Cheap Good Eats in Bergen County etc.

[Nockerl]

Hi, I am looking for inexpensive, I guess you'd call them "under $25's", with interesting food in the Bergen County, Hudson County area. I was advised that e-gullet was the place to find it. I'd even venture out to queens or Brooklyn if it's worth it. I know of some places but I'm tired of the same old, same old.

Thanks

[jhlurie]

"under $25's"

It's a good question, but a bit vague. Bergen County has a lot of decent "under $25" food (I'm assuming that's per diner). I can think of about 40 good places right off the top of my head.

We need to know a bit more about your interests and/or standards. Do you like Spicy food? Take-out? Asian? BBQ? Are you looking for the whole sitdown experience, or is a bar and/or countertop business okay? Are Buffets okay? Are you talking about $25 per entree, per diner for apps AND entree, or per diner for the entire check?

[Nockerl]

Oy, so many questions. But i get your point. My inquiry was rather vague. I'm looking for the whole sit down experience. A bar is not necessary. I love ethnic, spicy, bbq (been to finks, ,,pearson's), down home. And by $25 I am talking entrees that top out at 12-14 and apps around 6-7.

Does that help? Funny thing is I eat out fairly often and either gravitate to the same old favorites or hit a place and wind up never heading back there.

[jhlurie]

A few to start while I think...

Thai - Wondees in Hackensack

Vietnamese - Saigon Republic in Englewood, providing you can get in with the recent VG New York Times review

Indian - Kinara in Edgewater

Chinese (Shanghainese) - China 46 in Ridgefield Park

Mexican & Spanish - La Posada in Teaneck

Sushi - East in Teaneck

Lebanese - Bennnie's in Englewood

Korean - Koreana in Fort Lee

most discussed elsewhere here on eGullet... so perhaps they aren't new to you if you've dug here already...

[Nockerl]

jhlurie, thanks for those suggestions.

Alas, I've dined at all except for the new Koreana. The old one on rte 4 was divine. The only one of these that I wasn't crazy about was Wondee's. I found the food overly oily and in some cases too sweet.

I am dying to go to Saigon Republic and only hope I can get in.

In Hoboken I've been to La Isla, Zafras, Tartuferia (though a bit more pricey, a cheap meal can be had). and a few others that escape me at the moment.

for Tapas I love Tapas de Espana in North Bergen.

[Rachel Perlow]

May I add:

Italian - Pasta Pot in Hackensack (your meal includes a salad)

Indian - Maharani in Fort Lee (recent dinner for 2, 1 app, 2 curries, $43 incl tax & tip)

Chinese - Taipai Noodle House in Teaneck (great noodle soups)

Mexican - Il Gran Mexicano, that luncheonette place in Bogota ($2 tacos, but you'll want 4 or 5 of them)

[Jason Perlow]

Finks Funky Chicken and Ribs in River Edge also falls under "Cheap" and has been often discussed of late.

[Nockerl]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. We wound up heading to RUtt's (not bergen county) and having some great dogs. Love the creamator. Then on the way back we couldn't resist and ran into white manna for a couple of cheeseburgers, heaven.

[phaelon56]

A few more possibilities...

Il Cafone on Ridge Road (Rte 17 South) in Lyndhurst just a few doors down from the intersection of Rte 3 on the right side heading south). Nice Italian menu in your price range. I had excellent Veal Saltimbocca there at $12 or $13 with a tasty side of al dente pasta and marinara sauce. Apps are $5-9.

Teros Snack Bar - also on Ridge Road a bit further south. It's on the left across from the cemetery that starts at the corner or New York Ave (there's a Force gas station on that corner - easiest way to spot it). Look carefully - it's just a storefront of a two story building wiht brick on the front and a small sign. Lyndurst zoning/parking legal requirements dictated that they call it a "snack bar" but it is a restaurant with Portuguese food as good as any I've had in Newark's Ironbound. Small place and try to sit back from the bar if you're a non-smoker as it's just one big room. A few of the waitresses speak very little English but there will always be someone at the bar who can help you be understood if you're trying to clarify an order. Huge portions - be prepared to take home some left-overs.

[Nockerl]

Thanks phaelon56. I'll try to get to Teros Snack Bar in the next few weeks and report back on it.