16 Best Affordable Restaurants in Denver, Colorado
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Visiting cities like Denver doesn’t have to be expensive, especially when you’re a foodie! Throughout this post, you’ll learn about the best affordable restaurants in Denver, Colorado.
Denver is truly a hub for foodies, which most people don’t know until they visit for the first time. We sure didn’t know how many excellent restaurants there were when we moved here, and after living here for a while, we can say we genuinely have a list of vetted restaurants that you can’t miss.
From local Mexican eateries to biscuits larger than life, keep reading to learn all about the best affordable restaurants in Denver CO.
D’Corozan Mexican Restaurant
📍 Location: 1530 Blake St Unit C, Denver, CO 80202
First up is one of the best cheap eats in Denver: D’Corozan Mexican Restaurant. This hidden gem is truly a place that we’re shocked more people don’t know about. It’s the one restaurant we always have family and friends eat at when they take a trip to Denver!
What makes this one of the best affordable eats in downtown Denver is that the prices are less than $10 for each entree, including burritos, tacos, and more.
Plus, one thing you have to order on the menu is their queso. You can easily order one for the table, but the odds are that you’ll love how good it is to eat the whole thing by yourself! We always order a queso and then pour half of it on the burrito.
D’Corozan Mexican Restaurant can get pretty busy during rush times, but if you visit slightly before lunch or dinner, you can easily get a seat without too much hassle.
The restaurant’s ambiance is very casual. There is ample seating indoors and outdoors, which is available seasonally.
Snooze A.M. Eatery
📍 Locations:
- 5073 S. Syracuse Street, Denver, CO 80237
- 700 N Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80206
- 2262 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
- 1701 Wynkoop Street, Denver, CO 80202
With four locations and counting in the Mile High City, this is one of the must-eat places in Denver! Plus, there’s even a fifth location in the Denver International Airport, if you count that.
Snooze serves up some of the best breakfast in Denver and is usually open until about mid-day. You can choose from so many excellent menu entrees, including burritos, pancakes, and even eggs benedict (my personal favorite!).
Everything on the menu is under $15 for the most part. Be sure to stop by Snooze Ballpark if you can, which is right near one of the best Denver Instagram spots, Coors Field!
✅ Pro tip: Snooze is almost always seating people on a waiting list. Join the waiting list well in advance to ensure that you’re already in line by the time you get to the restaurant. Otherwise, you may be waiting well over an hour, especially on the weekends!
The Cherry Cricket
📍 Location: 2220 Blake St, Denver, CO 80205
Another of the best cheap restaurants in Denver that we’re absolutely obsessed with is The Cherry Cricket. This local classic is the place for excellent burgers and fries. What’s so great is that it soothes the craving for fast food without tasting like fast food!
Their menu is pretty extensive and includes tons of appetizers, salads, and more. They have a few locations around the city, but the one downtown is more accessible if you’re visiting the city as you’ll most likely be staying around the LoDo area.
The majority of menu items cost $15 or less, which makes The Cherry Cricket such an affordable Denver restaurant. One of their hidden gem menu items is the mac and cheese bites. It comes with an amazing ranch dip that’s to die for! You’ll want to order a few of them for the table.
Mad Greens
📍 Location: 1600 Stout St Ste 101, Denver, CO 80202
Are you looking for a healthier option? Consider checking out Mad Greens! It’s a regional chain that is only available in three states, but they serve tons of great salads, wraps, and sandwiches! Plus, everything on the menu is very affordable and is perfect for a quick meal.
Mad Greens, as one of the best affordable eats in downtown Denver, can also be found in multiple places throughout the city, though the most accessible one is located right downtown on 16th Street.
The restaurant is only open for certain hours each day, so be sure to check online before you get there. Excellent outdoor seating options are available, with a great view of 16th Street.
Lazo Empanadas
📍 Location: 303 16th St Mall, Denver, CO 80202
For the best empanadas that you can get in all of Denver, head to Lazo Empanadas! This restaurant is perfect for a quick meal that’s tasty and filling. The menu is filled with tons of empanada flavors, and there are also lots of great sauce flavors to pair with it.
The location right on 16th Street has excellent outdoor seating, but if the seating area is full, there’s always seating in the middle section of 16th Street between the roads.
I highly recommend going to Lazo Empanadas and splitting a few different types of empanadas with a friend so that you can try multiple flavors during your dining experience. The ham and cheese and the BBQ chicken are our two favorites, but they’re all worth trying!
Denver Biscuit Company
📍 Location: 141 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80209
One of the most unique places to eat in Denver is the Denver Biscuit Company! You’ve most likely seen pictures from Denver Biscuit Company floating around on the internet, but if you haven’t, these biscuits are enormous. You more than get your money’s worth by ordering a sandwich here!
When ordering, choose between a biscuit plate or a biscuit sandwich; both are excellent options. If you’re looking for a recommendation, try out The Lola (KP’s personal favorite), with bacon, chicken, honey butter, and maple syrup. You truly won’t regret ordering it!
Most everything on the menu is under $15, so the pricing is extremely affordable for the amount of food you get.
Keep in mind that because Denver Biscuit Company is such a popular place to eat in Denver, you’ll want to try to visit during the week to avoid the crowds.
Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen
📍 Location: 725 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205
Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen in Denver has satisfied the locals for years. They offer a variety of bagels, bagel sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, omelets, soups, salads, and so much more. There are even gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions.
Plus, if you can’t stay for long or have to swing by to grab your food, you’re in luck. The establishment offers both delivery and pickup options within the Mile High City. It’s genuinely one of the most affordable restaurants in Denver, too, especially for breakfast.
No matter what type of bagel you’re in the mood for, you can get it at Rosenberg’s. Skip out on Dunkin Donuts or Bruegger’s Bagels and stop by Rosenberg’s instead!
Rolling Smoke BBQ
📍 Location: 2501 Dallas St, Aurora, CO 80010
Head to Rolling Smoke BBQ, one of the coolest restaurants in Denver, for authentic Southern cuisine! It is famous for serving mouth-watering dishes with epic sauces. They are also known for their fantastic service and great atmosphere, so you truly can’t go wrong by eating here.
On the menu, you can find everything from plates to sandwiches and everything in between. Order their tasty macaroni and cheese, which pairs perfectly with any barbecue dish.
Most of the entrees on the menu cost under $20 but can increase in price if you purchase a lot of their incredible meat. Whether you’re stopping in for lunch or dinner, Rolling Smoke is sure to satisfy your craving for some good Southern eats.
Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant
📍 Location: 3609 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211
Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant is a quaint little eatery located in Denver, Colorado. They offer a variety of pasta dishes and pizzas with options for vegetarian and vegan-friendly cheese, as well as wine. If you’re looking for some fresh breadsticks with your pizza, they have those too!
As one of the best cheap restaurants in Denver, Lechuga’s serves the best Italian food in town with quality and service that has been hard to come by in recent years. If you’re craving Italian food, this is the perfect place to go in the Mile High City.
Originally opened as an Italian grocery store, the founders soon realized that there was a demand for Italian cooking as well as dry goods, and they started serving up their delicious lasagna and cannoli to eager customers. You can’t miss out on eating here!
Thai Curry
📍 Location: 990 W 6th Ave #1, Denver, CO 80204
Thai Curry is one of the best cheap food spots in Denver, especially if you’re in the mood for Thai food! This restaurant has a super casual atmosphere, making it a great spot to stop by for tasty food at an affordable price within the city.
The menu has everything you could imagine, and most of the meals are around $10 maximum! Order everything from fried rice to curry and even pad Thai. Plus, there are tons of great appetizers, including samplers, so you can try a bit of everything while dining there.
Illegal Pete’s
📍 Location: 1610 16th St Mall, Denver, CO 80202
Illegal Pete’s, as one of the affordable restaurants in Denver, is one place you can’t miss. This local chain also serves Mexican food but is different than D’Corozan. Seriously, we could never choose between the two because the flavors are so different, yet both are so tasty!
At Illegal Petes, you can build your own bowls, salads, and burritos. They have everything you could possibly want for toppings, too, including green chiles, which is a southwest must-have, especially on Mexican food.
As far as pricing goes, a full meal will most likely cost you around $10 unless you add tons of premium toppings like queso, which I always do!
Speaking of queso, be sure to order some queso for the table along with chips. The chips are also impeccable and have that fresh-baked taste!
Post Brewing Co.
📍 Location: 2200 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80210
No trip to Denver is complete without eating at a brewery, so head to Post Brewing Co. This is one of the great affordable date restaurants in Denver, and their food is also incredible.
Seriously, if you’re looking for casual fare in a lively atmosphere paired with epic drinks, Post Brewing Co. is your place! There’s ample indoor seating at the Denver location, but the restaurant can quickly get a lot busier in the evening, so plan your trip wisely if you want to have a seat!
The menu is filled with great entrees, but I highly recommend trying the chicken and waffles as well as the green chile macaroni and cheese if you’re looking for something amazing and hearty yet also packed with flavors.
Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs
📍 Location: 2148 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
Biker Jim’s is best known for their variety of gourmet hot dogs, including the elk jalapeno cheddar dog, will boar dog, Louisiana red hots dog, and even the rattlesnake and rabbit gourmet dog.
The owners of Biker Jim’s aim to create an unforgettable experience for all customers by serving each dog to order with fresh toppings that range from corn relish to pepper bacon!
Truly, nothing you order at Biker Jim’s is “normal,” and that’s what makes it such an incredible place to eat! Be sure to order one of their tasty sides, like fried mac and cheese or charred tahini cauliflower, which pairs nicely with any of the hot dog entrees.
Cheba Hut
📍 Location: 1531 Champa St, Denver, CO 80204
Cheap food in Denver is available at Cheba Hut, an excellent sandwich restaurant that you won’t want to miss! The restaurant has been a local favorite for a while and was opened in 1998 by Scott Jennings.
The menu is filled with tons of great sandwich options, along with tasty drinks and side orders. You can also find alcohol on most of the location menus as well, but it varies from location to location.
Cheba Hut is a super laidback restaurant, and you can get your food pretty quickly. Plus, you can order pick-up if you’re in a rush! With great flavors like Thai Stick and Panama Red, you really can’t go wrong by eating at Cheba Hut.
Sam’s No. 3
📍 Location: 1500 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202
Sam’s No. 3 has the best cheap food in Denver, and it’s also relatively well known, having been featured on the Food Network. The restaurant first opened in 1927, so they’ve had tons of time to perfect their menu, which genuinely does put them ahead of the game.
As one of the best casual restaurants in Denver, you can find tons of great entrees on the menu. They’re open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and their burritos are absolutely to die for.
Because Sam’s No. 3 is such a popular place to eat in the city, you have to stop by early to join the reservation waitlist, or else you may be waiting for a long time. They have ample outdoor and indoor seating, too, as well as a laid-back ambiance.
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
📍 Location: 1001 16th Street A100, Denver, CO 80265
Last is another of the top cheap places to eat in Denver, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery! There are a few locations around the city, but the most accessible one is right downtown. Plus, the downtown location has a huge outdoor patio that even gets heated by a fire in the winter.
This restaurant serves tasty brewpub food and the menu changes throughout the year. Plus, they serve tons of drinks that are made right at the brewery. If you’re not sure what to order, be sure to ask the waiter that you have; they tend to have excellent knowledge of the current drinks on offer and are always happy to help!
It’s usually relatively easy to get a spot to eat at Rock Bottom, but if you’re visiting on the weekend or for dinner, you may have a short wait before you can get seated.
Hopefully, this post about the best affordable restaurants in Denver has helped you find where to eat next!
