Potbelly
1 / 27#27. Potbelly
- Rating: 3.4/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 517 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Bloomington by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Bloomington area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (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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Cloverleaf Family Restaurant
2 / 27#26. Cloverleaf Family Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4023 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Diners, American
- Read more on Yelp
Z & C Teriyaki and Sushi Restaurant
3 / 27#25. Z & C Teriyaki and Sushi Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 430 East Kirkwood Ave. Ste F Dunnkirk Square Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Fruits & Veggies
- Read more on Yelp
China Star Restaurant
4 / 27#24. China Star Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4641 West Richland Plz Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Smokin' Jack's Rib Shack
5 / 27#23. Smokin' Jack's Rib Shack
- Rating: 3.6/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 505 West 17th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Barbecue, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
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Dragon Express
6 / 27#22. Dragon Express
- Rating: 3.6/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1400 East 3rd St. Ste A Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Noodle Town
7 / 27#21. Noodle Town
- Rating: 3.6/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 318 South College Mall Road Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Chinese, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
Cozy Table
8 / 27#20. Cozy Table
- Rating: 3.6/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2500 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
DATS
9 / 27#19. DATS
- Rating: 3.7/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 211 South Grant St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
Dagwood's Deli
10 / 27#18. Dagwood's Deli
- Rating: 3.8/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 116 South Indiana Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Pizza X
11 / 27#17. Pizza X
- Rating: 3.8/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1791 East 10th St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Carsons Bbq & Catering
12 / 27#16. Carsons Bbq & Catering
- Rating: 3.8/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3878 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Barbecue, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Hoosier Bar & Grill
13 / 27#15. Hoosier Bar & Grill
- Rating: 3.9/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4645 West Richland Plz Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
King Gyros Restaurant
14 / 27#14. King Gyros Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2000 South Walnut St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Greek
- Read more on Yelp
Soma Coffee House
15 / 27#13. Soma Coffee House
- Rating: 4.0/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 322 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Vegan, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
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Hinkle's Hamburgers - New Ownership
16 / 27#12. Hinkle's Hamburgers - New Ownership
- Rating: 4.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 206 South Adams St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp
Cloverleaf Restaurant
17 / 27#11. Cloverleaf Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 325 East Winslow Road Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Rush Hour Station
18 / 27#10. Rush Hour Station
- Rating: 4.0/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 421 East 3rd St. Ste 8 Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
Aver's Pizza, South
19 / 27#9. Aver's Pizza, South
- Rating: 4.1/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 317 East Winslow Road Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Azzip Pizza
20 / 27#8. Azzip Pizza
- Rating: 4.2/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2894 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Pizza, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
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Judy's Kitchen
21 / 27#7. Judy's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.2/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2894 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Taiwanese, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
The Chocolate Moose
22 / 27#6. The Chocolate Moose
- Rating: 4.3/5 (228 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 405 South Walnut St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Lucky Express
23 / 27#5. Lucky Express
- Rating: 4.3/5 (189 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 307 East 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Rainbow Bakery
24 / 27#4. Rainbow Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 201 South Rogers I Fell Building I Fell Building Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Bakeries, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
Roly Poly Westplex
25 / 27#3. Roly Poly Westplex
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1616 West 3rd St. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Doner Kebab
26 / 27#2. Doner Kebab
- Rating: 4.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 304 East Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Kebab, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
Toto's Uncle Cafe
27 / 27#1. Toto's Uncle Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3297 East Covenanter Drive Bloomington, Indiana
- Categories: Korean, Noodles
- 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.
