Guide to a Few Budget Friendly Restaurants in Upstate, SC

I love dining out. I love it even better when the restaurant I chose has reasonable prices. This is one of the main reasons that people don't dine out as much. Let's face it, food isn't cheap anymore. And when you have a family of let's say, four, then it starts getting even harder. I try to dine out at least once a week. Doing so, I'm able to find restaurants that have cheap meals, offer discounts, and still leave me full and coming back for more. For those of us in the Upstate of South Carolina, particularly the Spartanburg County area, I've chosen to tell you about a few of my favorites that won't leave a huge hole in your pocket.

I love Mexican food, and to me, there isn't a Mexican restaurant better than Bronco's. They say it's authentic and I'll go along with that. I'll also say that the food is delicious and I eat there a good bit. The service is great, the atmosphere is very laid back, and it's simply just a restaurant that you can't go wrong with. Bronco's has a number of locations in the Upstate including one on 40 S Main St in Inman, another at 352 E Blackstock Rd in Spartanburg, one at 348 N Main St in Woodruff, SC, and my favorite at 1560 Union St in Spartanburg. Bronco's opens around 11 am for Lunch and offers many specials that won't break you. My favorite is their cheese dip. It's priced around $3.00 for a small bowl, and usually has me full before I even receive my food. Bronco's is equipped with a full service bar and they serve up some of the best margaritas and daiquiris. Bronco's also offers a small American menu for those who don't like Mexican food.

I'm also a big fan of Greek food. And when I'm in my Greek food craving, I go to Town Grill and Pizza. It's located at 5250 S Main St in Cowpens. The Town Grill and Pizza is a wonderful place to go whether you are in the mood for Greek, Italian, or American food. The prices are cheap and kids can eat for around $4.00. My favorite is the Souvlaki Sandwich. It's served with Marinated Souvlaki, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber dressing on toasted pita bread. The price for this is around $5.95 and with prices like that you can't go wrong. In all my days of eating at Town Grill and Pizza, I don't think I've ever saw anything on the menu for over $10.00. The Town Grill and Pizza is open Monday thru Saturdays from 10 am to 10 pm.

The Beacon Drive In has been a favorite for locals since 1946. The atmosphere here is so inviting that many people meet here daily just to chat with their friends over lunch. They are opened from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm Monday thru Saturday. The Beacon Drive In offers a full dairy bar where I swear you can get the best banana split ever. Their tea is also a big hit. So much, that it's been bottled and sold around the country. At The Beacon, you can have almost any plate upgraded to an a-plenty, which have your plate toppling over with fries, onion rings, and slaw. All plates sell for less than $10.00 and most are around $6.00. At The Beacon, you can be sure to eat enough to make three men full and not go broke. Visit www.beacondrivein.com for hours, directions, and a full menu.