Highest-rated cheap eats in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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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Wingstop

1 / 27

#27. Wingstop

- Rating: 3.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2233 Louisiana St. Ste G Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

Johnny's Tavern

2 / 27

#26. Johnny's Tavern

- Rating: 3.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 North 2nd St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Papa Keno's Pizzeria

3 / 27

#25. Papa Keno's Pizzeria

- Rating: 3.5/5 (156 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 837 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Johnny's Tavern West

4 / 27

#24. Johnny's Tavern West

- Rating: 3.6/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 721 Wakarusa Ste 100 Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: American, Burgers, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Jefferson's

5 / 27

#23. Jefferson's

- Rating: 3.6/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 743 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

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Burgers by Biggs

6 / 27

#22. Burgers by Biggs

- Rating: 3.7/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1520 Wakarusa Drive Ste A Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

Acapulco Mexican Grill

7 / 27

#21. Acapulco Mexican Grill

- Rating: 3.7/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1520 Wakarusa Drive Ste F-G Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

The Java Break

8 / 27

#20. The Java Break

- Rating: 3.7/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 17 East 7th St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Rudy's Pizzeria

9 / 27

#19. Rudy's Pizzeria

- Rating: 3.8/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 704 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Morningstar's New York Pizza

10 / 27

#18. Morningstar's New York Pizza

- Rating: 3.8/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4931 6th St. Ste 106 Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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PepperJax Grill

11 / 27

#17. PepperJax Grill

- Rating: 3.8/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 919 Massachusetts Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Cheesesteaks
- Read more on Yelp

Red Pepper Chinese Restaurant

12 / 27

#16. Red Pepper Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 847 Indiana St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Pueblo Mexican Restaurant

13 / 27

#15. Pueblo Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 804 Iowa St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Mexican, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Yello Sub

14 / 27

#14. Yello Sub

- Rating: 3.9/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1814 West 23rd St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza Shuttle

15 / 27

#13. Pizza Shuttle

- Rating: 4.0/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1601 West 23rd St. Ste 119 Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

China House

16 / 27

#12. China House

- Rating: 4.1/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4821 West 6th St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

Hawaiian Bros Island Grill

17 / 27

#11. Hawaiian Bros Island Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1501 West 23rd St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

Runza

18 / 27

#10. Runza

- Rating: 4.2/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2700 Iowa St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

Biemer's BBQ

19 / 27

#9. Biemer's BBQ

- Rating: 4.2/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2120 West 9th Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

Sandwich Bowl

20 / 27

#8. Sandwich Bowl

- Rating: 4.2/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4821 West 6th St. Ste K Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Sandwiches, Burgers, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

Wheel Pizza

21 / 27

#7. Wheel Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 507 West 14th St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Bars, Pizza, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

WheatFields Bakery Café

22 / 27

#6. WheatFields Bakery Café

- Rating: 4.3/5 (352 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 904 Vermont St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

La Pasadita Taqueria

23 / 27

#5. La Pasadita Taqueria

- Rating: 4.4/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1900 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

Mediterranean Market & Cafe

24 / 27

#4. Mediterranean Market & Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3300 Bob Billings Pkwy Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Specialty Food, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp

Little Saigon Cafe

25 / 27

#3. Little Saigon Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (154 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1524B West 23rd St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Vietnamese, Korean
- Read more on Yelp

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Terrebonne Po'boys

26 / 27

#2. Terrebonne Po'boys

- Rating: 4.5/5 (320 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 845 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

The Fresh Mediterranean

27 / 27

#1. The Fresh Mediterranean

- Rating: 4.6/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1000 West 23rd St. Lawrence, Kansas
- Categories: Mediterranean, Halal, Salad
- 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.