Big Apple Inn
Pig Ear Sandwiches & Delta Tamales Since 1939
Three bites of Jackson history. Opened in 1939 by Mexican immigrant Juan Mora and now run by his great-grandson Geno Lee, this no-frills Farish Street counter serves pig ear sandwiches and 'smokes' (sausage on a bun) for about $1.50 each, plus a side of Delta hot tamales. The room hosted Freedom Riders and Medgar Evers in its day. Order a few sliders and tamales with a peach Ne-Hi. Two eat for around $10.
Bully's Soul Food
James Beard America's Classic
A James Beard America's Classic and, for many, the definitive Jackson soul food. The steam trays brim with smothered oxtails, fried catfish, smothered chicken, field peas, turnip greens and sweet potato pie; you pick your plate, load it up and find a seat. Pure, unapologetic Mississippi cooking. Two eat for around $16.
Mayflower Cafe
Comeback Sauce Since 1935
Jackson's oldest restaurant, a wonderfully old-school Greek-owned cafe with neon and a tile floor — and the birthplace of comeback sauce, the tangy dressing now slathered on everything in Mississippi. Come for redfish, broiled seafood and a famous crabcake. Share a seafood plate at lunch to stay in budget. Two eat for around $20.
Two Sisters Kitchen
Southern Buffet
A cherished downtown lunch buffet set in a historic house, where you grab a plate and work a spread of Southern home cooking — celebrated fried chicken, greens, cornbread and rotating sides. Simple food done well, and a steal for two. Two eat for around $16.
E & L Barbeque
Smokehouse Soul Food
Where the smokehouse meets the soul food kitchen. E & L's ribs come tender enough to pull clean off the bone under a sauce that balances sweet, tangy and spicy, with coleslaw, brown-sugar baked beans and proper potato salad alongside. Two eat for around $18.
Hal & Mal's
Downtown Institution Since 1984
Brothers Hal and Malcolm White opened this downtown favorite in a converted freight depot in 1984, and it's been a Jackson living room ever since — po'boys, red beans and rice, fried seafood and a stage that's hosted decades of live music. Two eat for around $18.
Aladdin
Lebanese & Mediterranean
A neighborhood Lebanese spot on Lakeland Drive since 2004 that does exactly what good neighborhood restaurants should — feed you well and charge fairly. The lamb shawarma, hummus, falafel and house 'shata' hot sauce have earned long-haul local trust. Two eat for around $16.
Iron Horse Grill
Soul Train Wings & Live Music
Housed in a beautifully restored 1906 building, Iron Horse blends Mississippi heritage with crowd-pleasing food and live music. The Soul Train hot wings and fried-chicken cobb are the must-haves, most plates are made for sharing, and the happy-hour deals are worth timing your visit around. Two eat for around $18.
Stamps Superburger
Legendary Burgers
A Jackson legend turning out enormous, gloriously messy burgers from a no-frills spot. Locals love to argue over the city's best burger, and this is always in the conversation — order one, grab napkins, and prepare to share. Two eat for around $14.
The Pig & Pint
BBQ & Craft Beer
A Fondren barbecue hangout that doubles as a craft-beer haven. The smoked brisket tacos and pulled pork get the headlines, the St. Louis ribs back them up, and the tap list keeps the regulars happy. Split a couple of plates and a few beers. Two eat for around $18.
Soulshine Pizza
Pizza with Soul
A Jackson original that puts a little Mississippi into the pizzeria — made-to-order pies and calzones, sure, but also red beans and rice, homemade tamales and a 'Slap Yo Mama' bread pudding for dessert. Split a pie two ways and you're golden. Two eat for around $18.
Josephine's Kitchen
Soul Food
A homey soul food kitchen where the turkey wings are smothered until fall-apart tender in perfectly seasoned gravy, the cornbread dressing arrives moist and savory, and the sides taste like Sunday dinner. Down-home and cheap. Two eat for around $14.
💡 Pro tip: All deals are community-verified. We linked official menus only where we could confirm them, so most spots here are map-only. Big Apple Inn's sliders are tiny and cheap — order several. Meat-and-three buffets and the BBQ plates are the easiest way to keep two under $20, and ask for comeback sauce on the side. Hours and prices change, so check before a special trip. If something's expired, flag it on our main directory so we can update it.
These chain deals work anywhere in the country, including Jackson.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Pick 6 — Meal for Two from $19.99
The Pick 6 lets two people build a shared meal — choose six items across wings, tenders, and sides — starting around $19.99. A reliable two-for-$20 play at any BWW. Dine-in or takeout; pricing varies slightly by market.
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