The Best Cheap Eats in San Antonio

For a piece of San Antonio history and some delicious cheap eats, diners flock to Camp Verde General Store, a general store that is a San Antonio landmark. Open for more than 150 years, Camp Verde serves up sandwiches and sodas in a historic country setting. Camp Verde General store has a little grocery to shop in (hence the name), so visitors can buy local jams and souvenirs after they eat. Camp Verde is technically in a suburb of San Antonio, but a short drive from the heart of town.

Liberty Bar is a trendy gastropub that has a slew of affordable eats in a fun and festive setting. Often consider a destination for some of the best cheap eats in San Antonio, Liberty Bar’s menu features items like chile relleno en Nogada, a smoked fish plate, and a roasted leg of lamb sandwich. When dining at Liberty Bar, diners can expect classic bar food with an upscale, Texan twist. Liberty Bar is in the heart of La Villita.

P.F. Chang’s is a reliable chain for outstanding pan Asian food at outstanding prices. Diners here can enjoy the bustling brasserie-like ambiance with Asian décor accents. They can also enjoy some entertainment while they dine by watching the chefs cook in the open kitchen. Try some of the house favorites, like Pot Stickers or one of the freshly made sushi rolls. P.F. Chang’s La Cantera is in the Shops at La Cantera, so get some shopping done before or after dining.

The Hard Rock Café is always fun and always rockin’. The same holds true for this location in Texas, which is a destination for some of the best cheap eats in San Antonio. Hard Rock has a menu of bar foods like burgers and BBQ Pork sandwiches. They also have a cocktail list featuring classic cocktails like the Hurricane or Tropical Margarita. The Hard Rock is in the River Walk area, so enjoy a stroll and some shopping after hearing some music or enjoying a bite and a beer.

For a more sophisticated vibe at a restaurant that won’t break the bank, head to Meadow Neighborhood Eater and Bar. This aptly-named restaurant is casual and table cloth free, some come here in t-shirts in a flip flop to enjoy food that is artfully prepared and presented. The menu at Meadow has options like. Scallops, fried chicken, and grilled pork loin. The restaurant also serves brunch so consider coming on Sunday morning for cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon, and other classics.

Another place for the best cheap eats in San Antonio that is also in a fun and historic setting is Rails. This restaurant sits in the 1915 Kerrville Train Depot, in the small suburb of San Antonio called Kerrvile. In 2004, Rails received the 2004 Texas Downtown Association Award for authentic historic flavor and beautiful décor. Some come here when in the mood for an ambiance as well as an appetite-pleaser. Diners rave about the tilapia tacos, shrimp tostadas, or bison burger. Also, this is a great spot for outdoor dining on the restaurant’s patio.

Wine lovers can rejoice when they head to Zinc: an affordable restaurant that also has a great wine list. Zinc bills itself as “an Elegant European wine bar with a casual Texas twist.” Located in the heart of downtown, Zinc offers locals and visitors alike a chance to select from the more than 4,000 bottles of wine in their cellar. The restaurant also offers handcrafted cocktails. In terms of food, the menu does not disappoint with items meant to share, including fried shrimp po’boy, Italian sausage pizza, chocolate-covered strawberries, or a cheese plate served with fresh honeycomb, peach saba, blackberries, candied walnuts, and flatbread.

Playland San Antonio offers diners nonstop fun and entertainment. They also have a very affordable menu! The restaurant serves dinner nightly with a menu featuring sourdough pizzas and dessert (and some rotating starters and salads). The restaurant’s name pays homage to theme parks. Located in the heart of downtown, its décor is bustling and vibrant, with tall ceilings, gigantic windows, bright marble floors and tables, and intricate lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling.

For an unforgettable view with some of the best cheap eats in San Antonio, diners should eat at Ocho. This restaurant is in a glass conservatory overlooking the River Walk, and they serve hungry visitors breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night meals daily. The restaurant also has a breezeway for diners who want to brave the Texan heat. The menu has pan-Latin influences with dishes from Mexico, Cuba, and Texas. Order margaritas and then follow a cocktail with some of the most popular menu items: the spicy mushroom tacos, the chorizo con queso, or the Cubano.

The location of Stone Werks at the Rim is an excellent place to dine for some of the best cheap eats in San Antonio and a handcrafted cocktail that won’t cost an arm and a leg. The menu features upscale American fare and sports bar favorites, so visitors can pick something casual like a burger or more upscale like salmon on a bed of potatoes. Beer is a star here, so sit back and relax with a cold one. The restaurant has a sports bar vibe and there are televisions in the bar area, so it is a good destination for anyone who wants to watch their favorite team play. The Rim is close to Six Flags, so consider it for a meal after a fun day at the popular theme park destination.

Dick’s Last Resort is a chain. However, the location in San Antonio does not disappoint, with heaping helpings of delicious bar food and hilarious irreverent waiters (that is the schtick at Dick’s Last Resort). The atmosphere here features a fun theme: garage sale chic, so expect a fun, fanciful vibe that is simultaneously quirky and fantastic. Dicks Last Resort is also a favorite with beer drinkers since they serve more than 74 kinds of beer at this location. Dick’s Last Resort is just south of downtown. Close to La Villita.

For fine dining at non-fine dining prices, head to Savor. This restaurant, headed by students at the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio Campus, is a chance for culinary school students to hone and show off their skills. Nestled in the Pearl, the menu at Savor features items like heirloom tomato and strawberry salad, scallop and saffron risotto, and steak tartare with chipotle. It’s a pre-fixe here, so choose three courses or four courses when dining. Visitors can also choose to pair their meals with sommelier pairings. The atmosphere in Savor is distinctly trendy and vibrant. Bright lights accentuate marble tables and metallic accents throughout the restaurant. The well-lit atmosphere makes the room feel distinctively happy and high-energy. Diners need not worry: it’s not only students looking over the food. The students who make the menu and cook at Savor work with the world-class faculty that teach at the CIA. Consider this a chance to eat some famous chefs’ food before they really get famous.

Foodies who eat at Southerleigh can rejoice. This is a place created by foodies for foodies. But is affordable, so visitors can enjoy good food without shelling out their whole paycheck. Southerleigh’s menu has comfort food with upscale twists. So order bites like cracker crusted gulf redfish, stewed green beans, center-cut sirloin, or sweet onion and benne seed crusted pork schnitzel. The restaurant has unforgettable desserts, so do not skip the carrot cake, Mississippi mud pie, or coconut cream cake.

The Lincoln Heights location of Stone Werks is also an excellent place to grab a beer, eat a bite of bar food, and unwind in front of a sports game. This sports bar-restaurant has an excellent menu of classics like burgers and salads, and it also has a good wine list for diners who prefer vino to something bubbly. Stone Werks is casual and family-friendly, so this is one of the spots for the best cheap eats in San Antonio for diners who want to bring along their little ones.

For some of the best and most affordable Italian food in town, diners should head to Zocca. This Italian staple on the Riverwalk has classics like spaghetti Bolognese, bruschetta, and pappardelle with crab. They also serve breakfast and brunch, so consider coming in the morning for a bite to fuel up for a big day in San Antonio. Located in the Riverwalk, Zocca is a convenient location to stop for a bite while exploring the town’s best tourist attractions.

One other great spot for Italian food in San Antonio is Luce. This outpost for Italian staples has been around since 2006, and they have been pleasing diners with reliable, affordable meals in a cozy and welcoming atmosphere since their inception. Diners can find items like Fettuccini Alla Siciliana, Gnocchi Gorgonzola, and veal picatta on the menu. Luce also has a celebrated wine list.

Grayze is one of the best spots for cheap eats in San Antonio when looking for a meal made of only fresh, local ingredients. They make all sauces in-house at Grayze, and the restaurant also cures its own meats. When dining at Grayze, visitors can sample things like a lamb burger, queso classic, or mac pastor (which is mac and cheese with pork carnitas, crushed pork rinds, onions, pineapple, cilantro mornay, queso fresco, and red chile-pineapple sauce). The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Grayze is in San Antonio’s Westfort neighborhood, just off of I-35.

Spaghetti Warehouse is a beloved chain for Italian food. It does not disappoint in San Antonio, where it offers some of the best cheap eats in town. Spaghetti Warehouse has a classic Italian menu with heaping portions of pasta, lasagna, ravioli, and more. Set in a warehouse setting, this restaurant has an industrial feel and is usually bustling. Consider it for a fun night out with friends or for a family-friendly dinner with something to please everyone’s palate. Spaghetti Warehouse is distinctly casual and friendly, so this is a good spot to come wearing sweatpants or after a long tiring day in the San Antonian sun.

Feast San Antonio is neon-lit with a nightclub vibe. So for cheap eats that also feel like a party, Feast is a great spot. Feast has a small menu featuring a very specifically curated range of bites. So order something that is oceanic (mussels or cod), something child (watermelon salad and panzanella), or crispy (corn fritters or pork belly tacos). Feast is also popular because it has a large patio for outdoor dining. Feast is in the heart of San Antonio on South Alamo.