30 budget eating worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All United States guides.
Saltbox Seafood Joint ★ 4.9 · Durham
south-durham · 2637 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707
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.
Niki's West ★ 4.8 · Birmingham
acipco-finley · 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
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.
West Side Market food stalls ★ 4.8 · Cleveland
ohio-city · 1979 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
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.
Al Ameer (lunch) ★ 4.8 · Detroit
dearborn · 12710 W Warren Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
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.
Tip: Lunch plate is the budget visit; chicken shawarma with rice runs $13.
Tacos Tierra Caliente ★ 4.8 · Houston
2003 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77098
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.
Tip: Three 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 · Los Angeles
704 S. Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
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.
Tacos Sinaloa ★ 4.8 · Oakland
fruitvale · 2138 International Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94606
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.
Tip: The truck cooks past midnight Friday and Saturday; cash only at the window.
Tommy DiNic's ★ 4.8 · Philadelphia
51 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
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.
Primanti Bros (Strip District original) ★ 4.8 · Pittsburgh
strip-district · 46 18th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
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.
Tessaro's ★ 4.8 · Pittsburgh
bloomfield · 4601 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
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.
Forage Market Bagel ★ 4.8 · Portland
east-bayside · 123 Washington Avenue, Portland, ME 04101
Forage Market on Washington Avenue runs wood-fired Montreal-style bagels and bagel sandwiches under twelve dollars from the East Bayside counter.
Tip: Closes 13:00; bagels often sell out by noon weekends. Cash and card both fine; counter only, no seating.
Olneyville New York System ★ 4.8 · Providence
olneyville · 18 Plainfield Street, Providence, RI 02909
Olneyville's signature combo: three hot wieners with mustard, meat sauce, onions and celery salt, plus a coffee milk. Under $13 in Olneyville Square.
Pho Momma ★ 4.8 · Sacramento
east-sacramento · 9555 Folsom Boulevard, Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95827
Pho Momma on Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento serves a Michelin Bib Gourmand pho under $18, the best-value Vietnamese counter with house pork wontons.
Pollos Asados Los Norteños ★ 4.8 · San Antonio
east-side · 4642 Rigsby Ave, San Antonio, TX 78222
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.
Tip: A whole grilled chicken with tortillas and onions feeds several people cheaply. Go early; the line builds fast.
2M Smokehouse ★ 4.8 · San Antonio
south-side · 2731 S WW White Rd, San Antonio, TX 78222
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.
Tip: Order by the quarter pound and add the cheap Tejano sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars. Go early; it sells out.
El Guero Canelo ★ 4.8 · Tucson
south-tucson · 5201 S 12th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85706
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.
The Frontier Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Albuquerque
university · 2400 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
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.
Mary and Tito's Cafe ★ 4.7 · Albuquerque
north-valley · 2711 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107
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.
Good Hot Fish ★ 4.7 · Asheville
south-slope · 10 Buxton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
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.
Tip: Order at the counter upstairs. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Beer downstairs at Burial.
Veracruz All Natural ★ 4.7 · Austin
2505 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78702
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.
Tip: Migas on a homemade corn tortilla is the order; arrive before 9:30am to dodge the office-worker rush.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Birmingham
smithfield · 2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35204
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.
Bertha's Kitchen ★ 4.7 · Charleston
north-charleston · 2332 Meeting Street Rd, North Charleston, SC 29405
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.
Tip: Cash and card both fine. Lunch only, Mon-Sat; arrive before 13:00 or the chicken sells out.
Lewis Barbecue (lunch plate) ★ 4.7 · Charleston
upper-peninsula · 464 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC 29403
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.
Tip: Order 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 · Cincinnati
camp-washington · 3005 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45225
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.
Slyman's Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Cleveland
st-clair-superior · 3106 St Clair Ave NE, Cleveland, OH 44114
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.
Fox in the Snow Cinnamon Roll ★ 4.7 · Columbus
german-village · 210 Thurman Ave, Columbus, OH 43206
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.
Pecan Lodge ★ 4.7 · Dallas
deep-ellum · 2702 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226
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.
Tip: Order 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 · Detroit
eastern-market · 2457 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207
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.
Tip: Lunch slices on weekdays come out fastest; the bismarck cheats a little for breakfast.
Leonard's Bakery ★ 4.7 · Honolulu
933 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816
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.
Tip: Daily 05:30-19:00. Order half a dozen sugar plus a custard; box stays warm for 30 minutes.
Frenchy's Chicken ★ 4.7 · Houston
3602 Scott St, Houston, TX 77004
Frenchy's Chicken in Houston is the 1969 Third Ward Creole fried chicken counter on Scott Street, with a three-piece dark with two sides for $11 that fills.
Tip: Dark meat over white. Dirty rice and red beans. The Sunday queue is 30 minutes; weekday lunch is the move.