By Liam Chicago is one of the best food cities in the USA and few would dare debate that. Sure, deep dish pizza, Chicago dogs and Italian beef are some famous foods from the city but you can find pretty much everything you’re looking for in Chicago. There is a huge dining scene in the city with cheap eats, upscale food and everything in between. So, today we’ll discuss 15 of the best cheap eats in Chicago.
Personally, I am always looking for affordable and delicious food. Given I spent 2024 living in Chicago, I got to try plenty of different restaurants. So, I’m happy to share some of the best cheap eats in Chicago with travelers who are looking for delicious and affordable food.
A lot of ground is covered here, ranging from deli sandwiches and hot dogs to Nepalese, Lebanese, Puerto Rican and more. Without further ado, here’s the list:
Cheap Eats in Chicago – #1. Taste of Lebanon
Taste of Lebanon is one of the best food deals in Chicago. You can get a delicious and filling chicken shawarma wrap for seven dollars. Vegetarian combos with falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, vegetables and pita are under $10 as well.
In a world where one meal at a mid-range restaurant can easily cost $30, you can eat two entrees for well under $20 at Taste of Lebanon. This cash only Andersonville joint often has a line but they move very quickly and with friendly service.
Cheap Eats in Chicago – #2. Chicken Hut
Lakeview’s Chicken Hut, on the corner of Belmont and Broadway, is one of the best cheap eats in Chicago. Their charbroiled chickens are flavorful and can feed a whole family. Their whole chicken special is undoubtedly one of the best deals in the city.
You’ll get a whole chicken, pita and a choice of side for $21.65. In a dining world where sometimes it can feel like there are too many choices, Chicken Hut keeps it simple. Your only choices are between quarter chicken, half chicken and whole chicken plus side orders and dessert. I personally recommend getting the mashed potatoes as a side.
Cheap Eats in Chicago – #3. CoCo Vietnamese Sandwiches and Pho
If you’re in the mood for banh mi, look no further than CoCo Vietnamese Sandwiches and Pho. This takeout and delivery-only Vietnamese restaurant is in Uptown, near the corner of Lawrence and Ashland.
Their banh mi are all $8 or $9 and equally delicious. I usually go for the shredded chicken but the lemongrass pork and shrimp are also great. They also serve up huge portions of pho for $15 that could easily last you a couple of meals.
#4. Ghareeb Nawaz
Ghareeb Nawaz, a Pakistani-Indian restaurant, has three locations in Chicago and five in the Chicagoland area. The ones in the city proper are in Rogers Park, Lincoln Park and right outside of the UIC campus.
You can get dishes like biryani, butter chicken and chili chicken all for very reasonable prices. Just note that they only accept cash.
#5. Taqueria Tejupilco
When I lived in Lakeview East, Taqueria Tejupilco was the only place I would get Mexican food from in the area. Given I lived in Mexico City before living Chicago and do so now as well, my standards for Mexican food are high.
Regardless, Taqueria Tejupilco is one of the best cheap eats in Chicago. Their enchiladas are tasty, filling and $10.50. Their sopes (not soup!) also come packed with meat, vegetables and cheese and are only $4.50 each.
They have a few tables in their restaurant but it can get packed so it’s definitely more of a takeout option.
#6. Pho’s Thai
Pho’s Thai on Lincoln Avenue in Lakeview has an incredible lunch special. From 11:30 am until 3:00 pm, you’ll get an entree of your choice, an egg roll and veggie soup for under $11.
Even when you go outside of lunch special hours, you’ll get huge portions of Thai food at low prices. I would regularly head to Pho’s on Thursdays before playing bar trivia next door at The Green Lady, one of my favorite bars in Chicago.
#7. North Buena Deli
North Buena Deli has two locations, one in Uptown and another in Lincoln Park. They serve up big deli sandwiches for under $10. They also have high quality grocery products in the store and a large selection of wine.
I’d highly recommend either the chipotle chicken or buffalo chicken sandwich. The latter comes on a pretzel bun and is delicious. North Buena Deli doesn’t skimp on ingredients and it’s always nice to spend less than $10 and be full.
#8. Jong Boo Market
Jong Boo Market is a Korean grocery store in Avondale on Kimball. They have an indoor and outdoor snack bar, which are both very popular. Indoors, they sell traditional Korean food and you’ll find dumplings outside.
The dumpling set from Jong Boo Snack Corner makes it one of the best cheap eats in Chicago. You can get enough dumplings to feed two people for just $11. They pack the dumplings, which are made fresh daily, with fillings and they are delicious.
#9. Momo Factory
Momo Factory was one of my favorite places to eat in Lakeview when I lived in Chicago. They also have a location on the Near North Side as well. Not all of the items on the menu are great deals but the combo bowls certainly are.
At this Nepalese spot, you can get four momos, chicken curry, rice and salad for $12. It’s a filling dinner and momo isn’t something you see every day.
#10. Red Hot Ranch
There’s no chance we could make a list of the best cheap eats in Chicago and not include a hot dog joint. Chicago dogs are famous and Red Hot Ranch, which has locations in Logan Square and Lakeview is one of the best to do it.
Along with the hot dogs, the smash burgers are very popular at this Zagat-rated restaurant. You can get a double dog and fries for closer to $5 than $10. Plus, the burgers and fries are under $10 as well. Red Hot Ranch is one of the best bargains on this list.
#11. Bob’s Pizza
Bob’s Pizza has a buy one, get one free deal that makes it one of the best cheap eats in Chicago. From 4:00-5:00 pm Monday-Thursday, you can get two pizzas for the price of one at Bob’s, which has four Chicagoland locations. The deal applies to both dine-in and carryout orders.
Bob’s, which serves thin crust pies, has locations in Evanston, Old Town, Pilsen and Hyde Park. With the BOGO deal, you can feed a whole family for under $30.
#12. Jibaritos y Mas
For the uninitiated, a jibarito is a sandwich created by the Puerto Rican community of Chicago. Instead of bread, the ingredients are held together by two fried plantains. At Jibaritos y Mas, in Logan Square, you can get one of these decadent sandwiches for under $10.
The jibaritos come with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions, garlic and mayonnaise and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. There are plenty of choices, ranging from steak and chicken to blood sausage and octopus. Don’t forget to order arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas) on the side.
#13. Ricobene’s
USA Today once called the breaded steak sandwich from South Side pizza parlor Ricobene’s the “best sandwich in the world”. Not only that, the portions at Ricobene’s are massive.
If you can try the so called best sandwich in the world (make sure to get mozzarella and hot giardiniera) for $12 and get very full in the process, that’s a win in my book. The chicken vesuvio and chicken parm sandwiches, which people also rave about, are both under $10. That makes Ricobene’s, the most famous restaurant on this list, a great deal.
Cheap Eats in Chicago – #14. Montrose Deli
Could we really make a list of the best cheap eats in Chicago without a Polish spot? Montrose Deli might just have the best food deal in all of Chicago.
This primarily Polish Deli in Portage Park has a hot lunch/dinner bar and they’ll fill a to go container with food to the brim for just $5.99. Their hearty meals include meat and two sides and it is absolutely a bargain worth going out of your way for.
Cheap Eats in Chicago – #15. 5411 Empanadas
To be clear, 5411 Empanadas is only one of the best cheap eats in Chicago on Tuesdays, when they have their $2 empanada deal from 5-8 pm. On a normal day, their Argentine style empanadas are a bit overpriced for the portion size. However, the Tuesday deal is too good to pass up on.
Their baked empanadas are delicious and they have a bunch of inventive flavors. Here, you can get bacon, dates and goat cheese, mushroom and blue cheese, curry chicken empanadas and more. Also, there’s no limit to the number of empanadas you can get for $2. If you’re feeling extra hungry and want to get eight, you’re more than welcome to.
Their Tuesday deal applies at both their Clark Street and Southport locations. You can also hire their food truck for a private event.