Under 300 Baht ... And Good! (updated for 2024)

[Evil Penevil]

11 hours ago, JohnDoesPattaya said:

@Evil Penevil Maybe it's not an easy to answer question but i will ask anyway What are your Top3 (or Top5) restaurant choices for Thaifood, in Pattaya/Jomtien/Naklua? They should be easy to reach without needing a mototaxi. No problem for me to walk some longer distances if something is not on the Busroute, but i do not intend to travel to the Darkside or similar distances.

That is indeed a difficult question and I'll have to give it some thought.  What makes it tricky is the difference between restaurants with good food and those that provide a pleasant overall dining experience, including good food.  Some of my favorite "hole-in-the-wall" Thai restaurants have excellent food but fall seriously short in the dining experience category due to fumes from burning charcoal or vehicles in the street;  lack of ventilation and excessive heat; traffic noise, etc.  I do take-away from those restaurants but don't eat there.  

So the question then becomes:  should I recommend them?  In any case, I'll start a new thread since this one is about farang food.

 

Evil

Edited February 14, 2020 by Evil Penevil

[JohnDoesPattaya]

4 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

That is indeed a difficult question and I'll have to give it some thought.  What makes it tricky is the difference between restaurants with good food and those that provide a pleasant overall dining experience, including good food.  Some of my favorite "hole-in-the-wall" Thai restaurants have excellent food but fall seriously short in the dining experience category due to fumes from burning charcoal or vehicles in the street;  lack of ventilation and excessive heat; traffic noise, etc.  I do take-away from those restaurants but don't eat there.  

So the question then becomes:  should I recommend them?  In any case, I'll start a new thread since this one is about farang food.

 

Evil

Personally i would like to see both, maybe with a clear hint for the places where takeaway would be a better option due to the reasons you mentioned before.

[Evil Penevil]

I'm posting this on behalf of a friend who isn't active on the boards but is convinced I-Rovers Sportsbar and Restaurant on Soi LK Metro deserves more attention than it gets.  I can't comment myself about the food at I-Rovers as it's been years and years since I had a meal there,  but my friend- admittedly not a picky eater- recommends it both for breakfast and dinner.

I-Rovers was the home of the original Baht Buster Breakfast and still serves it after the demise of Retox on Soi Lengkee.  The Baht Buster Light Breakfast at ฿99 or the Breakfast Sandwich or Beans on Toast with fried eggs for the same price will be a big enough breakfast for some people.  Not everyone wants a full-scale fry up as the first meal of the day.

 

The prices on the weekday dinner specials are competitive at ฿169,  but someone else will have to comment on the quality:

The Web site (https://i-rovers.com/cam-sports-schedule/)  has a clear web cam of LK Metro outside the I-Rovers:  

It was interesting that Billabong looked looked deserted at about  3.30 p.m. in the afternoon.  As I recall, Billabong used to be a popular daytime watering spot thanks to its 2-for-1 drink offer.

At night, it tends to be jammed:

Evil

[article22]

i-rovers is my go to place for an American breakfast along with Big Kahuna...generally well received by most as a breakfast spot.

Not the cheapest but consistent, I find.

Never had a main meal there, I gravitate towards Kilkenny for that, which is next door.

[Evil Penevil]

6 hours ago, article22 said:

I gravitate towards Kilkenny for that, which is next door.

I've reviewed Kilkenny several times in this thread; it's my favorite restaurant for farang food on LK Metro.  I've never had a bad meal there yet.  I don't eat at Kilkenny as often as I might, simply because the portions are large and the meals are very filling.  I'm trying to control my weight and not put too much strain on my digestive system.  But for those with hearty appetites, Kilkenny hits the sweet spot regarding quality, quantity, friendly service and value for money.

Evil

[Fire Bar Matt]

On 15/02/2020 at 01:41, Evil Penevil said:

I-Rovers was the home of the original Baht Buster Breakfast and still serves it after the demise of Retox on Soi Lengkee.  The Baht Buster Light Breakfast at ฿99 or the Breakfast Sandwich or Beans on Toast with fried eggs for the same price will be a big enough breakfast for some people.  Not everyone wants a full-scale fry up as the first meal of the day

I see these kind of prices and I wonder why people pay them. For 150 baht a guy can go to the Bay Breeze hotel and get their all you can eat buffet breakfast. 
 

That’s all the sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes and eggs you want. Add in cereal, toast, coffee, yogurt, soup, rice, salad and a few Thai dishes and IMHO this has got to be the best value breakfast in the Soi Honey / LKM area. 
 

[geezerrb]

19 minutes ago, Dr No said:

I see these kind of prices and I wonder why people pay them. For 150 baht a guy can go to the Bay Breeze hotel and get their all you can eat buffet breakfast. 
 

That’s all the sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes and eggs you want. Add in cereal, toast, coffee, yogurt, soup, rice, salad and a few Thai dishes and IMHO this has got to be the best value breakfast in the Soi Honey / LKM area. 
 

It may be my memories of the early days of when I used hotels where breakfast buffet was included in the price that would preclude me from entertaining the idea of a "buffet" for breakfast or any other "buffet" meal.

It is only on the odd occasion these days I even make a meal time that could be called "breakfast" and by choice it is usually Thai food, although if I do fancy an "English" I prefer it to be cooked to order not sitting in warming pans for how long? Or all the good stuff was gone, (don't complain I worked in catering and have seen what a cook/chef will do to "complaint dish).

[dan2016]

30 minutes ago, Dr No said:

I see these kind of prices and I wonder why people pay them. For 150 baht a guy can go to the Bay Breeze hotel and get their all you can eat buffet breakfast. 
 

That’s all the sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes and eggs you want. Add in cereal, toast, coffee, yogurt, soup, rice, salad and a few Thai dishes and IMHO this has got to be the best value breakfast in the Soi Honey / LKM area. 
 

Because majority of  people like myself go there like to watch live sports while having a good leisurely breakfast rather then having all you can eat buffet especially in the morning, The place is packed every UFC, Boxing, NFL Playoffs, Nba Playoffs event. The 129 bht  huge bhatbaster breakfast is just as filling as you would eat at a buffet.

[geezerrb]

36 minutes ago, Dr No said:

I see these kind of prices and I wonder why people pay them. For 150 baht a guy can go to the Bay Breeze hotel and get their all you can eat buffet breakfast. 
 

That’s all the sausage, bacon, ham, potatoes and eggs you want. Add in cereal, toast, coffee, yogurt, soup, rice, salad and a few Thai dishes and IMHO this has got to be the best value breakfast in the Soi Honey / LKM area. 
 

I forgot to include that if you watch IR Cam there is plenty of uptake for their meals.

[JohnDoesPattaya]

Last trip i totally forgot to visit Kilkenny, among some other places. I was in LK Metro but i did not remember which restaurant was so well received here and did not want to search through 50+ pages here

For my next trip i am smarter, i am putting all (food) places that i want to visit together in my want-to-go-there-list on Google Maps. At the moment i am re-reading the thread with the beginning of ~mid 2018. Someone may ask why i do this, because it's "ONLY" food - for me it is important. I am living in a small town and the most exciting restaurant offers Schnitzel. Yeah... That's the only time i am jealous of people who live in big cities, where they can get everything they want

[ChiFlyer]

17 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

......

I'm trying to control my weight and not put too much strain on my digestive system. 

....

So EP - I have a similar goal set with regard to what I am eating. I love some of the high carb American Comfort Food that is discussed, but at my age it is not good for me. I spend most of the year here, so what I eat is not a vacation splurge. I am up 7 kilos since September.

I try and eat low fat, low carb as often as I can, but I am a weak man.

I know salads, fruit, veggies, seafood, chicken etc. are better ways to go.

Any recommendations on where to go for a slimmer me. I try and make Wooden Box a more frequent stop.

Edited February 16, 2020 by ChiFlyer

[Bunter]

Last trip i totally forgot to visit Kilkenny, among some other places. I was in LK Metro but i did not remember which restaurant was so well received here and did not want to search through 50+ pages here [emoji3]
For my next trip i am smarter, i am putting all (food) places that i want to visit together in my want-to-go-there-list on Google Maps. At the moment i am re-reading the thread with the beginning of ~mid 2018. Someone may ask why i do this, because it's "ONLY" food - for me it is important. I am living in a small town and the most exciting restaurant offers Schnitzel. Yeah... That's the only time i am jealous of people who live in big cities, where they can get everything they want:unsure:

It would be great if you share your research.. [emoji106]

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[Bunter]

That is indeed a difficult question and I'll have to give it some thought.  What makes it tricky is the difference between restaurants with good food and those that provide a pleasant overall dining experience, including good food.  Some of my favorite "hole-in-the-wall" Thai restaurants have excellent food but fall seriously short in the dining experience category due to fumes from burning charcoal or vehicles in the street;  lack of ventilation and excessive heat; traffic noise, etc.  I do take-away from those restaurants but don't eat there.  
So the question then becomes:  should I recommend them?  In any case, I'll start a new thread since this one is about farang food.
 
Evil

Evil if you start a thread for Asian or Thai food please let us know.. [emoji120]

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[badrodald]

23 hours ago, Dr No said:

I see these kind of prices and I wonder why people pay them.

I agree wholeheartedly Dr., and it isn't just for the value that I frequent breakfast buffets. Sometimes I might want 5 sausages, or 3 eggs and 10 strips of bacon, or 10 wings and an omelette and sausages. Why limit yourself to just a few choices? Stayed at the KTK on a recent visit, 179 Baht, had it every morning.

[jimboh]

8 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

So EP - I have a similar goal set with regard to what I am eating. I love some of the high carb American Comfort Food that is discussed, but at my age it is not good for me. I spend most of the year here, so what I eat is not a vacation splurge. I am up 7 kilos since September.

I try and eat low fat, low carb as often as I can, but I am a weak man.

I know salads, fruit, veggies, seafood, chicken etc. are better ways to go.

Any recommendations on where to go for a slimmer me. I try and make Wooden Box a more frequent stop.

I recommend Easy Health on 3rd road, opposite Buffalo bar, really tasty food.

Edited February 17, 2020 by jimboh

[Bawdy]

Great thread, any recommendations for the best Liver & Bacon?

[Luv2Phuket]

Quick feedback on Tigglebitties.

I saw on FB their daily special was corn dogs (100 baht) (also BBQ ribs and chicken), and recalled EP's review.

Because Holiday Inn has 2 towers, the delivery did NOT go off without a hitch!  555  They finally got here (after 3 calls), and I was pretty happy with them!   Killed them before I had a chance to take any photos!  555

The outside could have been a little crisper/crunchier, but that's likely a factor of having them delivered (anything delivered will necessarily get a little more moist from internal heat in the Styrofoam container).

I'm about to head up to my room to eat the side salad now.  The fact that they had ranch dressing -- and my lack of consumption of anything green since I left Cali! -- convinced me to try it!

Thanks again for the review above!

[Evil Penevil]

 

11 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

Any recommendations on where to go for a slimmer me. I try and make Wooden Box a more frequent stop.

Five Star J is a long-running Pattaya restaurant for vegetarian and vegan food. It's located on the corner of Pattaya Tai and 3rd Road.  It doesn't have real meat of any sort on the menu, nor does it use trans fats, palm oil, MSG or refined sugar in its dishes.  Vegan and Jain options without animal products of any sort are also available.  For less strict vegetarians, there are dishes with eggs, dairy and root vegetables.  Five Star J does a lot of vegetarian "mimic meat" dishes, including the Beyond Meat plant-based burger patty from the U.S.

The salad bar at Sizzler is also a decent option and even Sizzler now has plant-based meat on the menu.

I had a fair amount of success with losing weight by eating as much Thai food as I could stand, especially soup.  Not all Thai food is low-calorie or healthy, but much of it is.  Clear soup with minced pork and tofu- Kang Jued Tao Hoo Moo Sab (แกงจืดเต้าหู้หมูสับ)- became my staple lunch. Pic from the net.
 

 

 

31 minutes ago, Bawdy said:

Great thread, any recommendations for the best Liver & Bacon?

That's not a dish I eat, so I can't give a personal recommendation but British friends have said Kilkenny is very good:

On 09/02/2019 at 14:08, Evil Penevil said:

Kilkenny on LK Metro has it as a regular menu item and as a special (on Tuesdays, I believe).

That's not the most attractive picture, but friends who like liver and onions say it is good.  I don't eat liver and onions, so I can't give a personal opinion.

Evil

Retox Game On has also been recommended in the past

... as has Nicky's on Soi Buakhao (Facebook pic) ...

... and The Devonshire on Soi Lengkee ( no pic).

Other BMs who like U.K.-style liver and onions can give first-hand recommendations.

Evil

[Piece Corp]

Tigglebitties Scramble, dined in, I think it was 175 baht, and very filling with all the cheese. Add another 50 baht for coffee.

[ChiFlyer]

On 17/02/2020 at 16:09, Evil Penevil said:

 

Five Star J is a long-running Pattaya restaurant for vegetarian and vegan food. It's located on the corner of Pattaya Tai and 3rd Road.

.....

Drove past the place today at lunch time. I would have stopped, but I had the car instead of the bike, as I was making some stops on Sukhumvit. I did not see any convenient parking, or any parking for that matter. I looked at their website, when I got back to the condo and they do have some nearby parking. Next time I will be in the area, I will study where the parking is and give it a try. Sounds exactly like a place where I should be spending a little more time.

Going up near the Buffalo Bar on 3rd Road on Thursday. Will use the car for that trip as well as I am also doing some grocery shopping. I will try lunch at Easy Health on that trip.

Thanks to both you and @jimbo  for the recommendations.

Oh, one more Q, what is a Jain option.

Edited February 18, 2020 by ChiFlyer

[Evil Penevil]

1 hour ago, ChiFlyer said:

what is a Jain option.

To quote from an article that explains the diet the followers of the Jain religion are required to follow:

"A Jain has many restrictions when it comes to eating. The standard 'vegetarian' does not cut it. In addition to not eating meat, Jains cannot eat eggs, gelatin, or even anything that grows underground. That includes potatoes, onions, and garlic! These are typical foods used in every day cooking in most households, but for Jains, it is not allowed in the house."

The article explains why if anyone is interested, so I won't give the reason here.  Suffice it to say, the Jain diet is considered one of, if not the, most restrictive diets in the world in terms of what you may or may not eat.  It takes vegan one step further.

Evil

[jimboh]

On 17/02/2020 at 13:44, Bawdy said:

Great thread, any recommendations for the best Liver & Bacon?

If on Darkside, Tropicals at  220B and also nearby Welcome Inn.

[ChiFlyer]

12 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

Drove past the place today at lunch time. I would have stopped, but I had the car instead of the bike, as I was making some stops on Sukhumvit. I did not see any convenient parking, or any parking for that matter. I looked at their website, when I got back to the condo and they do have some nearby parking. Next time I will be in the area, I will study where the parking is and give it a try. Sounds exactly like a place where I should be spending a little more time.

Going up near the Buffalo Bar on 3rd Road on Thursday. Will use the car for that trip as well as I am also doing some grocery shopping. I will try lunch at Easy Health on that trip.

Thanks to both you and @jimbo  for the recommendations.

Oh, one more Q, what is a Jain option.

oops wrong jimboh @jimboh

[Evil Penevil]

14 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

Sounds exactly like a place where I should be spending a little more time.

I like Five Star J because the food tastes really good.  The problem I've often had with health food is that it was so boring. I don't really like raw salads unless I can put a lot of dressing and toppings on them (bacon bits and blue cheese, yum!) but that defeats the healthy angle.   

The Swiss husband of the owner of Five Star is knowledgeable about healthy eating and I'm sure he would be happy to give you suggestions on improving your eating habits (if needed ).

Evil

[Jebb]

On 14/02/2020 at 14:25, Evil Penevil said:

That is indeed a difficult question and I'll have to give it some thought.  What makes it tricky is the difference between restaurants with good food and those that provide a pleasant overall dining experience, including good food.  Some of my favorite "hole-in-the-wall" Thai restaurants have excellent food but fall seriously short in the dining experience category due to fumes from burning charcoal or vehicles in the street;  lack of ventilation and excessive heat; traffic noise, etc.  I do take-away from those restaurants but don't eat there.  

So the question then becomes:  should I recommend them?  In any case, I'll start a new thread since this one is about farang food.

 

Evil

I too would be interested in your selections. It is no problem to include them on this thread. If you need help to change the thread title, send me a PM.