The cheapest Michelin-star restaurants in the U.S.

1 Michelin Star

Daisy and Greg Ryan could’ve charged a fortune for their tasting menu back when they worked in New York City. But here in the Santa Ynez Valley, they put out an affordable tasting menu while still sourcing 90 percent of their products within 20 miles of the restaurant.

What’s the deal? The a la carte lunch menu is a decidedly affordable affair, with a $16 egg salad sandwich and a chicken francaise for $23. At dinner, the $110 prix fixe menu includes three choices for each of the four courses.

1 Michelin Star

This contemporary American restaurant is located in a historic West Loop print shop. Executive Chef Andrew Zimmerman has been the creative vision behind Sepia since 2009, and his hard work has paid off: it has received a Michelin star rating every year since 2011.

What’s the deal? The prix fixe menu will only set customers back $95 total (plus an additional $59 for wine pairings).

1 Michelin Star

Tuome’s Chef Thomas Chen was born and raised in New York and started his career as an accountant. An alum of one of New York’s most expensive restaurants, Eleven Madison Park, Chen opened Tuome in 2016. An average meal ranges from $60 to $85, with a menu that draws on Asian inspiration—dishes are accented with ingredients like yuzu, New York maple syrup and maitake mushrooms.

What’s the deal? Spring for the “Pig Out” meal for two. At $68, it’s an economical choice: the meal includes a beautifully plated Berkshire pork belly that’s confited in duck fat for 15 hours and served with spicy peanut noodles.

1 Michelin Star

Rocca made history in 2023 as one of the first Tampa restaurants to earn a Michelin star. Chef Bryce Bonsack built a menu of Italian-inspired dishes, like hand-pulled mozzarella served from a tableside cart, reasonably priced pasta dishes and single proteins large enough to feed a family.

What’s the deal? Pastas here rarely top $30, and the meats and fish come large enough to share, like the $84 lamb shank with carnaroli rice, saffron and mint salsa verde.

1 Michelin Star

When State Bird Provisions opened in 2011, the restaurant mainly focused on its signature quail recipe. Since then, it has evolved into an eclectic menu of California ingredients with some Asian inspiration, served dim-sum-style.

What’s the deal? Prices have risen since Michelin first gave State Bird its star, but they’re still reasonable. The most expensive item is a butcher’s steak au poivre, which costs $45.

1 Michelin Star

About 40 minutes north of San Diego is the adorable Jeune et Jolie. If you didn’t pay attention in French class, the name means “young and pretty,” and the restaurant lives up to it. Inside, the retro and Art Deco-inspired decor includes a velvety rose-colored booth with matching stools, small round tabletops, a gold-tinged bar and a beautiful open kitchen with pastel-colored plates on display.

What’s the deal? A four-course meal costs $120. Add a wine pairing for $90, and the total is still under the cost of most Michelin-starred restaurants. Keen to top it all off? Le menu de bar features seasonal cocktails and Absinthe libations served “traditional” or frappe.

3 Michelin Stars

The Eric Ripert-owned Le Bernardin is a New York stalwart and widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world. The interior has traditional white tablecloths and an overall sea-inspired design from the tableware to the impressive floral display in front of a 24-foot oil painting of the Pacific Ocean. When traveling to New York City, it’s a destination unto itself that delivers a traditional fine-dining experience.

What’s the deal? Dinnertime tasting menus will cost you, so make a reservation for the prix fixe lunch, a three-course seafood meal for $127.

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1 Michelin Star

In 2016, Tail Up Goat opened in the historic Adams Morgan neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Serving up a mixture of Mediterranean and Caribbean-inspired dishes, the buzzy dining room is rounded out by attentive servers and serene watercolor murals.

What’s the deal? Tail Up Goat still offers a reasonably priced a la carte menu at the bar and patio. Or sit in the main dining room for a $130 multi-course meal that hits all the Tail Up highlights.

1 Michelin Star

To be considered a Michelin restaurant, every place needs to nail service, ambiance as well as the food. But to be truly great, a restaurant ought to also have a few things that are harder to achieve: locally sourced ingredients, an inspired list of wines and cocktails and a chef willing to do things that are downright bold. Ariete has all of those things.

What’s the deal? First-timers should absolutely aim for the tasting menu since it’s the best way to experience the chef’s talent for combinations and sauces. Ariete offers two options at $145 and $205.

1 Michelin Star

Boka has racked up numerous accolades since opening its doors two decades ago, including a consistent Michelin rating for half of its lifetime—without question, it’s a staple in Chicago’s fine dining scene.

What’s the deal? Boka has an eight-course prix fixe meal for $175, with an $85 wine or $70 non-alcoholic drink pairing.

1 Michelin Star

Le Comptoir features an eight-course “vegetable-inspired” tasting menu that changes with the growing seasons. The ingredients are sourced from organic farms and the garden right outside the kitchen. With only 10 counter seats, Le Comptoir can be found inside Hotel Normandie in Los Angeles’ Koreatown.

What’s the deal? The $175 price tag includes multiple seasonal, veggie-forward courses.