The third and final restaurant that offer good food and is affordable for students on a budget is Cosmo in Liffey Valley.  Cosmos in my opinion is the ultimate restaurant for students on a budget. Cosmos offers a buffet; the largest range of food of all three restaurants. They offer different cuisines for example, Chinese, Italian and American food.

The buffet style of Cosmos is what makes it the best value. While the quality of certain foods may not be of the highest standard due to the length of time that it is left in the buffet, they are still tasty and, in my opinion, the Chinese options are the most delicious with them being consistently fresh as they are in high demand.

On weekdays during lunchtime – which is from noon to half three – the buffet is only €10.50 which is amazing value. Dinner however is more expensive as between 5pm and 10pm it costs €18.99. In fairness, this is definitely still worth the increase in price for a filling dinner full of variety. You are guaranteed to leave completely full and can have multiple servings of your favourite foods. Cosmos buffet also includes desserts. Whilst in other restaurants, deserts came at an extra cost ranging from around €3 to €8 which are affordable. However, dessert being included is an added bonus for us students who often don’t have an extra few euro to spare.

The restaurant, due to its low price was extremely busy and while seating arrangement was comfortable, it wasn’t cozy like the previous other two restaurants and did not have the same relaxed atmosphere. My overall experience however, was pleasant and I would definitely go back.

In conclusion to my review of places to dine out for students on a budget, my top pick would be Cosmo for its low price, wide variety of food and the bonus of desserts being included in the set price. A close second would be Nandos. While being the most expensive of the three, it is still affordable and has the best quality food and offers a greater atmosphere.

The second restaurant I reviewed on my journey to find restaurants for students on a budget was Nandos. Nandos has many locations within Ireland and the one I went to was located in Liffey Valley, a short journey by bus from Maynooth on the 66/67. It is located in Liffey Valley centre which is beneficial for students for when they go shopping to get a break from the stresses of college. Nandos has a cozy interior and the booths are comfortable which made the whole experience more enjoyable. 

Nandos specialty is chicken. Their chicken would be a healthier option than what I have previously reviewed and is extremely tasty, and there are a wide variety of sides to choose from. Nandos was the most expensive restaurant out of the three I have reviewed. However, they do offer some cheap sides with chips priced at only €3.35. However, the chicken is what drives up the cost of your meal with a whole chicken costing €17.40. Nandos, like Eddie Rockets also offers salad options and they are extremely affordable. This enables students the option of a more nutritious and filling meal at an affordable price. There is also the bonus of them offering free refills on their drinks; as does Eddie Rockets.

My friends and I, hungry after a long day of lectures decided to go to Nandos for our dinner. I got my favourite combination of the grilled chicken burger, Peri Peri chips, spicy rice and a drink. My meal came to a total of €16.45. The food was delicious and fulfilling as usual and did not disappoint. After we were finished our meal, we were able to relax in Nandos just enjoying the atmosphere and talking amongst ourselves. Whilst it is the most expensive of the three restaurants I reviewed, the quality of the chicken and the portion size was an improvement compared to Eddie Rockets. Overall, it was great value for money and the restaurant itself creates a relaxing atmosphere for students to unwind after a stressful day at college; which is priceless!

Being a student is tough financially. Juggling college, assignments, work and a social life is extremely difficult. When I do find the time to meet up with friends for food, we must be picky when deciding where to dine out as many restaurants can be expensive. As I, and many students only work part time money is scarce. However, that shouldn’t stop us from experiencing dining out and I have decided to review nearby food establishments that students enjoy and are affordable. I will also compare them in quality, price and experience. 

Eddie Rockets

Eddie rockets is commonly frequented by myself and other students. It is convenient to get to using public transport that many students rely on. It offers a wide variety of food that suits everyone as seen in the pictures below; 

As you can see in the pictures of the menu the food is affordable. The cheapest food item on the menu is regular fries at the low price of €3.95 and variations of those fries don’t waver much in price. There are also healthy options on the menu with salad being sold for the cheap price of €6. Extremely affordable for students to eat healthy dining out on a budget.

Myself and my friend however decided on getting the red baskets that Eddie Rockets offer. The baskets comes with tasty food and a drink which can be refilled as many times as you require; a bonus for students ! The tender basket is a personal favourite of mine with it only being €7.95. While the portions in a tender basket aren’t huge it is however guaranteed good quality with the fries, chicken tenders and garlic sauce being consistently tasty every time. The booths are comfortable and the restaurant is fun with funky music playing in the background. You can relive your fun experience by listening to their spotify playlist here: open.spotify.com/…/4ioocdN3YWE43GKnnZw36h

I would highly recommend this restaurant for other students wanting to dine out on a budget !

 

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton