Best Budget-Friendly Eateries in Eugene, Oregon

I'm a big fan of Eugene, Oregon's many local-owned dining establishments.

The city is loaded with restaurants, many of which use regional ingredients to create their dishes.

And you won't have to put a huge dent in your wallet to enjoy some great food in this southern Willamette Valley city; Eugene is also home to a handful of budget-friendly dining options.

Here are my five favorites:

Off the Waffle

I like having breakfast for dinner, but I love Off the Waffle, in part because the restaurant blurs the lines between the two meals. Off the Waffle serves authentic Liege waffles, which are made from a yeast-based dough and have Belgian pearled sugar inside. The result is a sweet, slightly crunchy waffle that is fantastic just plain, without any syrup or anything. In fact, when I buy frozen waffles to take home - which I do every time I visit the restaurant - that's how I eat them. But while at Off the Waffle, I typically opt for one of their signature dishes, such as the BMB, which is a waffle topped with bacon, fresh basil, havarti cheese and just a little bit of real maple syrup. The Hot Avo-Prese is another favorite of mine, and it includes fresh mozzarella, basil, avocado and tomato with just a touch of extra-virgin olive oil on top. The sweeter items are like a dessert and a meal mixed into one, such as The Giuseppe, which has honey yogurt, banana, pecans and coconut flakes, and The Bully, with Belgian chocolate chips, fresh strawberry slices and whipped cream. Those are the four dishes I have the most at Off the Waffle, each coming in between $5 and $7.

Off the Waffle
2540 Willamette Street
Eugene, OR 97405
541-515-6926
offthewaffle.com

Burrito Boy

Burrito Boy has four locations in Eugene, including one just west of the University of Oregon campus on Broadway. The taqueria serves a lot of different Mexican food dishes that I like, but my favorite, by far, is the shredded beef "Boy" burrito, which includes beans, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. The burrito is a meal in itself, and costs just $5.50. Burrito Boy's crunchy tacos are also great, either with shredded chicken or beef, and the supreme nachos with chicken are fantastic and big enough to make two meals, for just $8.25.

Burrito Boy
510 E. Broadway
Eugene, OR 97403
541-344-8070
burritoboy.com

Three Forks Wok & Grill

I have hardly taken advantage of the many options on Three Forks' menu, because after trying the chicken yakisoba plate on my second visit, I've never ordered anything else. I keep telling myself to try something new, and one day I will, but that yakisoba, with vegetables and tangy, spicy sauce, is tremendous. Three Forks' menu includes a grilled vegetable salad; a "hippie bowl," which has rice or noodles topped with salad and vegetables; yakisoba; and rice bowls, each of which can be topped with a choice of chicken, flank steak, tofu, shrimp, seared ahi, Asian barbecue ribs or duck breast. The restaurant also serves sandwiches, pad thai and curry, and most regular-sized plates are under $10.

Three Forks Wok & Grill
3003 N. Delta #304
Eugene, OR 97408
541-762-0540
3forkswok.com

Ron's Island Grill

I've been going to Ron's Island Grill since 2001, when the restaurant was just a small eatery inside a rock-climbing gym in downtown Eugene. That location, at Crux Rock Gym on West 3rd Avenue, still remains, and Ron's now has three other restaurants around town, as well. The restaurant serves Hawaii-style plate lunches, specializing in teriyaki chicken made with homemade huli huli sauce. The Huli Huli Chicken plate, which comes with rice and macaroni salad, is Ron's signature dish, but it's not my favorite. That would be the Mauna Loa Chicken, which is sautéed in a homemade, mouth-watering sweet and sour sauce. A small plate is typically more than enough for a meal, and costs just $6.95.

Ron's Island Grill
2506 Willakenzie Road
Eugene, OR 97401
541-342-3006

Chicken Bonz

I frequent the Chicken Bonz in Springfield, less than a mile east of Eugene on Pioneer Parkway, but the restaurant also has a location in Eugene, across from the main entrance to the University of Oregon campus on Franklin Boulevard. Chicken Bonz specializes in wings, and the wings are dang good, but my favorite meal there is actually the boneless wing special. The meal comes with five chicken tenders, shoestring french fries and a drink for just $7.95. Chicken Bonz has an array of sauces, but their standard Frank's Red Hot-style sauce and some ranch is my personal favorite. The restaurant also has a nice salad bar, as well as all-you-can eat wing specials at least once a week.

Chicken Bonz
1535 Franklin Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97403
541-844-7331
chickenbonz.com

Sources:
Burrito Boy
Off the Waffle
Three Forks Wok & Grill
Ron's Island Grill
Chicken Bonz