Cheap Eats in Los Angeles: Are $7 Tacos and $16 Meals Worth It?
Finding cheap eats in Los Angeles isn’t as easy as it used to be.
So I set out to test it—eating four meals across LA, spending as little as $7 and as much as $16, and rating each one on taste and value.
From legendary street tacos to a hyped food hall smashburger, here’s what “cheap eats” in LA really look like in 2026.
And yes… street tacos are still king. But hyped food and budget food can go hand in hand . . . if you can spare $16 bucks that is.
The Vitals: the spot: Sonoratown Los Angeles order: Carne Asada Tacos price: $3.50 each verdict: best flour tortillas in LA
Sonoratown has been on my radar for years, literally. Known for their signature flour tortillas from Sonora MX, they have expanded to three locations over the years and convinced Los Angelenos that Harina is just as important as Maiz when it comes to quality tortillas. The hype was high and the price wasn't too far off either. Still, $3.50 is a deal for grilled steak… and the thin and buttery flour tortillas. For someone who makes a mean steak taco, I tip my cap to Sonoratown. I will definitely be back.
The Vitals:
the spot: Maydan Market 4301 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
the eats: Smash burger at Green Mountain Chicken
the bucks: $16
the full nelson: burger sauce of the year if Umami is your thing
Los Angeles keeps evolving. Neighborhoods become gentrified. And East Coasters keep coming.
All of the above happens at Maydan Market: a food hall import from Washington DC that emphasizes flavors of Mexico, Asia and the Middle East. Somehow I ended up with a smashburger. And I had zero regrets.
Did I mention the burger came off the menu of Green Mountain Chicken? Yeah, I should have gotten fried chicken but the burger seemed like low hanging fruit for my YouTube content.
Speaking of - watch the full episode here:
As far as the burger goes . . so worth the $16. It didn't come with fries and I didn't need em. The burger was darn hefty for a smashed burger. My guess is at least 6oz of beef between the two patties.
But that sauce . . . so much umami. Chef said it was Fish Sauce. I thought it was the more potent concentrate known as Maggi. Either way it is giving me ideas for my next burger recipe video.
The Vitals:
the spot: Acai Jungle Cafe 326 N Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502
the eats: Tuna Melt
the bucks: $16.25
the full nelson: stereotypical LA healthy cafe that comes in handy for a price
Acai Jungle Cafe is not a place I plan my trip to LA for. That being said, I'm actually glad I went. Not every meal should be a gut bomb and to be honest my tuna melt was not just good—it was decadent. The tarragon spiked tuna salad and sourdough were nice touches. And it was hearty serving too.
But at $16.25, I still question if it was worth it. Especially with a basic mixed green side salad with what I'm sure was a bottled Balsamic dressing. The food was good, simple but pricey.
Not too surprising though because this is LA after all.
The Vitals:
the spot:Lia's Tacos locations all over LA
the eats: Tacos
the bucks: $2.50
the full nelson: street taco value like no other
Lia's Tacos was not the only street taco I had while I was in LA. But it was by far the best—and easily the most “worth it” meal I had.
The tacos were loaded with meat, and the salsas were on point. And the value was the best I have found since before the pandemic. Let's be clear: Los Angeles is loaded with tacos and I could spend a year hunting for killer taco deals.
For now, I'll take convenience of Lia's which seems to have locations all over the city and take all the buche and suadero they got.
If you’re looking for affordable food in Los Angeles, tacos still lead the way—but not every “cheap” meal is actually worth it.
Watch the full video on my YouTube channel and consider subscribing for more food and value takes!
Culver's is known for Midwest comfort food served in a fast food setting—but it’s still not a household name nationwide.
Founded in 1984, Culver’s has grown to roughly 1,000 locations across 26 states. That’s impressive—but compared to chains like Shake Shack or McDonald's, it still flies under the radar.
Here’s the surprising part:
The burger is almost as good—and cheaper.
So the question becomes:
Is Culver’s the most underrated fast food burger in 2026?
According to George Motz, a traditional Wisconsin butter burger is exactly what it sounds like:
A burger topped with 2–3 tablespoons of butter.
Simple. Decadent. Slightly unhinged.
It’s the kind of Midwest move that makes every other burger feel like diet food.
But that’s not exactly what Culver’s does.
Culver’s takes a more restrained approach.
Instead of loading the patty with butter, they lightly butter the bun.
Is it the same thing? No.
Is it still good?
Absolutely.
Culver’s ButterBurger is, at its core, a very good smashed-style burger.
Honestly, it’s right up there with Shake Shack.
The beef is the star of the show—rich, well-seared, and flavorful.
There are some minor flaws:
And fair warning: they use red onion, which can come off a bit harsh for a burger this size.
But at this point…
we’re nitpicking.
Because overall?
It’s an excellent fast food burger.
Yes.
Culver’s absolutely belongs in the conversation with top-tier fast food burgers like In-N-Out Burger and Shake Shack.
It’s not perfect—but what it gets right matters most:
the beef quality.
At around $8 and ~800 calories, this is exactly what a solid fast food burger costs in 2026.
And compared to the competition?
It holds up—and then some.
The Vitals: the spot: Culver's the bucks: $7.98 w. tax the full nelson: an underrated fast food burger
Culver's is indeed an underrated fast food option and easily belongs in the conversation with elite fast food burger options like In-N-Out and Shake Shack. The burger isn't perfect but what it gets right, the beef quality, matter. The price and calories are about what one would expect, $8 and 800 calories are what a respectable burger will cost the wallet and the body these days. Folks, Culver's is worth it.Culver’s is one of the most underrated fast food burgers in America.
It may not have the hype.
But it has the quality.
And in 2026…
it’s absolutely worth it.
Party ribs are one of the biggest viral BBQ trends right now—and for good reason.
Instead of cooking a full rack, ribs are cut individually before smoking. That means more surface area for seasoning, faster cook times, and an easier path to great results.
Susie Bulloch (aka Hey Grill Hey) highlighted the rise of party ribs back in 2024, and since then they’ve become a go-to method for home cooks looking to simplify BBQ.
I wanted to take that idea and push it further.
So I brought in one of my favorite flavors:
Al Pastor.
Al pastor is a classic Mexican taco filling made from thinly sliced pork marinated in a deep red chile and achiote-based sauce.
It’s traditionally cooked on a vertical spit (trompo), a technique brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants—similar to shawarma.
The result is pork that’s:
It’s one of the best tacos out there—and it works incredibly well with pork ribs.
👉 Translation: you get BBQ tenderness + taco flavor
👉 I marinated mine for 48 hours, and the flavor really developed without breaking down the texture.
👉 This step gives you that al pastor-style char
You’ve got options:
This is where party ribs really shine.
You get:
👉 These are absolutely worth it—especially if you want BBQ with a twist.
Whataburger has built a fiercely loyal following, expanding from Texas to 17 states with over 1,000 locations.
But despite its popularity, the burgers aren’t universally praised.
In fact, at this point, it’s fair to ask:
Is Whataburger overrated?
After multiple visits over the years, my answer is simple:
yes—and in 2026, it might be the most overrated fast food burger.
If there’s one thing Whataburger absolutely gets right, it’s branding.
Not just good—iconic.
The location I reviewed was newer, but if you’ve ever seen a vintage Whataburger, you know the look
Those classic A-frame buildings are part of fast food history. I remember seeing similar spots growing up in Los Angeles—the birthplace of car-centric fast food.
They evoke a kind of Americana burger nostalgia.
Unfortunately…
the burger doesn’t live up to it.
I’ve eaten at Whataburger four times over the past 11 years.
That alone should tell you something.
In 2026, I decided to give it one last shot.
And it failed.
Miserably.
The standard Whataburger comes with mustard.
They forgot it.
I added grilled onions and jalapeños—still not enough to save it.
The beef patty tasted salty and overly processed, lacking any real depth of flavor.
But the real issues?
Price and calories.
The Vitals:
the spot: Whataburger locations in Texas and 16 other states in the South and Midwest
the eats: Double Meat burger, cheese, grilled onions, grilled jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mustard(they forgot)
the bucks: $8.92 w/ tax
the full nelson: NOT WORTH IT
At nearly $9 and 955 calories, this is a burger that simply doesn’t justify itself.
And this isn’t a one-off experience.
On previous visits, I’ve tried the Patty Melt and the chicken strips.
Ironically, the chicken strips were the best thing on the menu.
But…
it’s called Whataburger.
Not WhataChicken Strips.
If you need more convincing, I break it all down in the full video review:
Whataburger is a burger to avoid.
Yes, Texans are loyal—and that loyalty runs deep. But in this case, it feels misplaced.
In my 2026 fast food rankings:
And that’s not good company to be in.
This post is part of the “Is It Worth It?” series, where I break down fast food through the lens of price, value, and reality in 2026.
Check out more:
The best food in Austin Texas this month includes fried chicken food trucks, ½ lb brisket smash burgers, chef-driven sandwich pop-ups, and a legit contender for the best fish and chips I’ve ever had.
Take notes… or just bookmark this page.
The Vitals: the spot: Cockti Fried Chicken 2701 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78702 the eats: Fried Chicken Sandwich, Bone in fried chicken, Chicken Nuggets the bucks: $9.50 the full nelson: Not your Grandma's Fried Chicken
Cockti Fried Chicken is a favorite of chefs — and for good reason.
An all dark-meat menu, genre-bending flavors, and food truck pricing make this one of the best food spots in Austin right now.
This is fried chicken for food people.
Szechuan peppercorn, guajillo chile — bold flavors that hit. And yes, it looks great on camera… but it sounds even better. The oohs and ahhs are real.
Bonus: the sandwich is big enough to share.
The Vitals:
the spot: Woodneck Kitchen Pop Up
the eats: Carnitas Breakfast sandwich
the bucks: $13
the full nelson: Cheffy comfort food from a gang of culinary upstarts
There’s probably a story behind the name “Woodneck Kitchen.” Doesn’t matter.
The real story is the crew behind it — think a pack of Casey Affleck characters from Good Will Hunting… but they can actually cook.
The carnitas breakfast sandwich is the move.
A housemade Kaiser roll holds crispy, juicy carnitas and a fried egg together like it’s meant to be. Add in killer salsas and you’ve got one of the best bites in Austin this month.
Cardiologist recommended? Maybe not.
Worth taking a statin for? Absolutely.
The Vitals:
the spot: Si Baby-Q
the eats: Brisket Smashed Burger
the bucks: $13
the full nelson: One damn heavy and rich burger
Austin has no shortage of BBQ — so standing out matters.
Si Baby-Q does it with creativity (South Asian flatbreads, smoked kimchi)… but also with straight-up value.
This is a double smash burger with two quarter-pound brisket patties seared on a tallow-soaked plancha.
It’s heavy. It’s rich. It drips.
And for $13? That’s real value — which is exactly what earns a spot on the best food in Austin list.
The Vitals:
the spot: Murray's Tavern 2316 Webberville Rd, Austin, TX 78702
the eats: Fish n Chips
the bucks: $24
the full nelson: Best fish n chips in town, maybe the state
Austin isn’t known for fish and chips.
Which makes this even more impressive.
Murray’s Tavern delivers one of the best versions I’ve had — anywhere.
Tartar sauce gets swapped for remoulade (a smart move), the portion is generous (8 oz — easily shareable), and the batter is light, almost tempura-like.
This is a certified banger.
These four spots are heavy hitters for the best food in Austin Texas this month.
I couldn’t make it to a fifth…
But that just means May is already loading.
