Affordable eats: 5 places to get a meal for under $15 in Cincinnati

Let's be honest, you're probably wondering what's for lunch or dinner as you're reading this. But with menu prices these days, eating out can break the bank.

With that in mind, we gathered affordable food options around Cincinnati last year, all costing less than $20. After rounding up those tasty options, though, we wanted to take it a step further for part two. Here are some delicious fill-ups from Cincinnati restaurants that cost under $15.

All of these meals are substantial belly-fillers, not just snacks to hold you over for a bit. And to be clear, this list is in no way comprehensive, just some spots we visited recently while deal-shopping and thought were worth your time and money.

Now, let's dig in.

Tavern on the Bend: Goetta Mac

5471 North Bend Road, Green Township tavernonthebend.hrpos.heartland.us.

David Wysong: Sandwiched between a Subway and a Papa Johns, I've always felt Tavern on the Bend seems almost out of place in its strip mall location on North Bend Road. Walk inside, and you're transported into a nice tavern perfect for having dinner with family or just stopping in for a drink. (I've done both.)

The Green Township restaurant has plenty of delicious options that won't hurt your wallet. My wife got the fish and chips and was thrilled with her order. Her meal was just slightly over our $15 minimum ($16.11). But I wanted one of Tavern on the Bend's specialties: mac and cheese. The establishment has anything from Buffalo Chicken Mac to Philly Steak Mac. I bleed Cincinnati, though, so I got the Goetta Mac.

It was my first time trying it, and the dish did not disappoint. The cheesiness was on point, and the bites of goetta had my taste buds dancing. To keep the price under $15, I didn't get a side, so I was worried I wouldn't be full, but I was stuffed.

If you're looking for an affordable, upper-scale mac and cheese, this is the place to get it.

The damage:

• Goetta Mac: $10.99.

• Fountain drink: $3.12.

• TOTAL: $14.11 (before tip).

MOTR Pub: Vegan TLT

1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. motrpub.com.

Luann Gibbs: The majority of people in and around Greater Cincinnati associate MOTR Pub with live music, and rightly so. The venue has been host to an impressive number of great up-and-coming local, national and international bands throughout its storied history. It's a place you can walk into any night of the week and enjoy unique live entertainment – not just music, but karaoke, poetry (final Sunday of the month), comedy with comedians Karl Spaeth, Mark Chalifoux and Mark Glasper (fourth Thursday), and the newly-added Queen City Imperial Soundsystem, an all-vinyl reggae dancehall that takes place the first Friday of each month.

MOTR's got some great grub though, too. The menu isn't vast, but it's solid. And every item clocks in under $15. You'll find typical bar food staples, such as burgers and fries, and the Sunday brunch menu boasts slabs of goetta among the choices, but of special note to vegetarians like me are the vegan/vegetarian offerings.

Sure, there are salads on the menu, but there is also vegan/vegetarian chili, a vegan/vegetarian soup of the day, a veggie burger and my personal favorite, the Vegan TLT. It's a vegan twist on the BLT. You get a giant hunk of marinated tofu, lettuce and tomato on toasted bread, with a healthy slathering of vegan chipotle mayonnaise rounding it out. Add a side of fries or tater tots and you are sorted.

The damage:

• Vegan TLT: $9.

• Add fries: $3.

• TOTAL: $12 (before tax and tip).

Friendly Stop Bar & Grill: Whisky's BBQ Sandwich

985 Congress Ave., Glendale. friendlystop.com.

Victoria Moorwood: This dive bar is a short drive from my house and a great place to watch a Bengals game, but I keep coming back for the good food and great prices. You'll find all the typical bar food offerings, including nachos, cheeseburgers and beer-battered mozzarella cheese sticks (delicious), as well as comfort foods, such as a grilled cheese sandwich, soup and meatloaf.

This time, I tried the Whisky's BBQ Sandwich, which was piled high with a perfect ratio of pulled pork and barbecue sauce. The sandwich came with coleslaw and a bag of chips (I subbed out the latter for green beans). As always, it was a tasty, satiating meal in a cozy, laid-back atmosphere.

Some Google reviewers call Friendly Stop "a locals bar," which it is, but you'll get a warm smile from both staff and patrons whether it's your first time stopping by or your 10th. This watering hole also wins in drink deals: happy hour runs Monday-Saturday from 2-6 p.m. and all day on Sunday, and you can get a thirst-quenching margarita for just $3.

The damage:

• Whisky's BBQ Sandwich: $10

• Coleslaw: Included.

• Green beans: $2.

• TOTAL: $12 (before tax and tip).

Gomez Salsa: Southwest-Style Turtle

107 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine. gomezsalsa.com.

Haadiza Ogwude: Hungry for some late-night bites after a long night of bar-hopping in Over-the-Rhine? Then Gomez Salsa is the place for you. From tacos to burritos, nachos and more, the local Tex-Mex eatery has plenty of options under $15 that will be sure to satisfy your cravings.

But the restaurant's signature dish, and my personal favorite, is the Turtle. It resembles Taco Bell's Crunchwrap Supreme, features all the delicious fillings of a burrito and is sealed with an extra cheesy tostada crunch. It also comes with a side of the restaurant's signature Baja Sauce (I paid $1 for extra because I like my food extra saucy).

Customers can select from a variety of protein options and topping selections. I typically go for a Southwest Turtle with chicken, which includes rice, black beans, fajitas, spicy crema, corn salsa, verde, lettuce and cheese. I also add Kowabunga Salsa for some extra spice.

Can't take the heat? Gomez Salsa also has a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, beer on tap and house margaritas to wash it all down.

The damage:

• Southwest Turtle with chicken: $12.

• Extra Baja Sauce: $1.

• TOTAL: $13 (before tax and tip).

Carl's Deli: King George Sandwich

2836 Observatory Ave., Hyde Park. carlsdeli.com.

Grace Tucker: As a Cincinnati newbie, I don't yet have a go-to lunch spot. My first visit to Carl's Deli – tucked on a charming corner of Hyde Park's Observatory Avenue – has changed that for good. From now on, this will be my signature stop.

The family-owned delicatessen offers the no-fuss, nostalgic charm of your favorite East Coast deli. In a service style reminiscent of the Chicago delis I grew up with as a kid, the interior features no seating, just a superbly stacked deli case, filled with homemade salads, quiches, lasagnas, pastas and sweets, and a counter to order.

And hanging above the case is the pièce de résistance of any legit sandwich joint: two chalkboards listing the extensive sandwich menu, which is written by hand (there were 32 options the day I went). I'm a chronic turkey sandwich lover, so I opted for the No. 24 King George sandwich, with rye, turkey and honey mustard, and run "through the garden" – which I would later learn means a smattering of fresh veggie toppings.

Like any good deli sandwich, the King George was generous in size – so much so that I started to doubt my ability to conquer the height of it in one bite. As far as taste goes, the sandwich was excellent, with the fresh deli turkey and cheese elevated by its rainbow of vegetable toppings and twangy, horseradish honey mustard sauce.

There's a sandwich for everyone on Carl's Deli's extensive menu, with plenty of vegetation options and substitutes like gluten-free bread. Run, don't walk, to Carl's Deli in Hyde Park.

The damage:

• King George sandwich: $11.

• Add provolone: $1.

• Grippo's chips: $2.

• TOTAL: $14 (before tax and tip).

If you know of a good deal we should all check out, email trending news editor David Wysong at dwysong@enquirer.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Affordable eats: Where to get a meal for under $15 in Cincinnati