Saltbox Seafood Joint ★ 4.9
At $14-22 for a James Beard winner's fried fish plate with signature Hush-Honeys, Saltbox offers the best value-for-accolade ratio in Durham. No reservations.
OrderFried fish plate with Hush-Honeys
30 budget eating worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All United States guides.
Niki's West ★ 4.8
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West Birmingham serves the canonical meat-and-three from a steam table since 1957, with most plates landing under $15 per person.
OrderMeat-and-three plate, $10-15
West Side Market food stalls ★ 4.8
The West Side Market on West 25th Street since 1912, the 60-vendor public market in the Hubbel and Benes Hall, runs cheap-eat lunches from bratwurst, pierogi.
OrderCheap-eat lunches from 60+ vendors: bratwurst, pierogi, gyros, tacos
Al Ameer (lunch) ★ 4.8
Al Ameer on West Warren Avenue in Dearborn serves Lebanese cooking at lunch under $15 in metro Detroit. At 12710 W Warren Ave. Booking recommended.
OrderHummus, shawarma, falafel
TipLunch plate is the budget visit; chicken shawarma with rice runs $13.
Tacos Tierra Caliente ★ 4.8
Tacos Tierra Caliente in Houston is the West Alabama Montrose taco truck, with $3-4 tacos al pastor sliced off the trompo and the West Alabama Ice House next.
OrderTacos al pastor
TipThree al pastor with pineapple is the canonical order, under $12. Take them into the ice house for a Lone Star.
Langer's Delicatessen ★ 4.8
Langer's Delicatessen on Alvarado, Westlake, Los Angeles has hand-sliced pastrami since 1947. The #19 with Russian dressing, coleslaw and Swiss is the order.
OrderHand-sliced pastrami #19 sandwich
Tacos Sinaloa ★ 4.8
Tacos Sinaloa on International Boulevard in Fruitvale is the East Bay's most-loved late-night taco truck. Family-run since 1999, two-dollar tacos.
OrderSuadero and adobada tacos, two for five dollars.
TipThe truck cooks past midnight Friday and Saturday; cash only at the window.
Tommy DiNic's ★ 4.8
Tommy DiNic's in Philadelphia is the Reading Terminal Market counter that won America's best sandwich in 2013, a roast pork with rabe and sharp provolone.
OrderRoast pork sandwich
Primanti Bros (Strip District original) ★ 4.8
Primanti Bros on 18th Street is the cheap, filling Strip District original in Pittsburgh. One sandwich with fries and slaw inside the bread is a whole meal.
OrderAlmost Famous sandwich
Tessaro's ★ 4.8
Tessaro's on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield grills a famous burger for under $16 in Pittsburgh. A hardwood-fire burger many call the city's best.
OrderHardwood-grilled burger
Forage Market Bagel ★ 4.8
Forage Market on Washington Avenue runs wood-fired Montreal-style bagels and bagel sandwiches under twelve dollars from the East Bayside counter.
OrderWood-fired bagel sandwich
TipCloses 13:00; bagels often sell out by noon weekends. Cash and card both fine; counter only, no seating.
Olneyville New York System ★ 4.8
Olneyville's signature combo: three hot wieners with mustard, meat sauce, onions and celery salt, plus a coffee milk. Under $13 in Olneyville Square.
OrderThree hot wieners 'all the way' with coffee milk
Pho Momma ★ 4.8
Pho Momma on Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento serves a Michelin Bib Gourmand pho under $18, the best-value Vietnamese counter with house pork wontons.
OrderPho with house pork wontons
Pollos Asados Los Norteños ★ 4.8
Pollos Asados Los Norteños grills whole mesquite chickens on Rigsby Avenue that feed a family for the price of one mid-range entree, a high-value cult spot.
OrderMesquite-grilled chicken feeds a family
TipA whole grilled chicken with tortillas and onions feeds several people cheaply. Go early; the line builds fast.
2M Smokehouse ★ 4.8
2M Smokehouse on the South Side serves Tejano-accented barbecue; order by the quarter pound and add the cheap sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars.
OrderBBQ by the quarter pound
TipOrder by the quarter pound and add the cheap Tejano sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars. Go early; it sells out.
Bay Cities Italian Deli ★ 4.8
Bay Cities Italian Deli, family-owned since 1925, bakes and stacks the Godmother on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica behind hour-long lunchtime queues.
OrderThe Godmother
TipOrder the Godmother online ahead and skip the queue; it is debit or cash only and closed Monday and Tuesday.
El Guero Canelo ★ 4.8
El Guero Canelo's $5 Sonoran hot dog on South 12th Avenue in Tucson is the city's signature cheap eat, a James Beard America's Classic 2018.
OrderSonoran hot dog (bacon-wrapped, in bolillo bun)
The Frontier Restaurant ★ 4.7
The Frontier on Central Avenue across from UNM serves the green chile breakfast burrito and Frontier sweet roll daily 05:00 to midnight since 1971.
OrderGreen chile breakfast burrito
Mary and Tito's Cafe ★ 4.7
Mary and Tito's on Fourth Street in Albuquerque is the James Beard America's Classic 2010 winner serving carne adovada turnovers and red chile enchiladas.
OrderCarne adovada turnover
Good Hot Fish ★ 4.7
Ashleigh Shanti's Good Hot Fish at Burial's South Slope runs a $14 fried catfish basket as standard. Hush puppies, slaw dog and Carolina mustard included.
OrderFried catfish basket
TipOrder at the counter upstairs. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Beer downstairs at Burial.
Veracruz All Natural ★ 4.7
Veracruz All Natural in Austin is the Webberville Road breakfast-taco truck from the Vazquez sisters, the Food Network Top 5 tacos pick and the cheapest.
OrderMigas breakfast taco
TipMigas on a homemade corn tortilla is the order; arrive before 9:30am to dodge the office-worker rush.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.7
Eagle's Restaurant in Smithfield Birmingham serves Black soul food since 1951 with fried catfish, smothered pork chops and meat-and-three plates around $12.
OrderSoul-food lunch plate, $10-13
Bertha's Kitchen ★ 4.7
Bertha's Kitchen in North Charleston has run soul food cafeteria-style since 1979, the Grant family at the steam table. Fried chicken, okra soup, red rice.
OrderFried chicken, okra soup, red rice with two sides
TipCash and card both fine. Lunch only, Mon-Sat; arrive before 13:00 or the chicken sells out.
Lewis Barbecue (lunch plate) ★ 4.7
John Lewis's central-Texas pit fires brisket and sausage every morning at the Nassau Street counter. Located in Upper Peninsula. At 464 N Nassau St.
OrderBrisket sandwich, sausage plate with two sides
TipOrder at the counter, sit at the picnic tables. The brisket sandwich at lunch is the move when the full plate is too much.
Camp Washington Chili ★ 4.7
Camp Washington on Colerain Avenue in Cincinnati's Camp Washington has been the 24-hour chili counter since 1940, and a James Beard America's Classic winner.
OrderCincinnati 5-way and cheese coney
Slyman's Restaurant ★ 4.7
Slyman's Restaurant on St Clair Avenue, the Slyman family corned beef counter since 1964, runs the city's defining overstuffed corned beef sandwich on rye.
OrderOverstuffed corned beef sandwich
Fox in the Snow Cinnamon Roll ★ 4.7
Fox in the Snow's signature cinnamon roll plus a drip coffee at the Thurman Avenue counter runs under $11, the Columbus morning cheap classic.
OrderCinnamon roll with drip coffee
Pecan Lodge ★ 4.7
Dallas's most celebrated BBQ pit is genuinely affordable: a half-pound brisket with a side costs under $20 and represents some of the best smoked meat.
OrderHalf-pound brisket by weight; one jalapeño cheddar link; free bread and pickles
TipOrder one meat plus one side for a filling under-$20 meal. The desserts (peach cobbler, banana pudding) are worth the extra few dollars.
Supino Pizzeria (slices) ★ 4.7
Supino Pizzeria on Russell Street in Eastern Market sells walk-up slices in Detroit. A slice, a salad and a soft drink runs about $14 at peak hours.
OrderSlice of wood-fired pizza
TipLunch slices on weekdays come out fastest; the bismarck cheats a little for breakfast.
Leonard's Bakery ★ 4.7
Leonard's Bakery in Kapahulu Honolulu sells the canonical Hawaii malasada for around $2 each at the counter, the lowest-cost taste of Portuguese-Hawaii sweet.
OrderOriginal sugar malasada
TipDaily 05:30-19:00. Order half a dozen sugar plus a custard; box stays warm for 30 minutes.
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