Making noodles and broth for ramen can be a time-consuming process, resulting in a hefty price tag. But at this no-fuss ramen joint with multiple locations, guests can choose between shrimp-based broth, tonkatsu, and bone-based broth bowls for under $12. A meal in one, the soups are loaded with noodles, tender meat, fish cake, and a soft-boiled egg. 

Characterized by its boat-shaped, nautical-themed exterior, this local seafood chain has been an institution for Houstonians seeking casual seafood fare. With four locations, the restaurant has a distinct Cajun influence and is witnessed through its plates of gumbo, po’boys, and crawfish tails. Order any of its family dinners, including its jumbo fried shrimp or fried gulf oysters, or go a lighter route and grab the broiled platter with shrimp kabobs and your choice of fish. The sizable entrees come with a good helping of fries or rice, plus a selection of sauces.

In a town with no shortage of places to score tacos, Dona Lena is an impressive choice and it’s got great prices to match. The tacos at this vibrant, family-owned restaurant start at $2.50 and are built on warm, corn tortillas. Choose from beef, chicken, barbacoa, tinga, or a meatless option like soy pastor.

Treebeards has been churning out Southern comfort plates for more than four decades, and despite its expansion with multiple locations across the city, the menu remains affordable. Good ol’ standbys like red beans and rice with link sausage and shrimp etouffee start at just $5.50, while the chicken fried chicken platter with two sides provides a hearty meal for $10. Save room for buttercake, a sweet deal at $4.

Though only open for about a year, this New York bodega-themed burger shop has already made its name for itself in the vast Houston burger scene. Its signature smash burger rings in at under $10 and features a double smashed patty with gooey American cheese, grilled onions, house-made pickles, and Bodega sauce loaded inside a potato bun. The filling $11 chopped cheese, an ode to the NYC bodega classic, is also a requisite order, paired well with its signature milkshakes, including the mango lassi, which is an ode to the owner’s Pakistani heritage.

The quick stop for convenient and down-home Mediterranean eats, this unassuming convenience store-turned restaurant is a prime place to score gyros, shawarma, hummus, great mezze, and breakfast tacos stuffed with gyro meat, starting at $3. Go the a la carte route and build your meal, starting with appetizers like falafel or hummus before moving on to a sampler plate of gyro, shawarma, grape leaves, tabbouleh, pitas, and sauces. The family pack for $60 is an unbeatable deal if looking to feed a group. Each pack comes with a pound of each of the meats, six pitas, plus large orders of hummus, salad, rice, tzatziki, and garlic sauces. Be sure to tack on a side of baklava or its dessert pita — its version of a dessert pizza made with fried pita chips tossed in Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnadust and topped with chocolate syrup.

Lankford’s may be known for its classic and specialty burgers, but there is much more to consider and plenty for under $12. The Montrose gem is open bright and early and touts solid Mexican breakfast plates like migas, huevos rancheros, and chilaquiles, plus $6 mimosas and glasses of wine. Sweet tooth? Spring for a peach or apple cobbler, both under $7.

A local favorite since 1963, this old-school burger shack has remained a breakfast and lunch favorite for Houstonians looking for a hearty bite, especially when on a budget. Its Texas-sized steak sandwich is pound-for-pound one of the best deals in town, as this monstrous, beef-stuffed sandwich rings in just under $8. The burgers and breakfast sandwiches are no slouch, either — with its Champ burger loaded with bacon and cheese, and its classic sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich. Vegetarian? The black bean or falafel burger rivals some of the meat-based options.

The banh mi might just be the unofficial sandwich of Houston, and at Cali Sandwich, you can choose from grilled barbecue pork, shredded chicken, and more for under $6. Bowls of pho are equally reasonable — a small size starts at $9, but springing for the large for a dollar more is never a bad idea.

Houston is not short of great red sauce joints, and this casual Italian cafe in Montrose is another case in point. Pasta is handmade here, and the portions are generous — with $8 for a single portion, and $15 for a large that can easily be shared. Order the bucatini amatriciana — a heaping bowl of goodness with smoked bacon, garlic, pecorino, blistered tomatoes, and chili flakes, or the classic rigatoni bolognese, that’s packed with ground veal and beef in a tomato, cream, basil, red wine parmesan sauce. The cafe is also a great idea for lunch, with a boxed lunch option, serving sandwiches like Italian hoagies that come with pasta salad, fruit salad, and a cookie for $20 or less.

With its prime location steps from the West Alabama Ice House and a mouthwatering menu of $3 tacos, this iconic cash-only taco truck is one of the best ways to get the most bang for your (literal) buck. Order a few al pastor and chicharron tacos, or splurge on a $5 torta.

Sushi night can be pricey, but at Oishii, diners can indulge in all of the house staples paired with beer, wine, or sake without breaking the bank. Small plates like seaweed salad, chicken yakitori, fried pork gyoza, and agedashi tofu are under $5, while many sushi and sashimi options start at $1 or $2 per piece. Cut down on cost even more by visiting during Oishii’s famed happy hour where appetizers are buy-one, get-one-free.

The debate of which West African country makes the best jollof rice will forever linger, and this Nigerian hotspot may help make up your mind. Browse the menu of rice dishes, soups, swallows, and tender meats, all costing under $20. An herbaceous traditional bowl of okra soup is the perfect place to start before diving into one of its signature plates, like the jollof rice or yam porridge, which are complimented with two pieces of meat or one portion of fish, with the option to add on chicken, oxtails, mackerel, beef, goat, or vegetarian options.

An homage to the famous Yucatan dish cochinita pibil, this humble all-day cafe is a solid option for flavorful Mexican fare that’s at great value, with all entrees ringing in under $15 with a hearty serving of rice, beans, queso fresco, pico de gallo, and tortillas. Order the rainbow bowl for a generous serving of the restaurant’s namesake Yucatan-style barbecued pork, plated alongside nutty quinoa, beans, greens, pickled red onion, grilled pineapple, pico de gallo, and an oregano vinaigrette, or the mole negro, a roasted chicken in a creamy cacao mole sauce. In it for takeout? the $48 La Familia dinner offers one larger entree to share plus two sides that together feeds four to six people.

Offering an affordable assortment of chaat, dosas, and entrees, Shri Balaji gives the option to sample. Go for the $10 Madras Thali meal, which comes with seasonal vegetables, basmati rice, tangy, tomato, tamarind and lentil soup, sambar, fresh yogurt, lentil chips, your choice of three chapatis cooked on the griddle, and three puris with the dessert of the day. Feeling extra hungry? Add an appetizer like the three stuffed potato-stuffed samosas for $5.

Few restaurants can stand the test of time and continue to deliver quality food at a low-cost price, but Molina’s pulls it off seamlessly. The iconic Tex-Mex restaurant offers several combination plates with beef chalupas, tamales, chalupas, and more for under $17, including the enchiladas de Tejas platter ($14), a duo of chili con carne topped cheese enchiladas — a staple on the menu for more than eight decades.

Head to this strip-mall spot for Taiwanese cuisine that does not break the bank. Start off with an order of its chicken nuggets and then move onto its fried pork chop with rice complete with bok choy, picked veggies, and egg. Beat the Texas heat with one of its shaved ice desserts that come with traditional toppings of red bean, rainbow, black, and almond jellies for a cool $5. You can easily feed a family of four (with dessert) for under $40 here. 

From its food to its nostalgic décor, dining at NY Deli & Coffee Shop is like stepping back in time. This old-fashioned diner remains tried and true for its NY-deli style comfort plates and is always a scene on weekends with early birds looking to score hot and fresh bagels. Along with traditional breakfast pastries, budget eats are aplenty. French toast and pancake platters are under $10 while heartier meals like the hot Reuben sandwich and the bagel and lox come with two sides for under $14.