Highest-rated cheap eats in St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud 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.

New Garden Wok

1 / 18

#18. New Garden Wok

- Rating: 2.8/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1090 2nd St. South Sartell, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Lily's Wings, Burgers, & Things

2 / 18

#17. Lily's Wings, Burgers, & Things

- Rating: 2.8/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 129 7th Ave. South St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Burgers, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp

Taco Gringo

3 / 18

#16. Taco Gringo

- Rating: 2.9/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 800 Nelson Drive Ste 101 Clearwater, Minnesota
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

The Chinese Phoenix Express

4 / 18

#15. The Chinese Phoenix Express

- Rating: 3.3/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4143 West Division St. St Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

Burger Time

5 / 18

#14. Burger Time

- Rating: 3.4/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 410 Division St. Waite Park, Minnesota
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

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Great Dragon Buffet

6 / 18

#13. Great Dragon Buffet

- Rating: 3.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 208 6th Ave. South Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Rollies Rednecks & Longnecks

7 / 18

#12. Rollies Rednecks & Longnecks

- Rating: 3.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 940 35th Ave. Northeast Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
- Categories: American, Music Venues, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Mt's On 8th

8 / 18

#11. Mt's On 8th

- Rating: 3.9/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2022 Veterans Drive Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Dive Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

New York Gyro

9 / 18

#10. New York Gyro

- Rating: 3.9/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 850 University Drive South St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Mediterranean, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

Shooters Saloon And Eatery

10 / 18

#9. Shooters Saloon And Eatery

- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2223 Roosevelt Road Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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Bravo Burrito

11 / 18

#8. Bravo Burrito

- Rating: 4.0/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 68 33rd Ave. South Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

Park Diner

12 / 18

#7. Park Diner

- Rating: 4.0/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1531 Division St. Waite Park, Minnesota
- Categories: Diners, Salad, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

Brigitte's Cafe

13 / 18

#6. Brigitte's Cafe

- Rating: 4.0/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 42 32nd Ave. South Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Greek Cravings

14 / 18

#5. Greek Cravings

- Rating: 4.1/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 26 5th Ave. South St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

7 West TapHouse

15 / 18

#4. 7 West TapHouse

- Rating: 4.2/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 28 5th Ave. South Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: Burgers, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

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Val's Rapid Service

16 / 18

#3. Val's Rapid Service

- Rating: 4.2/5 (230 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 628 East St. Germain St. St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: American, fast food, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

Bo Diddley's Deli

17 / 18

#2. Bo Diddley's Deli

- Rating: 4.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 129 25th Ave. South Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: New American, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Dolsie's Lunch Box Grille

18 / 18

#1. Dolsie's Lunch Box Grille

- Rating: 4.7/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 810 West St. Germain St. Saint Cloud, Minnesota
- Categories: New American, Comfort Food, Diners
- 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.