The Most Affordable Michelin-Starred Restaurants In The US
There is no distinction amongst restaurants more brag-worthy than the Michelin Star, from one for high quality to three for exceptional. Today, over 260 American restaurants boast at least one star. Although the U.S. Michelin Guide is not yet coast-to-coast, restaurants have been reviewed and starred, from gastronomic destinations like New York and San Francisco to Southern cooking in Texas.
The Guide is more than 100 years old, starting in France back in 1899 as an all-around road trip guide designed by the Michelin tire company to boost tire sales, by encouraging people to take to the road. The first star for a dining establishment was handed out in 1926, and it expanded to the three-star system in 1931.
The expensive reputation Michelin-starred establishments have is well-deserved, since their price points are higher than average. Nevertheless, there are plenty of Michelin one and two-star restaurants in the U.S. that are quite affordable, with menus ranging from contemporary American to barbecue, tacos, and dim sum. Read on to discover their offerings. Prices are accurate as of September 2025.
Holbox
The one-star Holbox is a cute destination for a bite of one of the best comfort foods: tacos. Michelin praises the inventive tacos inspired by Mexico's coastal cuisine — the restaurant is named after an island off the Yucatán Peninsula — with a simplicity that does nothing to diminish the extraordinary flavors.
The menu is seasonal and dependent on seafood availability, and includes options like crispy battered wild shrimp, braided and fried octopus, house smoked Kanpachi fish with queso chihuahua, and pan-seared Hokkaido diver scallop with x'catic chili sauce (yellow and very hot). The tacos (all priced between $5 and $8) have been called the best in Los Angeles, a city that has achieved peak taco culture, according to the local press. There's also ceviche, including one with yellowtail for $25, and tostadas are generally just over $10. Entree items are reasonably priced too, such as the grilled branzino filet for less than $16 and the fried rockfish for less than $20. A side of chips and salsa is only a buck.
Interestingly, the initial Michelin Guide in Los Angeles in 2007 ended after just two years, officially citing the decline of dining out due to the Great Recession. The Guide was criticized by the then-doyen of L.A. food critics, Jonathan Gold, for failing, as he put it, to step outside of Beverly Hills. The revived Michelin Guide in 2019 ditched that stuffy past.
(213) 986-9972
3655 S Grand Ave C9, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Rocca
The house-made pastas are the (one) star of the show at Rocca, judged by the Tampa Bay Times to be the city's best and praised by Michelin for matching classic flavors with excellent technique. The beef ragu tagliolini with 30-month aged Parmesan is $28, which is about the price point for most pasta dishes, such as the veal-stuffed ravioli and the octopus, bottarga, and Calabrian chili arrabiata with black-colored torchio nero.
Other affordable items include the starter bread with lemon butter and sea salt and the pork arrosticini appetizer. The blue crab spaghetti, which Michelin raves about, is more expensive at $39, but crab is a luxury item, and it won't break the bank. Stay away from the very pricey meat, fish, caviar service, and mozzarella cart experience if you want to keep your budget in check.
Meanwhile, the desserts are reasonably priced at no more than $15. The gelato flavors change and have included guava with black lime, pistachio with honey, and corn with caviar. Michelin also recommends the cocktail menu. The vodka sour and Limoncello spritz are $16, as much as any fine cocktail will cost you elsewhere.
(813) 906-5445
323 W Palm Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
Tail Up Goat
This beloved Washington, D.C., establishment has a Michelin star and bragging rights that former First Couple Barack Obama and Michelle Obama were spotted dining here. The vibe is casual, but the food is creative and refined. The Michelin Guide celebrates the originality of the dishes.
Start with the smoked rabbit croquettes with pear butter, move on to the capunti pasta with spicy pork belly ragu, or try the crispy eggplant entree with green tomato chutney and roasted almonds. Then for dessert, order the mascarpone pudding with raspberry, sweet corn, and semolina crumble, or the strawberry pudding malt cake with rhubarb and herb oil. This three-course meal will only set you back $63 or $64, depending on your choices — an absolute steal at a Michelin-starred establishment.
If you're wondering about the most expensive dish on the menu, that would be the coffee-rubbed beef with fresh shell beans and garlic confit at $45. The cocktail menu is on the pricier end, but there are beers on draft and bottles for as little as $8, and plenty of liquors to choose from for slightly more than $10.
1827 Adams Mill Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
la Barbecue
You know the Michelin Guide has truly left behind anachronistic notions of fine dining when Texas brisket gets a one-star recognition. Welcome to one of Austin's best barbecue destinations — a four-star joint according to the Texas Monthly – la Barbecue, founded by the late LeAnn Mueller and helmed by her wife Ali Clem, serving what Michelin extols as meaty miracles.
The Guide advises you to prepare to wait during peak hours, but assures you that patience will be rewarded with sublime brisket, sausages, and ribs. Brisket is $36 by the pound and pork ribs go for $31 per pound, which might sound pricey but is standard fare at top-notch Austin destinations. More affordable items include a pint of brisket chili for $10 and a trio of sausages — traditional, jalapeño, and chipotle — each for $5.25.
There are sliced or chopped brisket sandwiches for $16.50 and $14, respectively, and other potato bun sandwiches that are even cheaper, such as the Frito pie with pulled pork, chopped brisket, chili, cheddar, black beans, picked jalapeños, and diced white onion, all for just $12.50. Lastly, a side of macaroni and cheese is only $5.50.
(512) 605-9696
2401 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702
InterStellar BBQ
We're not done with Texas barbecue just yet; InterStellar BBQ is another Michelin-starred Austin spot. The meats are smoked over post oak — known for its consistent high heat which adds a smoky flavor to the meat — and Michelin Guide reviewers are smitten by everything from the simply seasoned stellar brisket and the wonderfully tender peach tea-glazed pork belly, to the moist beer-brined turkey and the sausages, including the Polish-style beef-in-pork-casing Kielbasa. Prices are in line with local barbecue joints, with brisket by the pound for $38, and turkey for $32. A pound of Kielbasa or the jalapeño popper sausage is $26. The pork ribs and pork belly are each $34 by the pound.
As for sides, Michelin says you can't go wrong, and recommends the scalloped potatoes, layered with cream, Parmesan, and garlic then baked to a golden brown crisp in the smoker, for only $9. Smoked Gouda macaroni and cheese is similarly priced, as are the jalapeño slaw and charro beans with pork belly. Some of the meats might sound a bit pricey, but a pound of meat is meant to share. So bring a group, split the bill, and you'll all leave well-fed without having spent too much. This is definitely a barbecue joint with no red flags.
(512) 382-6248
12233 Ranch Rd 620 N, Suite 105, Austin, TX 78750
Albi
Michael Rafidi is the hottest new chef in the nation's capital, with a continuous record of success. His first establishment, Albi, has a Michelin star and sits on top of Washingtonian magazine's 2025 list of D.C.'s best restaurants. Moreover, he won the 2024 James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef of the Year; his innovative bakery and pizzeria chain, Yellow, is opening locations across the District; and his newest place, La'Shukran, made The New York Times's 50 best restaurants in the nation. So, by all means, come to his flagship Albi with high expectations, which serves food inspired by Rafidi's Palestinian heritage.
Michelin calls the open-fire cooking a reflection of the best kind. A must-try is the slightly smoked mushrooms on a bed of hummus with confit egg yolk and black garlic. (Yours truly has ordered it more than once and been consistently blown away by the flavor.) All that goodness is served with wood-fired potato pita. It's one of the best $25 you'll ever spend. Order the wood-fired lamb meat pies, which come with two pieces, for $16.
Make sure to leave room for the cheesy and syrupy knafeh dessert with strawberry frozen yogurt for $20. And order it with an Arabic coffee for $8. After a visit, you may agree that Rafidi's growing empire is elevating Middle Eastern cuisine like nothing else.
(202) 921-9592
1346 4th St SE, Washington, DC 20003
Staplehouse
When Staplehouse opened in 2016, it was rated the best new restaurant in the nation by Bon Appétit — but the great achievement was bittersweet. Staplehouse was the dream-come-true of married couple Ryan and Jen Hidinger, who named it after the supper-club dinners they hosted at home, but Ryan was diagnosed with stage IV cancer before the opening, and passed away shortly after the restaurant opened.
His struggle and passing inspired the opening of The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit dedicated to helping restaurant workers facing hardship. In 2019, Jen accepted the James Beard Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year Award for her efforts and continues Ryan's legacy at Staplehouse.
Rated one-star by Michelin and open only a few days a week, Staplehouse serves American contemporary cuisine. Signature dishes include the melon salad with spicy and sweet peppers, buttermilk lime, and hot honey ($16), and the Vietnamese meatloaf on a baguette ($22). Dry fried eggplant with Sichuan pepper and ginger ranch ($16) or the Parisian-style ham sandwich ($15) are great options, too. Add a blondie or lemon cookie for $5.
(404) 524-5005
541 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
Alma Fonda Fina
This one-star establishment is helmed by a chef who got his start working in his family's restaurant in Guadalajara, Mexico. At Alma Fonda Fina, Chef Johnny Curiel pays homage to those family recipes with creative and refined technique.
Everything here is reasonably priced, and the taco with chorizo rojo at just $8 is quite the bargain. Both the braised short rib with salsa verde cruda and crema de rancho cost $21, and the New York Strip with salsa de chiles secos is $21, which is a great deal for a meat dish at a Michelin-rated restaurant. A lamb shank for two is $41, and the duck leg, also to be shared with a companion, is $39. Round out the meal with vegetables, such as the roasted sweet potato ($15), which makes for a healthy Mexican dish.
Come for Happy Hour, when Chef Curiel serves bites, such as $12 tostada with dry-aged strip base and habanero mayonnaise, alongside a margarita by the glass and Tecate beer for just $9 and $4, respectively. The regular drinks menu features an impressive selection of tequila and mezcal, most of which are reasonably priced between $9 and $15.
(303) 455-9463
2556 15th St, Denver, CO 80211
State Bird Provisions
The Michelin one-star State Bird Provisions is named after California's official state bird, the valley quail, which was initially the focus of the efforts that eventually led to the restaurant: developing a recipe to serve quail. State Bird Provisions has become a legendary San Francisco spot thanks to its extraordinary food and innovative dim sum-style dining, where plates are passed between diners, creating a wonderfully communal atmosphere.
In the spirit of dum-sum, feel free to order plenty of provisions, which are priced between $5 and $16. The ginger scallion duck dumpling ($6), the blistered shishito peppers with peptic crema ($6), duck liver mousse and almond financiers ($10), pork belly with plums ($14), and lamb tartare ($16) are a great way to get the fun going. The eponymous quail dish is $24. Round out the meal with a nectarine and blackberry cobbler for $15, and don't miss the peanut milk for just $4.
The drinks menu is quite diverse, including a couple of rare lambics from Belgium, which are, alas, very expensive, but there's plenty of draft, canned, and bottled beer for around $10.
(415) 795-1272
1529 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94115
The Progress
The Progress is Northern California meets Nordic cuisine, in the words of Michelin's one-star review, and celebrated by the local press as a culinary gem bestowed upon the city of San Francisco. The menu is heavy on fresh, seasonal ingredients and centered around shared plates, which is always a great way to save money. The Guide recommends the barbecue half duck with peanut fried rice as a must for the table, and at $80 split, say, four ways, it is affordable.
Complement the entree with a bunch of smaller plates, such as spicy cucumbers ($19), watermelon and Romano beans ($18), quail eggs ($16), and rosemary polenta bread ($12). You can always order a cheaper entree, such as the stir-fried pork sausage and squid (with shishito peppers) for $38, and round out the meal with the brown butter seaweed noodles ($30).
Beers are reasonably priced ($10 to $13), but the cocktails are a bit pricey at $17 each. Slightly cheaper are the non-alcoholic drinks, such as the Lisa Lionheart, with blood orange, lemon, grapefruit, and lapsang souchong, a Chinese black tea. The Berliner donuts with bourbon vanilla ice cream make for a great dessert for $15.
(415) 673-1294
1525 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94115
Casa Mono
Casa Mono boasts both a Michelin star and three stars from the dining section of its hometown paper, The New York Times. Praised by the Guide as food to cure whatever ails you, Casa Mono earns high points for sourcing whole organic animals and doing its own butchering. The pace of the restaurant is another high mark; food is brought out in a measured order to suit the diners rather than the kitchen, a nice break from the rush of many dining establishments.
The confit goat with avocado queso and Sicilian pistachio is so good, it has Michelin wondering why more restaurants don't make it — and it costs just $28. Other dishes include the crispy pig ears (why not try something new?) with smoked maple vinaigrette for $18 and the braised oxtail for $24. Meanwhile, try some Spanish-inspired recipes like creamy eggs with sea urchin, which, although a bit pricey at $30, is great for sharing. This is a tapas place, so bring friends, and after the bill-splitting, it should work out to a reasonable amount per person.
(212) 253-2773
52 Irving Pl, New York, NY 10003
Kinship
The husband and wife duo behind this one-star restaurant have cultivated a devoted following with their elegant menu centered around seasonal ingredients. The menu is more than seasonal, however, with dishes often celebrating a cooking technique, a single ingredient, or inspired by what the head chef has tasted on travels.
It's not just Michelin that is pleased; the local press has similarly celebrated the French-style cooking with a touch of American cuisine, with reviews earning Kinship a storied place amongst Washington, D.C.'s top restaurants.
For a craft-focused dish, try the grilled eggplant with fig-mole sorbet for $19. For travel (labeled "History" on the menu), try the veal tongue for $22. And for an ingredient-centered dish, go for the grilled Florentino cauliflower for $20 or the Gulf shrimp pappardelle for $36. The Sicilian watermelon pudding, a dessert inspired by travel, is $16. And if you're eating with a friend, try the blueberry-peach hand pie, a shareable dessert for $30.
(202) 737-7700
1015 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Crown Shy
Michelin calls the Gruyère fritters at this one-star internationally-focused establishment a classic. Start by getting them for $18, and maybe add the white bean hummus served alongside puff bread for $17. Balance the meal with some greens; the Romaine salad is $19.
For main dishes on the more affordable side, there's the bucatini pasta (like spaghetti but with a hole in the middle) with Sungold tomatoes and lemon basil. A pricier but still reasonable entree is the octopus with summer squash at $33. The ricotta gnocchi is $35 and recommended by the Guide, with flavors that vary depending on the season, like shaved white truffles.
If you're on a budget, you might want to skip dessert, which starts at $20 for the trio of plated treats, such as the tres leches cake, and is at least $17 for the ice cream, with options like Satsuma orange with honey and toasted marshmallow.
(212) 517-1932
70 Pine St, Ground Floor, New York, NY 10005
Boia De
Don't judge a book by its cover. An Italian restaurant at a Miami strip mall between a laundromat and a medical center might not seem like a great place to eat, but you'd be making a mistake passing on the one-star Boia Da. Serving Italian fare with innovative twists, Boia Da is a popular spot with a convivial staff who will make you feel at ease.
The most expensive thing on the menu is the Michelin-favored tagliolini pasta with king crab, truffle pate, vin jaune, and herbs at $35. The lamb ribs are served with chile pepper urfa-mixed creamy yogurt and topped with spicy cucumber pickles for $30. Looking for something more modestly priced? There's baked clams with 'nduja, marinated eggplant with ricotta salata, and beef tartare for $20 or less.
Don't skimp on dessert, which includes sticky fig pudding with white chocolate and fig leaf ice cream for just $12, or better yet, order the widely-praised crispy tiramisu — the crunch comes from the un-soaked Ladyfingers. For the value, this is definitely one Italian restaurant that is not overpriced.
(786) 209-6310
5205 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137