A few months ago, a Reddit user asked a challenging question: Where are the places in Baltimore to get a quick bite for under $10. One person said halal carts have “2 meals worth of food.” Another suggested the Italian cold cut sandwich at Trinacria.

Inspired by this conversation, I decided to see what bites I could find. A colleague suggested looking “in the 1990s.”

It wasn’t an easy feat. But here’s what I found.

Mama Koko’s

• 100 E 23rd St.

I’ve been obsessed with this bar. I went there a few months ago with my roommate and our friend to try the bar bites, most of which met our $10 threshold.

We tried the plantain chips and dip ($9), cassava poppers ($9), fried plantains ($8), Liberian meatballs ($10) and red beans and rice ($8). The portions are smaller compared to some of the other eats, but I found them filling and yummy. I say go with friends and split their bites, family style.

For me, there’s no better combination than plantains and beans. The consensus was the yuca was crunchy, the meatballs were very well seasoned and the story behind the red beans and rice made it all worthwhile.

(I won’t spoil it, but ask your waiter.)

For items over $10, try the chicken rice bowl. It cured my deadline scares, at least temporarily. If you are feeling crazy, try the hibiscus lemonade and add cold brew and cold foam.

Kajiken

• 7 E 33rd St.

The ramen restaurant in Charles Village is my go-to place when craving something that tastes homemade. Instead of the noodles or abura soba, I prefer the rice bowls.

The chashu don, a rice dish with pork and green onions, is delicious. It’s well seasoned, filling and just overall heartwarming. I usually add extra pork, which with tip brings the bill to $12.21. If you pass on the extra protein, you would be looking at a price of $10.71.

My friend Royale Bonds came with me. She got karaage, a $7 deep-fried marinated chicken appetizer. She can be a picky eater (her words, not mine), but she thought the chicken was good, crunchy and well seasoned.

29th Street Tavern

• 398 W 29th St.

The tavern is one of the best places for cheap and good eats. Most of its menu is from $11.95 to $15.95, and its specials are all under $10. The burger is $9 on Mondays. I also tried a cup of crab soup, which is $6.95. Both were filling and tasty.

Cinco de Mayo Dos

• 1312 Eastern Ave.

The city’s best tacos can be found inside this grocery store near Little Italy. (Feel free to hate mail me if you think differently; it won’t change my mind.)

The tacos are about $4 each. If you want something heartier, go for the gordita. I ordered al pastor so I could compare with other taco places — and it came with cilantro, onion, sour cream and cheese. All for $5.99, before taxes.

Diner Latino

• 3928 Eastern Ave.

A source took me to this restaurant in Highlandtown when I first moved to the city, and I’ve never looked back. It has the perfect diner ambiance and probably the best pupusas I’ve had in Baltimore for $2 to $3, according to its website. It also has great breakfast options for $6.95 to $9.95.

Honorable mentions

I was at Guilford Hall Brewery for a friend’s happy hour and noticed a special on Wednesdays, when burgers are $10. Read the small print on menus, people!

It was a solid, classic burger. The onion ring was crunchy, and the cheese was perfectly melted. I had fries added to the burger, so with tax and tip the meal cost me $13.86. You could skip the fries and save $1 — but why would you?

Some of my favorite places don’t have a lot of options under the $10 limit, but they have a bite or two that I can’t resist. Here are places to check out:

• OneDo for the cold udon noodle salad, $10. The garlic wasabi dressing is heavenly.
• Franchesca’s Empanadas for its $4.50 to $5 empanadas. I usually get one savory, one sweet, and it’s a good lunch.
• Artifact Coffee for its cup of soup ($9), grilled white cheddar ($9) and Carriage Farms egg and cheddar on a biscuit ($8). You can also pair the egg salad ($6) with sourdough ($3) or an English muffin ($4).

Did I miss your favorite cheap eatery? Send it my way.