40 Cleveland Restaurants Where You Can Eat Well for $15 or Less

Au Jus

5875 Broadview Rd., Parma

As Scene's Doug Trattner noted in his recent review, "I can’t imagine how much meat is wedged into the “large” Italian beef sandwich given that my “regular” ($9.25) was overflowing with tender, thin-shaved beef. Order it “dipped” and it will be baptized in a font of the namesake au jus. Otherwise, sandwiches come with a large tub of the thin gravy for self-dipping. Make sure to add an order of the giardiniera ($1.10) – or better yet, the spicy-hot giardiniera. Au Jus also features a streamlined menu of “state fair-style” sausage and pepper hoagies, a few pressed sandwiches, fresh-cut fries and exceptional batter-dipped onion rings ($3.99)."

Banter

3441 Tuttle Rd., Shaker Heights, and returning "soon" to Detroit-Shoreway

Banter is the antidote to serious food in somber settings. It's county fair food with a bowtie, where fries, sausages, and hotdogs are spruced up for a clever crowd. You won't find a better corndog to drag through the mustard, and the crispy, melty fried cheese curds will vanish quicker than the Statue of Liberty at David Copperfield's abracadabra. Most folks come for the poutine, and who can blame them. But don't sleep on the Polish Boy, one of the best in town.

Ferris Shwarma

13507 Lakewood Heights Blvd., Lakewood

Their website says they have “the most awesome shawarma in Cleveland.” Who are we to argue? This menu is very straightforward with beef shawarma ($7.50) as the star, but when you do something so well, no need to mess with what is working.

Corner 11

2391 West 11th St., Cleveland and 17100 Royalton Rd., Strongsville

The first poke bowl spot made its way to town a few years ago with the opening of Corner 11. Customizing your own bowl (small $11.99, medium $14.99) has never been more fun than at this Tremont spot, where you choose what type of raw, sushi-grade fish you want in addition to seaweed salads, sauces, veggies and much more. They recently opened a second location in Strongsville in early 2023.

Half Moon Bakery

3460 West 25th St., Cleveland

After more than three years of pop-ups and catering, Half Moon Bakery opened its brick-and-mortar bakery in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood in 2020, located across the street from MetroHealth. The carry-out empanada shop features the signature half-moon-shaped pastries, stuffed with flavor-packed combinations such as shredded chicken with garlic tomato sauce, tofu with seasoned veggies, and pepperoni, mozzarella and tomato sauce and they’re all $3 and under.

Dagu Rice Noodle

3710 Payne Ave., Cleveland

Dagu Rice Noodle has hundreds of locations throughout China, where the Shanghai-based restaurant began, a handful in Canada, and only one or two in the States. The house specialty is “crossing the bridge noodles,” a noodle soup-based meal that is similar, but not identical, to hot pot. The star of the show, not surprisingly, are the rice noodles, which come from Dagu’s own facility in China. Crocks of still-boiling broth are delivered to the table in earthenware bowls that are heated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, so even after the noodles and garnishes are introduced, the soup remains hot and delicious. Try the spicy beef rice noodle soup ($13.95).

Green Rooster Farms

2033 East 14th St., Cleveland

Even people who work around the corner might not know this place exists but you’re missing out. The Driftwood Group’s Green Rooster Farms is a cute cafe in the Playhouse Square district that offers healthy, fresh and organic ingredients in their salads, soups, wraps and sandwiches. Their breakfast burrito ($8.99) and their buffalo chicken salad ($10.49) are two of our favorites.

Herb'n Twine

4309 Lorain Ave., Cleveland

People lose their minds over the sandwiches at Herb'n Twine, a 9-year-old gourmet sandwich emporium in Ohio City. Most are right around $12 or slightly under and over. The smoked turkey club is probably the most popular and for good reason but you really can’t go wrong here.

Good Company

1200 West 76th St., Cleveland

Good Company opened in 2019 and in short order has become one of the most consistent restaurants in town. A colorful menu scripted in a playful, retro-chic font is a diner's first clue that this isn't your average corner pub. The placemat-size roster is populated by familiar-sounding foods like wings, potato skins, burgers, fries and milkshakes. Their wings are out of this world ($13) and their sandwiches are unique and awesome and mostly around the $15 mark like their diner melt ($14), their version of a patty melt.

The Cleveland Bagel Co.

4201 Detroit Ave. and 7501 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland

Despite opening less than five years ago, The Cleveland Bagel Co. has already established itself as one of the most iconic food spots in town. Their homemade, creative bagels make for an awesome breakfast, especially when you add their homemade schmears and try their lox or bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.