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Feelin’ hungry for a bite that won’t break the bank? We’ve got you covered. There are plenty of tasty local eateries to explore that can fill up your belly when you’re balling on a budget. From burgers and barbecue to tacos and sushi, here’s where to find a delicious meal for $15 or less.

Gomez Salsa Photo: Lindsay McCarty
Tuba Baking Co. 517 6th Ave., Dayton, Kentucky Specializing in artisan sourdough Swabian-style soft pretzels, this German gastropub in Northern Kentucky packs a punch of flavor. Everything on the current menu clocks in under $15, so you can enjoy some quality made-from-scratch Southern German cuisine on a budget. On the menu, you’ll find fare like Flammkuchen (a sort of German flatbread/pizza), Schnitzel (a sourdough pretzel-encrusted chicken thigh pounded thin and served with your choice of side) and the Wurst Platter, featuring Avril-Bleh bratwurst, mettwurst or kielbasa and a choice of side. Tuba Baking Co. also has a bar with German-centric beers, wines, liquors, cocktails and ciders that you can enjoy inside or out in their new “brezelgarten.” Photo: Drew Rath
Dope! Asian Street Fare 2912 Wasson Road, Oakley; 100 E. Court, Downtown Featuring a menu inspired by street-food favorites from cities like Tokyo, Saigon, Singapore and more, Dope! Asian Street Fare serves up quick-grab items like ramen, bao, and huge, juicy wings. BYO ramen starts at $8 and add-ins range from $1-$4. The bao comes in five varieties for $4 each. You can also try a $12 or $13 rice bowl or bánh mì for $7. As for those thicc Dope! and Korean BBQ wings, those are $11 for six. Photo: Provided by Dope! Asian Street Fare
Zip’s Cafe 1036 Delta Ave., Mt. Lookout Zip’s Cafe has been open since 1926 and is known for its Zip Burger, which Food & Wine named the best in Ohio, and which you can get for just $9.75. The turkey burger and vegetarian black bean burger are also under $10, and you can pair those with a side of fries, onion rings, Saratoga chips or coleslaw, which run between $2.50-$4.50. Or pick a sandwich or coney, which will cost you between $4.50 for a classic grilled cheese and $13.25 for the fried fish. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Galactic Fried Chicken 624 Sixth Ave., Dayton Former food truck Galactic Fried Chicken recently opened a brick-and-mortar in Northern Kentucky’s Dayton neighborhood, next door to Unataza Coffee. The restaurant, owned by Shane Coffey and his wife Kathy McDonald, serves fried chicken, chicken tenders and sandwiches, along with a variety of sides ranging from mac and cheese to deviled eggs, fries and salads. They also offer a vegetarian option of fried jackfruit nuggets. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Island Frydays 2826 Short Vine St., Corryville Featuring authentic Caribbean cuisine made by Jamaica native and former University of Cincinnati football captain Leo Morgan, Island Frydays is the definitive restaurant to break out of culinary monotony. Though the restaurant has a petite and unassuming interior, they pack a whole lot of flavor at great prices. Get a sandwich or wrap combo, ranging from jerk chicken and fish to curry and brown stew, for just $12 or a dinner with a choice of two sides for $15. Photo: facebook.com/Island Frydays
J&J Restaurant 6159 Glenway Ave., Westwood This old-school diner serves huge double decker sandwiches, Cincinnati-style chili, cheese coneys and all-day breakfast at a great price. Tucked into a strip mall, this is a no-frills neighborhood staple with lots of regulars and quick service. Photo: Paige Deglow Photo: Paige Deglow
Kealoha’s Kitchen 529 Main St., Covington For authentic Hawaiian and a touch of the Aloha spirit, you can’t go wrong with Kealoha’s Kitchen. The restaurant, named in honor of the owner’s brother, features a selection of Hawaiian barbecue and Asian- and Polynesian-inspired dishes. Try the Bento Box with your choice of protein and scoop of rice for just $11. À la carte proteins are between $9-$12 and include short ribs and brisket marinated with a house-made pineapple-teriyaki sauce; teriyaki chicken; pork loin marinated in soy sauce, mustard and garlic sauce; slow-roasted pork with cabbage and onions; garlic shrimp and ahi tuna poke. Get their spicy papaya salad ($4) or Spam Musubi ($3.50) on the side for even more flavor. Photo: acw.asianati.com
Tortilleria Garcia 11774 Springfield Pike, Springdale; 5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill; 4200 Aero Drive, Mason Omar Garcia, the restaurant’s owner, grew up on a family farm in Michoacán, Mexico and learned how to make corn tortillas the old-fashioned way from his mother and grandmother. Garcia has committed to honoring his family’s culinary history and his restaurants uncompromisingly follow the family recipe for fresh tortillas — never using flour or preservatives. Garcia’s menu, which is mostly under $15, consists of straightforward Mexican classics like tamales, burritos, housemade salsas and rotisserie chicken, in addition to tacos. Photo: Paige Deglow
Pleasant Ridge Chili & Restaurant 6032 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge This local multi-generational diner has been serving Cincinnati-style chili and American classics for over 50 years. They also offer chili to-go and late-night eats, like french fries topped with everything from chili to cheese to gravy. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Knockback Nats 10 W. Seventh St., Downtown Often lauded as having the best wings in Cincinnati, downtown sports bar Knockback Nats offers a variety of appetizers and sandwiches that won’t break the bank while you enjoy a beer and watch the game. The famous smoked chicken wings are about $8, but the nachos ($7.95 for chicken or $8.95 for the Knockback-style), Hanky Panks ($6.95) and pizza rolls ($5.95) are also worth a try. The menu features a variety of sandwiches, from a hot Italian club to the smoked brisket, and classic cheeseburgers, all of which will run you between $5.95-$9.95. Photo" facebook.com/KnockbackNats
Baladi Restaurant 3307 Clifton Ave., Clifton Baladi is not your typical strip mall restaurant. It offers delicious Middle Eastern and Arabic specialties like shawarma ($11.25), gyros ($10), falafel ($8.75 for a wrap or $10.75 for the chef special) and more, all made with fresh ingredients. They also offer fresh, savory baked goods and pastry favorites like baklava ($4). Photo: facebook.com/baladirestaurantandbakery
Teranga Restaurant 8438 Vine St., Hartwell This African-American fusion restaurant offers a diverse and affordable menu. Find inexpensive meals, like the Senegalese Senburger for $7, or full dinners like grilled tilapia and dibi (marinated lamb with seasoned onions) for $15 each. Sides are $3 apiece and range from couscous and French fries to fufu and attiéké. Photo: facebook.com/Teranga
Saigon Subs & Rolls 151 W. Fourth St., Downtown The refreshingly minimal Saigon Subs & Rolls is an underrated and often overlooked Vietnamese destination that serves some of the best tofu in town. Their banh mi sandwiches are a true work of art; between slices of baguette smeared in creamy homemade butter sit pickled carrots and daikon and your choice of seasoned grilled beef or chicken. Photo: Facebook.com/SaigonSubsandRolls Photo: facebook.com/SaigonSubsandRolls
Café Alma 6111 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge Health-focused Mediterranean restaurant Café Alma offers delicious but healthy dishes that use high-quality ingredients packed with good flavors. For breakfast, you can enjoy a build-your-own, three-ingredient omelet for $14; eggs and toast for $10 or a bagel and cream cheese for $8 with a side of fresh fruit or roasted apples with cinnamon for an extra $4. You can also try one of Café Alma’s Shakshuka, a traditional Middle Eastern/Mediterranean favorite, which comes with lightly poached eggs in a flavorful sauce and challah. There are four different kinds and they range from $13-$15. For lunch, try a flavorful salad, bowl or sandwich, most of which clock in under $15. Photo: Casey Roberts
Pickles & Bones 1149 OH-131, Milford Pickles & Bones is a carry-out and catering establishment located in Milford. They offer traditional barbecue plates, sandwich meals, meat by the pound and scratch-made sides. Notable barbecue dishes include rib tips, hot link sausages, pulled pork sandwiches and pulled amish chicken. Photo via Facebook/PicklesandBones Photo: Facebook/PicklesandBones
KungFood AmerAsia 521 Madison Ave., Covington Quaint and comfortable with a huge beer list, AmerAsia offers all the usual Chinese dishes and chef specialties, but the food is anything but the usual. Chef Chu makes it all from scratch. His motto: “Do not take shortcuts and do everything with passion and love.” Everything on their menu is delicious and almost all of it is under $15. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
CCS Empanadas 2082 Montgomery Road, Loveland CCS Empanadas is a hidden gem offering over 18 different Venezuelan-style empanadas, which will run you between $5.99 for the chicken, cheese, shredded beef or ground beef ones up to $7.99 for the seafood empanada, with a lot of ingredient and price variety in between. But that’s not all they’re dishing up: They also offer savory arepas ($11.50-$15.50), paella ($15), fresh and fruity drinks and sweet desserts, like churros and Tequeño de Nutella (Nutella sticks), that’ll keep you coming back for more. Photo: facebook.com/ccsempanadas
Santorini Family Restaurant 3414 Harrison Ave., Cheviot Every item on Santorini Family Restaurant’s menu is under $15 (except the Greek pizza, but we won’t say anything if you decide to splurge an extra $2) so you can try a variety of its offerings. This West Side Greek diner has everything from pizza to gyros to an all-day breakfast and a section of its menu dedicated to “Greek-style” chili, which we all know means Cincinnati-style. If you’re not completely stuffed and still have a few bucks left over, try a Greek pastry or some cobbler. Photo: Santorini Family Restaurant Facebook
Greenwich Pita & Grill 5220 Kings Mills Road, Mason Greenwich Pita and Grill is a low-key and reasonably priced cornucopia of stellar, flavorful food from the Mediterranean and beyond. Try the masala chicken or beef Burger for $11 or the vegetable or falafel wrap for just $10. They also have several meat and rice platters, including the chicken malai boti, chicken shawarma, lamb gyro and beef kofta kebab, for $15, or try a seafood and rice platter (fried fish, fried shrimp, buffalo shrimp, etc.) for $14. Photo: Courtesy of Greenwich Pita and Grill
Goodfellas 1211 Main St., Over-the-Rhine; 603 Main St., Covington; 6099 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge Goodfellas Pizzeria features New York-style pizza at affordable prices. You can get a 12-inch pizza starting at $14 and add extra cheese or veggies for $2 each or protein for $3 each for the whole pizza, or split that cost and add it to just half. You can also order pizza by the slice. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Chacabanas Cuban Sandwiches 1809 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine If you love Cuban sandwiches, you need to try one of the newest eateries in town, Chacabanas (named after the shirt style popular in Cuba and the Dominican Republic). This sandwich shop specializes in authentic Cubanos with three options: the classic El Cubano (roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on toasted Cuban bread); the Ybor City Cubano, made with roasted pork shoulder and featuring the addition of Genoa salami; or the Croqueta Preparada – their Cuban topped with their croquettes. Chacabanas also offers antojitos, or snacks, like yuca fries, empanadas and their croquetas. Photo: facebook.com/FindlayMarket
Cloud 9 Sushi 1018 Delta Ave., Mt. Lookout This unpretentious sushi joint offers affordable specialty rolls, sake, martinis and cocktails. Try a special roll like the Hot Mama (a mix of chopped tuna, salmon, tilapia, white tuna and yellow tail with garlic, red pepper paste, sriracha and green onion) for $11 or the Bengals (spicy tuna that has been deep-fried, with spicy crab and avocado and topped with eel sauce) for $13, or take part in the half-priced sushi specials that go all day, every day. Photo: Facebook.com/Cloud9Sushi
The Whole Bowl 364 Ludlow Ave., Clifton This is the perfect spot for people who don’t like to make decisions since Whole Bowl offers only one menu item. While there is an easy vegan alternative, Whole Bowl’s titular dish is comprised of brown rice, beans, black olives, Tillamook cheddar, avocado slices, salsa, sour cream and a lemon-garlic sauce. The only real choice a diner should need to make in the matter is whether to get a 12-ounce Bambino Bowl for $7.50, a 16-ounce Big Bowl for $8 or the 32-ounce Insatiabowl for $10. Photo: Facebook.com
J. Gumbo’s 286 Ludlow Ave., Clifton; 879 Galbraith Road, Finneytown; 4754 Cornell Road, Blue Ash J. Gumbo’s brings a piece of Bourbon Street to Cincinnati, cooking up po’boys, gumbo and other Creole and Cajun classics. Po’boys are just $8.75 and entrée bowls, which feature the Drunken Chicken, Jambalaya, Voodoo Chicken and more and come in varying degrees of spiciness, start at $8.99, or you can combine two entrées into one for just $12. Photo : facebook.com/jgumbos

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