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Reuben Sandwich, Mac's Deli, $15.25: It's a splurge to eat their hearty pastrami Reuben, but we love an occasional faceplant into this meaty, cheesy sandwich with a mess of fries and extra Thousand Island dressing on the side. $9.95 in 2021. 630 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-3785, macsdeliandcafe.com. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
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3 Meats and 2 Sides, Red Bee BBQ, $19.99 for two: Enough to feed two at $19.99, the teriyaki chicken, brisket and pulled pork aren't a bad deal, especially with a side of rice, mac salad or street corn. $15.99 in 2021. 750 Stony Point, Santa Rosa, redbeebbq.com. (Conner Jay/Sonoma Magazine)
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Burger, Acme Burger, $6.99: A single beef burger for $6.99? It's a crazy good deal when we're routinely seeing burgers for around $24. And with Franco-American buns and their own "Awesome Sauce," it's on! In Santa Rosa, Petaluma and the original location in Cotati. $5.99 in 2021. 550 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati; 1007 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa; 330 Western Ave., Petaluma, acmeburgerco.com. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Mel's Fish and Chips, $4.49-$19.99: Complete orders with fries and coleslaw will run you upwards of $10.99. But you can grab a side order of fish for $6.69, five prawns for $9.99 or fried calamari rings (appetizer-sized) for $4.99. There are still a lot of good deals here. Original prices for a complete order of fish and chips in 2021 were around $8.99. 1016 Hopper Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-578-1954. (Chris Hardy/Sonoma Magazine)
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Giant Dog, A Dog A Day, $6.65: A quarter-pound all beef hot dog with the trimmings for $6.65, just outside of Friedman's. $6 in 2021. 4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. (Courtesy of A Dog A Day).
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Breakfast Sandwich, Zoftig Eatery, $6.50: Housemade English muffin, egg and cheddar cheese. Simple but delish. $5.57 in 2021. Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9554, zoftigeatery.com. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
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Bahn Mi Sandwiches, Thuan Phat, $7.50: Originally sold for $3.95, these used to be a steal. Prices have gone up, but it's still a solid bet for the grilled pork. 3020 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Dim Sum, Hang Ah, $5.95 to $12: This Chinese food and dim sum spot has San Francisco-quality nibbles like custard buns, steamed pork buns and spring rolls for $5.95, taro puffs, Chiu Chou Steam Dumplings and (though it sounds horrible, but it's amazing) Bean Curd Skin Roll in Broth for $6.95. Larger dumplings are $7.95 each, but still a bargain. $4.25 to $6.35 and up in 2021. 2130 Armory Drive, Santa Rosa, hangahdimsum.com. (Daniel P./Yelp)
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Half and Half Plate, Ohana Hawaiian BBQ, $13.75: Kalua pork with cabbage is pretty darn good, especially with Volcano Chicken for $13.75. You won't be able to eat the whole thing, especially with two macs and one rice. $12.45 in 2021. 2150 Santa Rosa Ave., 707-571-8882, ohanasantarosa.com. (Alan G./Yelp)
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Curry Udon, Ippinn Udon, $13.99: Fried tofu and veggies in a warm Japanese-style curry sauce. Filling enough for two meals. $10.99 in 2021. 1880 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, ippinnllc.com. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Pupusas and Empanadas, Pupuseria Salvadorena: Hearty little pockets of fried masa with cheese, meat beans or sweet custard. $3.50 to $4.50 each. $2.50 to $3.50 each in 2021. 1403 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Tacos and Sopes, Freaking Tacos: In the sweet spot between delicious and cheap are Freaking Tacos for $3.10 $2.10 in 2021. 400 W. Third St., Santa Rosa. (Stephanie A. / Yelp)
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Gyro, Fourth St. Deli, $11.95: Thin strips of beef with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions are wrapped in a grilled lavash. Everything is made fresh, and their Middle Eastern dishes — falafel, hummus, mujadara (rice and lentils), dolmas and gyros — are terrific. $9.95 in 2021. 300 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Fried Stuff, Quickly, $6.99: Tasty fried seafood on sticks, bubble milk teas and other Asian snacks draw a Santa Rosa High and Santa Rosa Junior College crowd. At $6.99 (and up) for most items, thrifty eaters can munch on fried baby octopus, squid balls, calamari rings and shrimp trigon, washed down with a mango milk tea. $5.99 in 2021. 1880 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-303-7412, quicklyusa.com. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Two-Item Dinner Bento, Quick Sushi, $14: Lots of great deals at this fast-casual sushi spot, but a two-item dinner bento box at $14 (no soup) is a solid deal. Choose from chicken katsu, teriyaki, crab nigiri, fried tofu, California rolls or fried tofu plus rice and salad. 3-item no soup was $12 in 2021. 2500 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, quicksushisr.com. (Courtesy of Quick Sushi)
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Tacos al Pastor, Taqueria Santa Rosa: Not as cheap as some at $4.59 each, but for under $10, two are a light repast. $4.32 in 2021. 1950 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-528-7956. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
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Carnitas, Taqueria California, $4: Still my favorite carnitas, pilled high on street tacos. $2.50 in 2021. 750 Stony Point Road, Suite A-155, Santa Rosa. (Giovanni A./Yelp)
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Big Mac Meal, $10.39: McDonald's offers a Big Mac, medium fries and a medium drink for just over $10. (Courtesy photo)