Hammerheads
Catfish Tacos & Smoked Meats — Yelp's #1 Cheap Eat in Louisville
Louisville's most-loved cheap eat on Yelp — "an amazing no-frills restaurant with amazing food." Sliders, smoked chicken wings, pulled pork, beef brisket, crispy catfish, smoked ribs. All of it also available in taco form on soft corn tortillas with jalapeño-lime mayo, pico, and cilantro. Catfish tacos by the best-reviewed accounts are life-changing. Two people ordering tacos and smoked meats land well under $20. Germantown neighborhood. Warm and relaxed atmosphere, bar seating available.
Vietnam Kitchen
Best Vietnamese in Louisville — South End Near Churchill Downs
Louisville's gold standard for Vietnamese food — consistently named the best Vietnamese restaurant in the city with nearly 100 items on the menu. Pho, bun thit nuong (grilled pork vermicelli), fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese pancakes, wonton soup, chicken rice porridge. "Repeatedly chosen as the best Vietnamese restaurant in Louisville and rightfully so." South End, near Churchill Downs. Two people eating pho and a shared spring roll appetizer land comfortably under $20. Open Mon–Sat, closed Wed & Sun.
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken
Nashville-Style Spicy Hot Chicken — Yelp Top 5 Cheap Eats
One of the most celebrated fried chicken names in the South, and Louisville has a location. "By far the most scrumptious, delicious, decadent chicken I've ever had in my life." Juicy spicy fried chicken with that Memphis-to-Nashville heat, plus fried green tomatoes and chocolate chess pie. Yelp top 5 cheap eats in Louisville. Two people ordering chicken plates with sides land right at $20. The tenders are a must-try. One of the best value fried chicken meals in the city.
The Fish House / Cafe Beignet
Deep South Fish Fries & New Orleans Beignets — Yelp Top 9
A uniquely Louisville combination: a no-frills seafood shack and a New Orleans-style beignet café under one roof. Catfish, haddock, tilapia, shrimp, pan-fried oysters, and clam strips. "Does Deep South fish fries like no other place in Louisville." Don't skip the homemade seafood chowder. And save room — the world-famous beignets on the dessert menu are the reason locals keep coming back. Yelp top 9 cheap eats. Two people eating fish plates + beignets = a complete, satisfying, very Louisville meal.
Kern's Korner
Louisville Dive Bar Classic — Burgers, Patty Melts & Chili
Authentic Louisville watering hole that won't leave you hosed with high prices. Burgers, patty melts, chili, and beloved comfort foods that taste like a friend made them just for you. Yelp top 7 cheap eats and top affordable restaurants. Cold beers and no pretense. 2600 Bardstown Road. Two people eating burgers or patty melts with chili = well under $20. The kind of bar that has been quietly serving its neighborhood for decades and never needed to go anywhere.
El Mariachi
Jalisco-Style Mexican — Family-Owned, Louisville's Cheapest Dinner
Family-owned Mexican restaurant serving traditional Jalisco dishes — the cheapest dinner for two reviewed by LEO Weekly's critic in all of 2023. Authentic recipes with generous portions. An extensive menu of classic Mexican preparations: beef, chicken, and seafood with that regional Jalisco flavor profile. Strong margaritas and a lively family-friendly environment. "Three hefty tacos" praised by the critic. Two people eating lunch — tacos and a shared plate — land solidly under $20. A Louisville Mexican institution.
Sala Thai
Best Thai in Louisville — Tripadvisor Top Cheap Eat
"Sala Thai is by far the best Thai restaurant in the Louisville area." Tripadvisor cheap eats top-rated (4.5/5), consistently one of the city's best-reviewed affordable spots. Curries, pad Thai, stir-fries and soups at prices that feel generous even by Louisville standards. "Their curry is perfect. No matter what you order, you can't go wrong." East Louisville on Bardstown Road. Two people ordering a curry and pad Thai each land well under $20. Worth the drive from anywhere in the city.
The Table
Pay-What-You-Can Community Restaurant — Yelp's #2 Cheap Eat
Louisville's beloved pay-what-you-can community restaurant — the most democratic cheap eat on this list. LEO Weekly described it as welcoming everyone "without regard to their ability to pay in cash." Locally sourced, seasonal menu: smoked chicken sandwich, smoked pork sandwich, BLT, grilled cheese, house salads, watermelon salad in season. The chef changes things up every few weeks. Yelp's #2 cheap eat. Two people eating a full seasonal lunch while paying what they can. An extraordinary Louisville institution.
Yummy Bowl
Asian Bowls & Vietnamese — Yelp Top 6 Cheap Eats
Yelp's top 6 cheap eat in Louisville and top 4 cheap food pick. "Great Vietnamese food for a really affordable price. Really recommend it if you are in the..." Generous Asian bowls — rice bowls, vermicelli, noodles, and Vietnamese comfort food at prices that keep locals coming back weekly. Two people eating full bowls land comfortably under $20. In a city with strong Vietnamese roots in the South End, Yummy Bowl serves the community it's in. Fast, fresh, and consistently reliable.
Ramen House
Japanese Ramen — Yelp Top 10 Cheap Eats in Louisville
Louisville's go-to for authentic Japanese ramen — "extravagant noodle bowls where the chefs blend sweet and salty elements in a way that shows you why locals consider this to be the best spot for authentic ramen in the city." Large menu with generous helpings, plenty of vegetarian options. Yelp top 10 cheap eats. Two people eating full ramen bowls land at or under $20. In a city more known for Southern comfort food, Ramen House has built a dedicated following that crosses every neighborhood line in Louisville.
Kathmandu Kitchen
Nepalese & Indian — Lunch Buffet & Authentic Menu
Louisville's authentic Nepalese and Indian restaurant serving flavorful dishes in a warm dining room decorated with cultural artifacts. The lunch buffet offers a wide variety of Indian and Nepalese dishes for a fixed price — one of the best deals in the entire city. "THE BEST FALAFEL & HUMMUS I've ever had!!! The falafel crisp on the outside..." Plenty of vegetarian options. Two people eating from the lunch buffet or ordering separately land right at $20. A rare and genuine slice of Nepalese culture in Louisville.
💡 Louisville Pro Tip: Louisville's best cheap eats are spread across very distinct neighborhoods. Germantown has Hammerheads. The South End (near Churchill Downs) is the Vietnamese and Latin American corridor — Vietnam Kitchen is the anchor and has a nearly 100-item menu to work through. Bardstown Road/Highlands has Kern's Korner and Sala Thai within a few blocks. The Table is wherever the season's best local ingredients take it — check their social before visiting. Vietnam Kitchen is closed Wednesdays and Sundays, so plan accordingly.
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Applebee's
2 Entrees + Appetizer
One shareable appetizer + two full-size entrées. Fiesta Lime Chicken, Classic Bacon Cheeseburger, Boneless Wings & more. Available dine-in, takeout & delivery.
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