11 Budget Friendly Restaurants to try in Washington, DC - Nomtastic Foods (2024)

Hey friends! If you’ve been following along, I’ve been sharing posts and reels on budget eats under $10, but there were a bunch of spots I wanted to feature that went a little over that limit, which brings us to today’s guide! For those of you looking for affordable eats in the DC area, make sure you bookmark this because I promise it’s going to come in handy.

Although they have two other locations in the DMV, we’re going to focus on their Union Market stall since this is a DC guide! Their menu here’s short and sweet, and you guessed it, they specialize in buns!

Get 3 for $13, and choose from delicious proteins like braised pork belly (my favorite), Korean BBQ beef, Korean fried chicken and more. They also offer vegetarian options like mushroom and tofu so that’s an option as well!

Easily one of the best chicken sandwiches in the DMV! Their honey butter sandwich is so good, you’ll legit cry tears of joy while devouring said magic.

They currently have 3 locations in DC, but they’re expanding rapidly so I’m sure more will pop up in the near future. Everything on their menu’s under $10, and although they’re known for their epic handhelds, their wings and chicken tenders are really good as well.

Brought to you by the owner of Bombay Street Food and London Curry House, Butter Chicken Company has some seriously amazing butter chicken (duh). Each morning, their team preps 300 servings of curry (everything from scratch), and stay open until sell out… which isn’t long FYI.

Each order comes with your choice of 2 sides – I recommend the saag and veggie biryani – and it’s around $13ish dollars. It used to be $11, but food costs are crazy high right now so expect everything to be more expensive. They have locations in Cap Hill and downtown so make sure you stop by to get your fix!

Get a trio of their amazing tacos for only $10.50! They have a lot of delicious combinations available, with everything from Kailua pork to coconut shrimp. And in addition to tacos, they also offer poke, various entrees, salads and wings. Swing by to enjoy and make sure you save some room for Hawaiian shaved ice!

I honestly think they have some of the best rotisserie chicken in the area. I absolutely love their food, and also love that they’re open on the later side.

My go-to order is their 1/4 chicken white ($11.49) with sweet plaintains and Caribbean cole slaw. Note: two sides are included with your platter, but some do come at an extra charge! Also, can we just talk about their picante and aji amarillo sauces? So, SO good.

Their Penn Quarter location will always have a special place in my heart. They offer healthy, Asian-inspired meals 7 days a week, and their tea shop’s next door so make sure you stop by that as well!

I’m a big fan of their bento boxes, and each $15 set comes with rice and sides. Choose from chicken (grilled or panko fried), grilled salmon, Korean beef brisket and beet patty! And don’t forget to get a side of their broccoli tots as well – the goat cheese and togarashi dip that comes with is sublime!

For those of you looking to enjoy some seriously bomb egg sammies, Cracked Eggery’s the move. And their Cleveland Park brick and mortar’s open until 8PM which is dope because who doesn’t want to enjoy breakfast for dinner.

Everything on their menu’s priced between $10-$13 so go wild. I recommend The Abe Froman, but they also do a mean burger, and their Seoul Mate bowl is yummy as well.

If you’re big into hummus, Little Sesame’s a must. I’m such a fan, and their Golden Triangle location’s one of my go-to spots in DC. All their food offerings are $11-14, and trust me when I say their bowls are a must, with their sammies coming in at a close second. I usually either get the chicken shawarma bowl or pita, but you can’t go wrong with their seasonal option either.

Surfside’s great for Tex Mex style food! Are they the best tacos you’ll have? Probably not, but they’re still tasty, AND they’re open late – their Dupont location’s open 24/7 – which is always a plus.

Their burritos and two taco sets are around $14-16 which isn’t super affordable per se, but they give you a TON of food so it’s good bang for your buck. Plus, it REALLY hits the spot after you have a fun night out on the town, lol.

It’s no secret that I think Astro does some of the best doughnuts in the DMV area – OMG their crème brûlée is magical – but they also offer budget friendly breakfast and lunch options.

Their fried chicken honey sandwich is only $8.50, and they also have a chicken fingers option that’s under $10. Their “Asteroid” chicken sammie’s also solid so definitely make sure to give that a try the next time you go! It’s a spicy fried chicken with lettuce, sliced pickles, jalapeño cole slaw, and comeback sauce on a brioche bun.

Chef Enrique (from Seven Reasons and Imperfect) and his team call Immigrant Food DC’s first cause-casual restaurant! As their name suggests, they serve “world flavors with a mission” so expect to enjoy all kinds of dishes when you go!

They have 3 locations in DC, but the one I frequent is in Union Market. With everything from Indian samosas to a Vietnamese style bowl, there’s much to explore. The most expensive item on their menu’s $16 so everything’s fairly affordable!

So, what did you guys think of our latest guide. Let me know by leaving a comment below, and stay tuned for more content coming your way. I have a TON up my sleeve, but I also take requests so feel free to shoot me an email at info@nomtasticfoods.net. Until then, head to our DC tab to read more! Until next time, friends!