Hawking Bird
Order Kao mun gai for under fifteen dollars.
Hawking Bird in Oakland's Temescal is James Syhabout's fast-casual Thai fried chicken room. Kao mun gai and garlic-ginger fillets under fifteen dollars.
Eat well in Oakland for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Cheap eats worth seeking out
12 places
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine
Order Pernil with sweet plantain stuffed with ground beef.
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine on Oakland's 23rd Avenue runs takeout pollo encebollado and pernil under fifteen dollars. San Antonio neighborhood.
Cenaduria Elvira
Order Jalisco tostadas with shredded pork.
Cenaduria Elvira in Oakland's Jack London Square cooks Jalisco-style tostadas, tacos dorados and Mexican plates under fifteen dollars per person.
Book food experiences in Oakland
Tacos Sinaloa
Order Suadero and adobada tacos, two for five dollars.
Tacos Sinaloa on International Boulevard in Fruitvale is the East Bay's most-loved late-night taco truck. Family-run since 1999, two-dollar tacos.
Banh Mi Ba Le
- ★ 4.7
- Vietnamese
- $
- San Antonio
Order Pork meatball banh mi with Vietnamese coffee.
Banh Mi Ba Le on International Boulevard runs the most-loved East Bay banh mi counter, weekends only. Two dozen sandwiches under eight dollars.
Shan Dong
Order Sesame paste noodles and pork dumplings under twelve dollars.
Shan Dong in Oakland Chinatown pulls hand-made noodles for under twelve dollars a bowl. Dumplings, chive pancakes and sesame noodles round out the menu.
Pho Ao Sen
- ★ 4.2
- Vietnamese
- $
- Eastlake
Order Pho tai with brisket under twelve dollars.
Pho Ao Sen on East 12th in Oakland's Eastlake corridor runs pho for under twelve dollars. Two decades of Sunday-morning loyalty on the corridor.
Vien Huong
Order Hu tieu noodle soup or congee under ten dollars.
Vien Huong on Franklin in Oakland Chinatown cooks Chiu Chow Cantonese-Vietnamese plates under ten dollars. Hu tieu, congee, and a sub-three-dollar tea.
El Huarache Azteca
Order Huarache de chicharron under fourteen dollars.
El Huarache Azteca on International Boulevard runs Mexico City huaraches and tlacoyos under fourteen dollars. Mother-daughter team, late close.
Town Biscuits
Order Fried chicken biscuit under twelve dollars.
Town Biscuits in Oakland's Uptown runs biscuit sandwiches under twelve dollars Thursday through Sunday. Fried chicken on flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Where to stay in Oakland
A sample of Oakland hotels from our booking partner, who list 343 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Bay Breeze Inn
Located in Oakland, Bay Breeze Inn is in the entertainment district, within a 5-minute drive of Oakland Mus...
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Harris Motel
Located in Oakland, Harris Motel is a 2-minute drive from Oakland Zoo and 7 minutes from Oracle Arena. Feat...
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Rice Hill Inn
Located in Oakland, Rice Hill Inn is in a regional park, within a 15-minute drive of MarshAnne Landing and ...
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Civic Center Lodge
With a stay at Civic Center Lodge in Oakland (Chinatown), you'll be within a 10-minute walk of Oakland Muse...
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Compare for next weekend: Holidu in Oakland from USD 106/night · Expedia in Oakland
Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Tay Ho Restaurant and Bar
- ★ 4.1
- Vietnamese
- $
- Chinatown
Order Bun cha Hanoi for thirteen dollars at lunch.
Tay Ho's 12th Street lunch hour runs Northern Vietnamese plates for under fifteen dollars. Bun cha Hanoi, banh xeo and rice bowls at the door.
Tacos El Ultimo Baile
Order Tacos al carbon with hand-pressed flour tortillas.
Tacos El Ultimo Baile in Fruitvale Public Market took its taco-truck queues into a brick-and-mortar. Tacos al carbon for ten dollars on flour tortillas.
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