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10 Seattle Chefs Pick Their Go-To Cheap Meals

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Some people imagine that chefs get done cooking up gorgeous food for their patrons and then immediately head back to the kitchen to make themselves a five course self-selected omakase meal. Not so, for the most part, since chefs are just like us!

For Eater Cheap Eats Week, we quizzed the local talent on their favorite spots to grab an inexpensive bite to eat. Some of our favorite places popped up, and some ended up on our own "to eat" list. Check em out and then hit the comments to weigh in on your favorite cheap spots for solid food.

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Aaron Willis, Delicatus

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Since the Little Uncle crew left me with a broken heart, it's been hard to find a go-to replacement in my hood. JP and the boys always have something good at Il Corvo, but I can never decide on one pasta, so my cheap eats becomes a $20 adventure real quick! Though I do leave fat, full, and happy. I've been known to hit up Grand Central Bakery for some soup and an afternoon sweet, too ($7). My craving for sweets never goes away...

Lastly, being a Tacoma guy, by the time I get home at night, fast food is generally my only option. Luckily, my neighborhood in Tacoma has the best slow, fast food there is: Frisko Freeze drive-in. I'll call my order in as I walk off the bus and by the time I get there, my bacon burger, large fries, and chocolate peanut butter shake are ready. Heaven for 10 bucks. [Photo Credit]

Brian Clevenger, Vendemmia

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Taqueria La Estacion in Burien is awesome and super cheap. It’s a pretty far commute to Burien, but well worth it. I would recommend getting a couple different tacos and tamales and the beer is also cheap. Grab your tacos and sit on the patio!Tsukushinbo in the ID is great. I know many people are going to look at this and say “that place isn’t cheap!’ Well, actually it is. The rolls start at $6 and go to $12! Those are happy hour prices. It is fairly difficult to get into, but totally worth the wait. The seafood here is really good and extremely approachable in price. I go mainly for the sushi rolls and for the specials. On Fridays they have old school Tokyo ramen with sliced pork, vegetables, rice, and 3 dumplings for $8.95!

Lastly, everyone knows you should go to the truck in Ballard: El Camion. Get the burrito with any meat and you will be full for a week! [Photo Credit: Lou Daprille]

Brian O'Connor, Roux

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I like Tung Kee Mi Gia in Burien. It’s a photo on the wall of the food kinda place, but they have great pho and noodle dishes, sports on TV all the time, and it’s super affordable. [Photo Credit: Courtesy of Brian O'Connor]

Derek May, Percy’s & Co

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Edouardo Jordan, Salare

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For a late night snack after work, you can’t beat Kedai Makan. I always get the Ramly burger (duh) or the Nasi Goreng (Malaysian fried rice with a runny egg). I definitely hit up Jade Garden, usually with a bunch of people late at night, so it's typically a free-for-all for ordering. We get the walnut shrimp, beef and broccoli, fried rice, pork dumplings, shrimp dumplings....

I love grabbing a burger from Red Mill, and Il Corvo is solid: Not really cheap-cheap, but not very expensive. Any pasta hits the spot. [Photo Credit: Kyle Johnson]

Ethan Stowell, ESR

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For myself for lunch during the week, I go to Pho Cyclo and order a small #15 (Pho with the works: rare steak, flank, fatty flank, tendon, tripe, and meatball). It's super quick, healthy, and not totally fast food; a great way for me to have a quick good meal when I'm busy at work. I probably go once or twice a week.On Saturday mornings, my Dads Group (quick shout out to Vince, John, Ariel, Dan, and Burton) often goes to the zoo with our 2-3 year old sons and dim sum at Bamboo Village always follows. Dim sum is an awesome thing to do with kids because it's interactive, good, and super fast. And the kids love it! At around $15, it’s totally affordable for the amount of food and fun you get. [Photo Credit: Geoffrey Smith]

Lisa Nakamura, Gnocchi Bar

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The curry beef humbow from Mee Sum Pastry at the [Pike Place] Market. It has just the right amount of spice, is super yummy, and fills the hole in my stomach.Also Osaka Teriyaki on the corner of 2nd Ave and Pike. Don't let appearances fool you. It’s the best $7 teriyaki lunch and the sauce isn't too sweet. [Photo Credit: Denise Sakaki]

Maria Hines, Tilth, Agrodolce, Golden Beetle

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Rajah Gargour, Cafe Munir

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Shane Robinson, Kraken Congee

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[Photo Credit]

Aaron Willis, Delicatus

Since the Little Uncle crew left me with a broken heart, it's been hard to find a go-to replacement in my hood. JP and the boys always have something good at Il Corvo, but I can never decide on one pasta, so my cheap eats becomes a $20 adventure real quick! Though I do leave fat, full, and happy. I've been known to hit up Grand Central Bakery for some soup and an afternoon sweet, too ($7). My craving for sweets never goes away...

Lastly, being a Tacoma guy, by the time I get home at night, fast food is generally my only option. Luckily, my neighborhood in Tacoma has the best slow, fast food there is: Frisko Freeze drive-in. I'll call my order in as I walk off the bus and by the time I get there, my bacon burger, large fries, and chocolate peanut butter shake are ready. Heaven for 10 bucks. [Photo Credit]

Brian Clevenger, Vendemmia

Taqueria La Estacion in Burien is awesome and super cheap. It’s a pretty far commute to Burien, but well worth it. I would recommend getting a couple different tacos and tamales and the beer is also cheap. Grab your tacos and sit on the patio!Tsukushinbo in the ID is great. I know many people are going to look at this and say “that place isn’t cheap!’ Well, actually it is. The rolls start at $6 and go to $12! Those are happy hour prices. It is fairly difficult to get into, but totally worth the wait. The seafood here is really good and extremely approachable in price. I go mainly for the sushi rolls and for the specials. On Fridays they have old school Tokyo ramen with sliced pork, vegetables, rice, and 3 dumplings for $8.95!

Lastly, everyone knows you should go to the truck in Ballard: El Camion. Get the burrito with any meat and you will be full for a week! [Photo Credit: Lou Daprille]

Brian O'Connor, Roux

I like Tung Kee Mi Gia in Burien. It’s a photo on the wall of the food kinda place, but they have great pho and noodle dishes, sports on TV all the time, and it’s super affordable. [Photo Credit: Courtesy of Brian O'Connor]

Derek May, Percy’s & Co

[Photo Credit]

Edouardo Jordan, Salare

For a late night snack after work, you can’t beat Kedai Makan. I always get the Ramly burger (duh) or the Nasi Goreng (Malaysian fried rice with a runny egg). I definitely hit up Jade Garden, usually with a bunch of people late at night, so it's typically a free-for-all for ordering. We get the walnut shrimp, beef and broccoli, fried rice, pork dumplings, shrimp dumplings....

I love grabbing a burger from Red Mill, and Il Corvo is solid: Not really cheap-cheap, but not very expensive. Any pasta hits the spot. [Photo Credit: Kyle Johnson]

Ethan Stowell, ESR

For myself for lunch during the week, I go to Pho Cyclo and order a small #15 (Pho with the works: rare steak, flank, fatty flank, tendon, tripe, and meatball). It's super quick, healthy, and not totally fast food; a great way for me to have a quick good meal when I'm busy at work. I probably go once or twice a week.On Saturday mornings, my Dads Group (quick shout out to Vince, John, Ariel, Dan, and Burton) often goes to the zoo with our 2-3 year old sons and dim sum at Bamboo Village always follows. Dim sum is an awesome thing to do with kids because it's interactive, good, and super fast. And the kids love it! At around $15, it’s totally affordable for the amount of food and fun you get. [Photo Credit: Geoffrey Smith]

Lisa Nakamura, Gnocchi Bar

The curry beef humbow from Mee Sum Pastry at the [Pike Place] Market. It has just the right amount of spice, is super yummy, and fills the hole in my stomach.Also Osaka Teriyaki on the corner of 2nd Ave and Pike. Don't let appearances fool you. It’s the best $7 teriyaki lunch and the sauce isn't too sweet. [Photo Credit: Denise Sakaki]

Maria Hines, Tilth, Agrodolce, Golden Beetle

[Photo Credit]

Rajah Gargour, Cafe Munir

[Photo Credit]

Shane Robinson, Kraken Congee

[Photo Credit]

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