The Cheap Eats in Scottsdale were definitely a surprise. From a sugar bomb of a ice cream sandwich, to pulled pork for breakfast, the affluent extension of Phoenix likes to have some cheap eats options for the Snowbird set it seems. How far did my $35 stretch in the Spa capital of US? Let's take big second bite and find out! (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Bird Bird Biscuit 2701 Manor road Austin TX 78702 the eats: Bird Bird Bacon the bucks: $7 the full nelson: a full on portable breakfast meal that is not on a tortilla

To the tourist and the local, breakfast in Austin means breakfast tacos. While popular throughout the state, Austin seems to have made breakfast tacos part of the city's brand, dare I say part of the city's soul. But there is more to AM carbs than just corn or wheat tortillas, like biscuits, which are kind of a thing in the South. Part of the excitement for me when I moved to Austin was the idea that I would be getting loads of great Southern eats in the ATX. After all moving from Southern California to Texas is dramatically closer to the land of whistling dixie. But the South, Austin is not. Up until recently I haven't found fried chicken worth blogging about(coming soon). And as far as biscuits go, I'd just as soon hop on a plane to the deep South, which I have been doing a lot lately if you have been catching up on your Cheap Eats. Still, it doesn't mean it is impossible to make a good biscuit in the 512 and I think that just may have been the motivation for Thunderbird founders Brian Batch and Ryan McElroy to bring their biscuit dream out of the oven and into the mouths of hungry Austinites looking for a quick breakfast fix with the brand new Bird Bird Biscuit. (more…)

Home to the most OG burger spot in the world and sporting a pizza style that makes New Yorkers swoon, I would move to New Haven out of foodie principles if I could handle the cold and had the GPA to live that close to Yale University. But since it makes for a the perfect pit stop in between NYC and Boston, I know I will be back. And pizza is just the tip of the Cheap Eats iceberg. So with that let's take a big second bite of Cheap Eats New Haven! (more…)

Ahh, San Diego. German for a . . . well, we all know how that line from Anchorman goes, so no need to rehash it on the interwebs for the millionth time. Instead I'll just jump into the Cheap Eats scene in San Diego while fondly looking back at one of the most fun episodes of Cheap Eats we have ever done. Yes there were Ferrari rides that included doing donuts with a donut making guru. Oh and this was the episode where I found my all time favorite burrito that came with a serious helping of steak, shrimp, french fries and Mexican wrestlers. And that is just the half of it . . . so join me for a second serving of Cheap Eats San Diego! (more…)

Home to the summer residences of Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, and Julia-Louis Dreyfus(just to name a few), and boasting an average home price around $1.3  million, you probably wouldn't expect the word "cheap" to be thrown around too often in Santa Barbara. One could even say Santa Barbara is Hollywood's Shangri-La. But can this gorgeous beach town also double as an oasis of Cheap Eats?  Well, you just might be surprised at the deals to be had. I may not have rubbed elbows with Oprah or Tom Cruise but I did get myself four square meals and almost made my budget. How close did I come to making it under $35? Well, I'm glad you asked . . . (more…)

When one thinks of the South, Soul food, Barbecue, the struggle for Civil Rights and music, specifically the Blues, immediately come to mind. I cannot think of the South without thinking about the African American experience, I believe that the two are intertwined forever. In short, with so much history and infamy, it is hard to imagine a Birmingham that can described as "hip" or "trending"; but don't let the past cast a permanent shadow over the present: Birmingham is changing. Food and Wine Magazine moved here from New York City, joining the rest of Time Inc's slate of publications from Essence to Cooking Light. Birmingham's hip and new Pizitz food hall is home to Ethiopian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, Middle Eastern food stalls. And as of this month, Highlands Bar and Grill was named the most Outstanding Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation. Now that sounds like a city worth making a foodcation for. And as far as the Cheap Eats? Well, I'm glad you asked . . . (more…)

I may not be Childish Gambino but I am childish, and like Donald Glover . . . I am sooo down for the ATL!! Sprawling with a diverse community and great restaurants at every turn, Atlanta reminded me lot of Los Angeles, my old stomping grounds. And an added bonus: I have yet to visit a city in American where I saw such a diverse set of African Americans on a socio-economic scale. To put it bluntly, as my African American über driver did: Atlanta is a place where black people are doing well. They say Washington DC is Chocolate City? I say it's Atlanta, and it is not just a city, but a thriving metropolis. But before I get too PBS on you . . . let's get into to the Cheap Eats of the ATL! (more…)

Vegas baby! Vegas!! There are a handful of cities whose bright flickering lights excites and entices the out of towner to do just about anything. Sure, you could throw New York in there and Los Angeles is a town built on dreams and dreamers. But Vegas, well that is a town that can chew you up and spit you out in a single weekend and still make you wanna come back. There are many stories of this of course, from the old days when the Mob ran Vegas to the latest installment of the Hangover series. But your boy came here on a budget and this time, I came to Vegas to win! You could dine big time in Vegas for sure but did you know how big time you can dine on dimes? Well, contrary to the old adage: what happened on Cheap Eats Las Vegas aint gonna stay in Vegas!! So let's take a look back to the Cheap Eats in Sin City!! (more…)

Even though my allegiance to college football is out west with my alma mater, The University of Southern California, I caught a little of the "Go Dawgs spirit" when Cheap Eats went to Athens Georgia last December. And though they may have come up short in a double OT game against the Alabama Crimson Tide, they did not come up short on Cheap Eats. And I ain't talking just budget either . . . because if there is ONE THING I look for when I'm down south, is a go to soul food joint and let's just say I got that playing on "Automatic". And as far as the rest of my Cheap Eats went down in Athens? Well let's just take a big bite back in time shall we? (more…)

Greenville SC may not be on your foodie radar YET but trust me, if you spend time in Asheville or Atlanta, you will no doubt hear about this South Eastern up and comer. If the cranes and bulldozers don't clue you in, I will flat out say it: construction means progress. I can't say what Greenville was like before I got there because it was my first time here when we shot Cheap Eats but I do know that folks are excited about restaurants opening up and bringing in new peeps. But you aren't here for a real estate report - you want them Cheap Eats! Well it is my solemn duty to share these eats. And share I shall. (more…)