Budget-Friendly Restaurants In and Near Hamilton, NJ

In these hard economic times, every penny counts. Families who used to eat in restaurants several times a week have cut back. Now, as opposed to three nights a week, they might dine out for one. As opposed to fancy restaurants, chain restaurants and local mom-and-pop shops are experiencing a resurgence. Here is some helpful information from my neck of the woods, in Mercer County, New Jersey, on how to eat in a restaurant on a budget.

Let's start with an immensely popular chain restaurant, Red Robin. Located in Hamilton on Route 130, Red Robin has become a haven for families trying to save some money without sacrificing their favorite foods. Red Robin is famous for their cheeseburgers, though they have other menu items to please just about everyone. The average price for a family of four to eat here, consisting of two adults and two children, is less than $40.00, not counting alcoholic drinks or appetizers. Red Robin was named one of Parents Magazine's 10 best family restaurants for, among other things, the way they handle children. While some restaurants look at children as a customer-deterrent, Red Robin treats children as what they are, mini-customers. The dress is casual, and though they do serve alcohol, it is certainly not what attracts their patrons. One look at the mouth-watering cheeseburgers and thick, bottomless steak fries is enough for any customer. Location, hours, menu, and even nutritional information are available here: http://www.redrobin.com.

Another excellent budget-friendly restaurant in the area is Shrimp King. Located a few blocks north on Route 130, Shrimp King boasts lunch for under $5.00, and dinner for $10.00. For lunch, they offer an array of delicious fish sandwiches, and even a few child-friendly alternatives, such as grilled chicken or hot dogs. For dinner, they have evening specials, and have accrued quite a cast of regular patrons who order their "usual." The restaurant is B.Y.O.B., and on any given night you can find most tables with beer or wine to add to their meals. One of their most popular entrees is their stuffed flounder, though you'd have a difficult time finding something you didn't like. All that's required is a love of seafood. The restaurant itself is set in the back of their fish market. Jeans are appropriate, but call first because this restaurant has been known to close on government holidays. Location, directions, menu, and pricing information are available here: www.shrimpkingrestaurant.com.

If you're looking for a delicious, no-frills pizza, Mannino's 3 on Route 33 in Hamilton has some of the best around. They know it, too. The restaurant puts on no airs, and is decorated only with red plastic booths and some sparse artwork, but they don't need the fancy decorations. Their salads are plentiful, the pizza is not too heavy on the sauce, and the crust is done to perfection. A family of four can easily eat here for less than $40.00, and it will cost even less if they are splitting the pizza. Though I'm a big fan of their Caesar salads, our friends cannot get enough of the sausage pizza. Either way, we all agree that their homemade garlic bread is the highlight of their extensive appetizer menu. Don't dress in anything nicer than jeans, because you'll feel out of place. The menu was a typical pizzeria fare of pizzas, hoagies, and salads, though it was updated recently to include a multitude of chicken and veal dishes. There is no bar on the premises. Upon researching for this article, this writer discovered that they now have an online ordering system to speed the process. You can find the menu through http://www.comidaxpress.com. They do a large take-out business in addition to the eat-in section of their restaurant. Their hours tend to mirror that of any regular restaurant, and they are open later on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The last recommendation is for another pizza place, though we've never once eaten the pizza there. Brother's Pizza on Route 33 in Hamilton has an amazing Italian food menu that supercedes its pizza. The bruschetta is by far one of their best appetizers, and their salads and hoagies are also superb. The chef's specialty prosciutto sandwich is just one reason people drive from all over to eat at this restaurant. Most people swear by the pizza as well, we just like Mannino's better. This restaurant is open until midnight; though dinner is served only until 10:00 p.m. Sandwiches and pizza are available as the late-night fare. Though you can go in jeans, often you will find young professional couples and young families arriving as part of the after-work crowd, and they tend to be dressed in clothes that would be considered more business casual. The parking lot is usually overflowing on a Friday night, so get there early. This restaurant is a little bit more expensive than the other three, but a family of four can eat for about $40.00. You can access their menu at www.njmenus.com under Mercer County.

If you're ever in Mercer County, make sure to stop and eat something. We have a large variety of budget-friendly restaurants. The above list consists of just a few of my family's favorites. Happy eating!