Living in the city has gotten exponentially more expensive in recent years, but everyone needs to eat (and maybe even go on a dinner date once in a while). But even if "Hamilton" describes both the contents of your music library and your wallet, you can still eat a full meal on the cheap. Here are five spots where even the young and hungry can dine like kings.
Ramen Tatsu-Ya
Bouldin Creek/North Austin
It turns out some of the buzziest bowls of ramen in Texas (in addition to two Austin locations, it's now in Houston as well), but Tatsu-Ya still provides a hefty meal under the $10 mark. The famed tonkotsu and chicken sho-yu ramens both clock in at $9.50; if you can spare a few extra bucks, trick them out with a couple of toppings, like a spice bomb or a soft-boiled egg. Or split the bowl, drop $4 each for some gyoza and sweet-and-sour brussels sprouts, and you've got a solid under-$20 date night.
FoodHeads
Heritage
This laid-back cafe in a restored Craftsman home is known for its excellent sandwiches under $10, like the squash and fresh mozzarella panini or the pork tenderloin sandwich with apple salsa and Gouda. You can also build your own deli sandwich for $7, with enough left over for one of the signature flavored iced teas. And the outdoor garden patio is a great place to enjoy your meal on a sunny day.
Dart Bowl
Brentwood
Dinner and bowling for under $10? It can be done on Sunday nights at Dart Bowl, where games and shoe rentals run $2 each from 9pm-midnight, leaving enough room in the budget for the famous $6 enchiladas. Smothered in chili con carne and topped with chopped onions and jalapeños, they're known as some of the best in town (especially after a couple of strikes and a couple of cheap brews).
Quality Seafood Market
North Loop
Want to sample some awesome seafood for under $10? Look no further than Quality Seafood, which offers, well, quality seafood for a song during its various happy hours. On weekdays from 4-6pm, you can score Gulf oysters for $1 each or a fried shrimp and calamari basket with hushpuppies for $8. And Tuesday is taco night, where $10 can buy three fish or shrimp tacos (grilled, blackened or fried), with enough change for the $1 Lone Star special.
East Side King
East Austin/South Lamar District
Until you can score that reservation at Qui, the next best thing is its chef's duo of Japanese street-food spots, where everything on the menu is $10 or less. (One is actually a food cart in the back yard of the Liberty Bar; the other, on South Lamar, is a slightly pricier brick-and-mortar.) Regulars swear by the Thai chicken karaage, the pork belly buns, and the roasted beet home fries.
