Best Cheap Eats Burritos Restaurants in Downtown LA
11 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Avenue 26 Tacos
High-volume street tacos with standout handmade tortillas.
Notable Picks
8.6
A late-night Little Tokyo parking-lot taquería that wins on sheer repetition: buttery handmade tortillas, properly charred meats, and a salsa bar that keeps regulars rotating through. The line moves fast and the flavors stay direct and satisfying, especially for classic street tacos and mulitas.
Must-Try Dishes:
Al pastor tacos, Asada mulitas, Cabeza tacos
What Makes it Special: High-volume street tacos with standout handmade tortillas.
8.3
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Hidden Gems Heaven
Four generations of the Flores family have run this Olvera Street counter since 1944, turning out handmade taquitos, tortas, and champurrado from recipes that predate most of the city's Mexican restaurant scene. It operates as a no-frills walk-up window where the food moves fast and the prices stay low—exactly the kind of place that rewards showing up hungry with cash in hand. The draw is generational consistency at a price point that makes it easy to order one of everything.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Taquitos with Green Salsa, Torta de Chorizo, Chicken Enchilada & Taquitos Combo
What Makes it Special: Four generations of the Flores family have served handmade Mexican classics from this Olvera Street counter since 1944, using recipes passed down from founder Juana Guerrero.
#3
Roast To Go
8.3
A Grand Central Market veteran dating back to the early 1950s, Roast To Go focuses on roasted meats folded into tacos, plates, and big burritos. Regulars swear by the carnitas, al pastor, and cheek meats, making it a reliable counter when you want an old-school burrito more than the latest trend.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carnitas Burrito, Al Pastor Burrito, Chicken Burrito
What Makes it Special: Legacy Grand Central stall serving roasted-meat burritos since the mid-century era.
8.2
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Tucked inside a Fashion District food court, Cilantro Lime turns breakfast and lunch into a chilaquiles-and-burrito playground with big flavors and playful sauces. Loved for creative plates and carne asada fries, it delivers substantial portions at accessible prices for workers and shoppers nearby.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chilaquiles divorciados plate, Wet DTLA burrito, Carne asada fries
What Makes it Special: Food-court counter turning classic Mexican plates into bold, creative comfort.
A compact GCM taquería that hits hardest on slow-cooked meats and no-nonsense assembly. The tacos are clean, fatty in the right way, and built for quick repeat bites as you roam the market.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carnitas tacos, Al pastor tacos, Lengua taco
What Makes it Special: Straight-ahead tacos with well-rendered, juicy meats.
8
A cash-only taco truck that has held its spot on Mateo St since 2008, grilling fish, al pastor, and asada to order at prices that keep the whole meal under $20. The Arts District regulars treat it like a fixed address rather than a pop-up, and the 18-year run speaks to a kitchen that doesn't drift. Show up knowing what you want, bring cash, and eat standing up—that's the format, and it delivers.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fish Tacos, Al Pastor Tacos, Carne Asada Tacos
What Makes it Special: Cash-only Arts District taco truck parked on Mateo since 2008, grilling fish, al pastor, and asada to order at under $20 a plate.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Comfort Food Classics
A 90-year-old taquito stand on Olvera Street where hand-rolled corn tortillas and a four-generation avocado-tomatillo sauce recipe draw both tourists and locals to the same walk-up window. The format is pure street food efficiency—order at the counter, grab a spot on the plaza, and work through crispy beef taquitos doused in that signature green sauce. Functions as an LA food landmark where the history is part of what you're paying for.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Taquitos with Avocado Sauce, Combo #2 (Taquitos & Tamale), Beef Tamale
What Makes it Special: LA's oldest taquito stand since 1934, still hand-rolling corn tortillas and making the signature avocado-tomatillo sauce from a four-generation family recipe
7.8
Tucked off Boyd Street, LA Halal Taco fuses halal meats with classic taco-truck style burritos, making it a useful option for diners who keep halal but still want California burrito flavors. Burritos are packed with rice, beans, and marinated meat, landing somewhere between neighborhood takeout joint and specialty fusion spot.
Must-Try Dishes:
6 Burritos w/ Fries Combo, California Burrito, Halal Carne Asada Burrito
What Makes it Special: Halal-certified Mexican-style burritos that cater to both flavor and dietary needs.
7.8
A pre-dawn taco truck parked on a gritty stretch of the garment district, cooking full plates to order starting at 5 AM for the early-shift crowd. The draw is the range—street tacos share the board with camarones costa azul and a full huevos lineup—at prices that make it a daily stop rather than an occasional one. Expect truck-window service, industrial scenery, and food that overdelivers for what you pay.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tacos, Camarones Costa Azul, Huevos Rancheros
What Makes it Special: Early-morning taco truck in the DTLA garment district cooking everything to order from 5 AM, with a full Mexican breakfast lineup alongside street tacos and seafood plates.
7.8
A Tijuana-style street taco operation on Hooper Ave grilling carne asada over mesquite charcoal, with hand-pressed corn tortillas shaped at a dedicated station rather than pulled from a stack. The format is smoke-and-sidewalk—no frills, no seating ambitions—built for late-night runs where you eat standing up and order by pointing. Eight Google reviews skew overwhelmingly positive, though the sample is too small to call it proven.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne Asada Tacos, Chorizo Tacos, Mulitas
What Makes it Special: Tijuana-style street taco operation grilling carne asada over mesquite charcoal with hand-pressed corn tortillas made to order at dedicated stations
#11
Las Anitas
7.7
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Hidden Gems Heaven
Happy Hour Hotspots
Counter-service Mexican built around familiar staples—carne asada fries, taquitos, menudo—served from a stall on Olvera Street, the pedestrian plaza that has anchored LA's Mexican marketplace culture since 1930. The draw is the setting and the price point more than any single dish, making it a natural stop for families working their way through downtown's historic core. Expect cafeteria-speed service, outdoor seating on the plaza, and a check that stays well under $15 a head.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne Asada Fries, Taquitos, Enchiladas
What Makes it Special: Counter-service Mexican staples served on historic Olvera Street, LA's oldest marketplace dating to 1930