My very dear friends Mary and Art joined Craig and me for dinner recently, at Banfield's Bar & Grill. A casual place with great inexpensive options, it's a perfect place to feature today for Frugal Floozie Friday.

Burgers were the stars of the evening, as three members of our group ordered them. Art and Mary both ordered the burger "deal of the day" (pictured above), which came in at just under our mandatory budget of $5 per person even with all the toppings — tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and condiments — that either of them might want to choose from. Crisp french fries and pickles were also part of the deal, which was a tremendous value.

Craig ordered the Black-n-Blue Burger, topped with rich blue cheese and caramelized onions, which crept just over the budgetary limit at $5.95. But it was very good, should anyone have a craving for it and be willing to spend just a little bit extra.

I decided to try some other frugal options, and so I ordered a cup of the very rich, creamy Potato Swiss Bacon Soup for $2.50 and paired it with a platter of the cheese nachos, curious as to how generous the $4.95 serving would be. I was impressed to find that this is something that can easily be shared by a few folks who just want a snack and something to drink while they chat an evening away or watch a sporting event. Craig nibbled at them along with me as I slowed down, and we still weren't able to finish them.

Banfield's offers great, friendly service and a lot of food that meets our strict financial limits: deep fried mushrooms, onions rings, jalapeno poppers, mini tacos, and even a veggie tray all cost less than $5 each. The Big B Burger — with cheese, pickle, onion, lettuce, and special sauce — costs only $4.99, served with fries and a pickle. A 1/3-pound prime sirloin burger can be had for $4.75; and a grilled cheese sandwich is available for $4.95, served with chips, coleslaw, and a pickle spear.

Breakfast is served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and there are a number of dishes to choose from within our budget, as well: two eggs with hash browns, choice of meat, and toast for $4.25; a three-egg cheese omelet, also with hash browns and toast, for $4.95; a breakfast sandwich on a grilled English muffin costs $4.25; and either buttermilk pancakes or French toast can be enjoyed for $4.50. Waffles with a choice of meat cost $4.25.

So head over to Banfield's, where you can find lots of comfort food options for great prices!

Banfield's Bar & Grill
3140 Packard
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734-971-3300
Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - midnight
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

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Mary Bilyeu writes for AnnArbor.com on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, telling about her adventures in the kitchen - making dinner, celebrating holidays, entering cooking contests, meeting new friends ... whatever strikes her fancy. She is also on a mission to find great deals for her Frugal Floozie Friday posts, seeking fabulous food at restaurants on the limited budget of only $5 per person. Feel free to email her with questions, comments, or suggestions: yentamary@gmail.com.

Go visit Mary's blog — Food Floozie — where she enthuses and effuses over all things food-related; and look for her monthly articles in the Washtenaw Jewish News. "Like" her on Facebook, or send a tweet on Twitter, too.

The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured in this post) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15 and is a wish for all her readers - when you come to visit here, may you always be happy.