Best Cheap Halal Eats in Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City does not have a huge halal scene compared to Chicago or NYC, but there are more cheap halal options here than most newcomers realize. Below are the best spots to eat halal in SLC for under $20, from Pakistani counters and Afghan kebab houses to NYC-style chicken and rice trucks. Where a place is only partially halal, we flag it clearly so you order safely.

The best cheap halal eats in Salt Lake City, UT

These are the spots SLC Muslims actually eat at on a weeknight. Most of these meals clear $20 with drink and tip, and a few sit comfortably under $15. Verify specific dishes at the counter when you visit, since halal sourcing can change.

Curry Fried Chicken

A State Street institution that built its reputation on one thing: a crispy halal fried chicken coated in a curry spiced batter, served with basmati rice, a small veggie curry, salad, and warm pita for $10.99. The grilled tandoori chicken plate and the shawarma wrap plate are also $10.99 and work as lighter picks. It is counter service with fast turnaround, and portions are big enough that some people stretch a plate into two meals. A top pick when you want cheap, hot, and filling.

Must order: Curry Fried Chicken plate, tandoori chicken plate. Address: 660 South State Street. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per restaurant listing.

Curry in a Hurry

Tripadvisor lists Curry in a Hurry among the top halal restaurants in Salt Lake City for a reason: it is a Pakistani Muslim run counter where the meat is halal by default and the prices stay tight. Expect chicken karahi, beef nihari when it is in the rotation, chicken biryani by the plate, and a short list of daily specials. Seating is limited, so most customers grab food to go. A good pick if you want Pakistani dhaba style cooking without spending much.

Must order: Chicken karahi, beef nihari, chicken biryani. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per ownership; confirm the day's specials.

Kabob Stop

On 3300 South in South Salt Lake, Kabob Stop is the cheap halal pick locals point newcomers to on Reddit. The menu is short and focused: halal meat curry over rice or naan, kebab plates, and a couple of wraps. It is fast, unfussy, and most plates clear out well under $15. If you work downtown or the south end of the valley, this is an easy lunch. The reviews are consistent: hot food, big portions, and friendly counter service.

Must order: Meat curry over rice, chicken kebab plate. Address: 3300 South, South Salt Lake. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per community sources; confirm at the counter.

Urban Gyro and Chicken

If you miss the halal cart and grill spots from New York, Urban Gyro and Chicken is the closest Salt Lake gets. The menu sticks to the NYC street food formula: chicken and rice platters with white sauce and red sauce, lamb gyros, chicken over rice bowls, and combo wraps. Everything is made fast, portions are generous for the price, and the chicken is marinated before it hits the grill. An easy weeknight pickup under $15.

Must order: Chicken and rice with white sauce and hot sauce, lamb gyro wrap. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per restaurant branding.

Habibi Grill

A Pakistani grill on 3300 South that regulars swear by for office lunches and family takeout. Habibi Grill does chicken karahi, seekh kebabs, chicken biryani, and a nihari that works well on cold Salt Lake winter nights. Most plates land around $14 and come with rice, salad, and a side of raita or chutney. The dining room is small, so most people call ahead for pickup during the lunch rush.

Must order: Chicken biryani, seekh kebab plate, nihari (when available). Address: 3300 South corridor. Price: $$. Halal status: Halal per ownership.

Dave's Hot Chicken (Midvale)

The Midvale location of Dave's Hot Chicken is halal, per multiple Salt Lake community posts, which makes it one of the easiest halal picks if you want American comfort food. The menu is simple: hot chicken tenders or sliders at seven heat levels from no spice to the signature Reaper, served with fries, kale slaw, and cheese sauce. A two tender combo runs around $13. Good for a group that wants something faster and less traditional than kebab and curry.

Must order: Two tender slider combo at Medium heat. Location: Midvale (confirm halal at this specific branch; not all Dave's locations are halal). Price: $. Halal status: Halal at the Midvale location per community reports; verify at the counter.

Houston Hot Chicken

Another halal hot chicken option that Salt Lake Muslims call out on Reddit as a reliable cheap pick. The format mirrors Nashville style hot chicken: tenders or sandwiches with adjustable spice, fries, and sauces. Combos sit around the $12 to $14 range. If Dave's has a line around the block, this is the easy backup. Works well for takeout back to the office or home since the chicken holds heat better than most.

Must order: Hot chicken tender combo, spicy chicken sandwich. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per community sources; confirm.

Kafe Mamai

In downtown at 49 East Gallivan Avenue, Kafe Mamai is a halal Afro Caribbean spot that Reddit regulars describe as a hidden gem. Chef Abudu runs the kitchen and is known for treating every customer like family. The menu changes, but expect jollof rice, grilled and stewed meats, fried plantains, and spicy sauces. Most plates clear well under $15. A refreshing change of pace if you have worked through the kebab and biryani circuit and want something different.

Must order: Jollof rice with stewed chicken, fried plantains. Address: 49 East Gallivan Avenue. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per chef Abudu.

O'Falafel Etc.

Tripadvisor ranks O'Falafel Etc. as the top halal restaurant in Salt Lake City based on reviews. The menu is Mediterranean and Middle Eastern: falafel wraps, shawarma plates, hummus platters, and a short list of kebabs. Falafel wraps start around $9 and shawarma plates hover just over $12 with rice and salad. The room is tight and it is mostly a pickup counter, so plan to take food to a nearby park or back to your office.

Must order: Falafel wrap, chicken shawarma plate. Price: $. Halal status: Halal per Tripadvisor halal filter listing.

Mumbai House (lamb only)

A note for budget diners who want an Indian option: Mumbai House is one of the most reviewed restaurants in Utah, but per multiple owner responses on Yelp, only the lamb is halal; the chicken is not. Plenty of the lamb curries at lunch land in the $12 to $16 range, and vegetarian dishes are a safe fallback. If you are strict about zabiha, stick to lamb vindaloo, lamb curry, lamb biryani, or any of the paneer and vegetable dishes and skip the chicken menu entirely. Address: 2731 East Parleys Way.

Must order: Lamb vindaloo, lamb curry, saag paneer. Price: $$. Halal status: Partially halal; only lamb is halal, chicken is not.

How to eat cheap and halal in Salt Lake City

Three rules will save you money and headaches. First, ask every new counter to confirm halal on the specific protein you are ordering; a surprising number of SLC spots have partial halal menus. Second, the State Street and 3300 South corridors have the highest density of cheap halal, so cluster your pickups if you are running errands. Third, weekday lunch specials at places like Curry Fried Chicken and Kabob Stop are the best value of the week.

For a first halal meal in Salt Lake, start at Curry Fried Chicken or Kabob Stop. If you are craving Pakistani home cooking, go Curry in a Hurry or Habibi Grill. And if you want something outside the usual, make the drive to Kafe Mamai downtown.

A note on halal status: We do our best to identify halal friendly restaurants based on publicly available information, reviews, and restaurant descriptions. However, halal certification and sourcing practices can change. We strongly recommend confirming directly with each restaurant before dining, especially if strict zabiha compliance is important to you.