st-marys-strip
Tacos El Regio griddles cheap al pastor and bistek street tacos on the St Mary's Strip late into the night, a few dollars a taco for the best-value bite.
Try: Street tacos a couple of dollars each
Tip: A handful of street tacos for under ten dollars is the late-night value play. Load up at the salsa bar for free.
south-side
Mendez Cafe has sold cheap, generous carne guisada tacos since 1986, a South Side breakfast counter where a couple of dollars buys tender beef in peppery gravy.
Try: Carne guisada taco in spicy gravy
Tip: The carne guisada taco is the cheap order to make. Small and busy, so expect a short morning wait.
north-side
Tlahco Mexican Kitchen on the north side runs breakfast all day, so chilaquiles and tacos stay cheap into the afternoon, with good value for the portion size.
Try: All-day breakfast tacos and chilaquiles
Tip: Breakfast runs all day, so chilaquiles and tacos stay cheap into the afternoon. Good value for the portion size.
south-side
Maria's Cafe on the South Side does breakfast tacos all week and weekend menudo, the cheap local cure; cash keeps the line moving on busy mornings.
Try: Breakfast tacos and weekend menudo
Tip: Weekend menudo is the cheap local cure; breakfast tacos all week. Cash keeps the line moving.
south-side
2M Smokehouse on the South Side serves Tejano-accented barbecue; order by the quarter pound and add the cheap sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars.
Try: BBQ by the quarter pound
Tip: Order by the quarter pound and add the cheap Tejano sides to keep a BBQ lunch under twenty dollars. Go early; it sells out.
downtown
La Villita Cafe in the historic arts village downtown keeps brisket-and-egg breakfast tacos and Tex-Mex plates cheap, a rare budget bite near the River Walk.
Try: Brisket-and-egg breakfast tacos
Tip: A cheap breakfast taco a short walk from the River Walk. The brisket-and-egg taco is the order.