More Maps

18 Hottest Restaurants in Los Angeles, August 2022

16 Superb Santa Monica Restaurants

14 Hot New Brunch Spots to Check Out in Los Angeles

Spread of Sri Lankan dishes from Baja Subs in Northridge. — Sri Lankan dishes inside Baja Subs.

17 Fantastic Budget-Friendly Restaurants in Los Angeles

It’s easy to spend less and still eat well in LA

by Eater Staff Updated Feb 22, 2022, 10:14am PST

11 comments / new

View as Map

Sri Lankan dishes inside Baja Subs.

| Wonho Frank Lee

by Eater Staff Updated Feb 22, 2022, 10:14am PST

11 comments / new

Eating well doesn’t have to break the bank in Los Angeles, considering nearly every neighborhood offers an array of casual restaurants serving reasonably-priced fare, from Mexican spots that specialize in bean burritos and pastrami to Sri Lankan specialists in the Valley and beyond. From noodle soups to tacos and dumplings, it’s truly an embarrassment of riches in the Southland. Here now are 17 affordable restaurants in Los Angeles.

Added: Baja Subs, Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken, Baja Subs, Rodney’s Ribs, Guido’s, NOLA Cajun and Creole, Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop, the Village Mart & Deli

Removed: Daybird, Spoon + Pork, Me + Crepe, Kurrypinch, Dino’s, Zam Zam Market

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

Read More

Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

Baja Subs Market & Deli

The Sri Lankan food is the star at the unassuming Baja Subs, which despite the name also leans into Mexican food, takeaway corner store items, and Southeast Asian food alike.

Open in Google Maps

8801 Reseda Blvd Suite A, Northridge, CA 91324

Lamprais at Baja Subs on a green plate. — Baja Subs.

Also featured in:

The San Fernando Valley's 21 Essential Restaurants

Tacos Los Palomos

With numerous outlets across the LA area, Tacos Los Palomos consistently delivers the most delicious, freshly sliced al pastor in the city. Check Instagram for locations, and be sure to watch out for daily specials, like when they price fully packed tortas for $5 apiece.

Open in Google Maps

7200 Mason Ave, Winnetka, CA 91306

Visit Website

Taquero shaves al pastor from a trompo at Tacos Los Palomos. — Tacos Los Palomos.

Rodney's Ribs

North Pasadena staple Rodney’s Ribs looks like a simple takeout operation in a parking lot, but locals know that Rodney serves up some of the area’s best namesake ribs as well as a mean chopped brisket sandwich.

Open in Google Maps

902 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

The brisket at Rodney’s Ribs is served between plush Hawaiian buns with a drizzle of tangy-sweet sauce. — Brisket sandwich.

Also featured in:

Golden Deli Restaurant

It’s hard to think of a better price-to-excellence ratio than Golden Deli, a versatile Vietnamese restaurant with the crispiest, best-tasting chả giò in the city. The pho, rice, and other dishes are fantastic too, with meals coming out to $20 or less per person, either on-site or to-go.

Open in Google Maps

815 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Katianna Hong (@katiannahong)

Also featured in:

Guido's Pizza & Empanadas Argentinas

Rancho Cucamonga strip mall option Guido’s is the rare Argentinian-Italian specialist for greater Los Angeles. Find stuffed pizzas with lots of onion, cutlet sandwiches, empanadas, and more.

Open in Google Maps

9755 Arrow Route G, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Visit Website

Shelves of imported goods at an Argentinian market during the day. — Inside Guido’s.

Also featured in:

Tacos Don Manolito

Mexico City chainlet Tacos Don Manolito does tacos a la placha, using chorizo and cecina to great versatility. The key here to get as many things with the griddled cheese as possible, and make sure to load each taco up with the excellent, intensely flavored salsas.

Open in Google Maps

5553 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Visit Website

Tacos Don Manolito.

Bé Ù

Virgil Village’s Vietnamese comfort food restaurant ensures that all of its stakeholders, from employees to locals in the neighborhood, win out against the forces of gentrification. This means reasonably priced food that still delivers deep, homemade flavors like banh mi, pork riblets, and popcorn chicken that you can eat every day.

Open in Google Maps

557 N Hoover St, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Visit Website

Fried pork riblets served over steamed white rice with green onion garnish. — Pork riblets over rice at Bé Ù.

Also featured in:

The Village Mart & Deli

The family-run Village Mart & Deli is one of El Sereno’s best gems. Over the last three years, staff serve an easy daytime menu with sandwiches, soups, and the king jewel: a pastrami breakfast burrito. The latter is in a more compact size and filled with avocados, eggs, pastrami, peppers, very crispy potatoes, and cheese. Before you leave, grab a six-pack of Modelo or craft beer from the fridge.

Open in Google Maps

2200 N Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90032

Visit Website

A center cut of a layered meaty sandwich. — Italian sandwich at the Village Mart & Deli.

Also featured in:

20 Epic Sandwiches in Los Angeles

Falafel Inc

The mission at Falafel Inc. so to make a super-affordable dish like falafel and use some of the proceeds to help in areas around the world. The $4-5 pita sandwich at Falafel Inc. is a healthy, quick snack or lunch that anyone from office workers to college students.

933 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Visit Website

Falafel bowl at Falafel Inc. — Falafel bowl from Falafel Inc.

Earle's On Crenshaw

Classic South LA hot dog spot Earle’s has some of the best grilled hot dogs in Los Angeles, all served at an approachable price point. There’s plenty of variety here, from all-beef to vegetarian-friendly options.

Open in Google Maps

3864 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Visit Website

Chili-slathered hot dog with pickled onions on a slate gray background at Earle’s on Crenshaw. — Chili dog from Earle’s On Crenshaw.

Also featured in:

Nola Cajun and Creole

Nola Cajun and Creole sits inside the newish BLVD Market food hall in Montebello as a beacon of flavorful and spot-on Creole dishes like jambalaya, gumbo, and shrimp po’boys from operator Keivan Cross. With reasonable prices and amble portions, it’s easily one of the best new Creole/Cajun restaurants in town.

Open in Google Maps

520 Whittier Blvd #107, Montebello, CA 90640

Visit Website

Shrimp po’boy from Nola Cajun and Creole in Montebello, California — The shrimp po’boy.

Also featured in:

Big Daddy's Kickin' Chicken

Flame-licked and bright red, the chicken at this Inglewood takeout is a mix of spicy, juicy, and lovingly charred — and it’s very, very hard to put down.

Open in Google Maps

214 E Nutwood St, Inglewood, CA 90301

Visit Website

Half-chicken at Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken in Inglewood. — Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken.

Skinny Dave's

David Kuo of Little Fatty opened this handy LAX-adjacent sandwich shop specializing in banh mi an approachable, everyday price. Order one with extra pate for a big flavor boost.

Open in Google Maps

6208 W 87th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Visit Website

Banh mi from Skinny Dave’s in Westchester.

Tamales Elena Y Antojitos

Longtime food truck Tamales Elenas has a handy drive-thru and casual restaurant in Bell Gardens now, with some of the city’s best tamales, pozoles, and guisados that come in generous portions. Order ahead to see what’s available.

Open in Google Maps

8101 Garfield Ave, Bell Gardens, CA 90201

Visit Website

Three banana leaf tamales from Tamales Elena on a traditional plate. — Banana leaf tamales from Tamales Elena

Also featured in:

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop

Hawaiian and Japanese food hit new heights and diner staple Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop, tucked into an actual bowling alley in the heart of the greater South Bay / South LA region.

Open in Google Maps

15707 S Vermont Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Visit Website

Loco moco at Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop in Gardena, California — Loco moco from Gardena Bowl.

Also featured in:

Surati Farsan

Tantalizing methai (sweets) and chat (snacks) are what it’s all about at Surati Farsan Mart, a stylish shop specializing in Gujarati-style nibbles since 1986. The pani puri are pitch-perfect — delicate whole-wheat shells filled with mung beans, potatoes, and jaljira, a cool liquid imbued with herbs and spices, and drizzled with chutneys.

Open in Google Maps

11814 186th St, Artesia, CA 90701

Visit Website

For wonderful Indian sweets and snacks: Surati Farsan Mart. — Surati Farsan

Also featured in:

22 Essential Los Angeles Vegetarian Restaurants

Busy Bee Market

Busy Bee may well be the most famous restaurant in all of San Pedro, owing to its giant and meaty belly-buster sandwich. Still, great deals can be had for at or around $10 a pop, from pastrami to roast beef and beyond.

2413 S Walker Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731

Visit Website

A hand holds up a pastrami sandwich that is falling apart. — Busy Bee Market

Also featured in:

Loading comments...

© 2022 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Link copied to the clipboard.

Baja Subs Market & Deli

8801 Reseda Blvd Suite A, Northridge, CA 91324

Lamprais at Baja Subs on a green plate. — Baja Subs.

The Sri Lankan food is the star at the unassuming Baja Subs, which despite the name also leans into Mexican food, takeaway corner store items, and Southeast Asian food alike.

Open in Google Maps

8801 Reseda Blvd Suite A, Northridge, CA 91324

Lamprais at Baja Subs on a green plate. — Baja Subs.

Tacos Los Palomos

7200 Mason Ave, Winnetka, CA 91306

Taquero shaves al pastor from a trompo at Tacos Los Palomos. — Tacos Los Palomos.

With numerous outlets across the LA area, Tacos Los Palomos consistently delivers the most delicious, freshly sliced al pastor in the city. Check Instagram for locations, and be sure to watch out for daily specials, like when they price fully packed tortas for $5 apiece.

Open in Google Maps

7200 Mason Ave, Winnetka, CA 91306

Visit Website

Taquero shaves al pastor from a trompo at Tacos Los Palomos. — Tacos Los Palomos.

Rodney's Ribs

902 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

The brisket at Rodney’s Ribs is served between plush Hawaiian buns with a drizzle of tangy-sweet sauce. — Brisket sandwich.

North Pasadena staple Rodney’s Ribs looks like a simple takeout operation in a parking lot, but locals know that Rodney serves up some of the area’s best namesake ribs as well as a mean chopped brisket sandwich.

Open in Google Maps

902 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104

The brisket at Rodney’s Ribs is served between plush Hawaiian buns with a drizzle of tangy-sweet sauce. — Brisket sandwich.

Golden Deli Restaurant

815 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776

It’s hard to think of a better price-to-excellence ratio than Golden Deli, a versatile Vietnamese restaurant with the crispiest, best-tasting chả giò in the city. The pho, rice, and other dishes are fantastic too, with meals coming out to $20 or less per person, either on-site or to-go.

Open in Google Maps

815 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Katianna Hong (@katiannahong)

Guido's Pizza & Empanadas Argentinas

9755 Arrow Route G, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Shelves of imported goods at an Argentinian market during the day. — Inside Guido’s.

Rancho Cucamonga strip mall option Guido’s is the rare Argentinian-Italian specialist for greater Los Angeles. Find stuffed pizzas with lots of onion, cutlet sandwiches, empanadas, and more.

Open in Google Maps

9755 Arrow Route G, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Visit Website

Shelves of imported goods at an Argentinian market during the day. — Inside Guido’s.

Tacos Don Manolito

5553 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Tacos Don Manolito.

Mexico City chainlet Tacos Don Manolito does tacos a la placha, using chorizo and cecina to great versatility. The key here to get as many things with the griddled cheese as possible, and make sure to load each taco up with the excellent, intensely flavored salsas.

Open in Google Maps

5553 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Visit Website

Tacos Don Manolito.

Bé Ù

557 N Hoover St, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Fried pork riblets served over steamed white rice with green onion garnish. — Pork riblets over rice at Bé Ù.

Virgil Village’s Vietnamese comfort food restaurant ensures that all of its stakeholders, from employees to locals in the neighborhood, win out against the forces of gentrification. This means reasonably priced food that still delivers deep, homemade flavors like banh mi, pork riblets, and popcorn chicken that you can eat every day.

Open in Google Maps

557 N Hoover St, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Visit Website

Fried pork riblets served over steamed white rice with green onion garnish. — Pork riblets over rice at Bé Ù.

The Village Mart & Deli

2200 N Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90032

A center cut of a layered meaty sandwich. — Italian sandwich at the Village Mart & Deli.

The family-run Village Mart & Deli is one of El Sereno’s best gems. Over the last three years, staff serve an easy daytime menu with sandwiches, soups, and the king jewel: a pastrami breakfast burrito. The latter is in a more compact size and filled with avocados, eggs, pastrami, peppers, very crispy potatoes, and cheese. Before you leave, grab a six-pack of Modelo or craft beer from the fridge.

Open in Google Maps

2200 N Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90032

Visit Website

A center cut of a layered meaty sandwich. — Italian sandwich at the Village Mart & Deli.

Falafel Inc

933 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Falafel bowl at Falafel Inc. — Falafel bowl from Falafel Inc.

The mission at Falafel Inc. so to make a super-affordable dish like falafel and use some of the proceeds to help in areas around the world. The $4-5 pita sandwich at Falafel Inc. is a healthy, quick snack or lunch that anyone from office workers to college students.

933 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Visit Website

Falafel bowl at Falafel Inc. — Falafel bowl from Falafel Inc.

Earle's On Crenshaw

3864 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Chili-slathered hot dog with pickled onions on a slate gray background at Earle’s on Crenshaw. — Chili dog from Earle’s On Crenshaw.

Classic South LA hot dog spot Earle’s has some of the best grilled hot dogs in Los Angeles, all served at an approachable price point. There’s plenty of variety here, from all-beef to vegetarian-friendly options.

Open in Google Maps

3864 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Visit Website

Chili-slathered hot dog with pickled onions on a slate gray background at Earle’s on Crenshaw. — Chili dog from Earle’s On Crenshaw.

Nola Cajun and Creole

520 Whittier Blvd #107, Montebello, CA 90640

Shrimp po’boy from Nola Cajun and Creole in Montebello, California — The shrimp po’boy.

Nola Cajun and Creole sits inside the newish BLVD Market food hall in Montebello as a beacon of flavorful and spot-on Creole dishes like jambalaya, gumbo, and shrimp po’boys from operator Keivan Cross. With reasonable prices and amble portions, it’s easily one of the best new Creole/Cajun restaurants in town.

Open in Google Maps

520 Whittier Blvd #107, Montebello, CA 90640

Visit Website

Shrimp po’boy from Nola Cajun and Creole in Montebello, California — The shrimp po’boy.

Big Daddy's Kickin' Chicken

214 E Nutwood St, Inglewood, CA 90301

Half-chicken at Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken in Inglewood. — Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken.

Flame-licked and bright red, the chicken at this Inglewood takeout is a mix of spicy, juicy, and lovingly charred — and it’s very, very hard to put down.

Open in Google Maps

214 E Nutwood St, Inglewood, CA 90301

Visit Website

Half-chicken at Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken in Inglewood. — Big Daddy’s Kickin’ Chicken.

Skinny Dave's

6208 W 87th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Banh mi from Skinny Dave’s in Westchester.

David Kuo of Little Fatty opened this handy LAX-adjacent sandwich shop specializing in banh mi an approachable, everyday price. Order one with extra pate for a big flavor boost.

Open in Google Maps

6208 W 87th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Visit Website