Since our last articles on UCLA student discounts in Westwood and free food were so popular, we decided to come up with another list of deals so you can save your money whenever you eat out. A few of these discounts don’t require you to be a UCLA student, so feel free to tell your friends and family.
Garlo’s Aussie Pie Shop
Photo by Zoe Tsai
From their authentic Australian meat pies to their smooth flat white, everything at Garlo’s is delicious and comforting. Try the custard pie–it’s sweet, eggy, and sprinkled with just the right amount of nutmeg. Conveniently located next to Trader Joe’s, go when you do your grocery shopping because UCLA students get a 10% discount with their Bruincard. And if you need any more incentive, check out this article.
Barney’s Beanery
Photo courtesy of Barney’s Beanery – Westwood on Facebook
Barney’s Beanery is a popular sports bar and grill that offers a wide variety of pub food and drinks. They are famous for their chili and have a happy hour on weekdays from 4-7PM. Try their famous chili, all-day breakfast, or weekday lunch specials. UCLA students can get a 20% discount with their Bruincard, as long as you don’t use it for happy hour, alcohol, or other promotions.
Frostalicious
Photo by Amy Truong
The world’s first self-serve Taiwanese shaved ice eatery just opened up in Westwood recently (next to Koala T), so they are currently having soft openings (check Yelp for their hours). With a daily rotation of refreshing flavors and a large assortment of toppings, including fresh hand-made mochi, you can make endless combinations. Get a bowl of sweet, light, and fluffy ice today and save 15% for their soft opening if you like or check-in on Facebook, write a review on Yelp, or follow them on Instagram. UCLA students can get a 10% discount with their Bruincard too.
Poké Bar
Photo by Zoe Tsai
Poké Bar is one of the two restaurants (soon to be three when Sweetfin opens) that specializes in selling poke, which is Hawaiian raw fish salad. Chipotle-style, you get to choose your base (rice, salad, or nachos), type of fish or tofu, mix-ins, garnishes, sauces, and sides you would like. If you want something refreshing, try the ponzu (a tangy citrus-flavored soy sauce). No UCLA student discounts that I know of, but you can get free avocado or miso soup if you check in on Yelp and they have a stamp card.
Northern Cafe
Photo by Zoe Tsai
Northern Cafe serves scrumptious northern Chinese cuisine, such as their juicy made-in-house-daily pork dumplings and authentic noodle dishes. Try the pork wontons in spicy sauce, any of their dumplings, and the Peking meat pies, which are crispy and savory pancakes with flavorful meat layered thinly in between. You don’t have to be a UCLA student to get a 5% discount if you pay in cash, and the restaurant offers a stamp card (free dish if you complete it).
House of Meatballs
Photo courtesy of House of Meatballs on Facebook
For those with dietary restrictions, House of Meatballs also offers gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan meatball options with a variety of sauces. Enjoy your meatballs simply with a piece of foccacia on the side, pair them with pasta (from angel hair to gnocchi), or put them in a sandwich topped with cheese. Try the Big Bad Wolf (rosemary pork with mozzarella in the middle) with Pink Panther (creamy vodka) sauce. In addition to meatballs, they offer unique appetizers (mmm truffle fries, anyone?), eggplant parmesan, and butternut squash ravioli. End your meal on a sweet note with their tiramisu and a 10% student discount with your Bruincard.
Ike’s Place
Photo courtesy of Ike’s on Facebook
A famous San Francisco sandwich spot, Ike’s Place offers an extensive menu of sandwiches with one-of-a-kind names and many vegan options. From the savory to the sweet, Ike’s offers any kind of sandwich you could dream of. Definitely try the Dutch Crunch bread because somehow they can make bread soft and crispy at the same time. No exclusive UCLA student discounts at the moment, but they do have a happy hour at the Westwood location from 2-6PM where you can buy any sandwich that is $7.99+ and get a free bag of chips and a bottle of water or can of soda. Or you can get a free bag of chips with a Yelp check-in.
Ramen Yamadaya
Photo by Zoe Tsai
Despite being located past Wilshire, Ramen Yamadaya is worth the walk/bus ride from campus. They are known for their rich and mild tonkotsu (pork) ramen, served with chashu pork, menma (bamboo shoots), thinly-sliced wood ear mushrooms, green onions, and half of really delicious and flavorful soft-boiled soy sauce egg. As well as ramen, they offer rice dishes like Japanese curry served on a fried pork cutlet (katsu curry). Try the kara-age chicken (crispy and juicy Japanese fried chicken) or takoyaki (batter containing octopus and topped with a sweet and salty soy sauce, mayonnaise, and dried fish flakes called bonito) as sides. Use your student ID (don’t have to be a UCLA student) to get a second serving of ramen noodles for free.
Poke Me
Photo courtesy of Poke Me on Facebook
Poke Me is the other poke restaurant in Westwood, and it is located near Ramen Yamadaya (past Wilshire). Also Chipotle-style like Poké Bar, but they offer a variety of ponzu sauces and different mix-ins and garnishes. Try the tamago (Japanese egg omelet), which is unique to this poke place. I don’t know of any student discounts, but you can get a free fountain drink if you check in on Yelp.