Looking for amazing cheap eats and best value restaurant offers near me, across the Illawarra and Wollongong? What’s on in Wollongong reveals our best value dining deals on a budget. Grab your mates or family for amazing food deals including $10 Schnitzels and $10 Burgers. Read our top picks for Wollongong / Shellharbour lunch and dinner deals under $20 per meal below. We’ve sampled these local cheap eats for quality, taste and value – we think you’ll be impressed too!
The Icon, Wollongong – $12 Chicken Schnitzel every Thursday & Friday
Located in the heart of Wollongong, The Icon is the perfect restaurant and bar spot to kickstart your weekend. With a diverse, produce-driven menu that blends American and Greek influences with a laid-back L.A. vibe, there’s something for everyone – including families and kids! Food is served until late and they are open from Thursday – Sunday.
Grab a tasty and generously-portioned $12 Chicken Schnitzel (includes gravy & chips) every Thursday 11am – late, and every Friday and Saturday night from 10pm-late – a great alternative to late night eats in the Gong! Super popular, so you must book!
Dig into our weeknight dinner specials! Tuesdays: any burger with chips plus a schooner of beer for $15. Wednesdays: 350g hand-crumbed free-range chicken schnitzel with chips and salad for $18. Thursdays: $20 Curry Night. Wagyu & Wings Night: Darling Downs Wagyu Rump topped with Southern Fried Chicken Wings, served with chips and salad (or mash and veg for +$3) for $30. Visit now here.
Wiseman Park Bowling Club
Wiseman Park Bowling Club has your week covered with tasty meals under $20! Enjoy $15 Weekly Lunch Specials from Tuesday to Sunday, featuring favourites like cheeseburgers, pulled pork tacos, schnitty burgers, and fish cocktails. From 5pm, tuck into midweek dinner deals – Tuesdays are $18 Burger Night, Wednesdays serve up $18 Schnitty Night, and Thursdays bring $25 Steak Night. Plus, kids eat free every Sunday with any adult main meal for lunch or dinner. Great food, great value – book your table today!
Five Barrel Brewing, Wollongong, $10 Spicy Chicken Burger – Every Thursday
Your Guide to Lunch and Dinner Specials From Local Restaurants in and Around Wollongong – Five Barrel Brewing.
Five Barrel Brewing $10 Spicy Chicken Burger Thursdaysspecial served with chips (pictured above). This burger has achieved legendary status and is worth drooling over that’s for sure! Five Barrel Brewing food truck has a massive range of delicious burgers, available every Thursday to Saturday at 12-7:45 pm and Sunday at 12-4:45 pm. They also have veggie opions, fries, chicken wings, and other specials available.
Or for a sneaky $5 extra – chow down on their drool-worthy Bacon Cheeseburger for $25 served from Thu-Sun.
$16 Lunch & Dinner Specials at The Lake Illawarra Hotel
On Thursdays, it’s $8 schnitzels plus $8 Balter, Smirnoff, and Jack Daniels alongside a fun night of bingo. Fridays call for $9 pints of Guinness, Kilkenny, and Bulmers Cider, while the weekend keeps rolling with late-night pizza from 10pm every Friday through Sunday. Gather the crew and book your table now.
Delicious, authentic Italian and Mediterranean takeaway meals for the family are priced at just $45 and feed 4-6 people; they also have single serves for $12. Let the incredible catering team at Villa D’oro take care of dinner! The home-cooked meals are delish! They also freeze well for the nights you need backup!
Daily/ Weekly Specials:
Donut Fridays! Grab a mouth-watering donut for $6 or pair it with a coffee for just $8
Coffee & an egg + bacon roll for just $10. Available until 10am daily.
North Nowra Tavern
Recently renovated to offer a fresh, modern vibe, the North Nowra Tavern is the perfect place to enjoy delicious food, cold drinks, and a fun, welcoming atmosphere.
All specials for lunch and dinner range from $16 – $25. Drink Specials on Super Saturdays from 1PM – 4PM.
Drink specials – $5.50 DRINKS (VB, Carlton Draught, New, Black, Great Northern Super Crisp, Reschs, House Wine) & $6.00 (Carlton Dry, Great Northern Original).
ilu ilu Bar, Wollongong – Indian Share Plates from $15
Love your Indian food? ilu ilu is an exciting Indian inspired cocktail bar serving Indian tapas, located in the heart of Wollongong!
Starters & nibbles start from $8 a plate with their Tapas Share Plates from $15. Their popular Tasting Menu offers great value with 9 share plates from $55pp – amazing value and sooo delish!
Monday is Pasta Night at Woonona-Bulli RSL. Get a delicious bowl of Boscaiola or Bolognese and a side of garlic bread, with your choice of spaghetti, linguini or penne. All for the bargain price of $15!
Lunch specials are available Monday to Friday from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm for $12.90 for members and $15.50 for non-members. See lunch specials here
The Shellharbour Club
The Shellharbour Club offers an incredible $13 Members’ Lunch Special, available Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. (For non-members $16). This special is perfect for those looking to enjoy a quality lunch at an unbeatable price in a welcoming atmosphere.
Whether you’re a club regular or a first-time visitor, the variety and value make it a must-try for anyone in the area.
Monday: Roast of the Day with vegetables. Tuesday: Chicken Parmigiana with chips & salad. Wednesday: Mystery Meal Wednesdays. Thursday: Chicken Schnitzel with mash & salad. Friday: Fish & Chips with salad.
Amari Bar
Looking for a delicious and affordable lunch in Wollongong? Amari Bar has you covered, with meals ranging from just $14 to $26, served from 11:30 am. From smoky, tender BBQ ribs to their signature hearty steak sandwich, every dish is packed with flavor and perfect for sharing or enjoying solo. With its relaxed atmosphere, friendly service, and generous portions, Amari Bar is the ideal spot for a casual midday meal without breaking the bank — proving that great food doesn’t have to come with a premium price tag.
The Boathouse, North Wollongong
Your Guide to Lunch and Dinner Specials From Local Restaurants in and Around Wollongong
Craving a cozy weeknight dinner by the sea? Head to The Boathouse Bar in North Wollongong for the $25 Mid-Week Pizza Special – available Monday to Thursday. Enjoy a delicious pizza paired with a schooner of tap beer or a glass of house wine, all with stunning ocean views. It’s the perfect midweek treat! Book now here.
Chefs Choice
Wanting to sit down and spend some quality time with friends or family? Try Chef’s Choice in the centre of Wollongong. Don’t let the simple decor fool you, this restaurant has fantastic food with many mains under $20; it’s fast, fun and full of flavour to satisfy anyone hankering for Chinese food.
Start with the Salt & Spicy Calamari and then get a few dishes for the middle to share. Don’t miss the Beef in XO for a spicy kick, Nasi Goreng Fried Rice that comes packed with goodness, and for a vegetarian option, ask for the Eggplant Blackbean, lightly pan-fried eggplant served in a tasty black bean and chilli sauce that will have you coming back over and over again.
Don’t think twice about this one. Just go, go now. You’re welcome.
The Hungry Monkey
Drop into Thirroul’s The Hungry Monkey on Wednesdays for $12 burgers for lunch & dinner. Wednesdays also have happy hour from 4-6 pm with $10 cocktails and $5 tap beers, wines, and spirits.
On weekdays (before 10 am) get your takeaway $10 Grab & Go deal of a coffee and bacon & egg roll. Bring your keep cup for a $1 discount!
Miss Lee’s
Miss Lee’s is one of the newer establishments for Chinese cuisine located in Kiera Street Wollongong and has a fantastic menu to offer. If you’re tight on cash try the $12.95 Chicken & Wonton Soup or the $10.95 Nasi Goreng Fried Rice. Either is sure to satisfy and won’t cost a fortune when you sit down with friends for dinner.
Harbourside Fish Market
If you’ve got a hankering for something simple and classic, head down to the Harbourside Fish Market where you can get fresh seafood to take home or have your meal cooked on-site with the freshest ingredients around. For around $10 – $12 you can get a serve of Fish & Chips, made to order and hard to beat for quality and flavour.
2 Smoking Barrels
With a great atmosphere for a night out with friends, 2 Smoking Barrels offers some incredible barbeque options for the meat-lovers among us. This Texas-BBQ style eatery has a pit-smoked beef brisket roll ($14) like no other in the region. If you are working with a budget you can take advantage of Sundays where they offer $1.50 wings or the platter options off the menu split between a few mates.
Fat Boy Pide & Grill
You know I love a good kebab, so it is hard to go past FatBoy Pide and Grill on Market Street in Wollongong. Their kebabs are not soggy and wet like others but full of fresh ingredients and packed full of flavour. Better yet, they don’t break the bank. My favourite Chicken Kebab with the lot is only $12 and more food than I can usually eat.
Not a meat-eater? Not to worry, they also offer vegetarian and vegan options.
Wests Illawarra – $12 member lunches
Further down the coast in Unanderra, Wests Illawarra runs regular lunch specials fresh from their Artisan Menu that offer a bit more a bang for your buck!
Members $12 | Visitors $14 Available Monday – Friday lunchtime from 11:30-2 pm. You can view their lunch specials here.
City Diggers
This edition’s sit-down cheap eats option is Wollongong’s own City Diggers on Church Street. This Bistro / Cafe is under new management and they aren’t holding back with the specials. Score $8 Pasta on Mondays, $12 Steak & Chips on Tuesdays, $12 Fish & Chips on Wednesdays, or $13 Snitzel on Thursdays! Bringing the family? Kids eat for $10, all the time.
Pizza Tree Corrimal
Recently my children were requesting pasta on our usual takeaway night, something we don’t get very often. So, I went looking for pasta options that weren’t going to cost $30 per person, and that’s when I stumbled across Pizza Tree in Corrimal. Not only was each dish on $15 but they were also incredibly good! Don’t miss the Garlic and Fresh Rosemary bread, it is unbelievably satisfying.
Wiseman’s Park Bowling Club
Wisemans Park Bowling Club offers delicious weekly lunch and dinner specials that are sure to satisfy. On Tuesdays, enjoy a classic chicken schnitzel with salad and chips for just $16. Wednesdays bring a tasty beef cheeseburger with chips at lunchtime for $16, followed by any pizza for dinner at only $18. On Thursdays, savour a crispy battered fish served with salad and chips for $16. Check them out for a great value meal in a relaxed and friendly setting.
Collegians, Balgownie & Wollongong
Collegians (Wollongong and Balgownie) have some great deals to check out. There are many more deals available. Check out their website herefor details.
Weekdays from 12-2 pm get $9.90 for members ($11.90 for non-members) lunch specials. All are served with sides. You can also choose a roast lunch for $11.90 for members or $14.90.
Five Islands Hotel, Cringila
Enjoy unbeatable lunch specials at Five Islands Hotel, Cringila, featuring delicious dishes at super cheaps prices all week.
Monday – Friday: Join in for your weekday lunch – at just $12 for $12 great meals, like nachos, Caesar salad, pizza, burgers, and more. Mondays get $10 burgers, Thursdays get $1 chicken wings, Sundays are $12 pizzas.
Tony’s Chicken Shop, Crown St Wollongong
Tony’s style is as old-school and good-value as you could ever desire. A local staple, Tony’s has huge burgers (all cheap – a burger with the lot is still only $12) And every variety of chicken. But what makes Tony’s extra special is their homemade Hot Meals. Think Lasagne, Spaghetti Bolognese, Moussaka, Vegetable Mornay, Chicken Curry and the best roast veggies you’ll find outside Nana’s kitchen. All under $8.50 ! They also do delicious seafood and salads.
Asees Indian, Wollongong
Asees Indian Restaurant in Wollongong offers a variety of delicious lunch specials, featuring authentic Indian dishes that are rich in flavour and made with fresh ingredients. Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty curry, fragrant biryani, or freshly baked naan, Asees has something to satisfy your midday cravings. Their lunch specials are perfect for a quick bite – and all priced between $10 and $17.50
Figtree Sports Club
Fancy a steak for lunch? Figtree Sports offer a 200g Rump Steak every weekday from 11:30-2pm for only $14 Tuesday nights they’ve got a fantastic $15 chicken schnitzel, and stick around because Thursday night is Pizza & Pasta Night from $15.
Jade Court Chinese Restaurant, Balgownie
Jade Court Chinese Restaurant in Balgownie offers a fantastic $16 Lunch & Dinner Special, available for takeaway and dine-in six days a week (excluding Saturday nights). Choose from a delicious variety of dishes including beef, chicken, pork, and prawn options, all served with your choice of Fried Rice, Boiled Rice, or Crispy Chow Mein Noodles. With favourites like Mongolian Beef, Sweet & Sour Pork, and Honey Chicken, there’s something to satisfy every craving. Please note, this special is not available for home delivery or on special event days. Come and enjoy a satisfying meal at an unbeatable price!
Sam’s Crusty Bread Shop, Corrimal
No cheap eats list would be complete without our all time favourite lunch: The Bahn Mi. And the best Bahn Mi in the Illawarra is found at Sam’s Crusty Bread Shop in Corrimal. Sam’s serves up all the classic vietnamese roll varieties including: Salad, BBQ Chicken and Pork and their signature Crispy Pork Roast. Rolls start from $7.
Bella Sicily Pizzeria, Dapto
Craving delicious pizza? Head to Bella Sicily Pizzeria in Dapto (in the Cito’s Club), open seven nights a week! Treat yourself on Tuesday nights with their special $15 meal deal, which includes a mouth-watering oven fired pizza and a drink. Bella Sicily Pizzeria has you covered with tasty options and unbeatable value.
Looking for even more Wollongong dining inspo? CLICK HERE for our top pics for beachside dining in this beautiful region of ours!
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