Highest-rated cheap eats in Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro 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.

Dragon City Chinese Restaurant

1 / 15

#15. Dragon City Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 2.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 300 South Main St. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Ta Molly's Mexican Restaurant

2 / 15

#14. Ta Molly's Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 2.9/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2506 East Highland Drive Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Slim Chickens

3 / 15

#13. Slim Chickens

- Rating: 3.6/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2820 East Highland Drive Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Southern, Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp

Demo's Smokehouse & BBQ

4 / 15

#12. Demo's Smokehouse & BBQ

- Rating: 3.6/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4115 East Johnson Ave. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

Chin Chin Express

5 / 15

#11. Chin Chin Express

- Rating: 3.7/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2304 East Johnson Ave. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Bubble Tea, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Ba Burrito

6 / 15

#10. Ba Burrito

- Rating: 3.8/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 405 Southwest Drive Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Eggsellent Cafe

7 / 15

#9. Eggsellent Cafe

- Rating: 3.8/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 906 South Caraway Road Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

TJ's Burgers

8 / 15

#8. TJ's Burgers

- Rating: 4.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2810 East Highland Drive Ste U Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant and Grill

9 / 15

#7. La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant and Grill

- Rating: 4.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2903 Phillips Drive Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Mexican, Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp

Los Arcos Mexican Store

10 / 15

#6. Los Arcos Mexican Store

- Rating: 4.1/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2425 East Matthews Ave. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

City Wok Dim Sum

11 / 15

#5. City Wok Dim Sum

- Rating: 4.1/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 241 South Main St. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Dim Sum, Bubble Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp

Chef's In

12 / 15

#4. Chef's In

- Rating: 4.3/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 105 Burke Ave. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Southern, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp

Casa Maya

13 / 15

#3. Casa Maya

- Rating: 4.4/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2718 South Caraway Road Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza Chef

14 / 15

#2. Pizza Chef

- Rating: 4.4/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2324 East Matthews Ave. Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Partovi's Gyros & Falafel - Southwest Drive

15 / 15

#1. Partovi's Gyros & Falafel - Southwest Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2925 South Caraway Road Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Categories: Food Trucks, Falafel, Tacos
- 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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