Highest-rated cheap eats in Dubuque 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 Dubuque 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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Maid-Rite

1 / 18

#18. Maid-Rite

- Rating: 3.1/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1675 John F Kennedy Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

Yen Ching Restaurant

2 / 18

#17. Yen Ching Restaurant

- Rating: 3.2/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 926 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza Ranch

3 / 18

#16. Pizza Ranch

- Rating: 3.2/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2020 Radford Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Shot Tower Inn

4 / 18

#15. Shot Tower Inn

- Rating: 3.2/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 390 Locust St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Fiesta Cancun

5 / 18

#14. Fiesta Cancun

- Rating: 3.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2515 Northwest Arterial Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Dottie's Cafe

6 / 18

#13. Dottie's Cafe

- Rating: 3.7/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 504 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Sunshine Family Restaurant West

7 / 18

#12. Sunshine Family Restaurant West

- Rating: 3.7/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1575 John F Kennedy Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

Village Inn

8 / 18

#11. Village Inn

- Rating: 3.9/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1940 John F Kennedy Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

West Dubuque Tap

9 / 18

#10. West Dubuque Tap

- Rating: 3.9/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1701 Asbury Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

Jack's Chicken Palace

10 / 18

#9. Jack's Chicken Palace

- Rating: 4.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1107 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Chicken Shop, Sandwiches, American
- Read more on Yelp

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Sunshine Family Restaurant

11 / 18

#8. Sunshine Family Restaurant

- Rating: 4.1/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

Paul's Tavern

12 / 18

#7. Paul's Tavern

- Rating: 4.1/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 176 Locust St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

Zoro's Gyros

13 / 18

#6. Zoro's Gyros

- Rating: 4.1/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1400 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Greek
- Read more on Yelp

Adobos Mexican Grill

14 / 18

#5. Adobos Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 756 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Magoo's Pizza

15 / 18

#4. Magoo's Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1875 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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Jumpers Sports Bar & Grill

16 / 18

#3. Jumpers Sports Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2600 Dodge St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Sports Bars, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

El Paisano's

17 / 18

#2. El Paisano's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1543 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Jumble Coffee

18 / 18

#1. Jumble Coffee

- Rating: 4.6/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 820 Wacker Drive Debuque Debuque, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch
- 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.