Philippe the Original ★ 4.4
Philippe the Original on North Alameda, Los Angeles claims the 1918 invention of the French dip and still serves it on sawdust-floored cafeteria benches.
Try: Original French dip sandwich
Eat well in Los Angeles for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Cheap eats worth seeking out
Sarita's Pupuseria ★ 4.6
Sarita's Pupuseria inside Grand Central Market, Los Angeles griddles Salvadoran pupusas to order from the same family-run counter since 2003. Cash and card.
Try: Salvadoran pupusa with curtido
Langer's Delicatessen ★ 4.8
Langer's Delicatessen on Alvarado, Westlake, Los Angeles has hand-sliced pastrami since 1947. The #19 with Russian dressing, coleslaw and Swiss is the order.
Try: Hand-sliced pastrami #19 sandwich
Lucky Boy ★ 4.5
Lucky Boy in Pasadena, Los Angeles serves a foil-wrapped breakfast burrito that locals queue for from 06:00. Open from 05:00 daily, drive-through window in back.
Try: Breakfast burrito
Banh Mi My Tho ★ 4.6
Banh Mi My Tho in Alhambra, Los Angeles County bakes baguettes daily and presses Vietnamese sandwiches to order. The pate cha lua is the order, cash only.
Try: Vietnamese banh mi
Al & Bea's Mexican Food ★ 4.5
Al & Bea's in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles has wrapped bean and cheese burritos since 1966 from the same walk-up window. Closes by 17:00 daily.
Try: Bean and cheese burrito
Yuko Kitchen ★ 4.4
Yuko Kitchen on Wilshire, Los Angeles is a Japanese counter run by Yuko Sato, serving rice bowls with karaage chicken and onigiri. Lunch only, line forms at 12:00.
Try: Japanese rice bowl
Chichen Itza Restaurant ★ 4.6
Chichen Itza inside Mercado La Paloma, Los Angeles plates Yucatecan dishes including the city's reference cochinita pibil. Chef Gilberto Cetina runs the kitchen.
Try: Cochinita pibil panucho
Tortas Ahogadas Ameca ★ 4.4
Tortas Ahogadas Ameca in East LA serves the Guadalajara-style drowned pork torta. A birote bun filled with carnitas and submerged in chile sauce.
Try: Drowned pork torta
Noodle ST ★ 4.5
Noodle ST in Westwood near UCLA, Los Angeles pulls Lanzhou-style hand-pulled noodles to order and serves them in a long-simmered beef broth from an open kitchen.
Try: Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles
Budget Eats in Los Angeles, FAQ
When is the best time to eat in Los Angeles?
Peak food season in Los Angeles is year-round.
What time do people eat in Los Angeles?
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
How does tipping work in Los Angeles?
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
What is the one dish to try in Los Angeles?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Los Angeles rewards trust.