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.
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. The spot’s hearty breakfast tacos are just $3.75 each, and large breakfast burritos are $6.99.
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 this favorite institution’s plates — including flautas, fideo loco, enchiladas and chalupas — come in at under $10.
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.
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) barely break our $10 threshold at $10.50, so we’ll allow it. But other tortas are under $10, and so are burritos.
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.
Wicked Wich
825 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 929-7693, wickedwichtx.com.
Wicked Wich is a local sandwich shop known for its affordable prices and filling fare. Several sandwiches on the menu are exactly $10, including the roast beef, the turkey sandwich, the cheesy bacon ranch and vegetarian options, including 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, run $10 on the dot, as do its sopes, chilaquiles, flautas y mas. Even the enchiladas plate is only $7.49.
Photo via Instagram / birotesahogadas
Pollos Asados Los Norteños
4642 Rigsby Ave., (210) 648-3303, polloslosnortenos.com.
At Pollos Asados Los Norteños, diners can get a half chicken for under $10, and if you want all the fixins with it — including charro beans, grilled onion, corn tortillas y mas — that will 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.
Mr. Juicy
3315 San Pedro Ave., (210) 994-9838, mrjuicy.net.
At Mr. Juicy, a burger with fries and a drink runs just $10 — and it’s one of the best burgers in the city to boot. The 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.
M.K. Davis Restaurant & Bar
1302 N. Flores St., (210) 223-1208, facebook.com/mkdavisrestaurant.
This family-owned comfort-food 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 under $10 all day, and some run $5 or less.
Antinoz Cafe
5826 Babcock Road, (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 that 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 also run $10 or less, including enchiladas, chalupas, gorditas and chili relleno.
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 hearty and delicious burgers and nachos for under $10.
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.
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 just $1.99. Indeed, all of Uncle Joe’s breakfast options are under $10, and they’re served all day. Many other dishes such as caldo, menudo, and the taco salad bowl come in at $10 on the dot.
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 the Big Apple — and they’re all $10 or less. Those options include the meatball parmesan, the Italian hero, eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan, the fish filet and the sausage, pepper and onion parmesan hero. Calzones are also just $10.75, if you feel like spending big.
Tycoon Flats
2926 N. St Mary’s St., (210) 320-0819, tycoonflats.net.
Tycoon Flats offers multiple affordable lunch specials, and the most expensive — a burger and fries — is exactly $10.
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. Indeed, nearly all of Murf’s 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.
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 lucky to have so many 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 clock in at under $10. This spot also offers a variety of daily specials for just $6.99.
Rocky’s Taco House
1302 Cupples Road, (210) 433-2931, rockystacohouse.com.
Everything — and we mean everything — on this menu is under $10. And this spot is also open around the clock.