Best Cheap Eats Mexican Restaurants in Loop
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
La Bamba
Classic, filling burritos sized for real hunger with signature hot sauce.
Notable Picks
#1
La Bamba
8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
A weekday Loop outpost of the burrito shop known for oversized, no-nonsense wraps with hot sauce that does the heavy lifting. The best play is to pick one protein, choose your burrito size, and eat it immediately—this is built for speed and fullness more than finesse.
Must-Try Dishes:
Regular Burrito (choice of meat), Super Burrito, Breakfast Burrito
What Makes it Special: Classic, filling burritos sized for real hunger with signature hot sauce.
Worthy Picks
#2
La Cocina
7.9
La Cocina at Wells and Washington is a family-owned Loop staple serving tacos, tortas, breakfast plates, and combo dinners in a small, no-frills room under the El. Commuters and office regulars rely on it for affordable taco dinners, chilaquiles, and tamales that land hot and fast during busy lunch hours.
Must-Try Dishes:
La Cocina Super Taco, Taco Dinner with steak or al pastor, Chilaquiles with red or green salsa
What Makes it Special: Long-running, family-run Mexican counter where inexpensive taco plates and chilaquiles fuel Loop workers.
Vibes:
Food Hall Frenzy
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Business Lunch Power Players
A fast, lunch-optimized taqueria counter inside Hayden Hall that works best as a focused tacos-or-burrito stop rather than a long sit. Go for one strong protein lane and keep the order simple so everything lands hot, fast, and satisfying.
Must-Try Dishes:
Al pastor tacos, Al pastor burrito, Carnitas tacos
What Makes it Special: A quick-hit taqueria counter for tacos and burritos in a Loop food hall.
#4
Spanglish
7.7
A creative-leaning Mexican counter inside Washington Hall that’s strongest when you treat it like a build-and-go taco stop. The wins are handheld items that travel well and keep lunch moving, with enough variety to satisfy a mixed group.
Must-Try Dishes:
Steak burrito bowl, Fish tacos, Quesadilla
What Makes it Special: Food-hall Mexican built for fast ordering and mixed cravings.
7.5
A fast-casual burrito-and-taco stop designed for quick lunches—fresh-build bowls, breakfast burritos, and simple add-ons that keep the ticket low. Treat it like an efficiency play: one main, one salsa lane, and skip extra sides unless you’re sharing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Miguel's breakfast burrito, Cabo shrimp tacos, Shrimp quesadilla
What Makes it Special: A fast, customizable burrito shop that stays lunch-efficient.
#6
Tacos 606
7.5
Vibes:
Hidden Gems Heaven
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
A Daley Plaza taco-truck option that fits the ‘cheap Mexican’ brief when you want a fast, street-style lunch in the middle of the Loop. Best approached as a quick-hit taco stop—order tight, eat immediately, and keep expectations aligned with food-truck pacing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne asada taco, Al pastor taco, Horchata
What Makes it Special: Food-truck tacos downtown when you want fast and inexpensive.