By Frank Sabatini Jr. | Restaurant Review 
Whenever my budget is stretched, such as immediately after the holidays, I’ll often turn to Ed Bedford’s latest food finds, whose column in the San Diego Reader pinpoints the most inexpensive places to eat in the county. Already on our radar, Bedford beat me to the chase last week in visiting O’Hungry’s in Old Town, which feeds you breakfast for $2.99 and complete dinners for $5. With recent blows made to my credit cards, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Speaking of The Reader, food writer extraordinaire Joan Goodwin (a.k.a. Naomi Wise) passed away last month after complications from surgery. Had I taken the trolley to O’Hungry’s instead of driving, I would have slugged a 50-ounce “yard of beer” in her honor. She’ll be dearly missed.
The yards of suds rank as the priciest items on the menu; $14.50 for domestic and $18 for premium. They’re served in towering skinny glasses supported by wooden vices. As proven by a guy imbibing at the next table, the closer you get to the bottom, the more good-humored you become.
O’Hungry’s carries the convivial ambiance of an Irish pub but with most dishes learning toward American favorites – burgers, wings, homemade chili and a filet mignon priced remarkably at $10. Although in the quasi spirit of St. Paddy, you’ll find well-stacked Reubens and fish and chips using cod. Nachos and quesadillas also rise to the occasion as obligatory markers for the pub’s prime location on San Diego Avenue. For us, however, it was the $5 suppers that called.
My companion’s country-fried steak was as good as any you’d find in Texas, the meat properly tenderized and dredged in egg, milk and breadcrumbs before browning in sizzling oil. The requisite white gravy on top wasn’t pasty, nor were the chunky mashed spuds sitting alongside. The meal also buys you steamed veggies and a bread roll.
The same accompaniments were included on the barbecue spare ribs plate featuring two hefty bones sporting reasonable measures of slow-roasted pork. I especially liked the sauce, which was fruity rather than smoky, clingy rather than watery. Other five-spot deals extend to baked chicken, grilled mahi mahi and spaghetti with meat sauce.
Unless you come knocking with a lumberjack’s appetite, the portions are filling. Although for the sake of review, we loosened our belts for a bowl of safely spiced chili stocked with big pieces of onions and peppers as well as the modestly-sized O’Hungry’s hot dog, served with chopped tomatoes, fries and condiments of choice. Those dishes also sell for an easy $5.
And then there’s breakfast, priced like those indigenous to Las Vegas before mammoth developers moved in. Visiting a few days later, I obtained my morning start with two eggs, two strips of accurately crisp bacon and a mound of steamy potatoes for $2.99 – $3.21 with tax. Toast is extra, but who cares. You’ll spend more on a puny Egg McMuffin at McDonald’s in comparison.
O’Hungry’s has a long history of feeding us food and drink deals. Established in 1976, its smooth wooden floors reveal the traffic from many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. But don’t wait until March to visit because the beer and blue-plate specials flow throughout this cozy pub every day of the year.
O’Hungry’s
2547 San Diego Ave. (Old Town)
619-298-1033
Prices: Breakfast, $2.99 to $7.99; Lunch and dinner, $3.99 to $10
