One of the long-standing heroes of the old-school taco trucks (a.k.a. loncheros), Mariscos Jalisco has earned a deservedly loyal and devoted following. Their signature tacos dorado de camarón, or shrimp tacos ($2.50), are far from a secret, but they live up to the hype with flavorful and fresh shrimp folded into a corn tortilla that is then fried to a golden brown and topped with thick slices of avocado and a vibrant and complex salsa roja. Other dishes, such as the towering, seafood-packed Poseidon tostada ($9.50), are also worth an order, but who can resist filling up on those crispy shrimp beauties? Note: These trucks are cash-only.
Rent, inflation and interest rates may be sky high, but Los Angeles remains a city where you can find great food without breaking the bank, and we’re not just talking about a Double-Double at In-N-Out. While every dollar counts for cash-strapped customers and small businesses alike, we’ve seen consumer inflation drive prices at many of our favorite cheap eat spots over this guide’s longtime $10 target, particularly after factoring in sales tax and tip—so we’ve decided to update our maximum price to reflect that.
$15 might unfortunately be the new $10, but L.A’s best budget-friendly dishes are still as delicious as ever. From bowls of piping hot ramen to our favorite street foods, including the best al pastor taco citywide (ordered three to six at a time), here are our top 15 L.A. dishes under $15.
A quick note: You may find that some of these dishes are anywhere from a few cents to a couple of dollars more expensive on popular delivery apps than the prices we’ve listed below. To help keep all of these dishes affordable (and to better support restaurants), we’ve included as many links as possible that allow you to order directly from each spot.