Chop Suey Inn
1 / 30#30. Chop Suey Inn
- Rating: 4.3/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 813 Green Springs Hwy Ste 160 Homewood, Alabama
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Birmingham by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Birmingham area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
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Pelham Diner
2 / 30#29. Pelham Diner
- Rating: 4.3/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2147 Pelham Pkwy Pelham, Alabama
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Homewood Gourmet
3 / 30#28. Homewood Gourmet
- Rating: 4.3/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2703 Mamie L Foster, 18th Place Homewood, Alabama
- Categories: Salad, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Greek Festival at Holy Trinity - Holy Cross
4 / 30#27. Greek Festival at Holy Trinity - Holy Cross
- Rating: 4.3/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 307 19th St. South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Greek
- Read more on Yelp
Southern Caribbean
5 / 30#26. Southern Caribbean
- Rating: 4.3/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1116 Lomb Ave. Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Caribbean
- Read more on Yelp
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Gus's Hot Dogs
6 / 30#25. Gus's Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.3/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5415 Beacon Drive Ste 139 Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Hot Dogs, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
The Garage
7 / 30#24. The Garage
- Rating: 4.3/5 (211 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2304 Tenth Terrace South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Sandwiches, Dive Bars
- Read more on Yelp
Ranelli's Deli & Cafe
8 / 30#23. Ranelli's Deli & Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1225 20th St. South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Eagles Restaurant
9 / 30#22. Eagles Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2610 16th St. North Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
University Tacos
10 / 30#21. University Tacos
- Rating: 4.4/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2009 University Blvd. Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Mexican, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
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Gordos
11 / 30#20. Gordos
- Rating: 4.4/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 433 Valley Ave. Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Grocery, Bakeries, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Red Mountain Expresso
12 / 30#19. Red Mountain Expresso
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2601 18th St. South Homewood, Alabama
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Gus's Hot Dogs
13 / 30#18. Gus's Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 71 Church St. Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
Mr P's Butcher Shop & Deli
14 / 30#17. Mr P's Butcher Shop & Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 813 Shades Crest Road Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Meat Shops, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
Kool Korner Sandwiches
15 / 30#16. Kool Korner Sandwiches
- Rating: 4.5/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1360 Montgomery Hwy Vestrige Shopping Center Vestavia Hills, Alabama
- Categories: Cuban, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Tony's Hot Dogs
16 / 30#15. Tony's Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1922 Montgomery Hwy South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Sam's Deli & Grill
17 / 30#14. Sam's Deli & Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 932 Oxmoor Road Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Delis, Middle Eastern, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Ashley Mac's Kitchen
18 / 30#13. Ashley Mac's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3147 Green Valley Road Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Desserts, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Salem's Diner
19 / 30#12. Salem's Diner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2913 18th St. South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Filter - Coffee Parlor
20 / 30#11. Filter - Coffee Parlor
- Rating: 4.5/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1927 11th Ave. South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
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Church Street Coffee and Books
21 / 30#10. Church Street Coffee and Books
- Rating: 4.6/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 81 Church St. Ste 106 & 107 Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bookstores, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
Gus's Hot Dogs
22 / 30#9. Gus's Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.6/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1915 4th Ave. North Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
Bullet Coffee
23 / 30#8. Bullet Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5299 US-280 Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Tacos El Guero
24 / 30#7. Tacos El Guero
- Rating: 4.6/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4656 Us-280 Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
Travis Chicago Style
25 / 30#6. Travis Chicago Style
- Rating: 4.7/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 200 41st South Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Food Trucks, Hot Dogs, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
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Los Valedores
26 / 30#5. Los Valedores
- Rating: 4.7/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 302 Columbiana Road Homewood, Alabama
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Imported Food
- Read more on Yelp
Dos Hermanos Taco Truck
27 / 30#4. Dos Hermanos Taco Truck
- Rating: 4.7/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 211 West Valley Ave. Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
Falafel Cafe
28 / 30#3. Falafel Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 19th St. South Ste 100 Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Falafel, Halal, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp
Sammy's Sandwich Shop
29 / 30#2. Sammy's Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 4.8/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4921 Messer Airport Hwy Birmingham, Alabama
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Taqueria Juarez
30 / 30#1. Taqueria Juarez
- Rating: 4.8/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3447 Lorna Road Hoover, Alabama
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 388 metros.
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