40 cheap eats places in San Jose, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in San Jose: the places editors actually return to. All San Jose food.
Shuei-Do Manju Shop ★ 4.6
Japantown · 217 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112
Shuei-Do Manju Shop is the Bay Area's oldest Japanese confectionery in San Jose's Japantown, handcrafting mochi and manju fresh daily since 1953.
Com Tam Thien Huong ★ 4.6
East San Jose · 909 Story Rd, Unit 100, San Jose, CA 95122
Com Tam Thien Huong serves Vietnamese broken rice with expertly grilled proteins, drawing long lines from San Jose's Little Saigon community at lunch daily.
Tip: Order the sampler plate to try grilled pork, shrimp cake, and egg cake side by side for under $15.
Peters' Bakery ★ 4.5
Alum Rock · 3108 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95127
San Jose legend baking since 1936 and famed for its Burnt Almond Cake: white custard encrusted in toasted almonds that regulars have ordered for decades.
Falafel's Drive-In ★ 4.5
West San Jose · 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
Falafel's Drive-In in San Jose is the 1966 Stevens Creek landmark on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, serving crisp falafel in pita with tahini sauce.
Duc Huong Sandwiches Story Rd ★ 4.5
East San Jose · 1020 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Duc Huong on Story Road crafts San Jose's finest banh mi with house-made cold cuts and crispy baguettes, a Story Road staple and East Side local favorite.
Tip: Arrive before 09:00 on weekends for fresh-from-the-oven pate chauds while they last.
Huong Lan Sandwiches ★ 4.5
Seven Trees · 1655 Tully Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Huong Lan on Tully Road is a San Jose Vietnamese deli legend open before 05:00, serving large soft baguette banh mi considered a Bay Area gold standard.
Tip: The deli case holds roasted duck and BBQ pork belly that sell out fast - arrive before 10:00 for the full selection.
Falafel's Drive-In ★ 4.5
West San Jose · 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
Falafel's Drive-In in San Jose is the 1966 Stevens Creek drive-in where crisp falafel pita with tahini and pickled vegetables comes in under ten dollars.
Kumako Ramen Japantown ★ 4.5
Japantown · 211 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112
Kumako Ramen Japantown in San Jose is a perennial Metro Magazine best-ramen winner, serving tan tan and four classic ramen styles in Japantown.
La Victoria Taqueria San Carlos ★ 4.4
Downtown · 140 E San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
La Victoria on E. San Carlos is San Jose's ultimate late-night institution, serving overstuffed burritos with legendary house-made orange sauce until 03:00.
Falafel's Drive-In ★ 4.4
West San Jose · 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
Falafel's Drive-In is a San Jose icon on Stevens Creek serving crispy herbaceous falafel at a retro walk-up window, a Food Network-featured local institution.
Tip: Order the banana shake alongside your falafel sandwich; this generations-old pairing is what regulars always come back for.
Bun Bo Hue An Nam ★ 4.4
East San Jose · 740 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Bun Bo Hue An Nam serves San Jose's deeply aromatic Central Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup from a humble Story Road storefront beloved on the East Side.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays - plan ahead. Cash and debit only. Weekends open an hour earlier at 09:00.
Pho Ha Noi San Jose ★ 4.4
East San Jose · 969 Story Rd, Unit 6048, San Jose, CA 95122
Pho Ha Noi San Jose is the Story Road pho landmark with lean northern-style broth, fresh Angus steak, shaken beef and nem nuong rolls at lunch and dinner.
Minato Japanese Restaurant ★ 4.4
Japantown · 617 N 6th St, San Jose, CA 95112
Minato Japanese Restaurant in San Jose is the Japantown institution since 1957, a Parts Unknown stop known for teriyaki spareribs and katsu curry plates.
Com Tam Dat Thanh ★ 4.4
East San Jose · 1055 Tully Rd, Ste A, San Jose, CA 95122
Com Tam Dat Thanh in San Jose is the Tully Road broken rice specialist with fried shrimp cake, grilled sugarcane shrimp and shredded pork on jasmine rice.
Bun Bo Hue An Nam ★ 4.4
East San Jose · 740 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Bun Bo Hue An Nam on Story Road serves Central Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup, a San Jose East Side weekend morning institution loved by the community.
Banh Mi Oven ★ 4.3
East San Jose · 1143 Story Rd, Ste 196, San Jose, CA 95122
Banh Mi Oven in San Jose is the Story Road shop that bakes its baguettes fresh and loads them with pork belly, bulgogi or honey-lemongrass chicken fillings.
Con Sabor a Mexico ★ 4.3
Downtown · 500 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
Con Sabor a Mexico in San Jose is the downtown truck credited with bringing quesabirria to the city, serving arm-length birria tacos dripping with consomme.
Tacos Los Tres Reyes ★ 4.3
East San Jose · 2520 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Tacos Los Tres Reyes in San Jose is the Story Road truck stand serving carne asada, al pastor and birria with a self-serve salsa bar open into the night.
Tacos y Birria El Chore ★ 4.3
Willow Glen · 1426 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95118
Tacos y Birria El Chore in San Jose is the Hillsdale truck fusing slow-simmered birria with ramen noodles alongside traditional consomme-dipped tacos.
Pho Mai ★ 4.3
Berryessa · 3074 Landess Ave, San Jose, CA 95132
Pho Mai on Landess Ave is San Jose's premier late-night noodle refuge, serving rich Vietnamese pho and Filipino dishes like longsilog until 04:00 on weekends.
Roy's Station Coffee and Teas ★ 4.3
Japantown · 197 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112
Roy's Station in San Jose's Japantown occupies a 1930s gas station shell, serving Verve Coffee and organic teas in a beloved community gathering space.
Tip: Pork buns from Tengu Sushi arrive fresh each morning and often sell out by 11:00 on weekends.
Pho Kim Long ★ 4.3
Berryessa · 2082 N Capitol Ave, San Jose, CA 95132
Pho Kim Long is a cash-only San Jose institution on N. Capitol Ave where long-simmered broths have earned a devoted following since the early 2000s.
Tip: Arrive at 09:00 when the bones have been simmering all night and the broth is at its richest.
Duc Huong Sandwiches McKee ★ 4.3
East San Jose · 2345 McKee Rd, San Jose, CA 95116
Duc Huong's McKee Road outpost delivers the same legendary house-made cold cuts and crispy baguette banh mi as the Story Road original, with shorter waits.
Tip: Spring rolls and pate chauds from the pastry case are self-serve - grab one while you wait for your sandwich order.
Tacos Los Tres Reyes ★ 4.3
East San Jose · 2520 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Tacos Los Tres Reyes in San Jose is the Story Road truck where $3 to $5 al pastor and birria tacos come with a self-serve bar of housemade salsas.
Pink Elephant Bakery ★ 4.2
East San Jose · 415 S King Rd, San Jose, CA 95116
Family-owned East San Jose institution baking authentic pan dulce since 1978, with bolillos, flaky empanadas, flan, and towering tres leches cakes.
La Victoria Taqueria (San Carlos St) ★ 4.2
Downtown · 140 E. San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
La Victoria Taqueria in San Jose is the East San Carlos Street 24-hour SJSU staple famous for the tangy orange hot sauce that regulars pour on everything.
Tacos Chencho ★ 4.2
East San Jose · 3102 Story Rd, Ste B, San Jose, CA 95111
Tacos Chencho in San Jose is the cash-only evening taco stand on Story Road offering $2 al pastor tacos with housemade salsas and freshly squeezed horchata.
Tacos Santiaguito ★ 4.2
West San Jose · 350 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129
Tacos Santiaguito in San Jose is the Saratoga Avenue evening truck drawing West Side regulars for al pastor shaved from the trompo with pineapple.
Delicias Juquilita Mexican Food ★ 4.2
Alum Rock · 4809 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95127
Delicias Juquilita in San Jose is the Alum Rock Avenue food truck serving well-seasoned carne asada tortas and tacos with housemade salsa to the East Side.
Tacos Montero ★ 4.2
East San Jose · 1096 McLaughlin Ave, San Jose, CA 95122
Tacos Montero on McLaughlin Ave is an East San Jose taco truck serving handmade tortilla tacos until midnight weekdays and 01:00 on Friday and Saturday.
El Senor de los Tacos ★ 4.2
East San Jose · 2770 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95127
El Senor de los Tacos is an East San Jose food truck on Story Road serving birria tacos, birria pizza and birria ramen that draws late-night crowds.
La Victoria Taqueria San Carlos ★ 4.2
Downtown · 140 E San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95112
La Victoria Taqueria in San Jose is the 24-hour San Carlos SJSU staple where burritos under $12 arrive drenched in cult orange hot sauce at 3am or 7am.
Pho 90 Degree ★ 4.2
Little Saigon · 999 Story Rd, Ste 9090, San Jose, CA 95122
Pho 90 Degree in San Jose is the Story Road pho house open until midnight daily with spacious booths and spicy bun bo hue alongside classic beef noodles.
Com Tam Thien Huong ★ 4.2
East San Jose · 909 Story Rd, Unit 100, San Jose, CA 95122
Com Tam Thien Huong in San Jose is the Story Road broken rice mainstay with grilled pork chop, steamed egg cake and pickled vegetables on jasmine broken rice.
Pho Dang ★ 4.2
East San Jose · 779 Story Rd, Ste 10, San Jose, CA 95122
Pho Dang in San Jose is the Story Road noodle house open six days a week with beef pho slow-cooked using specialty cuts and a Facebook-famous house broth.
Pho Kim Long ★ 4.2
Berryessa · 2082 N Capitol Ave, San Jose, CA 95132
Pho Kim Long on N. Capitol Ave is a cash-only San Jose institution where long-simmered broths have earned a devoted following since the early 2000s.
Pho Ha Noi ★ 4.1
Little Saigon · 969 Story Rd, Unit 6048, San Jose, CA 95122
Pho Ha Noi on Story Road is a San Jose Little Saigon institution, simmering 500 pounds of shank bones daily for its silky Northern-style pho.
Kumako Ramen Japantown ★ 4.1
Japantown · 211 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112
Kumako Ramen has anchored San Jose's Japantown since 2006 with house-crafted broths, springy ramen noodles, and handmade gyoza on Jackson Street.
Chez Sovan ★ 4.1
North San Jose · 923 Oakland Rd, San Jose, CA 95112
Chez Sovan is a beloved San Jose weekday lunch institution offering rare authentic Cambodian fish curries, kebabs, and Khmer dishes at low prices.
Pho Ha Noi ★ 4.1
Little Saigon · 969 Story Rd, Unit 6048, San Jose, CA 95122
Pho Ha Noi is San Jose's most celebrated pho destination on Story Road, simmering 500 pounds of shank bones for 24 hours to produce a clear Northern broth.