Cheap but GOOD eats in Boca Raton for February??
 

HI all- We will be down in Boca ( 3 women) , all on a budget for the amount of time we will be in town...and we are looking for some good but inexpensive restaurants in BOCA,DELRAY,Palm Beach,Deerfield areas....

We are trying to stay around $15 pp for dinner nightly....and IF we have to do Early Bird, we will...but we all prefer to dine a little later -like 7 pm, so we can get a full day of sun and fun in....

ALL help will be greatly appreciated!!

Andy

ttt--still need some suggestions

Close to Town Center Mall (which I'm sure you'll be visiting) is a very large Brew Pub called BREWZ. It's quite good and an amazing bargain. Be prepared though to get more food than you could possibly want. The portions tend to be enormous. And it's certainly possible for the three of you to split one dessert.

Don't know what you consider good, and I normally don't recommend chain restaurants, but I do know that there's a Cheesecake Factory in Boca, which does have good selection and pretty good prices, so may be good for a more casual, inexpensive dinner. And, as far as chains go, the food is actually pretty good.

Keep em coming guys-
Brezzi and Cheescake Factory are my main stays down there-

was looking for other smaller places with good reasonably priced food..in the same price range as Brezzi and Cheescake Factory...

Hi Andy!
I live in Boca and if you tell me where in Boca you are staying and what types of food you like, I can give you a list of places in that area. There are many places you can get a really good meal at a reasonable price, and it does NOT have to be "early bird". I would be happy to help you and your friends find some good food.

In Boca I second Brewzzi's on Glades Road. Also in Regency Court (a shopping center including Publix, etc.) there's a great deli called TooJays...It's on Yamato Road...excellent food & huge portions. If you like ribs, Flanigan's on Federal Highway in Boca is very good & reasonable. In Deerfield Beach there's a nice, but reasonable restaurant on the water called Cove Restaurant on SE 3rd Court...very nice ambiance. For a very inexpensive restaurant there is Boston Market (3 locations in Boca & 1 in Deerfield.

MarciaK- we are staying on the Beach between Palmetto Park and Spanish River..but we will have a car and can drive as far north as Lake Worth and as far South as Ft Lauderdale....

I would LOVE some of the smaller nice restaurants where we could eat for $15 pp and under...I already had been to Brezzi and to Cheesecake Factory ( they are my staple kitchen away from home), but I would love to try something like a nice Mom and Pop that has good food...

Not into Boston Markets , as they seem more like fast food.. was interested in a quiet dining experience where a bunch of ladies could sit and talk over dinner...but not break the bank ( as one is retired and on budget)...

Thanks and keep those restaurants coming!!

Andy

All of the foregoing suggestionsa re fine. Based upon your location also consider: Grinders (Glades and Dixie HWY) which has huge portions and is moderate in price; Whales Rib in Deerfield Beach near A1A and Hillsboro; Houstons which is next to Macaroni Grill and around the corner from Rascal House, a well-known deli (all of Glades just west of I-95); Stevie B's for ribs (off of glades just west of the Turnpike)

In Lake Worth there is a fabulous restaurant called China Pavillion. Be sure to order off the Chinese menu, not the Cinese-American menu.

I love the winter melon soup, the eggplant stuffed with shrimp, and the shrimp with walnuts. A half-order of the soup will easily serve four.

Not certain if this Italian restaurant is under $15 (I know there are entrees under $20 and includes your salad and great garlic bread) but it is a small, non-chain - Cafe Bellini on Federal road just south of Palmento. Alot more character than the chains and not too big inside. Have always had a wonderful meal there.

Cafe Bellini is a good one, although it may be a little more than you want to pay. I also like Carlucci's, which is on 441 in West Boca. Very good Italian food and very reasonable. Homey atmosphere. Carraba's on Federal Highway and Linton Blvd in Delray Beach is another good one for Italian food.

If you like sushi go to Taisho on Glades Rd and 441 in West Boca (in the same shopping center as Albertson's). All-you-can-eat sushi is just $14.95. They have a nice regular Japanese menu as well.

The Beverly Hills Cafe has a very varied menu. Very big portions and VERY reasonable prices. They are located on Glades Road just West of the FL Turnpike on the East side of the road.

Toojays in Regency Court mentioned previously is a great deli! In the same shopping center you can also check out Lucille's Bad-to-the Bone Barbeque. It's a place you can get a good meal for about $15.00.

If you like Cuban food, The Cuban Cafe on NW Boca Raton Blvd and Spanish River Blvd has good food, as does Padrino's, which is in the same shopping center as Taisho ( on 441 near Albertson's).

I will try to think of some more and fill you in as they come to mind.

Lucille's Bad to the Bone BBQ and Mississippi Sweets are both great and cheap BBQ places.

Wolfie Cohens is a great deli.

Eliat House is another good deli and they are kosher.

I am in Boca right now & had dinner last night at a new place called Danny's Seafood on Federal Highway not too far from the Tuscan Grille (can't remember the cross street but maybe someone else can help woith that landmark. It's next door to a Best Western Motel). The entrees (fish & seafood with a few meat options) are between $11-16 & come with soup or salad, veg & potato. The fish is really good (I had talapa (sp?) which I'd never tasted before. It was delicious!)

A warning about Beverly Hills Cafe-it always feels like dining in an old age home to me. Sorry but I find it really depressing & the food seems like cafeteria food.

I second Marcia's reco for the Cove in a shopping center in Deerfield. It sits on the intracoastal & has a nice, youngish atmosphere. (It's also nice at lunch time to sit outside & watch the boats.) In the same shopping center there's a casual Italian called Mario's. Great garlic rolls & decent food with large portions. They also have pizza which I've never tried. Also in the same shopping center is Val de Loire. I think their early bird will be within your price range.

One night you should drive to Delray Beach to the main downtown street (Atlantic Ave.) where there's one restaurant after another. Some are more expensive than others, but you're sure to find a place & it's a nice atmosphere. I hear the Splendid Blended (which looks like a soda fountain but is not) has great food but have never tried it.

I also like the Whale's Rib in Deerfield that was mentioned. Might be a bit more than $15 but very good seafood & a nice casual place.

Thanks good people- Keep em coming- I will be there for 3 weeks!!

Andy

Andy, was just looking in the Boca paper & found Le French Cafe at 507 SE Mizner Blvd (in the Royal Palm Place shopping center) has a complete dinner for $15.95 5-6pm and $18.95 after 6pm. It's good (not great) French food. I haven't been there in a while though.

You should make sure to buy the paper while you're there for coupons/special deals.

The other night we were in the Boca Center (not the Town Center) and noticed lots of people at a place called Big City. Don't know the prices but the ambiance in that mall is nice & you can sit outside.

Mclaurie- keep em coming!! 3 weeks is a long time- and I am not cooking any dinners at home..I am condsidering this my vacation from hubs...just didn't want to break the bank with my 2 friends that are coming with me!

Thanks soooooooooo much!

Mario's Tuscan Grill is on Federal Highway, just north of Glades Road. It is probably my favorite restaurant in Boca, but it is more expensive than the $15.00 price range you asked about.

If you are willing to spend a little more, it is FABULOUS. ALSO, if you can go for about $22.00 for a complete meal (soup, salad, entre and dessert) try Pastis in Delray Beach. It is in the shopping center at Federal Highway and Linton BLvd on the east side of the street. Same shopping center as Carraba's. It is an excellent value for the money. THey also have an Early Bird for around $13.00, but I know you mentioned No Early Bird.

I know mclaurie mentioned the fact that many of the Boca restaurants are frequented by seniors...that's Florida!! If you find a restaurant that has good food, good size portions and a reasonable price, you better get used to eating around the older folks!!

I agree with mclaurie about checking the newspapers. The Sun Sentinel always has lots of ads and coupons for restaurants. Check the Showtime section on Fridays and the special Boca Raton sections. You can also pick up many free weekly newspapers like City Link.

This is another Marcia...not Marcia K. Another restaurant that I just thought of, since you mentioned Lake Worth, is John G's in Lake Worth across from the ocean & the pier. They are open for breakfast & lunch (I think they close at 3 p.m.) but they serve the largest portions of the most delicious food I have ever had. You probably won't feel like having dinner after eating there.
Enjoy your stay in Florida!

Thanks BOTH Marcias!!!

Early Birds are fine as long as the price is right..I know Fla has tons of seniors ( in fact , one of my friends that I will be with is a senior --but does NOT act it! LOL) Knowing that she is on a senior budget is the reason I am looking for some good restaurants in that $15 price range...

Have been to Mario's Tuscan Grill and liked it.. but I think Mario's in the Sheraton is more in our budget...unless things have changed...

I know about the Friday Sun Sentinel weekender--I was just hoping that people on this board would post THEIR favorite restaurants..as it is hard to decide where to go to dinner by a newspaper ad...esp. with a friend who does not like Chinese,Thai,Vietnamese and Indian...I know, I know...I love all the different stuff ( and it is way cheaper to eat that way) but she really loves Italian and American--so that is the bind I am in...She is willing to try Cuban and French so it at least gives me more options...

Keep those great recommendations coming!!

Andy