Budget Crunch: 6 delicious deals for $10 or less to try now

Got $10 and a friend? Then reporter Kevin Korinek has six delicious deals to try now.

1. This Friday, slide into The Post Sports Bar, where they sling signature cheesesteak sandwiches for $6, leaving plenty left over for an ice-cold beer. The cheesesteaks come with onion and green peppers piled high on thin-sliced, rib-eye steak and smothered in American cheese. Grab one during Progressive Happy Hour from 2 to 7 p.m. for cheap domestic drafts and $5 select appetizers.

2. Need a pick-me-up for the weekend? Head for McArthur’s Bakery for a complimentary cup of joe. Every week through February, the bakery hosts Free Coffee Fridays where you can enjoy a free 16-ounce cup of Park Avenue Coffee with purchase at any of McArthur’s four locations from 6 to 8 a.m.

3. There are few places where you can sample the finest flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine, and Ranoush is one of my go-to-spots for a budget-friendly bite. Try any of its lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for just less than $10, including beef kafta, vegetarian platter or falafel sandwich. My money is on the chicken shawarma on fresh pita topped with onions, garlic sauce and sumac.

4. Cheese and potatoes – that’s all I really want out of life, and Frankly on Cherokee has ‘em both. My mouth waters at the thought of Frankly’s $8 Belgian-style, hand-cut fries, drenched in creamy, raclette cheese – a large wheel of funky Swiss cheese. The cheese is melted to order and scraped onto the crispy fries, resulting in a gooey, salty mess of sheer bliss. You can eat them with a fork, but you’d be doing it all wrong.

5. Tuesday used to be reserved for tacos, but Vincent Van Doughnut is adding sweets to the mix. Every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to close, take advantage of an unlimited, two-for-one deal on all of Vincent’s doughnuts. The maple and cinnamon topped with cayenne-candied bacon is a house favorite, but you can’t go wrong with a classic vanilla glazed.

6. Kalbi Taco Shack has a lot going on – affordable eats and great flavor combinations blend Mexican and Asian fare. Tacos are filling and easy on the wallet, but I love the banh mi and rice bowls, available for less than $9. Choose from Kalbi’s signature beef short rib, teriyaki chicken, sweet-and-spicy jackfruit and more. Sandwiches come with cilantro and aioli on crusty French bread, while bowls are topped with a fried egg and house-made chile sauce on the side.

Kevin Korinek is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for making homemade pie.