Highest-rated cheap eats in La Crosse 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 La Crosse 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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China Star

1 / 27

#27. China Star

- Rating: 2.6/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4202 Mormon Coulee Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery

2 / 27

#26. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery

- Rating: 2.7/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9428 Highway 16 Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

A&W Restaurant

3 / 27

#25. A&W Restaurant

- Rating: 3.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3005 South Ave. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Fast food, Burgers, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp

Nutbush City limits

4 / 27

#24. Nutbush City limits

- Rating: 3.2/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3264 George St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

Pizza Corral

5 / 27

#23. Pizza Corral

- Rating: 3.3/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1505 South Holmen Drive Holmen, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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Marge's On Rose

6 / 27

#22. Marge's On Rose

- Rating: 3.3/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 833 Rose St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Polito's Pizza

7 / 27

#21. Polito's Pizza

- Rating: 3.4/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 116 3rd St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Burrachos Fresh Mexican Grill

8 / 27

#20. Burrachos Fresh Mexican Grill

- Rating: 3.4/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9432 State Road 16 Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

La Crosse Family Restaurant

9 / 27

#19. La Crosse Family Restaurant

- Rating: 3.5/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2120 Rose St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Houghton's Jackson Street Pub

10 / 27

#18. Houghton's Jackson Street Pub

- Rating: 3.6/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1002 Jackson St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Irish Pub, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

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Recovery Room

11 / 27

#17. Recovery Room

- Rating: 3.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 901 7th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sports Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

Lindy's Subs & Salads

12 / 27

#16. Lindy's Subs & Salads

- Rating: 3.6/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 221 Main St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

The Breakfast Club and Pub

13 / 27

#15. The Breakfast Club and Pub

- Rating: 3.6/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 214 Main St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Pubs
- Read more on Yelp

Alpine Inn

14 / 27

#14. Alpine Inn

- Rating: 3.7/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: W5717 Bliss Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

Fork And Fable

15 / 27

#13. Fork And Fable

- Rating: 3.7/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1003 16th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

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River Rats Bar and Grill

16 / 27

#12. River Rats Bar and Grill

- Rating: 3.8/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1311 La Crescent Place French Island, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Burgers, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Cabin Coffee

17 / 27

#11. Cabin Coffee

- Rating: 3.9/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 Jay St. Ste 100 La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Rivoli Theatre & Pizzeria

18 / 27

#10. Rivoli Theatre & Pizzeria

- Rating: 3.9/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 117 4th St. North La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cinema, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Rudy's Drive-In

19 / 27

#9. Rudy's Drive-In

- Rating: 4.2/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1004 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Pickerman's Soup And Sandwiches

20 / 27

#8. Pickerman's Soup And Sandwiches

- Rating: 4.3/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 327 Jay St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

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Rosie's Cafe

21 / 27

#7. Rosie's Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2225 16th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Cafes, American
- Read more on Yelp

Lindy's Subs & Salads

22 / 27

#6. Lindy's Subs & Salads

- Rating: 4.4/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 225 Sand Lake Road Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: Salad, Fruits & Veggies
- Read more on Yelp

JavaVino

23 / 27

#5. JavaVino

- Rating: 4.4/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2311 State Road La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Wine Bars, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Midway Deli

24 / 27

#4. Midway Deli

- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: N5610 County Road Ot Onalaska, Wisconsin
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp

Burritos House

25 / 27

#3. Burritos House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1205 La Crosse St. La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

The Root Note

26 / 27

#2. The Root Note

- Rating: 4.6/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 115 4th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Music Venues, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp

Bean Juice

27 / 27

#1. Bean Juice

- Rating: 4.6/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1014 19th St. South La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, 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.