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Boia De
Photograph: David Bley
Photograph: David Bley

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

Eating at a Michelin-starred spot doesn’t have to mean kissing goodbye to your rent this month

Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
Written by Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
Contributors: Eric Barton & Alexa Harrison
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According to the Michelin guide, a star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. You know what isn’t a prerequisite? A meal that costs more than your car payment. To be fair, Michelin’s awarded stars to a substantial number of stuffy restaurants where you can easily spend that—and upwards. 

But the flip side of that coin is affordable spots that might look a lot more like your local taco shop than a white-linen temple to haute cuisine. Exhibit A: a humble Mexican spot obsessed with the craft of masa; Exhibit B: a no-frills food stall bringing the best of the Yucatan to life; Exhibit C: a—yes—stuffy restaurant with an unbeatable lunch deal. You just have to know where to look. Or, save yourself some time and check out our picks for the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants in the United States below.

July 2025: We’ve updated this list to reflect some hot newcomers to the Michelin scene along with current pricing, hours and menu offerings for some of our favorites. Of note, however, is the closing of Tail Up Goat at the end of the year. We’ve chosen to keep them in this guide as a not-so-gentle nudge to get over there and experience their Caribbean-inspired cuisine before it’s too late.   

RECOMMENDED:

Every Michelin-starred restaurant in L.A.
Every Michelin-starred restaurant in Miami
Every Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco

Cheap Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.S.

1. Le Comptoir | Los Angeles, CA

Le Comptoir | Los Angeles, CA
Le Comptoir | Los Angeles, CA
Photograph: Stan Lee

1 Michelin Star

What is it? Run by French Laundry alum Gary Menes, the 10-seat chef’s counter inside Hotel Normandie focuses on a seasonal, fully vegetarian tasting menu of traditional French-treated California produce, with optional add-ons for omnivores like market-priced truffles, lobster and pork belly.

Why we love it: The strong focus on a vegetarian (and vegan, by request) menu stands out amongst the pool of Michelin-star restaurants. 

Time Out tip: Be sure to preorder one of Menes’ excellent sourdough loaves, which you can add onto your reservation.

Address: 605 Normandie Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Opening hours: Thu—Sat seatings at 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 9am-1pm

Expect to pay: The $125 price tag includes six seasonal, veggie-forward courses.

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2. Boia De | Miami, FL

  • Italian
  • Buena Vista
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended
Boia De | Miami, FL
Boia De | Miami, FL
Photograph: David Bley

1 Michelin Star

What is it? A cozy, 27-seat temple to modern Italian-inspired cooking. The neon pink exclamation point above the door sets the tone: This place is small, boisterous, and very, very good.

Why we love it: Chefs Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer have a knack for taking classic flavors and twisting them into something unexpected yet deeply satisfying. Case in point: the beef tartare, a dish that, in lesser hands, might be forgettable but here becomes a textural playground. Plus, the pasta is handmade. 

Time Out tip: Boia De’s intimate space means tables book fast, so get your reservations queued up ahead of time. But if you manage to score one, you’re in for something special.

Address: 5205 NE Second Ave, Miami, FL 33137

Opening hours: Daily 5:30–10:30pm

Expect to pay: Nothing on the menu exceeds $40, with most plates ranging from $25 to $30. 

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3. Galit | Chicago, IL

  • Israeli
  • Sheffield & DePaul
  • Recommended
Galit | Chicago, IL
Galit | Chicago, IL
Photograph: Sandy Noto

1 Michelin Star

What is it? A Lincoln Park newcomer from James Beard award-winning chef Zachary Engel serving revised standards of Middle Eastern fare. Expect things like avocado labneh tinged with preserved lemon and kubbeh—little croquettes of succulent lamb ragu encased in a craggy saffron-rice shell.

Why we love it: The memorable wine list, with hard-to-find pours from Lebanon, Israel, and Bulgaria. Also, the hilariously accessible descriptors on each selection, like “Andie. Listen, hon. It’s after 7pm, don’t waste that lip gloss,” on a Slovenian pinot grigio.

Time Out tip: If booking ahead, try to nab one of the perimeter booths along the front windows in the 62-seat front dining room. The 17 counter seats that ride the open kitchen are perfect for watching the action.

Address: 2429 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Opening hours: Tue–Sun 5pm–9pm

Expect to pay: A four-course “choose your own adventure” menu that’ll run you $105 per person before tax and tip. 

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4. Los Félix | Coconut Grove, FL

  • Mexican
  • Coconut Grove
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended
Los Félix | Coconut Grove, FL
Los Félix | Coconut Grove, FL
Photograph: Courtesy Los Felix/William Hereford

1 Michelin Star

What is it? A funky, neighborhood-chic Mexican spot that takes tortillas as seriously as some places take wine lists. With a menu rooted in heirloom corn, ancestral cooking techniques, and natural wines, Los Félix is the kind of place that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about tacos.

Why we love it: The masa, nixtamalized in-house, forms the foundation for nearly every dish—whether it’s the impossibly fresh blue corn tortillas cradling tender, slow-cooked pork or the blue crab arepa made with smoked corn.

Time Out tip: Don’t miss the opportunity to order one of Los Felix's thoughtful cocktails using ingredients like a fat-washed cognac in the El Fashion and a coconut-oil amaro in a mezcal negroni.

Address: 3413 Main Hwy, Miami, FL 33133

Opening hours: Tue-Thu, 5:30-10pm; Fri, 5:30-11pm; Sat 11am-3:30pm, 5:30-11pm ; Sun 11am-3:30pm, 5:30-10pm

Expect to pay: Appetizers range from $14 to $30, and almost all of the mains fall under $50.  

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5. Holbox | Los Angeles, CA

  • Mexican
  • South LA
  • price 2 of 4
  • Recommended
Holbox | Los Angeles, CA
Holbox | Los Angeles, CA
Photograph: Courtesy Holbox

1 Michelin Star

What is it? A no-frills food stall in South L.A. offering one of L.A.’s best Mexican seafood experiences—all at a fairly reasonable price. Housed inside food hall Mercado La Paloma, Gilberto Cetina Jr.’s Yucatecan-style mariscos counter is a profound revelation for those who enjoy spice, citrus and smoke.

Why we love it: The approachable deep-fried fish tacos and well-made coctel mixo are a remarkable value, while more upmarket dishes like the smoked kanpachi tostadas and freshly shucked oysters hold their ground against other seafood heavyweights.

Time Out tip: To secure a spot, you’ll need to set a reminder—reservations for the next month's drop are on the first day of each month at 11am.

Address: 3655 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Opening hours: Tue–Sun 11:30am–9pm

Expect to pay: The tasting menu offered on Wednesday and Thursday nights is $130 per person. 

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6. Tail Up Goat | Washington, D.C.

Tail Up Goat | Washington, D.C.
Tail Up Goat | Washington, D.C.
Photograph: Courtesy Tail Up Goat

1 Michelin Star

What is it? Situated in the historic Adams Morgan neighborhood in Washington, D.C., Tail Up Goat is owned by three Komi vets and serves a mixture of Mediterranean and Caribbean-inspired dishes that span from crispy salt cod and lamb ribs to a caramel flan cake. 

Why we love it: Tail Up Goat is the rare breed of edgy-yet-genuinely-warm neighborhood restaurant that’s really connected with the community. It’s closing at the end of the year when its lease runs out, but until then it’s hosting collaborative dinners with friends to celebrate the restaurant’s run. 

Time Out tip: Reservations go live each morning at 10am via Resy for up to two weeks in advance. But you might have luck dropping by as a walk-in Monday through Thursday. 

Address: 1827 Adams Mill Road NW, Washington, DC 20009

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 5:30-8:45pm; Fri-Sat 5-9:15pm; Sun 5-8:30pm

Expect to pay: Tail Up Goat still offers a reasonably priced à la carte menu, or enjoy the multi-course “We Cook For You!” meal for $135 that hits all the Tail Up highlights.

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7. State Bird Provisions | San Francisco, CA

State Bird Provisions | San Francisco, CA
State Bird Provisions | San Francisco, CA
Photograph: Jeremy Jachym

1 Michelin Star

What is it? State Bird Provisions is an inventive restaurant that has garnered something of a cult following. The menu is divided into Provisions, Toast and Pancakes and Commandables—the latter two served as ȧ la carte items, such as steamed egg tofu and sourdough pancakes with sauerkraut and ricotta. The nightly “provisions,” like the signature crispy CA State Bird, make their rounds on dim sum-style rolling carts. 

Why we love it: The eclecticness of it all—State Bird Provisions started as a recipe for serving quail, and has slowly evolved into a restaurant without any programmed elements. We never know what to expect. 

Time Out tip: Get there as the restaurant is opening its doors at 5:30pm if you hope to grab one of State Bird’s coveted walk-in seats, including those at the chef’s counter.

Address: 1529 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 5:30-10pm; Fri-Sat 5:30-10:30pm

Expect to pay: 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, which costs $45.

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8. Indienne | Chicago, IL

  • Indian
  • River North
  • price 3 of 4
Indienne | Chicago, IL
Indienne | Chicago, IL
Photograph: Neil John Burger

1 Michelin Star

What is it? At Indienne, chef and co-owner Sujan Sarkar pushes the envelope on elevated takes of familiar South Asian staples. The restaurant features two tasting menus—vegetarian and non-vegetarian—that reimagine classic Indian recipes through a progressive lens (there’s also an à la carte menu available).

Why we love it: Indienne is elegant, but not stuffy. It challenges what traditional Indian food can be, like a chicken terrine draped with slices of truffle and bathed in a salty Amul cheese emulsion.

Time Out tip: For the tasting menus, expect six to seven courses—you’ll leave feeling plenty satiated. 

Address: 217 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654

Opening hours: Tue–Thu 5pm–10pm, Fri, Sat 5pm–11pm

Expect to pay: The vegetarian and vegan prix-fixe menus are $135 per person and the non-vegetarian and pescatarian is $145.

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9. Gabriel Kreuther | New York, NY

  • French
  • Midtown West
  • price 3 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended
Gabriel Kreuther | New York, NY
Gabriel Kreuther | New York, NY
Courtesy Gabriel Kreuther/Evan Sung

2 Michelin Stars

What is it? A luxuriously airy NYC spot that specializes in modern Alsatian cuisine, with influences from French, German and American cooking. The restaurant features a main dining room offering prix fixe and tasting menus, as well as a bar and lounge serving an à la carte menu.

Why we love it: Kreuther turns out visually arresting dishes, such as a ceviche of raw diver scallops in a moat of brightening jalapeño coulis with black radish curls and crispy tempura crumbles served in a crystal bowl that’s perched atop a pedestal. People don’t eat like this anymore, but, boy, they should.

Time Out tip: Come in for the pre-theater dinner menu during the week—there’s a smaller crowd and a prix-fixe menu that’s a bit more pocketbook-friendly at $155 per person. 

Address: 41 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036

Opening hours: Mon, Tue 4:45–9:30pm; Wed, Thu noon–2pm, 4:45–9:30pm; Fri noon–2pm, 4:45-10pm; Sat 4:45-10pm

Expect to pay: For dinner, the three-course menu runs $190, the four-course is $220, and the chef’s tasting menu is $295. However, lunch offers the best deal: the prix fixe is $120.

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10. Le Bernardin | New York, NY

Le Bernardin | New York, NY
Le Bernardin | New York, NY
Photograph: Courtesy Le Bernardin

3 Michelin Stars

What is it? The Eric Ripert-owned Le Bernardin is a New York stalwart and widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world. The primarily French menu leans heavily on sophisticated and refined takes on fresh seafood. 

Why we love it: Le Bernardin’s reputation precedes it—when traveling to New York City, it’s a destination unto itself that delivers a traditional fine-dining experience time and again. It’s continuously maintained its Michelin and New York Times’ rating year after year. 

Time Out tip: Reservations open on the first of each month for the following month, but online bookings become available on Resy two-and-a-half hours before reservations by phone become available. 

Address: 155 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019

Opening hours: Mon–Thu noon–2:30pm, 5–10:30pm; Fri noon–2:30pm, 5–11pm; Sat 5–11pm

Expect to pay: Dinnertime tasting menus will cost you, so make a reservation for the prix fixe lunch, a three-course seafood meal for $135.

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