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Soul Bird Chkn Shack slides into Dallas and onto this list.
Soul Bird Chkn Shack

The 12 Finest Budget-Friendly Restaurants in Dallas

Feast on nicely-priced chicken sandwiches, Asian street food, and the best taco deal in town

by Courtney E. Smith Updated
1 comment / new
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Soul Bird Chkn Shack slides into Dallas and onto this list.
| Soul Bird Chkn Shack
by Courtney E. Smith Updated
1 comment / new

Inflation is up, and our bank accounts are down. For those hoping to save a few dollars, every little bit counts. You can treat yourself on a budget. These Dallas restaurants offer good eats at a price that won’t take your whole wallet out.

From Italian to Asian street food to plant-based fast food to a giant slice of pizza, there’s something for every taste and budget at these local spots.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Cris and John

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Basic tacos at this spot are $3.75, but it is known for its birria and bao buns, which diners can get a trio of with angry pho for $13.50 and $15.50, respectively. Or grab a tray of four birria, a bao bun, pho, and two wings for $35.

5555 Preston Oaks Rd UNIT 5, Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 803-4750
(972) 803-4750

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Soul Bird Chkn Shack

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Between the chicken sandwiches and salads, which include Buffalo style, Seoul chicken with gochujang sauce, sundried tomatoes and goat cheese, and so much more, one can get out of this spot with a main course for around the $12 mark. Add on fries and a drink for a few bucks more. And we didn’t even get into the excellent selection of wings, which are around the same price point.

8031 Walnut Hill Ln #1150, Dallas, TX 75231
(214) 276-6316
(214) 276-6316

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Bubba's Cooks Country

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With a one-piece meal under $10 and a three-piece under $17, eating some of the best fried chicken in Big D is on the menu at a price point a family can manage. And it’s excellent chicken with heavenly cream gravy.

6617 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 373-6527
(214) 373-6527

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Green Spot

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With tacos at $3.75 each (or $4.50 for shrimp or Mahi Mahi) and bowls for $7.50, this affordable spot in Lake Highlands serves up some of the best gas station tacos in the city that won’t give you the heebie-jeebies. The meats are all locally sourced, and the eggs are cage-free. And a sighting of Erykah Badu might happen — she’s known to come in for a vegetarian taco occasionally.

702 N Buckner Blvd, Dallas, TX 75218
(214) 319-7768
(214) 319-7768

Red Stix Street Food

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Chef Uno Immanivong serves up Asian street food at an affordable price, with dishes inspired by her childhood in Thailand. Try a banh mi sandwich with beef or shrimp or drunken noodles for $13. Mix-and-match bowls start at #12 and can be made with steamed duck fat rice, buttered garlic noodles, Chinese barbecue pork, and teriyaki chicken, among numerous other options. And they are quite large.

6501 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(972) 913-4883
(972) 913-4883

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Hello Dumpling

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Priced at eight dumplings for $10 and under, this is a steal for house-made dumplings — the pork with Napa cabbage and beef with carrots and onion are especially good. There are equally yummy rice dumplings, baozi, and soup noodles that top out at $14 for an order and amazing crispy basil chicken for only $7.50. 

1146 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218
(469) 779-1551
(469) 779-1551

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Goodfriend Package

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Its breakfast sandwiches are universally lauded, but this spot also serves excellent lunch sandwiches. And the price is right at $11 to $14 for most offerings — but for the budget-minded, grab a grilled cheese for $5.50 and pair it with tomato soup for $4.

1155 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218
(972) 807-2899
(972) 807-2899

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Dairy-Ette

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Dairy-ette has been serving burgers, fries, and milkshakes to Dallas since 1956. Drive up or come in and order a basket. This good old-fashioned American food will make you nostalgic for car hops and these prices. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

9785 Ferguson Rd, Dallas, TX 75228
(214) 327-9983
(214) 327-9983

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crushcraft Thai Eats

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Heaping helpings of Thai street food, including kap khao with ground pork, wok fried noodles with tofu or eggs, coconut curries with chicken and eggplant, and lettuce wraps, are all available here for around $10. As a bonus, it’s gorgeous inside this Uptown spot.

2688 Laclede St #100, Dallas, TX 75201
(972) 677-7038
(972) 677-7038

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INVASION

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Get one of the city’s best chicken sandwiches for right around $15. The Cardi, a classic fried chicken sandwich with dill mayonnaise and pickles is always a solid choice, but the Hottitana (a Nashville hot chicken inspired sandwich) and the Oishi (serve with ying yang sauce, crispy onions, and red bell peppers) are also great choices.

4029 Crutcher St, Dallas, TX 75246
(214) 272-7312
(214) 272-7312

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Sandwich Hag & chimlanh Coffee Shop

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Get a taste of the work of a James Beard nominated chef at a price point that doesn’t break the bank. Nosh on one of her bahn mi sandwiches for right around $13 or enjoy one of the daily chef’s specials which are typically under $15. And the strongest and best Vietnamese coffee in town can be found here, along with daily pastries.

1902 Botham Jean Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215
(214) 484-5971
(214) 484-5971

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Taco Y Vino

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Enjoy a set of three mix-and-match tacos for $13 at this great Oak Cliff spot or order one of the best deals in town: six tacos and a bottle of wine for $40. There are over a dozen taco options on the regular menu and loads of specials that pop on and off.

213 W Eighth St, Dallas, TX 75208
(469) 372-0022
(469) 372-0022

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Cris and John

5555 Preston Oaks Rd UNIT 5, Dallas, TX 75254

Basic tacos at this spot are $3.75, but it is known for its birria and bao buns, which diners can get a trio of with angry pho for $13.50 and $15.50, respectively. Or grab a tray of four birria, a bao bun, pho, and two wings for $35.

5555 Preston Oaks Rd UNIT 5, Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 803-4750
(972) 803-4750

Soul Bird Chkn Shack

8031 Walnut Hill Ln #1150, Dallas, TX 75231

Between the chicken sandwiches and salads, which include Buffalo style, Seoul chicken with gochujang sauce, sundried tomatoes and goat cheese, and so much more, one can get out of this spot with a main course for around the $12 mark. Add on fries and a drink for a few bucks more. And we didn’t even get into the excellent selection of wings, which are around the same price point.

8031 Walnut Hill Ln #1150, Dallas, TX 75231
(214) 276-6316
(214) 276-6316

Bubba's Cooks Country

6617 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205

With a one-piece meal under $10 and a three-piece under $17, eating some of the best fried chicken in Big D is on the menu at a price point a family can manage. And it’s excellent chicken with heavenly cream gravy.

6617 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 373-6527
(214) 373-6527

Green Spot

702 N Buckner Blvd, Dallas, TX 75218

With tacos at $3.75 each (or $4.50 for shrimp or Mahi Mahi) and bowls for $7.50, this affordable spot in Lake Highlands serves up some of the best gas station tacos in the city that won’t give you the heebie-jeebies. The meats are all locally sourced, and the eggs are cage-free. And a sighting of Erykah Badu might happen — she’s known to come in for a vegetarian taco occasionally.

702 N Buckner Blvd, Dallas, TX 75218
(214) 319-7768
(214) 319-7768

Red Stix Street Food

6501 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205

Chef Uno Immanivong serves up Asian street food at an affordable price, with dishes inspired by her childhood in Thailand. Try a banh mi sandwich with beef or shrimp or drunken noodles for $13. Mix-and-match bowls start at #12 and can be made with steamed duck fat rice, buttered garlic noodles, Chinese barbecue pork, and teriyaki chicken, among numerous other options. And they are quite large.

6501 Hillcrest Ave, Dallas, TX 75205
(972) 913-4883
(972) 913-4883

Hello Dumpling

1146 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218

Priced at eight dumplings for $10 and under, this is a steal for house-made dumplings — the pork with Napa cabbage and beef with carrots and onion are especially good. There are equally yummy rice dumplings, baozi, and soup noodles that top out at $14 for an order and amazing crispy basil chicken for only $7.50. 

1146 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218
(469) 779-1551
(469) 779-1551

Goodfriend Package

1155 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218

Its breakfast sandwiches are universally lauded, but this spot also serves excellent lunch sandwiches. And the price is right at $11 to $14 for most offerings — but for the budget-minded, grab a grilled cheese for $5.50 and pair it with tomato soup for $4.

1155 Peavy Rd, Dallas, TX 75218
(972) 807-2899
(972) 807-2899

Dairy-Ette

9785 Ferguson Rd, Dallas, TX 75228

Dairy-ette has been serving burgers, fries, and milkshakes to Dallas since 1956. Drive up or come in and order a basket. This good old-fashioned American food will make you nostalgic for car hops and these prices. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

9785 Ferguson Rd, Dallas, TX 75228
(214) 327-9983
(214) 327-9983

crushcraft Thai Eats

2688 Laclede St #100, Dallas, TX 75201

Heaping helpings of Thai street food, including kap khao with ground pork, wok fried noodles with tofu or eggs, coconut curries with chicken and eggplant, and lettuce wraps, are all available here for around $10. As a bonus, it’s gorgeous inside this Uptown spot.

2688 Laclede St #100, Dallas, TX 75201
(972) 677-7038
(972) 677-7038

INVASION

4029 Crutcher St, Dallas, TX 75246

Get one of the city’s best chicken sandwiches for right around $15. The Cardi, a classic fried chicken sandwich with dill mayonnaise and pickles is always a solid choice, but the Hottitana (a Nashville hot chicken inspired sandwich) and the Oishi (serve with ying yang sauce, crispy onions, and red bell peppers) are also great choices.

4029 Crutcher St, Dallas, TX 75246
(214) 272-7312
(214) 272-7312

Sandwich Hag & chimlanh Coffee Shop

1902 Botham Jean Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215

Get a taste of the work of a James Beard nominated chef at a price point that doesn’t break the bank. Nosh on one of her bahn mi sandwiches for right around $13 or enjoy one of the daily chef’s specials which are typically under $15. And the strongest and best Vietnamese coffee in town can be found here, along with daily pastries.

1902 Botham Jean Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215
(214) 484-5971
(214) 484-5971

Taco Y Vino

213 W Eighth St, Dallas, TX 75208

Enjoy a set of three mix-and-match tacos for $13 at this great Oak Cliff spot or order one of the best deals in town: six tacos and a bottle of wine for $40. There are over a dozen taco options on the regular menu and loads of specials that pop on and off.

213 W Eighth St, Dallas, TX 75208
(469) 372-0022
(469) 372-0022

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