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01/09/2023

Ask Lois: Are there any inexpensive restaurants in Boca Raton?

By Lois K. Solomon, South Florida Sun-Sentinel,

John McCall / South Florida/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/TNS

Q: I protest the Sun Sentinel’s over-emphasis on the idle rich in both its real estate and entertainment features. What about us in the working classes? We subscribe to and read the paper, too. And we budget a portion of our limited resources to dining out. Now that Early Bird specials have flown away, and Happy Hours feature wines at $12 per glass, how about a piece on affordable dining options at various municipalities throughout your readership area? — Tom Giannini, Boca Raton

A: Tom, I live in Boca Raton, too, and am often intimidated by the prices at our local restaurants. We all know restaurants have to pay their employees more now and the cost of food, gas and supplies has gone up, but destinations I have frequented for so many years are now out of my price range, so I get the question.

As we emailed back and forth, you expressed frustration with a recent column I did on Boca Raton’s best restaurants , which you said were all expensive. You’re looking for places with entrees under $20, beer starting at $4, wine starting at $6, soft drinks at $2, and appetizers for less than $10.

Finding restaurants with these criteria was more of a challenge than I had thought it would be, as I tried to rule out large chain restaurants in favor of locally owned eateries. After some research, I discovered a fair amount of reasonably priced eats, including restaurants that offer Happy Hour dining at lower prices and ethnic joints that emphasize casual fare. And of course there’s always pizza (and lots of it in Boca Raton; see end of story).

M.E.A.T Eatery and Taproom , 2831 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton; 561-419-2600; meateatery.com

If you’re looking for a good burger outside the chain restaurant circuit, M.E.A.T offers beef, chicken and fish options that come with a choice of French fries, smoked potato salad or coleslaw, with prices ranging from $9 to $16. Beers are $5 to $10. A Let’s Eat, South Florida reviewer said: “Absolutely delicious and great customer service.”

Baffi’s Restaurant , 23269 State Road 7, Boca Raton; 561-569-8619; baffisrestaurant.com

This little spot in a bland strip shopping center in West Boca is getting rave reviews on “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group. All main dishes are less than $20 or close to it, including Meat Cannelloni for $16.90 and Chicken Parmigiana for $19.70. One patron wrote: “Everything is made from scratch and everything was perfect, from the garlic rolls to the cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven. The service was genuinely warm and inviting, the food was prepared and served with love and pride. I’ve been in South Florida since 1980 and this was one of my best meals.”

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers , 9942 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton; 561-470-9963; bensdeli.net

You can find several “overstuffed” deli sandwiches for less than $20 at this Florida outpost of a small New York chain. There’s corned beef, pastrami, brisket, turkey, knockwurst and tongue (”pickled on the premises”), all served with pickles and coleslaw. Fountain sodas and Dr. Brown’s soda are in the $2 to $3 range. Chicken soup with a matzo ball is $6.99, although they will charge you for an extra matzo ball ($2.29).

Lynora’s , 9560 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 561- 235-5096; lynoras.com

Dinner entrees are mostly in the $20 to $40 range, but go for lunch or Happy Hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.), when prices are more appealing, including 50% off all drinks. There’s also Meatball Monday, when meatballs are only $3, Margherita pizzas are $10 and a martini is $7. Lynora’s is a family-owned chain based in Palm Beach County with eateries in West Palm Beach, Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens.

Mario’s Osteria , 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 561-239-7000; mariososteria.com

Although the dinner menu’s appetizers are all $10 or higher and its entrees mostly more than $20, Mario’s offers an enticing daily deal: 50% off beer, liquor and wine by the glass and 50% off appetizers from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you decide to stay for dinner, the owners make this promise: “Our proportions are designed so there is a good chance that you will have not only a great filling meal but also a delicious snack from the leftovers the next day!”

Max’s Grille , 404 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 561-368-0080; maxsgrille.com

This is a consistently good restaurant that has expensive dinner entrees but also a lengthy selection of well-priced promotions, including Happy Hour (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays), when a cheeseburger is $12, sushi rolls are $13, cocktails are $7 and beer is $5 a bottle. If you’re there during the regular dinner hour, I recommend Max’s Chopped Salad ($16) and their homemade Veggie Burger ($18).

Mississippi Sweets BBQ , 2399 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 561-394-6779; mississippisweetsbbq.com

Wings, ribs, catfish, sweet potato fries and mac-and-cheese are on the menu at this Southern-themed barbecue joint, which has been in Boca for more than 30 years. I love how some dishes are named after Mississippi cities, including the Biloxi Bleu salad and Yazoo Chicken. A basket of ribs and wings is $14.99 and a pulled pork platter is $18.75. Soft drinks are in the $3 range and a glass of wine is $6.25. There’s a second location in Wellington.

Padrino’s , 20455 State Road 7, Boca Raton; 561-451-1070; padrinos.com

This classic Cuban restaurant offers steak, chicken and fish dishes for less than $20; their sumptuous paella is $28. Most of their starters are moderately priced at under $10. According to one Let’s Eat, South Florida amateur reviewer: “This is the most authentic and delicious Cuban food in the Boca Raton area. The service is fantastic and the food is nothing short of perfection. It’s like my grandmother is cooking in the kitchen.” Padrino’s also has locations in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach and Hallandale Beach.

Prezzo , 5560 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton; 561-314-6840; eatprezzo.com

The Early Bird Special is called the “Sunset Special” at Prezzo (3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays), when the restaurant offers Spaghetti and Meatballs for $19 and Chicken Marsala for $20. This promotion includes a soft drink and soup or salad. There’s also a daily Happy Hour, when beer and cocktails are 50% off and you can order pizza, pasta, wings and calamari from the Bar Bites menu ($10 to $12).

Quates II Mexican Restaurant , 9858 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton; 561-961-0908; quatesmexicanrestaurant.com

Quates and many other Mexican restaurants (including Las Fajitas, 2298 N. Dixie Highway) provide a great way to enjoy an inexpensive meal. All enchiladas and burritos are way below 20 bucks, and they also have chicken, fish and steak entrees ranging in price from $13 to $20. Drinks are also a bargain, with coffee and tea only $2. For Broward County residents, Quates has an outpost in Oakland Park.

Skyfin Sushi & Asian Bistro , 8221 Glades Road, Boca Raton. 561-556-1688. skyfinasianbistro.com .

Most sushi rolls are under $20, as are many cooked entrees, including my favorite Pad Thai ($15.95 to $17.95). An amateur foodie on Let’s Eat South Florida wrote: “This place is always a 10 in my book. This and Rise Sushi are head to head for really good fresh sushi in Boca.”

Pizza is always a good bet on a budget; here are some tasty Boca options: Tomasso’s , Augy’s , Brooklyn Boys , Thick & Thin and Aunt Lulu’s.

I narrowed this list to Boca Raton because that’s where you live, but there’s an abundance of cheap and moderately priced eateries in nearby cities, including Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach. You’ll have to wait for those in a future column!

Send questions about life in South Florida to Lois at [email protected] .