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.
Address: 746 Emerald St, San Diego, CA 92109
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 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 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 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 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 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
