What $7 gets you: A dozen of the best tamales that money can freaking buy.
You all have seen the Montrose tamale lady. She shows up between 10 and midnight with a bin full of warm tamales, magically right about the time you and your friends are good and drunk and ready to skate to a 24 hour restaurant or taqueria for some munchies.

Skeptics beware, if all you have had is frozen tamales from the grocery, you have no idea what you are missing. These tamales are buttery-smooth without being mushy, and their fillings are flavorful without being dry or soggy, with just the perfect amount of grease to satisfy the rowdiest of drunks.

What $7 gets you: There are two sandwiches that will run you about $7: an Italian deli meat option and an Eggplant Parmesan. The price includes a hearty helping of your choice of side: fries, soup or salad. I selected the eggplant sandwich with a side salad.

Though it has the name "pizza" in its title, Chicago Pizza (1777 Airline) actually serves up way more than your typical pizzeria. They have waffles and eggs for breakfast and tons of pastas, and sandwiches. The menu is so extensive, in fact, that it took nearly ten minutes to navigate my way through the whole thing and settle on an option.

What $7 gets you: A gorgeous sandwich and a glass of water.

I stopped by Istanbul Grill and Deli in the Rice Village for lunch with family. It was a scorching day, and Istanbul's cool interior was refreshing. Istanbul has a small interior, only about a dozen tables. After a few minutes of browsing the menu, I picked the adana sandwich ($5.49). The sandwich was large, with lamb patties stuffed in amazingly warm, soft, and hearty homemade pita bread with onions, tomatoes and cabbage. The meat was spicy and sweet, with a texture similar to a hamburger, only about 20 times as tasty as your run-of-the-mill burger. The red cabbage was actually a pickled cabbage and incredibly tart. It was a great contrast to the lamb and balanced the sandwich nicely.

What $13 gets you: A chickpea burger and four "Ziggy snacks."

I stopped by Ziggy's Bar and Grill (302 Fairview, 832-519-0476) seeking a filling, cheap, vegetarian meal. I'm addicted to their huge chickpea burgers ($5.50) which are made in house from a mixture of chickpeas, carrots, pecans and secret spices. Since I don't even really like chickpeas, I'm always amazed how good this burger is. It's definitely not going to fool you into thinking you're eating beef, but the tender patty is very flavorful with a delightful surprise of crunch thanks to the pecans. They put it on a big, fresh, toasted bun and dress it with lots of lettuce, thickly sliced white onion, juicy tomato and pickles. I added a slice of mild, creamy Monterrey Jack cheese for a mere 50 cents more.

What $7 gets you: A gorgeous ALT sandwich on fresh-baked honey wheat bread with a small side of carrot soufflé and a pickle, all served in a cute-as-pie café in the heart of the Heights.

Where: Harry's Restaurant and Café, 318 Tuam, 713-528-0198

What $7 gets you: The Perfect Combo, $6.99 before tax. This actually isn't the perfect combo, but it suffices. We had a classic case of diner's remorse, since we kept wishing we'd ordered something Greek.

What $7 gets you: Four pocket-sized sliders, topped with grilled onions, and a bed of thick-cut French fries will set you back $5.95. Put that leftover dollar towards a thick 'n dreamy chocolate malt.

Recommended: Meh, if you're in the neighborhood.

What $7 gets you: A fajita chicken torta ($5.25) and a veggie taco ($1.50), with 25 cents to spare - not including tax. The torta was mediocre, but satisfied a craving for beans, guacamole, shredded lettuce and cheese on a bun, plus it came with some mondo home fries.

Where: SunMart Mobil Station, 3200 Holcombe Blvd, Houston 77021

What $7 gets you: A tasty and cheap dinner, Fanta, and a pack of Tums. We stopped at SunMart Mobil to get gas, and stopped in for a drink and to pay. It smelled awesome inside, and our evening plans to get a salad were squashed. We picked up a 2 piece leg and thigh ($1.39), an order of fries ($1.59), a soft drink and a pack of gum for a few cents under our budget.