Happy Wok
1 / 27#27. Happy Wok
- Rating: 3.4/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4307 North Roan St. Ste 6 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Johnson City by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Johnson City area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (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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Sammons Hot Dogs
2 / 27#26. Sammons Hot Dogs
- Rating: 3.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2020 West Elk Ave. Elizabethton, Tennessee
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Vega's Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
3 / 27#25. Vega's Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1976 Hwy 11 East Jonesborough, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Desserts, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
Panda House
4 / 27#24. Panda House
- Rating: 3.6/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1805 West State Of Franklin Road Ste 700 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
Ole's Guacamoles
5 / 27#23. Ole's Guacamoles
- Rating: 3.6/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1000 South Roan St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
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Holy Taco & Cantina
6 / 27#22. Holy Taco & Cantina
- Rating: 3.7/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 211 East Main St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
Cranberries
7 / 27#21. Cranberries
- Rating: 3.8/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1904 Knob Creek Road Ste 5 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Amigo Mexican Restaurant III
8 / 27#20. Amigo Mexican Restaurant III
- Rating: 3.8/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3211 Peoples St. Ste 70 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Moto Japanese Restaurant
9 / 27#19. Moto Japanese Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4260 Fort Henry Drive Kingsport, Tennessee
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
El Charolais
10 / 27#18. El Charolais
- Rating: 3.9/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3102 Bristol Hwy Ste B Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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Magic Wok Chinese Restaurant
11 / 27#17. Magic Wok Chinese Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 701 South Roan St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
Daylight Donuts
12 / 27#16. Daylight Donuts
- Rating: 4.1/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1735 West State Of Franklin Road Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Donuts, Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Pennyman's Diner
13 / 27#15. Pennyman's Diner
- Rating: 4.1/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1409 East Main St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Stephens Pizzeria
14 / 27#14. Stephens Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.1/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5049 Bobby Hicks Hwy Ste 105 Gray, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Pal's
15 / 27#13. Pal's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3206 Bristol Hwy Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Fast food
- Read more on Yelp
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Pal's
16 / 27#12. Pal's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1200 West State Of Franklin Road Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Hot Dogs, American, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
Johnny Brusco's New York Style Pizza
17 / 27#11. Johnny Brusco's New York Style Pizza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2111 North Roan St. Ste 30 Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
La Perla 3 Mexican Restaurant & Grocery Store
18 / 27#10. La Perla 3 Mexican Restaurant & Grocery Store
- Rating: 4.3/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2508 South Roan St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Dos Gatos Coffee Bar
19 / 27#9. Dos Gatos Coffee Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 238 East Main St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
Open Doors Coffeehouse
20 / 27#8. Open Doors Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.4/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 101 East 8th Ave. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
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Pal's
21 / 27#7. Pal's
- Rating: 4.4/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4224 Fort Henry Drive Kingsport, Tennessee
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
The Shack
22 / 27#6. The Shack
- Rating: 4.4/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4231 Fort Henry Drive Kingsport, Tennessee
- Categories: Barbecue, Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Bluff City Diner
23 / 27#5. Bluff City Diner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4267 Bluff City Hwy Bluff City, Tennessee
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
Main Street Cafe & Catering
24 / 27#4. Main Street Cafe & Catering
- Rating: 4.6/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 117 West Main St. Jonesborough, Tennessee
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Pal's
25 / 27#3. Pal's
- Rating: 4.6/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2011 North Roan St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Italian Pizza Pub
26 / 27#2. Italian Pizza Pub
- Rating: 4.7/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 807 West Walnut St. Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
Caribbean Grill
27 / 27#1. Caribbean Grill
- Rating: 5.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 824 Sunset Drive Johnson City, Tennessee
- Categories: Puerto Rican, Peruvian, Food Trucks
- 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.
