Favorite Berkeley Spots For Inexpensive Southeast Asian Food
By Hoodline
Looking for a tasty Southeast Asian meal near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable Southeast Asian restaurants around Berkeley, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture next time you're on the hunt.
1. Toss Noodle Bar
Topping the list is Toss Noodle Bar. Located at 2272 Shattuck Ave. (between Allston Way and Kittredge Street.) in Downtown Berkeley, the Asian fusion and Thai spot, which offers noodles and more, is the highest-rated cheap Southeast Asian restaurant in Berkeley, boasting four stars out of 993 reviews on Yelp.
This casual dining spot allows diners to customize their own dish in three steps by choosing a base (noodles, steamed or fried rice), flavor (wok-toss, soup or curry) and protein (tofu, chicken, beef, pork or prawn). Quick bites like edamame, fried octopus and prawn chips are also available.
2. The Noodle, Thai Restauran
Next up is Downtown Berkeley's The Noodle, Thai Restaurant, situated at 1936 Shattuck Ave. (between Hearst Avenue and Berkeley Way). With four stars out of 752 reviews on Yelp, the Thai spot, which offers noodles and more, has proven to be a local favorite for those looking for an inexpensive option.
The budget-friendly choices on the menu include salad, Thai curries, rice plates, noodle soups and pan-fried noodles. Yelpers rave about the large portion sizes for dishes like the fried chicken over fried rice, the Pad Ka Na with crispy pork and the basil crispy chicken.
3. Lucky House Thai
Downtown Berkeley's Lucky House Thai, located at 2140 University Ave. (between Shattuck Avenue and Walnut Street), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the low-priced Thai spot four stars out of 438 reviews.
The menu features salads, soups, rice plates, noodles and more; standouts include the Pad Kee Mao (pan-fried wide rice noodles sauteed with broccoli, chili, garlic, egg and Thai basil leaves) and the peanut curry (sliced chicken simmered in spicy peanut curry with veggies and sweet basil).
4. Oriental Restaurant
Oriental Restaurant, a Vietnamese and Chinese spot, is another low-priced go-to, with four stars out of 399 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1782 Shattuck Ave. (between Delaware and Francisco streets.) to see for yourself.
This cash-only spot serves up pho, clay pot dishes, rice plates, wonton soup, noodles and more. From the large menu, look for standouts like the Vietnamese dinner special (served with soup, fish cooked in a pot, steamed veggies and rice) as well as the classic pho dac biet and the chicken bun bo hue (spicy rice vermicelli soup).