Best Cheap Mexican Restaurants in East Village (10003)
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Los Tacos No. 1 (Union Square)
High-volume taqueria delivering street-style tacos with rare consistency.
Essential Picks
A Mexico City–style taqueria that runs on speed and precision, turning out deeply seasoned adobada, carne asada, and pollo tacos on supple tortillas. The line moves fast, and the salsa bar lets you dial in heat and acidity to your taste. It’s the area’s most reliable stop for classic street tacos with big, repeatable flavor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Adobada taco with pineapple, Carne asada taco, Chicken taco with salsa verde
What makes it special: High-volume taqueria delivering street-style tacos with rare consistency.
Notable Picks
8.4
A high-traffic East Village taqueria that still turns out consistently solid burritos with properly seasoned meats and punchy salsas. The vibe is busy and casual, but the kitchen keeps pace, especially with carnitas and al pastor. Great for a fast, dependable burrito a block from Tompkins Square.
Must-Try Dishes:
Al Pastor Burrito, Carnitas Burrito, Lengua Burrito
What makes it special: Crowd-proven burritos with a deep roster of meats.
8.4
A long-running St. Mark’s institution, La Palapa delivers Mexico City–leaning home cooking alongside a deep margarita and mezcal bench. The menu reads classic but lands with confidence: hearty stews, expertly grilled proteins, and salsas that taste made, not scooped. It’s the kind of reliable, full-service dinner you bring out-of-towners to without overthinking it.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mole poblano chicken, Cochinita pibil tacos, House margarita flight
What makes it special: A veteran East Village kitchen for Mexico City–style classics.
#4
Yellow Rose
8.0
A compact Tex-Mex spot with house-made flour tortillas and a San Antonio mindset, now a certified East Village staple. The tacos hit hardest—migas for brunch, carne guisada for dinner—while the vibe stays casual but cared-for. Not the cheapest on the block, but still a strong value for the craftsmanship.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne guisada taco, Bean & cheese taco with homemade flour tortilla, Chips with vegan queso
What makes it special: Texas-style tacos built on excellent house flour tortillas.
Worthy Picks
7.8
San Diego–style burritos in a tiny St. Mark’s counter spot that’s built for takeout speed. Breakfast burritos with fries are the move, and the salsas keep things lively. It’s not fancy, but it nails the ‘quick, filling, cheaper-than-most’ brief.
Must-Try Dishes:
California burrito, Breakfast burrito with fries, Birria taco special
What makes it special: San Diego burritos with fries, East Village pace.
A newer birria-forward shop that keeps the menu tight and the flavors bold. The tacos are rich and juicy with a crisped edge, and the consommé is there when you want to lean fully into the dip. A good ‘specialty stop’ that’s quickly becoming part of the St. Mark’s rotation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef birria tacos with cheese, Birria fries, Consomé for dipping
What makes it special: Focused birria specialist with strong late-night pull.