Curated by Tyler Shane Written by Dawnya Bartsch, Rachel Layton, Patrick Moore, Tyler Shane and Kyle Wisecarver.
Photography by Sara Alvord. Illustrations by Linzie Hunter
It’s not difficult to find dishes for $15 or less around the city. But we believe part of the fun in finding something affordable to eat is discovering the spots that are lesser-known and sometimes overlooked. In creating this list, we prioritized the hole-in-the-walls—the strip mall gems and joints that take you off the beaten path—while still indulging in some KC staples. Some of Kansas City’s best food is actually some of its least expensive … if you know where to look.
Latin Bites
Torta de Chorizo con Huevo
Cien Por Ciento Mexicana
Alejandra de la Fuente’s tamale pop-up has certainly come a long way. The Mexico City native began her journey in 2017 at the Lenexa Public Market, where she had a Mexican street food vendor-style spot named Red Kitchen. De la Fuente proudly displayed her roots with brightly colored Mexican banners and a massive painting of artist Frida Khalo. Her burritos were dubbed best in the state of Kansas by Food & Wine.
As of February, Red Kitchen transformed into the breakfast and lunch eatery Cien por Ciento Mexicana (translating to “100 Percent Mexican”). It sits in the downtown OP strip directly across from the area’s beloved farmers market, and on warm days, de la Fuente opens the garage door. The space is simple yet comfortable, and the Khalo painting from her original spot is there to welcome you.
The tamales and burritos are, of course, menu staples. But in other sections of the from-scratch menu, salsas, breads, chorizo, eggs, fresh crisp tomatoes, crunchy lettuce and crumbly cotija cheese are all interchangeable ingredients. It’s casual eats, but the chilaquiles, birria tacos, tostadas and more all have that invigorating freshness associated with quality Mexican cuisine.
As for the torta de chorizo con huevos, the breakfast egg sandwich is a favorite of de la Fuente’s—and of mine, too. A bolillo roll is sliced open and toasted to buttery perfection. It’s then given a smear of refried beans and stacked with scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, avocado, tomato, onions and jalapeno pickles. Pair it with a warm day and a cup of coffee or some fresh aguas frescas and you’ll be happy you followed Frida all the way to Cien por Ciento Mexicana.
2 Pupusas and 2 Tacos
El Pulgarcito
5921 Merriam Drive, Merriam $13.50
When you hear “Salvadoran food,” you should automatically drool for some pupusas—cornmeal griddle cakes filled with various fillings. You’ll find no shortage of them in the busy industrial area of Merriam at the small Salvadoran restaurant El Pulgarcito.
Go for the traditional chicharron stuffed with juicy, fatty shredded pork and topped with their homemade cabbage slaw. If you are still hungry, order some of their traditional carne asada tacos topped with white onion, cilantro and avocado verde sauce—an ideal summer meal for just under $15
Half Chicken
El Pollo Rey
El Pollo Rey is a Mexican cuisine staple in KC with a menu composed of just three dishes: whole chicken, half chicken and chicken wings. The half chicken is the perfect size for a solo lunch and is simply prepared with classic seasonings, crispy skin and tender meat. Always served with rice, tortillas, and charro beans, you can make this chicken your own. Either pull it apart street taco style or eat it straight from the plate itself. El Pollo Rey’s menu is simple for a reason. It’s just that good. At only $11.25, the half chicken is easy on your wallet, too
Cousin Rob Plato
Lilly’s Cantina
Lilly’s family-run cantina opened on the West Side last year, and there’s something familiar yet refreshing about the small joint. Maybe it’s the welcoming blue front door framed with mosaic tiles, the full bar or the menu that serves comfy Mexican platters and tacos—done really well.
Think of the Cousin Rob as the ultimate combo plate, complete with a deep-fried taco, a tostada, a mole-covered cheesy enchilada, a crunchy corn quesadilla and, of course, the quintessential side of rice or beans.
This spot is aptly named, if only for the “to go” part. Snugly fitting into a KCK strip mall, the shop only has enough room for you to walk up to the counter and order before shuffling around the next customer in line. Luckily service is quick. Your tortilla is warmed on the flat top for a few seconds, filled, wrapped in foil, et voilà. Lunch is served.
We recommend the No. 2, with ground beef and potatoes, or the No. 3, with pork smothered in a red sauce. Grab a Jarritos drink of any neon hue to finish it off.
EAT IN YOUR CAR
Risk It All Bagel
Cocky Ocky Grill
3800 E. 39th St., KCMO $9.50
“I don’t want to be associated with the fast food crowd,” says Cocky Ocky Grill owner Mazin Jabr, who’s been on the scene for only seven months. On paper, it may be easy to make this mistake. Jabr’s convenience store kitchen off 39th Street and Cleveland Avenue serves the usual fast food staples like burritos, wings and burgers. There’s no seating in the store, and the food is bagged in to-go boxes meant to send you on your way. But the Cocky Ocky Grill doesn’t serve McDonald’s- and Wendy’s-style fast food. It serves New York bodega-style food—and that’s a whole other genre.
Bodega food has been having a moment, and Cocky Ocky Grill’s wild popularity is evidence of this. Each menu item is cooked to order. Burritos are stuffed to the brim and sliced down the middle revealing a plethora of ingredients. The fries are heavily seasoned, the Boo Ya bowls are topped off with a drizzle of condiments, and the wings can be smothered in a lemon-pepper sauce, buffalo sauce or both. Your wish is the Grill’s command.
Flavor doesn’t take time off at the grill, and between Detroit native Jabr’s Palestinian-American heritage and his business partner Erika Mendez’s Mexican roots, they’ve created a menu influenced by both their cultures. According to Jabr, about 60 percent of it is halal (to him, this means no pork), and Mendez is “very serious” about her salsas.
When you walk in, head toward the kitchen, where someone will take your order. On an average day, you can expect to wait 20 to 30 minutes. On the weekends, you’ll wait longer.
In a city where New York-style bagel sandwiches are hard to come by, we recommend the Risk It All bagel. Between the two slices of toasted bagel are scrambled eggs, melty American cheese, turkey sausage, hash browns, grilled pepper and onions, chipotle mayo and the unexpected addition of strawberry-pepper jam. It’s a perfect example of how Jabr describes his cooking style: “kind of gourmet but with some swag, some soul and some love.”
Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Price Rite
Off the beaten path in North KC, the convenience store Price Rite sits in a residential area. Walk in and you’re initially greeted with tobacco and liquor sales, but keep walking and the extensive Italian market and deli will surprise you. Pizza, chicken spiedini sandwiches and “buckets of spaghetti” are just a few of the hot items offered.
The chicken parm sandwich may shock you. The seeded Italian bun looks a little silly sitting upon the massive breaded chicken cutlet smothered in a red sauce. You won’t even know how to begin eating it, but that’s part of the fun. Price Rite leaves no customer hungry.
Pork Tenderloin Sandwich and Tots
Kitty’s Cafe
When Kitty’s Cafe showed up on the New York Times’ 2022 Best Restaurants list, I had mixed feelings about it. Did the family-owned Troost spot deserve all the accolades? Yes. Was I concerned about how the exposure might affect this superb hidden gem that had only been known through word of mouth for years? Also yes.
A couple years later, I can confirm that Kitty’s Cafe hasn’t let the national recognition change a thing. The renowned pork tenderloin sandwich is still crispy with tempura batter, a sprinkle of iceberg, onions and pickles. Get it stacked three patties high and with a side of tots. Bring cash.
Chicken Shawarma
Mediterranean Market
The Mediterranean Market is a humble grocery and restaurant. Wandering through the aisles of Greek olives, Moroccan spices and lamb cuts eventually leads you to the grocer’s kitchen. Once there, order a chicken shawarma. The chicken has a fragrant aroma with cardamom and coriander flavors coming through in each bite. The exotic spices are balanced with fresh lettuce, red onion and tomato. And with an $11 price tag, you can’t afford not to add a side of seasoned fries
The Lunch Box is like a gas station without the gas. Sitting on a corner in the industrial part of the West Bottoms, this one-stop shop has everything you need: batteries, cat food, vodka and a wildly affordable breakfast and lunch menu.
The KC Cheesesteak is a melty, beefy concoction that cozies up in soft bread. We like it because the longer it sits, the better it gets. The biggest question is do you want it for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Lunch Box serves their entire menu from 6 am to 11:30 pm.
BAR GRUB
Pep Boi Pizza
Fortunati
Fortunati Pizza is not only one of the best pizza joints in town, it’s also affordable. Owner Justin Norcross, who also owns the dive bar Lucky Boys just a few doors down, opened this West Bottoms pizza spot due to his bar’s wildly successful pizza nights. Because Fortunati is so close to the bar, you can still order Fortunati’s pizza while seated at Lucky Boys, which is why we consider this spot bar grub.
The flour Fortunati uses is milled locally mere blocks away. The sourdough starter they use for their pizza is over 80 years old from Malta, near Italy. It was gifted to Norcross from his friend and the late owner of Observation Pizza, Nick Vella, who tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident. Fortunati is a love letter to Vella and what he started with Observation during the pandemic.
The combination of local flour, sourdough starter and all fresh and local ingredients is what makes this the best pizza in Kansas City hands down. Their hot honey pepperoni and jalapeno pizza, called the Pep Boi, will send you into such euphoria you won’t even notice the heartburn. The crust is perfectly thin, and the contrast of the sweet honey and spicy jalapeno is a match made in heaven. If you’re like me and like to dip your crust in ranch, Fortuanti makes their own. It’s this attention to the small details that makes Fortunati worth your time and money.
Louisville Hot Chicken Sandwich with Fries
Lucky Boys
Lucky Boys is the perfect dive bar. Tony Hinchcliffe, a popular stand-up comic who just appeared on Netflix’s Roast of Tom Brady, went to Lucky Boys after his show at Uptown Theater and fell in love with it. Don’t let the fact that he used to drive a Corvette with the custom license plate “IROAST” deter you. If there’s anything a touring comic knows, it’s a great dive bar.
There’s no Instagram wall, reclaimed wood or $30 mocktail menu. There’s cold beer and a small menu of great bar food featuring burgers, poutine and fried bologna Cuban. If The Peanut has the best wings in Kansas City, then it’s safe to say that Lucky Boys has the best chicken sandwich. It’s spicy Louisville hot chicken over a bed of coleslaw on a Farm to Market Bread bun. Their kitchen is open until midnight, so when everything in Overland Park closes at 8 pm, Lucky Boys will always be there for you.
3 Wings and Fries
The Peanut
(various locations) $13
The three wings and fries at The Peanut is one of the best meals you can eat in Kansas City. It may say three wings on the menu, but it feels more like six, since they give you the entire thing (the flats and drums are still connected). They’ll warn you of a 20 minute cook time when you order. I assure you it’s worth it.
I prefer the downtown location, but my friend, comedian Scott Shaffer (his new special White Noise Machine is now streaming on YouTube) prefers the downtown OP location, and I know several people who only go to the Main Street location. No one is wrong. They’re all great. The blue cheese dipping sauce is what I would recommend. And most definitely get cheese on your fries because it’s the right thing to do.
Reuben Sandwich
Breit’s Stein and Deli
412 N. Fifth St., KCK $6.95
Breit’s manages to stand out even among Strawberry Hill’s stellar bar scene. The pub’s atmosphere is steeped in old world Irishness and nostalgia. If it’s your first time visiting, the regulars will give you a once over when entering, but who cares? Every sandwich is $6.95 and served with chips. The Reuben won’t let you down. The $4 pint of Guinness won’t either
Wednesday Taco Night The Easy Inn
The Easy Inn
322 6th St., KCK 3 Tacos for $5
My apologies to all who want to keep this once-in-a-blue-moon kind of deal on the down-low, but it’s just too good. Every Wednesday, the Strawberry Hill dive bar offers three hard-shell ground meat tacos (gringo-style), along with a shot of Montezuma Tequila Blanco and a cold one of Tecate. Come in right at 5 pm and enjoy your steal on the patio
HANGOVER CURE
Single Plate Lunch Buffet
KC Kabob
Sitting a couple doors down from the venerable Taco Naco in Overland Park, it’s easy to overlook this traditional Persian restaurant. It’s a new location for owner Hamid Tafreshi, whose former Lenexa restaurant shut down during Covid, which I found devastating considering it was my family’s go-to for Iranian food.
But Tafreshi is back up and running. The new space is small, but they manage to pack a daily lunch buffet in at the front counter. If you’re new to Persian food, begin with a few scoops of saffron rice and pick between chicken or beef kabobs.
The cucumber and tomato salad, or shirazi, is a must along with some ghormeh sabzi (herb stew) and mast-o-khiar (a yogurt-cucumber sauce) for dipping. Top it all off with some charred tomatoes, and do it like the Persians do: indulge in the raw onions.
If you are lucky enough to beat the lunch rush at this popular Lenexa sushi restaurant and not miss its amazing lunch specials, you’ll learn you don’t have to sacrifice price for quality rolls. Sushi Uni offers an impressive lunch special for just under $15: three sushi rolls of your choice, two crab rangoons, and soup or salad.
Not sure what to order? Grab a classic California roll. I also recommend the spicy crunch tuna roll with a spicy mayo and a sweet eel sauce. And don’t miss out on the spider roll with deep-fried soft-shell crab. Yes, you read that right.
Jalapeno Cheddar Kielbasa
Wiener Kitchen
In between Costco’s $1.50 hotdog and a Kauffman Stadium glizzy lies a peculiar restaurant that sells hotdogs, brats and even pancakes in the morning. The entire breakfast and lunch menu is under $15, but one item rises above the rest: the jalapeno cheddar kielbasa.
This kielbasa is topped with coleslaw and honey mustard barbecue sauce. It hits every taste bud you have and is the perfect combination of salty, sweet and spicy. You don’t have to go to the grocery store to buy some brats to grill. Just head over to Wiener Kitchen and have them prepare you one.
Bún bò Huế
Pho Lan
5024 N.E. Parvin Road, KCMO $14.95
QUIETLY SITTING ON the edge of the River Market, Pho Lan, a family-owned, no-frills Vietnamese joint, lists their menu items in their native language. Don’t worry—there’s English descriptions underneath. But this small detail always bodes well if you’re looking for something unapologetically authentic, like the hearty soup called bún bò Huế.
Like pho, it comes with vermicelli noodles, but instead of the accompaniment of beef or pork, you’ll find slices of beef shank, pig’s feet and chunks of pork blood swimming in this soup. Slightly spicy and oh-so rich, it’s absolutely irresistible with a squeeze of lime. Trust me on this one. -TS
Bento Box Mr. Le
Mr. Le
5024 N.E. Parvin Road, KCMO $14.95
This compact, unassuming strip-mall restaurant in the Northland is a hidden Asian food gem. The restaurant is not fancy, but it has a much-deserved loyal following. The popular restaurant serves Vietnamese and Japanese food along with sushi. It’s consistent, fresh and offered at a good price. The lunchtime bento box especially hits the mark. Your choice of meat is served alongside steamed rice, a house salad and your choice of miso or onion soup.
Kansas City does not lack Thai restaurants. There’s everything from fancy sit-down to strip mall Thai. Everyone has a favorite spot, but what’s the best bang for your buck? Thai Place, near 87th and Antioch.
The huge pad Thai dish is big enough to be a meal on its own, but it comes with a side salad and two crab rangoon to fill it out. The salad’s ginger-honey mustard dressing has just enough tang, and the wonton mini fried rangoons add a nice bite-sized crunch. As for the pad Thai, it comes with your protein of choice, is cooked with a scrambled egg and is topped with peanuts and green onions. The sauce-to-noodle ratio is perfect, giving you a sweet and tangy bite each time.
SLIGHTLY ELEVATED
Taco Tuesday
Tacos Valentina
1708 Campbell St., KCMO 3 Tacos for $12
You could argue that Tacos Valentina should be filed under the “Latin Bites’’ category, but these tacos stand apart from most in the city. That’s because the taqueria is also a molino, meaning owners Pablo Muñoz and Roger Avila make their tortillas from scratch, grinding down heirloom Mexican corn daily and turning it into masa.
The former pop-up has taken over the kitchen at the somewhat hidden Crossroads brewery Torn Label. The from-scratch corn tortillas are hand-pressed to order, making for the freshest selection of tacos you can get. Whether it be filled with seared cauliflower, pork and braised citrus, or cilantro- and onion-topped beef cheek, each taco oozes layers of texture and homemade zesty salsas. Despite their craftsmanship, Muñoz and Avila still indulge us locals with the fried parmesan-topped KC taco.
On any other day, prices can run a bit steep, so Tacos Valentina’s Tuesday special is a great way to get acquainted with what they’re all about: hand-crafted tacos and next-level flavor.
This LGBTQ-owned Troost coffee shop has a maximalist feel to it. The interior is inspired by the tropics, a way for owners Armando Vasquez and Mike Hastings to bring their California and Guatemalan roots to KC, and the menu features a few select Mexican staples like homemade tamales, burritos and chicken verde bowls.
Nevertheless, it’s the acaí bowl, decorated with single-file lines of sliced bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, granola and coconut flakes, that fits right in with the massive octopus painted on the wall.
One of the first food reviews I wrote as a restaurant critic for Kansas City magazine was a roundup of the best spots for oysters on the half shell. After the review was published, a local commented on the article that I had missed one of the greatest spots for oysters. Even worse, it was “right under my nose.” He was talking about the downtown Whole Foods’ Friday Happy Hour consisting of $1 oysters.
Haunted by his adamance, I checked it out. After an evening of shooting back oysters and finishing them off with a cold one, all in the company of a live jazz band, I had to admit the commenter was right. (Hey, as a critic, it’s important to admit when you’ve overlooked something.)
East Coast oysters, like Blue Points and Wellfleet, are available, along with one rotating Pacific variety. They’re shucked in front of you in the taproom, and the drink menu consists of discounted bubbles and beer. It’s packed, but the affordable bill at the end makes battling the crowd worth it
Mussels
Bella Napoli
Mediterranean diet here, including shellfish. Under the antipasto menu section is a bowl of mussels served swimming in a classic white wine broth—the perfect starter before you carb load.
BURGERS
Chappell Burger
Chappell’s Restaurant
There’s a lot more reasons than just the amazing collection of sports memorabilia to visit Chappell’s in North Kansas City. There’s also a menu packed with delicious dishes, many ringing in under $15. Our pick is the iconic restaurant’s signature Chappell Burger. The half-pound burger is made with freshly ground Angus charbroiled beef, topped with Swiss cheese and crisp slices of bacon and sandwiched between another KC local favorite, a Wolfermanss English muffin. Garnished with lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion and served with your choice of curly fries, cottage cheese or coleslaw, it’s traditional Americana fare at its best. If you want to splurge, onion rings, pasta salad or sweet potato fries can be substituted for $2—which still doesn’t put you over the $15 cheap eats threshold.
Burger and 50/50 Fries and Onion Rings
Snack Shack
Head to Snack Shack for the retro-diner vibes; stay for the premium beefy burgers—and because the ice cream machine is never broken (looking at you, McDonald’s).
There’s not a ton of space in this Mission, Kansas, joint. Dine-in and you’ll receive your meal on a Pepto Bismol-pink tray. As for the burger, everything is smashed together, and I mean that in the best way possible. The edges of the patty are slightly crispy, and it comes dressed to the nines with raw onions, pickles, lettuce and good ol’ American cheese.
If you’re a fast food ice cream aficionado like myself, I highly recommend one of two desserts: the Oreo shake (the equivalent of an Oreo McFlurry) or just a simple zebra twist cone.
Chili Cheese Burger
Hayes Hamburger And Chili
2502 N.E. Vivion Road, KCMO $2.35+
There’s a reason the word chili is in this diner’s name. Their chili recipe was developed by current owner Jim Hayes’ grandfather in 1904, when he opened the first Hayes diner in Liberty. That diner is long gone, but the current Hayes Hamburger and Chili diner still uses the same recipe, proving that not much has changed since 1955, when this little diner north of the river opened its Vivion Road location. It’s still open 24 hours, it still only accepts cash, and it still serves the same chili, which can be ordered a la carte or on the side and put on basically anything you desire.
It’s a small place, with a counter and tiny booths lining its walls, but it’s a Northland institution and the place to head when you’re looking for comfort food anytime, day or night. It’s the chili that makes the dish, but the smallish hamburger, topped with Hayes’ signature chili and cheese, is comfort food at its best—warm, gooey and greasy enough to line your stomach and get you ready for a good nap. One burger won’t fill you up, but even if you ordered a whopping six, your bill would come under the $15 threshold.
OG Magnolia Burger
The Spot
Just south of Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine district is The Prospect KC, which functions both as a culinary and community center. This nonprofit has not only a restaurant but also a lounge, coffee shop, brewery and even a fresh grocer section. Central to its mission is a counter service restaurant, called The Spot, with healthy and affordable food for all.
Our pick is The Spot’s OG Magnolia Burger, which is stuffed with homestyle classic flavors including bourbon-peach BBQ sauce, collard green slaw and crispy onion straws. But on the first bite, it’s the homemade pimento cheese spread that takes center stage. Packed with rich flavor and slathered on thick, it’s delicious—almost like they know it’s everyone’s favorite part.
The Insiders’ Favorites
Aaron Wells-Morgan, chef at the Crossroads Hotel
“This is super easy for me. At Waldo Thai (8431 Wornall Road, KCMO), they have a crispy rice salad called khao tod nam sod ($15). I go for everything there, but I will not leave without eating that. The funky fish sauce lime flavor is one I can eat until I die. Love Chef Pam’s work. It’s always rock solid.”
Lisa Hamblen,
chef atKimchi and Bap
“A dish that I’m always craving is the shredded potato in vinegar dish at Szechuan Dynasty (7206 W. 119th St., Overland Park). It’s $11.99 and delicious. It sounds super simple, but the vinegar brings out a tanginess that perfectly compliments the savory. So good.”
Dan Doty,
owner of soon-to-open
Blue Palm Tiki
“Italian Delight (8145 State Ave, Kansas City, KS) pizza slice and stromboli ($11.79) is my favorite in town. The place has great history, and the food is top-notch. The owner makes every pizza and watches the place like a hawk.”
Keara Masson,
pastry chef
at Rye
“Willie’s Burritos is a food truck that parks on the corner of 29th street and Southwest Boulevard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. He has the best burritos for only $4 to $5 each. My favorite is the chile relleno burrito and the chicharrón burrito. He has a ton of different ones to choose from, but I crave these two every day.”
TJ Roberts,
owner of Kinship Cafe
“That Mini Chief burger ($9) from Chixen Kansas City (7502 Troost Ave., KCMO) blows my mind. They just opened a spot on Troost where you can go in and sit down. The coolest part is they make it fresh to order and use all fresh ingredients.”
