Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Wausau area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (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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Todd & Peggy's Whiskey River Bar & Grill
1 / 22- Rating: 2.8/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5512 Stewart Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Seafood, Fish & Chips, American
- Read more on Yelp
King Buffet
2 / 22- Rating: 2.9/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 358 South 18th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
Erbert and Gerbert's
3 / 22- Rating: 2.9/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 329 North 4th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
Papillon's Pizza Ltd
4 / 22- Rating: 3.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1041 East Grand Ave. Rothschild, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
Treu's Tic Toc
5 / 22- Rating: 3.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 West Thomas St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
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Hmong Eggrolls
6 / 22- Rating: 3.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 932 South 3rd Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Noodles, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
Eagle's Nest Restaurant
7 / 22- Rating: 3.8/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 280 Grand Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
Tri-City Family Restaurant
8 / 22- Rating: 3.9/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 525 Grand Ave. Schofield Schofield, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
Blue Willow Cafe
9 / 22- Rating: 4.0/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1111 North 4th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Polito's Pizza
10 / 22- Rating: 4.0/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 311 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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Pho 76
11 / 22- Rating: 4.1/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1811 Rosecrans St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
Taqueria Tres Hermanos
12 / 22- Rating: 4.1/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1600 North 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Mykenos Mediterranean Grill
13 / 22- Rating: 4.1/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3001 Rib Mountain Drive Ste East Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, New American
- Read more on Yelp
Ropa's Chicago Style Pizza
14 / 22- Rating: 4.2/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 225670 Rib Mountain Drive Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Politos Pizza
15 / 22- Rating: 4.2/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 315 East Kort St. Rothschild, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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El Charro Authentic Mexican Restaurant
16 / 22- Rating: 4.2/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1711 Schofield Ave. Ste East Weston, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
Brews Brothers Pub
17 / 22- Rating: 4.3/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4107 Barbican Ave. Weston, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
Mint Cafe
18 / 22- Rating: 4.3/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 422 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Kreger's Bakery & Deli
19 / 22- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1506 North 3rd St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bakeries, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
6th Street Filling Station
20 / 22- Rating: 4.5/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1314 North 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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La Taqueria
21 / 22- Rating: 4.5/5 (168 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 520 South 17th Ave. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Bob & Randy's Bar
22 / 22- Rating: 4.6/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1515 6th St. Wausau, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Beer Bar
- 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.
