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
Neighbourhoodhillcrest
The dishSandwiches on house bread, soups, scones
Location
Address: 350 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
More budget eats in San Diego
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