Tacos El Gordo ★ 4.7
Tacos El Gordo in Chula Vista, San Diego, the open-until-4am Tijuana-style trompo carving adobada tacos for around three dollars and California burritos under twelve.
Try: Vertical-trompo adobada tacos under $4
Eat well in San Diego for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Cheap eats worth seeking out
Lolita's Mexican Food ★ 4.4
Lolita's Mexican Food on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, the California-burrito counter selling the canonical version for under twelve dollars.
Try: California burrito under $12, breakfast burrito $8-10
Oscar's Mexican Seafood ★ 4.5
Oscar's Mexican Seafood on Emerald Street in Pacific Beach, San Diego, the local-vote fish taco champion with battered fish for under five and ceviche tostadas at seven.
Try: Fish tacos under $5, ceviche tostadas $7
Filippi's Pizza Grotto Little Italy ★ 4.1
Filippi's Pizza Grotto on India Street in San Diego's Little Italy, the 1950 family-Italian counter behind a market storefront pouring red-sauce pasta and pies under eighteen.
Try: Pizza by the slice, hero sandwiches, family-style pasta
Hob Nob Hill ★ 4.3
Hob Nob Hill on First Avenue in Bankers Hill, San Diego, the eighty-year-old all-day diner with old-fashioned pancakes, daily blue-plate specials and full breakfast under fifteen.
Try: Pancakes, biscuits and gravy, daily blue-plate specials
Pokez Mexican Restaurant ★ 4.0
Pokez in San Diego's East Village, the punk-rock Mexican counter near City College where the vegan burrito runs nine dollars and the carne asada lands at twelve.
Try: Vegan burrito, carne asada burrito, breakfast burritos
Hodad's ★ 4.4
Hodad's on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach, San Diego, the 1969 surf-shack burger counter where the single Hodad runs under twelve and the bacon cheeseburger hits eighteen.
Try: Bacon cheeseburger, single Hodad burger under $12
Rubicon Deli Mission Hills ★ 4.3
Rubicon Deli on India Street in Mission Hills, San Diego, the Dutch Crunch sandwich counter where the half Rubicon Special runs under seven and the whole still beats twelve.
Try: Dutch Crunch sandwiches, half or whole
Phil's BBQ ★ 4.2
Phil's BBQ on Sports Arena Boulevard in Point Loma, San Diego, the long-queue mesquite-grill counter selling sandwiches under fourteen and a half-rack under twenty.
Try: Ribs, pulled pork sandwich, BBQ chicken
Pho Hoa ★ 4.3
Pho Hoa on El Cajon Boulevard in City Heights, San Diego, the long-running Vietnamese soup counter selling large bowls of beef pho for under seven dollars.
Try: Pho dac biet (special beef pho), small or large bowl
Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop ★ 4.2
Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop in Mission Hills, San Diego, the take-out wrestling-themed counter slinging four-dollar tacos and the Surfin' California burrito for fourteen.
Try: Surfin' California burrito, $4 tacos, Lucha-style adobada
Bread and Cie Cafe ★ 4.2
Bread and Cie's cafe counter on University Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego, the in-house bakery serving sandwiches on its own stone-hearth loaves for under fifteen dollars.
Try: Sandwiches on house bread, soups, scones
Budget Eats in San Diego, FAQ
When is the best time to eat in San Diego?
Peak food season in San Diego is year-round.
What time do people eat in San Diego?
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
How does tipping work in San Diego?
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
What is the one dish to try in San Diego?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. San Diego rewards trust.