball out on a budget.
1. The Mexican Cafe – Happy Hour
If you haven’t been to The Mexican Cafe are you even an Aucklander? Situated up some stairs on Vic St West you’ll find a lovely little, well, Mexican cafe, with prices to match. Making it possibly the best ‘happy hour’ in Auckland.
Deal: Pop in between the hours of 5-7pm literally ANY day of the week and you have stumbled upon Mexican food heaven. I’m gonna have to lay this out in a list so you can feast your eyes on just some of the many deals they have.
- $8.50 for classic nachos.
- $4 for nachos sonora, which is essentially the tortilla version of nachos.
- $5 for cheesy goodness, AKA quesadillas.
- $5 chicken, beef, or vegetarian tacos.
- $5 house wines.
- $5 beers.
- $5 shots of tequila (I mean I’m down?)
- And $9 margaritas if you’re feeling fancy.
I know, amazing right?
Where: 67 Victoria St W, Auckland, 1010.
When: 5-7pm, Everyday.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
2. Midnight Express – Dinner Specials
One minute away from Mexican Cafe, you’ll find one of the best Mediterranean places in Auckland. Don’t worry, the deals are as good as ever, perhaps a Tinder second date spot?
Deal: Pop in during dinner time Tue-Sun and you’ll be treated to Midnight Express’s dinner specials. There are three options to choose from.
- $25 dollar 2 course meal (main and either entree or dessert) where you choose your meals from a set menu.
- $30 2 course meal where you can pick anything from the main menu.
- $35 3 course meal (entree, main, and dessert) where you pick anything from the main menu! With options such as a mini mezze platter for an entree, vegetarian moussaka for a main, and baklava for dessert, you’re in for a delicious Mediterranean meal in the heart of the CBD.
Where: 59 Victoria St W, Auckland, Auckland Central 1010.
When: 5pm-10pm, Tuesday-Sunday.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
3. Hello Restaurant – $19.99 Mains
Located in Snickle Lane you may easily miss this place on the commute up to uni, but boy is it worth the stop. If you’re wanting a straight well priced main meal and nothing else, Hello Restaurant has you covered.
Deal: Stop by literally any day of the week for dinner and you’ll be amazed to find that this humble restaurant has all of their mains priced at just $19.99. There’s no catch, it’s not a promo, just well priced goodness. There’s so many options to choose from, with options such as four cheeses pizza (yes please), zucchini ravioli, gnocchi, lamb shanks, all the way to fish and chips. Hello Restaurant has something to please everyone, at a quality price.
Where: Shop 7, Snickel Lane, 23 Customs Street West,, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010.
When: Everyday.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
4. Bolliwood Ponsonby – $13 Mains
Yes I know, plenty of Indian restaurants have cheap mains, but you’re missing the point. This post is about cheap dinners that’ll make you feel baller, and Bolliwood in Ponsonby has a nice atmosphere that’ll make you feel like you’re spending $30 on a main at Cassia.
Deal: Head into the Ponsonby Bolliwood for dinner on Monday/Tuesday/ Wednesday and you’ll be pleased to find that all of their mains have been reduced to just $13 (normally costs up to $21)! This includes both dine-in, and takeaway. Oh, and yes they do make butter chicken in case you were wondering.
Where: 110 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011.
When: Monday-Wednesday.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
5. Orleans – Waffle Wednesday
Ever wanted to be happy? Well, ‘Chicken Waffles and Shake Wednesdays’ at Orleans is pretty close to the real deal.
Deal: This is possibly the best monthly tradition you could ever have. On the final Wednesday of every month between 5-7pm, Orleans offers HALF PRICED chicken waffles AND milkshakes, saving you $14. Better yet, the milkshake is a special limited edition flavour made specifically for the monthly event! There’s no bookings too, so you’ve got to be quick.
Where: 48 Customs St E, Britomart, Auckland 1010.
When: The final Wednesday of every month between 5-7pm.
Vegetarian Friendly: No.
6. Mexico – Taco Tuesday
Tacos and margaritas, name a better duo, I’ll wait.
Deal: Simply pop down to Mexico (the restaurant) on a Tuesday and you’ll be treated to their amazing ‘Taco Tuesday’. For just $14 you choose between a fried chicken taco or a fried cauliflower taco (for my vegetarians out there), as well as one of Mexico’s ten delicious margaritas, such as ‘raspberry and yuzu’. Don’t worry if you’re not in a drinking mood, Mexico has you covered. For just $12 you can nab one of the two tacos, as well as a soda!
Where: Various.
When: Tuesdays.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
7. Goode Brothers – $14.50 Pizza and Pasta Special
Why go to Italy when you can go to Goode Brothers and nab a pizza or pasta at a fraction of the price?
Deal: Drop into one of the Goode Brother restaurants on a Monday/Tuesdayand let out a sigh of relief, because your wallet is living its best life. For just $14.50 you can score a fresh pasta or pizza of your choice! Easy as that.
Where: Botany, New Lynn, and Massey.
When: Mondays and Tuesdays.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
8. The Bluestone Room – $10.95 Steak Deal
Trust me, I went through many different steak deals located all around Auckland, and The Bluestone Room has the best one out.
Deal: For just $10.95 you can nab a steak with mushroom sauce, fries, and some slaw, how good? The only catch with this is that you must purchase a drink to get the deal, but with beers as cheap as $6.50, totalling about $17.45 for a complete meal, I’m definitely not complaining.
Where: 9-11 Durham Ln, Auckland, 1010.
When: Everyday.
Vegetarian Friendly: No.
9. Lao Sze Chuan – $10 Menu
This place is honestly just a personal favourite of mine. Located among the million other restaurants on Dominion Road, for just $10 you’ll get an amazing meal.
Deal: Pop in any day of the week and when handed the menus, ensure you ask for the $10 menu like the coupon connoisseur you are. Here you’ll find many different rice, noodle, and fried rice dishes at just $10 a pop. There’s plenty of different meat options to choose from, as well as plenty of vegetarian options too!
Where: 555 Dominion Rd, Mount Eden, Auckland 1041.
When: Everyday.
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes.
10. Al’s Deli – Daily Specials
Ah, Al’s Deli, the home of poutine in Auckland, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Luckily they have a banging deal for almost everyday of the week to keep me coming back.
Deal: Get ready for ultimate comfort food, and as the title suggests, there’s a few deals running in this entry. So many that I’ll have to create another list.
- Mondays you can nab a hefty beef burger with fries for just $12.
- Tuesdays offer the Al’s Deli version of the double down alongside some fries for just $15.
- Wednesdays are mixing it up with buffalo wings and your choice of flavour, (BBQ, sweet and sour, hot sauce, or bloody mary) for just $12.
- Thursdays offer half a rack of hickory smoked ribs with fries and a beer, wine, or soda for just $20.
- In case you were wondering, “what about a drink to go down with the delicious food?”, well they have that covered too. Pop in between 3-6pm Monday-Friday, and you can also nab $5 tap beers and $6 wines!
Where: 1/492 Queen St, Auckland, 1010
When: Monday-Friday.
Vegetarian Friendly: No.