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Hayat's Kitchen
Farley Eliott

10 San Fernando Valley Cheap Eats to Know About

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Hayat's Kitchen
| Farley Eliott

The San Fernando Valley is a treasure trove of inexpensive things to eat, thanks to its reduced rent prices and a more culturally diverse clientele. Deals can swing between cheap banh mi sandwiches and Thai specialties to soul food mainstays and low-cost burgers in just a matter of miles, though some of the most amazing affordable dining deals tend to be found on the fringes of the Valley.

Still, these are ten unstoppable options for dining on the cheap in the SFV, with bonus points for having only one restaurant actually on Ventura Boulevard, which is otherwise considered to be the one of the longest and most concentrated dining strips in all of Los Angeles. Time to explore!

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BatterFish

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Does Encino secretly house the city’s best fish and chips shop? So say many, who have become enamored with the high-quality product being put out for around $9.

Beeps 50's Diner

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Want to head straight back to the 1950’s, with prices that nearly match? Try Beeps in Van Nuys (which did open in 1956, in fact), where shakes and pancakes still make the menu, and a half-pound double cheeseburger hovers at $5. Don’t forget add on a corn dog for a couple of bucks more.[Photo:Facebook]

Bills Burgers

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There’s nothing better than when a legendary place follows through on price and quality. That’s what you’ll get at the longstanding Bill’s Hamburgers in Van Nuys, which still pushes cheap-as-hell burgers almost every day to scores of hungry diners willing to pull up a stool.

Bowl & Burger

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True to its name, Canoga Park’s Bowl & Burger is a great spot for simple rice bowls and classic cheeseburgers. The shop does a bit of everything, from serving up blistered jalapeños alongside fried fish to serving platters full of teriyaki chicken or grilled beef — always in massive portions, often for $10 or less.[Photo:Yelp]

Bun Me!

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You’d be hard-pressed to find a single item on the Bun Me! menu over $7.50. Mostly it’s quality banh mi sandwiches in the $4 range, and pho that hovers near $6.50, set in a Northridge strip mall with all-day hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.[Photo:Yelp]

Hayat's Kitchen

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With sandwiches that sit well below $10 and dinner plates that don’t crawl much over, Hayat’s is one of the most consistent deals in the San Fernando Valley. It helps, of course, that their food is absolutely first-rate.

Jabal Lebnan (Mediterranean Kitchen)

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At this Sun Valley spot, sandwiches stand tall at $5 or less, while a $9 whole roast chicken deal works for takeout only. Plus, free delivery for orders over $20![Photo:Yelp]

La Ramadita

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This cash only spot in North Hollywood does the classic soaked Mexican sandwich to perfection, offering huge portions on the cheap.

Les Sisters

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Les Sisters does Southern-style soul food with a New Orleans bent, rocking a sub-$10 lunch menu that lets people grab half a chicken or honey-glazed pork chop, plus a side and bread, and still get change back.[Photo:Facebook]

Lum-ka-naad

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Every single lunch special at this Northridge destination runs $8.45, and could include everything from chicken satay fried rice to a simple pad Thai. Not bad for one of the area’s best Thai food options, especially when the regularly-priced evening meals are also still a bargain.[Photo:Yelp]

BatterFish

Does Encino secretly house the city’s best fish and chips shop? So say many, who have become enamored with the high-quality product being put out for around $9.

Beeps 50's Diner

Want to head straight back to the 1950’s, with prices that nearly match? Try Beeps in Van Nuys (which did open in 1956, in fact), where shakes and pancakes still make the menu, and a half-pound double cheeseburger hovers at $5. Don’t forget add on a corn dog for a couple of bucks more.[Photo:Facebook]

Bills Burgers

There’s nothing better than when a legendary place follows through on price and quality. That’s what you’ll get at the longstanding Bill’s Hamburgers in Van Nuys, which still pushes cheap-as-hell burgers almost every day to scores of hungry diners willing to pull up a stool.

Bowl & Burger

True to its name, Canoga Park’s Bowl & Burger is a great spot for simple rice bowls and classic cheeseburgers. The shop does a bit of everything, from serving up blistered jalapeños alongside fried fish to serving platters full of teriyaki chicken or grilled beef — always in massive portions, often for $10 or less.[Photo:Yelp]

Bun Me!

You’d be hard-pressed to find a single item on the Bun Me! menu over $7.50. Mostly it’s quality banh mi sandwiches in the $4 range, and pho that hovers near $6.50, set in a Northridge strip mall with all-day hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.[Photo:Yelp]

Hayat's Kitchen

With sandwiches that sit well below $10 and dinner plates that don’t crawl much over, Hayat’s is one of the most consistent deals in the San Fernando Valley. It helps, of course, that their food is absolutely first-rate.

Jabal Lebnan (Mediterranean Kitchen)

At this Sun Valley spot, sandwiches stand tall at $5 or less, while a $9 whole roast chicken deal works for takeout only. Plus, free delivery for orders over $20![Photo:Yelp]

La Ramadita

This cash only spot in North Hollywood does the classic soaked Mexican sandwich to perfection, offering huge portions on the cheap.

Les Sisters

Les Sisters does Southern-style soul food with a New Orleans bent, rocking a sub-$10 lunch menu that lets people grab half a chicken or honey-glazed pork chop, plus a side and bread, and still get change back.[Photo:Facebook]

Lum-ka-naad

Every single lunch special at this Northridge destination runs $8.45, and could include everything from chicken satay fried rice to a simple pad Thai. Not bad for one of the area’s best Thai food options, especially when the regularly-priced evening meals are also still a bargain.[Photo:Yelp]

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