Although many travellers scour the web for the cheap places to eat in Las Vegas on the strip, budget-minded visitors bound for Nevada have a different mission: finding flavour-packed food that won’t torch the bankroll right on the neon-lit boulevard that locals simply call “the Strip”. Welcome to your ultimate handbook on eating well for less in America’s entertainment capital.
Why Listen to This Guide?
I’ve spent the last decade writing about Las Vegas dining, from celebrity-chef flagships to back-alley taquerías, and still clock four or five research trips a year. Every slice, taco, and $4.99 plate you’ll read about here was sampled personally in 2025 or verified through trusted on-the-ground sources such as Eater Vegas, Tripadvisor reviews, and casino restaurant managers.
Prices, opening hours, and specials are current to 2025 and double-checked against primary restaurant menus where available.
Timing Your Trip for Extra Savings

Before we devour the food, it helps to understand when the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas is. Airfares dip sharply in January after New Year’s Eve crowds disappear, making mid-January the single lowest-fare window of the year, according to tour operator CanyonTours’ long-form airfare study. Hotel room rates follow the same pattern, especially mid-week between Sunday night and Thursday morning.
A second low-price pocket arrives between Thanksgiving and Christmas when conventions pause and casual tourists stay home. Weather matters too: summers are blisteringly hot but see aggressive room discounts, while winter highs hover around 60°F, pleasant enough for an afternoon stroll yet still well below spring’s price peak. Travel + Leisure and U.S. News & World Report both name winter and the dog days of summer as the quietest (read: cheapest) seasons on the Strip. Whenever you come, try to:
- Arrive Monday–Wednesday to dodge weekend surcharges.
- Book flights 6–8 weeks out; Google Flights data shows that’s where Vegas fares bottom out most years.
- Watch the events calendar, major fights, F1, or CES can triple hotel prices even in “off-season”.
Strategies for Eating Cheap on Las Vegas Boulevard

Even among the towering resorts, frugal travellers can shave 50 % or more off dining costs with a few insider tricks:
- Hit lunch specials. Ocean One Bar & Grille inside Miracle Mile Shops sells every entrée for $4.99 at lunch, steak, salmon, salads, you name it.
- Leverage happy hour. Eater Vegas’ ever-updated map notes dozens of Strip venues where small plates drop under $8 and craft cocktails under $6 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m
- Join players’ clubs. Even if you never spin a slot, free loyalty cards unlock kiosk coupons like Ellis Island’s famous $9.99 sirloin steak.
- Walk, don’t ride-share. Most of the eateries below are within a 1.5-mile corridor; saving transport means another taco in your pocket.
Cheap Places to Eat in Las Vegas on the Strip

The following fifteen spots prove that cheap places to eat in Las Vegas on the strip are alive and well in 2025. Each delivers a solid meal for roughly $12 or less before tax. (Prices marked “about” include recent range fluctuations.)
1. Tacos El Gordo
Arguably the cult favourite of Vegas bargain hunters, this Tijuana import serves al pastor shaved straight off the trompo for about $5 per taco. Two or three and you’re full. Expect queues late night, but they move fast.
2. Ocean One Bar & Grille
Miracle Mile’s $4.99 lunch, yes, five bucks, covers everything from mahi-mahi tacos to chicken penne, plus three-for-one cocktails all day. seats fill early; join the wait-list online if you can.
3. La Salsa Cantina
Morning people adore La Salsa’s “$6.99 Southwest breakfast” (two eggs, meat, tortillas, potatoes). Located at the far north of Miracle Mile Shops and hoppin’ before 10 a.m.
4. Earl of Sandwich
Planet Hollywood’s 24-hour counter pumps out toasted subs like the Chipotle Chicken Avocado for around $8.49, arguably the most filling handheld under $10 on the Strip.
5. Shake Shack (New York-New York)
The modern burger icon keeps its single ShackBurger at $6.89 (pre-tax) and offers seasonal custard concretes that land under $5. The extended 3:45 a.m. closing time is a post-club blessing.
6. In-N-Out Burger (LINQ Promenade)
Yes, the “secret menu” works in Nevada. A Double-Double combo comes in under $10, and fries “animal style” add just a buck.
7. Secret Pizza (Cosmopolitan)
A true Strip rite of passage: find the unmarked hallway on Level 3 and grab New-York-sized slices for $5–$6. Pepperoni sells out nightly after 1 a.m.
8. Village Pub & Café (Ellis Island)
Technically a block east of the boulevard, but an easy five-minute walk from Horseshoe. Score a full steak meal for $9.99 by printing the kiosk coupon described earlier, arguably the Strip’s best dollar-per-protein ratio.
9. Dirt Dog (Grand Bazaar Shops)
Street-style bacon-wrapped hot dogs piled with elote or pastrami hover around $8–$9. Open until midnight (2 a.m. weekends).
10. Yong Kang Street (Paris Las Vegas)
Sneak in during late-afternoon lull and demolish a bamboo basket of soup dumplings for $10.95. Affordable Taiwanese noodles and congee round out the menu.
11. Pin-Up Pizza (Planet Hollywood)
Giant 15-inch slices overlap a paper plate for $7. Pair with $5 draft during daily social hour (2 p.m.–5 p.m.).
12. Bonanno’s New York Pizzeria (Horseshoe food court)
Two-slice combo with fountain drink regularly runs $11. Watch for 25 % coupons on the Caesars Rewards app.
13. Fulton Street Food Hall (The LINQ)
Not a buffet but a multi-station canteen. Look for the rotating $9.99 entrée of the day, often BBQ chicken or fish tacos.
14. Tacos & Beer (across from Resorts World)
Hard-to-beat taco Tuesday: $3 al pastor and $5 margaritas 2 p.m.–6 p.m.
15. 24/7 Café at The Strat
Late-night “gambler’s special” is $7.99 for eggs, bacon, and hash browns, served midnight to 5 a.m. daily.
More Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget

The phrase cheap places to eat in Las Vegas on the strip (there’s another mention!) isn’t only about menu prices. Combine the strategies below and you can dine like a high-roller on a backpacker budget:
- Subscribe to deal alerts. Sign up for each resort’s dining newsletter; flash offers of 30 % off appear weekly.
- Use delivery apps sparingly. Convenience fees can double the cost versus a five-minute walk.
- Split entrées. Planet Hollywood and Cosmopolitan portions are enormous; most counters supply free extra plates.
- Hydrate at casino water stations. Bottled water on the street is $5; reusable bottle refills are everywhere.
Putting It All Together

Planning a thrifty Vegas getaway comes down to two themes: timing and location. Visit in a low-fare window (January or late August), book mid-week rooms, and concentrate your meals in the corridor of Miracle Mile, LINQ Promenade, and resort food courts highlighted above.
Follow those steps and you’ll enjoy some of the cheap places to eat in Las Vegas on the strip for under $30 a day, proof that Sin City can still treat penny-pinchers right in 2025. Bon appétit and good luck at the tables!
Sources
- Tripadvisor – In-N-Out LINQ Promenade
- Yelp – Secret Pizza
- Ellis Island Village Pub official page
- Tripadvisor – Dirt Dog
- Dirt Dog Grand Bazaar location
- Casino.org – Yong Kang Street
- CanyonTours – Cheapest time to fly to Vegas
- Travel + Leisure – Best time to visit
- U.S. News – When to visit Las Vegas
- TheTravel – Cheapest month to visit Vegas
- Reddit thread – Affordable time to visit
- Eater Vegas – Best happy hours
- Tripadvisor forum – Cheaper eats on the Strip
- Eater Vegas – Dining guide 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but major events like Super Bowl weekend or F1 can cause temporary surcharges. Always check the restaurant’s website the week you travel.
Shake Shack at New York-New York serves food until 3:45 a.m., while Secret Pizza holds slices until 4 a.m.
No. All listings sit within a 1.5-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard; rideshare is optional.
Customary tips are 10-15 % at fast-casual counters and 18 % at sit-down venues. Kiosks often prompt suggested amounts.