The Chili Parlor
1 / 29#29. The Chili Parlor
- Rating: 3.5/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 820 South 9th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Comfort Food
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Springfield, Illinois by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Springfield area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (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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Turbo Fire Pizza
2 / 29#28. Turbo Fire Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 605 West Jefferson St. Ste B Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
The Creek Pub & Grill
3 / 29#27. The Creek Pub & Grill
- Rating: 3.7/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1081 Jason Place Chatham, Illinois
- Categories: American, Sports Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Monty's Submarines
4 / 29#26. Monty's Submarines
- Rating: 3.7/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 725 North Bruns Lane Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
Thai Basil
5 / 29#25. Thai Basil
- Rating: 3.7/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2703 North Dirksen Pkwy Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
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Cozy Dog Drive In
6 / 29#24. Cozy Dog Drive In
- Rating: 3.8/5 (266 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2935 South 6th St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
Maid Rite Sandwich Shop
7 / 29#23. Maid Rite Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 3.8/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 118 North Pasfield St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Head West Sub Stop
8 / 29#22. Head West Sub Stop
- Rating: 3.8/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1281 Toronto Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
Sunrise Cafe
9 / 29#21. Sunrise Cafe
- Rating: 3.8/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 South 2nd St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Monty's Submarines
10 / 29#20. Monty's Submarines
- Rating: 3.9/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3124 Montvale Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
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Head West Sub Stop
11 / 29#19. Head West Sub Stop
- Rating: 3.9/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1124 West Jefferson St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers
12 / 29#18. Krekel's Custard & Hamburgers
- Rating: 3.9/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2121 North Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Burgers, fast food, American
- Read more on Yelp
Head West Sub Stop
13 / 29#17. Head West Sub Stop
- Rating: 3.9/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3311 Robbins Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
Parkway Cafe
14 / 29#16. Parkway Cafe
- Rating: 3.9/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2715 North Dirksen Pkwy Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Little Saigon
15 / 29#15. Little Saigon
- Rating: 3.9/5 (282 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1531 Wabash Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Thai, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
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Fairlane Diner
16 / 29#14. Fairlane Diner
- Rating: 4.0/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 300 Crossing Drive Sherman, Illinois
- Categories: Fast food, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
Sunny China House
17 / 29#13. Sunny China House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1931 West Iles Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Chatham Cafe
18 / 29#12. Chatham Cafe
- Rating: 4.1/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 414 North Main St. Chatham, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Monty's Submarines
19 / 29#11. Monty's Submarines
- Rating: 4.1/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1706 Sangamon Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Salad, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Tasty Cafe
20 / 29#10. Tasty Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 110 Villa Parkway Sherman, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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Head West Sub Stop
21 / 29#9. Head West Sub Stop
- Rating: 4.2/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 530 East Capitol Ave. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
Cook's Spice Rack & Chili
22 / 29#8. Cook's Spice Rack & Chili
- Rating: 4.2/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 910 North Grand Ave. West Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
Taqueria El Dorado
23 / 29#7. Taqueria El Dorado
- Rating: 4.2/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1374 Toronto Road Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Tacos, New Mexican Cuisine
- Read more on Yelp
Mekong Cafe
24 / 29#6. Mekong Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1308 South 2nd St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
K&S Hawaiian BBQ
25 / 29#5. K&S Hawaiian BBQ
- Rating: 4.2/5 (133 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2355 West Monroe St. Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Hawaiian, Asian Fusion, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
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Ritz's Lil Fryer
26 / 29#4. Ritz's Lil Fryer
- Rating: 4.3/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2148 North Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
Los Rancheros Taco Joint
27 / 29#3. Los Rancheros Taco Joint
- Rating: 4.4/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 230 South Grand Ave. East Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
Star 66 Cafe
28 / 29#2. Star 66 Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3752 Camp Butler Road Ste- 100A Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Yannis Gyros
29 / 29#1. Yannis Gyros
- Rating: 4.5/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1814 Adlai Stevenson Drive Springfield, Illinois
- Categories: Greek
- 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.
