Budget-friendly bites: 13 OKC restaurants serving meals for $15 and under

JaNae Williams, The Oklahoman
·6 min read
Taylor Kinther creates a drink at the Not Your Average Joe location attached to the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City. The midtown location will take part in $10 Lunch Week Aug. 21-25.
Taylor Kinther creates a drink at the Not Your Average Joe location attached to the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City. The midtown location will take part in $10 Lunch Week Aug. 21-25.

Eating out on a budget is a growing concern as inflation continues to impact the wallets and bank accounts of Americans.

In Oklahoma City, the Midtown District is bringing back its $10 Lunch Week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 21-25 at more than 20 restaurants with numerous lunch options. The event launched in February, allowing those living and working in and around the city center to take advantage of great deals on select full meals for just $10, not including a tip.

Restaurants participating in the $10 Lunch Week with specials include Barrios Fine Mexican Dishes, Café Cuvée, Fassler Hall, Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge, McNellie's, Elemental Coffee, Not Your Average Joe, Plant, Stella Modern Italian, The Garage, The Hall's Pizza Kitchen, Waffle Champion and several of the kitchens in The Collective food hall.

While $10 Lunch Week is great when it comes around, there's plenty of us who still want great deals on the weekends, or the rest of the year. Several places in the metro area keep the deals coming, so you can get an entire meal any time of day for for around $15 or less, before tipping.

Here are 13 budget-friendly spots in and around Oklahoma City for your dining consideration, most of which are recommendations straight from The Oklahoman's readers.

More: Everybody wants to be a chef: Five places in OKC where you can learn to cook

1. Sheesh Mahal, 4621 N May Ave.

Curries of all manner line the menu at Sheesh Mahal, a 100% halal Pakistani restaurant in Oklahoma City. Ranging from $8-11 and with rice and bread options that can be added as well, it's easy to create a meal for less than $15. On Saturdays, there is even a special called a Halwa Puri Platter, a traditional Pakistani breakfast, that can be purchased for $13.99.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Scrambl'd is a new breakfast and brunch concept in Oklahoma City's eastside neighborhood set to open July 2.
Scrambl'd is a new breakfast and brunch concept in Oklahoma City's eastside neighborhood set to open July 2.

2. Scrambl'd, 1742 NE 23 Street, Suite A

One of the city's newest breakfast and brunch locations is serving up some entree options that won't leave your wallet wanting with bowls, sweet potato hash, waffle, pancake and cauliflower taco entrees all coming in at around $12-13.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Norman's Magic Noodle offers noodles hand-pulled before your eyes in a variety of dishes.
Norman's Magic Noodle offers noodles hand-pulled before your eyes in a variety of dishes.

3. Magic Noodle, 1915 Classen Blvd. in Norman

Known for hand-pulled noodles and classic Chinese soup dumplings, Magic Noodle offers many dishes on the menu for around $14.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

4. Alfredo's, Locations in Yukon, Edmond and Moore

Tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chimichangas and more fill the menu and can fill your stomach for $12-14 at Alfredo's.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

5. Bella's Pizzeria Moore, 1200 NW 12th Street, Suite 1210 in Moore

With specialty medium pizzas priced at $12.99 and multiple entrees averaging about $10-12, plus the option to add a side salad for $2.99, getting a meal at Bella's Pizzeria doesn't have to break the bank.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.

More: An award-winning chef from OKC is opening a new restaurant. Here's where

6. Cous Cous, 6165 N May Ave., Suite E

Boasting sandwiches, burritos and salads featuring Moroccan flavors for about $8-10, Cous Cous offers yet another global way to dine on a dime.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Birria with fixings from Birrieria Diaz in Bethany.
Birria with fixings from Birrieria Diaz in Bethany.

7. Birrieria Diaz, 6700 NW Expressway in Bethany

With a full slate of Mexican classics including various birria dishes, flautas, tacos, pozole, breakfasts and more for $10-13 getting a lot of bang for your buck is easy.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

8. Sweets & Eats Cafe, 110 N Robinson Ave.

Soups, sandwiches, salads, chili, tacos and a rotating daily blue plate special including options like meatloaf, roast, chicken pot pie, chicken fried steak and more usually for less than $12 is a great find in the heart of downtown.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Three tortas from Big Truck Tacos from left: pork, beef and chicken. PHOTO BY DAVE CATHEY, THE OKLAHOMAN
Three tortas from Big Truck Tacos from left: pork, beef and chicken. PHOTO BY DAVE CATHEY, THE OKLAHOMAN

9. Big Truck Tacos, 530 NW 23 Street

Tacos that are loaded up with ingredients and given fun names like the Zig, the Rancher and the Flaming Lips, plus additional items like the I-40 Pile Up tostada, the Thunder burrito, and various tortas all come in at around $10 each.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

10. Taj Cuisine of India, Off 23rd just west of Classen

Whether you opt to go with a generous individual entree or just choose the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet for $13.99 or dinner buffet for $14.99, Taj will fill you up without emptying your wallet.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

A selection of tarts at Stitch Cafe. Top left, jalapeno cactus; top center, strawberry-prickly; center, Bam! Bam!; top right, March seasonal; bottom right, chorizo, egg and cheese; bottom left, brown sugar.
A selection of tarts at Stitch Cafe. Top left, jalapeno cactus; top center, strawberry-prickly; center, Bam! Bam!; top right, March seasonal; bottom right, chorizo, egg and cheese; bottom left, brown sugar.

11. Stitch, 835 W Sheridan Ave.

Breakfast tacos start at $3.50 a piece at Stitch, while burritos and bowls are around $10-12 and signature tarts are $5-6, so getting a few items to round out a meal is a possibility.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

12. Jimmy's Round Up, 1301 SW 59 Street

Homestyle cooking with breakfast, lunch and dinner classics ranging from open-faced hot beef sandwiches and half-pound burgers to omelets and other breakfast dishes come in at about $12 at Jimmy's Round Up.

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Sweis Pita Bakery and International Market offers fresh gyros and falafels along with a market selling some specialty produce, meat and dry goods.
Sweis Pita Bakery and International Market offers fresh gyros and falafels along with a market selling some specialty produce, meat and dry goods.

13. Sweis Pita Bakery, 2115 N May Ave.

Gyros, falafels and Greek salad meals with fresh pitas baked in-house are available for less than $8 each. Add some baklava for dessert for just a couple dollars each.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Honorable mentions: Even more Mexican food options

When asked to weigh in, many of our readers named several taco places and Mexican food spots. Many serve similar menu items as those already included on the list, just with their own spins, seasonings and recipes. To avoid an over abundance of one cuisine type on the list, we are including them below as honorable mentions.

  • Tacos Don Nacho, 3721 S Council Road.

  • Chelino's Mexican, 12 metro-area locations.

  • Cocino De Mino, 6022 South Western Ave.

  • Trompudos Tacos, 6015 South May Ave.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Where to eat in OKC on a budget: Restaurants to try in the metro