Highest-rated cheap eats in Lexington 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 Lexington 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.

Gumbo Ya Ya

1 / 29

#29. Gumbo Ya Ya

- Rating: 4.3/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 294 East Brannon Road Nicholasville, Kentucky
- Categories: Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp

Kenwick Table

2 / 29

#28. Kenwick Table

- Rating: 4.3/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 201 Owsley Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Han Woo Ri

3 / 29

#27. Han Woo Ri

- Rating: 4.3/5 (200 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 371 South Limestone Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Korean, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Thoroughbred Restaurant

4 / 29

#26. Thoroughbred Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1483 Leestown Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen

5 / 29

#25. Vinaigrette Salad Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2200 War Admiral Way Ste 195 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Salad
- Read more on Yelp

Athenian Grill

6 / 29

#24. Athenian Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 313 South Ashland Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

Taqueria San Miguel

7 / 29

#23. Taqueria San Miguel

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3429 Buckhorn Drive Ste 120 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Third Street Stuff & Coffee

8 / 29

#22. Third Street Stuff & Coffee

- Rating: 4.4/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 257 North Limestone Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Bagels
- Read more on Yelp

Southland Bagel

9 / 29

#21. Southland Bagel

- Rating: 4.4/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 428 Southland Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Double H BBQ

10 / 29

#20. Double H BBQ

- Rating: 4.4/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1244 Versailles Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

El Gran Tako

11 / 29

#19. El Gran Tako

- Rating: 4.4/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1801 Alexandria Drive Ste 156 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Liberty Road Cafe

12 / 29

#18. Liberty Road Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 720 Henry Clay Blvd. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

Old San Juan Cuban & Latin Cuisine

13 / 29

#17. Old San Juan Cuban & Latin Cuisine

- Rating: 4.4/5 (213 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 247 Surfside Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Cuban, Latin American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

La Cabana

14 / 29

#16. La Cabana

- Rating: 4.4/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1414 Bryan Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Nat's

15 / 29

#15. Nat's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 111 South Upper St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

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Gyroz Mediterranean Eatery

16 / 29

#14. Gyroz Mediterranean Eatery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 393 Waller Ave. Ste 16 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mediterranean, Greek
- Read more on Yelp

Daylight Donuts

17 / 29

#13. Daylight Donuts

- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1020 North Main St. 2 Ste 2 Nicholasville, Kentucky
- Categories: Donuts, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

Bourbon n' Toulouse - Chevy Chase

18 / 29

#12. Bourbon n' Toulouse - Chevy Chase

- Rating: 4.5/5 (718 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 829 East Euclid Ave. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

La Taquiza

19 / 29

#11. La Taquiza

- Rating: 4.6/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 130 West Tiverton Way Ste 190 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Nefertiti

20 / 29

#10. Nefertiti

- Rating: 4.6/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1301 Winchester Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine

21 / 29

#9. Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (468 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3061 Fieldstone Way Ste 1200 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

Taco Time

22 / 29

#8. Taco Time

- Rating: 4.6/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2128 Nicholasville Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Tortillería Y Taquería Ramírez

23 / 29

#7. Tortillería Y Taquería Ramírez

- Rating: 4.7/5 (227 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1429 Alexandria Drive Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Java Jukebox Cafe & Eatery

24 / 29

#6. Java Jukebox Cafe & Eatery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 640 West Maxwell St. Ste 130 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

Maria's Mexican Cuisine

25 / 29

#5. Maria's Mexican Cuisine

- Rating: 4.7/5 (225 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1079 East New Circle Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

DV8 Kitchen

26 / 29

#4. DV8 Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (830 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 867 South Broadway Ste 140 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

DV8 Kitchen

27 / 29

#3. DV8 Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 594 East Third St. Ste 100 Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Big Kahuna

28 / 29

#2. Big Kahuna

- Rating: 4.7/5 (357 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 904 Liberty Road Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

High on Art & Coffee

29 / 29

#1. High on Art & Coffee

- Rating: 4.8/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 523 East High St. Lexington, Kentucky
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Arts & Crafts, 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.