Times are tough, and they may get even tougher.
We’re all looking for ways to stretch our hard-earned dollars, and that especially includes when we dine out. Fortunately, San Antonio is still full of locally owned restaurants offering delicious fare at affordable prices.
Here are 20 of the best dining spots we’ve found in town offering meals for $10 or less.
Credit: Instagram / taqueria datapoint
Taqueria Datapoint
Multiple locations, taqueriadatapoint.net
Considered one of the best places in the city to get tacos, it’s also one of the most affordable. Breakfast tacos are just $3.75 each, large breakfast burritos are $6.99.
Credit: Jace Gertz
Original Donut Shop
3307 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 734-5661, facebook.com/theoriginaldonutshop
A bean and cheese taco is $1.99 and a glazed donut is $1.50. Need we say more? Even most of their plates — including flautas, fideo loco, enchiladas and chalupas — come in at under $10.
Credit: Courtesy Photo / Taqueria Jimador
Taqueria Jimador
1106 Vance Jackson Road, (210) 732-3315, facebook.com/BestMexicanRestaurantInNWSanAntonio
At this hidden gem in Los Angeles Heights, everything on the menu is affordable, and it’s damn good at that. Gorditas? $4.99. Tortas? $7.75. Burritos? $7.25 and up. Tacos? $3.99. Even some of the platas are under $10.
Credit: Courtesy / El Chivito
El Chivito Tortas Ahogadas
204 Crossroads Blvd., (210) 369-9638, ahogadaselchivito.com
A combo plate of crispy, deep-fried tacos costs as little as $6.99 here. Tortas ahogadas (what they’re known for) just barely break our $10 threshold at $10.50, so we’ll allow it. But other tortas are under $10, and so are burritos.
Credit: Photo via Instagram / cuba_1918
Cuba 1918
2809 W. Southcross Blvd., (210) 236-9925, cuba1918.com
Cuba 1918 boasts the cheapest breakfast tacos on our list at just $1. Yep, you read that right. And what’s more, people swear by them.
Credit: Instagram / Wicked Wich
Wicked Wich
825 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 929-7693, wickedwichtx.com
Wicked Wich is a local sandwich shop known for its affordable prices. Several sandwiches on the menu are exactly $10, including the roast beef, the turkey sandwich, the cheesy bacon ranch and vegetarian options like the chickpea or the sprout.
Birotes Tortas Ahogadas
3004 W Martin St, (210) 375-5230, facebook.com/birotestortas
Breakfast tacos, served from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., are as low as $1.49 at this spot. Its signature tortas ahogadas, considered some of the best in the city are $10 on the dot, and so are its sopes, chilaquiles, flautas y mas. Even the enchiladas plate is only $7.49.
Photo via Instagram / birotesahogadas
Credit: Bethany Rogers
Pollos Asados Los Norteños
4642 Rigsby Ave., (210) 648-3303, polloslosnortenos.com
Here you can get a half chicken for under $10 and if you want all the fixins to come with it — including charro beans, grilled onion, corn tortillas y mas, that’ll only set you back $10.29. And the chicken is so good here, you’ll really feel like you’re feasting like a king, even if you’re not rolling in it like a royal. All of the hamburgesas are at or under $10 as well.
Credit: Michael Karlis
Mr. Juicy
3315 San Pedro Ave., (210) 994-9838, mrjuicy.net
Here, you can get a burger with fries and a drink for just $10 — and it’s one of the best burgers in the city to boot. Their a la carte menu is also full of great cheap options for a filling meal, including a $5 hamburger, $6 cheeseburger, $7 double cheeseburger, $10 chicken sandwich, and a $10 chicken tender basket with french fries and pickles.
Credit: Sanford Nowlin
M.K. Davis Restaurant & Bar
1302 N. Flores St., (210) 223-1208, facebook.com/mkdavisrestaurant
This family-owned American restaurant has a lot of great lunch specials including chicken fried steak, Alaskan pollock or a Mexican platter — all for just $8.99. All burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches are also under $10 all day, and some are just $5 or less.
Credit: Facebook / Antinoz
Antinoz Cafe
5826 Babcock Rd., (210) 900-2277, antinoz.com
Specializing in Italian food with a Mediterranean flair, Antinoz boasts an Italian wedding soup that’s exactly $10 and it’s so good, you might want to marry it.
Angelica’s Restaurant No. 2
3020 Commercial Ave., (210) 924-6112, angelicasmexicanrestaurants.com
Breakfast plates are all under $10 at this local favorite. Many of the lunch specials are also $10 or less, including enchiladas, chalupas, gorditas and chili relleno.
Credit: Photo via Google Maps
Diana’s Burgers
2202 N. Zarzamora St., (210) 251-2252, facebook.com/dianasburgers
Owned by Diana Madrid, sister of the late Chris Madrid, this spot offers burgers and nachos for under $10.
Credit: Instagram / Pancake Joe’s
Pancake Joe’s
1011 Donaldson Ave., (210) 647-7720, pancakejoes-sa.com
A lot of the offerings on the menu at this breakfast mecca are under $10, including the pancakes, french toast, pancake sundae, waffles, breakfast sandwich, eggs and potatoes, cheese omelet and more.
Credit: Instagram / Uncle Joe’s Tacos
Uncle Joe’s Tacos
11988 Alamo Ranch Parkway, (210) 281–5527, unclejoestacostx.com
People swear by the breakfast tacos at the Far West Side spot, and they start at only $1.99. In fact, all of their breakfast options are under $10 and they’re served all day. Many other dishes like caldo, menudo, and the taco salad bowl come in at $10 on the dot.
Credit: Bryan Rindfuss
Florio’s Pizza
7701 Broadway, (210) 805-8646, Facebook.com/FloriosPizza
This authentic NY-style pizzeria also offers a bunch of subs — or heroes are they’re called in New York — and they’re all $10 or less. These include the meatball parmesan, the Italian hero, sausage, pepper, and onions parmesan hero, eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan and the fish filet. Calzones are also just $10.75.
Photo via Instagram / tycoonflats
Tycoon Flats
2926 N St Mary’s St, (210) 320-0819, tycoonflats.net
Tycoon Flats offers several lunch specials and the most expensive one — a burger and fries — is exactly $10.
Credit: Facebook / Murf’s Better Burger
Murf’s Better Burger
2922 West Ave., (210) 342-1574, facebook.com/p/Murfs-Better-Burger-61556198570221/
This quirky burger spot has been slinging juicy ones since 1985 and they are known for some of the best deals in town. These include a daily lunch special for just $5.99 that includes a Junior Murf’s burger, small fries and a small drink. In fact, almost all their a la cart burgers are under $5. And at the risk of making the line even longer than it is, we’ll let you in on a little secret: every Thursday they offer burgers for half off.
Credit: Facebook / El Rodeo de Jalisco
Taqueria El Rodeo de Jalisco
3802 NW Loop 410, (210) 733-6776, https://taqueria-el-rodeo-de-jalisco.goto-place.com
When it comes to great, affordable Tex-Mex, we’re pretty lucky to have lots of options, but Taqueria El Rodeo de Jalisco is one of the best. Burritos and tortas are only $4.99. Even the enchiladas, flautas, tacos, steak ranchero, fajita ranchera and chalupas are under $10. This spot also offers a variety of daily specials for just $6.99.
Credit: Facebook / Rocky’s Taco House
Rocky’s Taco House
1302 Cupples Rd., (210) 433-2931, rockystacohouse.com
Everything — and we mean everything — on this menu is under $10. And this spot is open 24 hours daily too.