Cheap Eats: Pricey Tasting Dishes

Champagne taste on a beer budget? We sympathize. Here are three ways to eat a little swanky on a shoestring.

Rigsby's Kitchen

The goods: $1 raw oysters

When: Mondays 4 p.m. 'til the last shell is shucked

Pro tip: Arrive early, because these luscious bivalves go fast. Also, you want to capitalize on the 3:30 to 7 p.m. happy-hour specials: $5 select wine quartinos, $2 select beers and half off well cocktails. 698 N. High St., Short North, 614-461-7888, rigsbyskitchen.com

Spagio

The goods: $11 roast chicken

When: Sundays after 4 p.m.

Pro tip: The Gerber's farm half chicken is seasoned with lemon and rosemary and served with mashed potatoes and a seasonal vegetable. Make the evening a slam dunk by splurging on a 20-percent-off bottle of wine. 1295 Grandview Ave., Grandview Heights, 614-486-1114, spagio.com

Kihachi

The goods: Small plates around $6, entree bowls $13 and under

When: Monday through Saturday

Pro tip: A meal here can top $100 a person. But you'll feel satisfied with a brothy noodle bowl (we're partial to the Duck Udon) and a bottomless cup of green tea. The best seats in the house are at the counter, where you can watch the chefs conjure food magic. 2667 Federated Blvd., North Side, 614-764-9040