White Castle
1 / 26#26. White Castle
- Rating: 2.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1853 North State Route 50 Bradley, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Kankakee by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Kankakee area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (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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New China
2 / 26#25. New China
- Rating: 2.6/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 20 South Locust St. Manteno, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Taco John's
3 / 26#24. Taco John's
- Rating: 3.1/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 562 William R Latham Sr Drive Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Luconi's
4 / 26#23. Luconi's
- Rating: 3.3/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 496 South Kennedy Drive Bradley, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
Main Dynasty
5 / 26#22. Main Dynasty
- Rating: 3.3/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 537 Main St. Northwest Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
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Jaenicke's Drive In
6 / 26#21. Jaenicke's Drive In
- Rating: 3.3/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 605 Armour Road Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food
- Read more on Yelp
Great Wall Chinese Restaurant
7 / 26#20. Great Wall Chinese Restaurant
- Rating: 3.4/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1545 West Court St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
Noodles & Company
8 / 26#19. Noodles & Company
- Rating: 3.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2024 Route 50 Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Noodles, Salad, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
Johnny's Pizza
9 / 26#18. Johnny's Pizza
- Rating: 3.6/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 265 South Schuyler Ave. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
Jaenicke's Root Beer Stand
10 / 26#17. Jaenicke's Root Beer Stand
- Rating: 3.7/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 390 East River St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Beer Bar, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Mi Casa Authentic Mexican Cuisine
11 / 26#16. Mi Casa Authentic Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 3.8/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 481 Main St. Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Crazy Joe's Diner
12 / 26#15. Crazy Joe's Diner
- Rating: 3.8/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 907 South Washington Ave. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Diners
- Read more on Yelp
Paul's Place
13 / 26#14. Paul's Place
- Rating: 3.9/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 500 South Washington Ave. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
JR's Chicken
14 / 26#13. JR's Chicken
- Rating: 3.9/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 135 East Bourbonnais St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Chicken Wings, American, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
Pa-Chan-Ga
15 / 26#12. Pa-Chan-Ga
- Rating: 3.9/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 110 Meadowview Center Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
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Carlo's Restaurant
16 / 26#11. Carlo's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2060 West Station St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: American, Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Chicago Dough Company
17 / 26#10. Chicago Dough Company
- Rating: 4.0/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 545 South Main St. Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Buffets, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Poor Boy
18 / 26#9. Poor Boy
- Rating: 4.0/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1514 East Court St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Greek, American, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
Windy Hill Grill
19 / 26#8. Windy Hill Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 178 East North St. Bradley, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Martinez Tacos Restaurant
20 / 26#7. Martinez Tacos Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 348 East Station St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
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Isidro's Tamales and Taqueria
21 / 26#6. Isidro's Tamales and Taqueria
- Rating: 4.2/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 430 West Station St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Dos Amigos
22 / 26#5. Dos Amigos
- Rating: 4.3/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 533 East River St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Blue's Cafe
23 / 26#4. Blue's Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1190 West Station St. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Chatterbox Cafe
24 / 26#3. Chatterbox Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 140 South Schuyler Ave. Bradley, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Stefari West Avenue
25 / 26#2. Stefari West Avenue
- Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 267 South West Ave. Kankakee, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
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New York City Deli
26 / 26#1. New York City Deli
- Rating: 4.6/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1190 North Convent St. Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- 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.
