Finding Cheap Eats in L.A.

In college, my friends and I decided to start our own dining club that ate at a new restaurant in Philadelphia every Thursday. What started out as a humble group of four girls expanded to a group that some weeks was as large as 15. I think it was through this dining group that my love affair with food began.

I am definitely NOT an expert on food. For one thing, I can’t cook to save my life. But through these weekly dinners I began to expand my palate, and I still continue the Thursday night tradition with one of my best friends from college, who also moved to L.A. after graduating.

However, we won’t go to just any restaurant. In Philadelphia, we exclusively dined at BYOBs, which is a great way to save a few bucks out. In Los Angeles, BYOBs are fewer and farther between, so discovering them is more of a challenge. It’s a challenge we are up for.

My goal is to become expert on BYOB establishments in Los Angeles. I think these restaurants are often overlooked, when really they are a great resource for people, like me, who enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner but can’t always afford to drop $40 on a bottle.

I also like discount nights at non-BYOB restaurants: Mexican places with weekly dollar taco nights; pricey restaurants with 50% off nights (these really do exist). So for anyone who’s passion for food outweighs their tight budget, L.A. isn’t a bad place to be, and I can’t wait to explore all the (cheap) eats this city has to offer.

Photo by me