Best Cheap Eats Mexican Restaurants in Mid-City
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Comedor Tenchita
A 76-year-old Oaxacan grandmother cooks rotating Zapoteco moles and handmade antojitos on a backyard comal every Sunday in Mid-City
Notable Picks
8
Vibes:
Hidden Gems Heaven
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Doña Hortensia Melchor runs a Sundays-only backyard comedor in Mid-City, rotating handcrafted Zapoteco moles and Tlacolula antojitos that shift weekly—rare regional preparations like higaditos that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere in LA. The format is a residential backyard with colorful tablecloths, a live comal, and festive energy, so come for the depth of the Oaxacan home-cooking tradition rather than any polished dining experience.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tlayuda, Molotes, Black Mole with Chicken and Rice
What Makes it Special: A 76-year-old Oaxacan grandmother cooks rotating Zapoteco moles and handmade antojitos on a backyard comal every Sunday in Mid-City
A pandemic-born street stand under the 10 freeway overpass running Oaxacan-Tijuana fusion — mesquite-fired tlayudas, vertical trompo al pastor, and a signature sobaquera-sized corn tortilla wrap stuffed with beans, cheese, cabbage, meat, and guacamole that outweighs most burritos. Mother-son operation that earned a spot on L.A. TACO's 69 Best Tacos list by pressing fresh masa on-site and grilling everything over charcoal. Evening-only, cash-and-Venmo, no frills — you're here for the smoke and the tortillas.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne asada taco, Al pastor taco, Mulita
What Makes it Special: Classic LA taco stand with real neighborhood loyalty.
Worthy Picks
7.7
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Family Friendly Favorites
A Washington Blvd taqueria that runs a tight street-food menu—carne asada tacos, tortas, and weekend menudo—at prices that keep Mid-City regulars circling back. The format is order-and-wait counter service with portions built for volume, not presentation. It works best as an everyday neighborhood stop where you already know your order.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tacos, Carne Asada, Torta
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood standby for Mexican street food with a loyal following on Washington Blvd
7.7
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Hidden Gems Heaven
A dedicated Oaxacan kitchen that has held its corner of Venice Blvd for two decades, specializing in regional preparations — multiple mole varieties, proper tlayudas, chapulines — that most LA Mexican restaurants don't attempt. Portions run large and most entrees stay under $17, making it a practical family spot where the bill stays low and the leftovers come home. Recent reviews suggest some unevenness in execution, so catching the kitchen on a good day matters.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mole, Tlayuda, Chilaquiles
What Makes it Special: Dedicated Oaxacan kitchen turning out regional specialties like mole, tlayudas, and chapulines that most Mexican restaurants don't attempt
#5
Pobres Tacos
7.6
A family-run street-style taco stand known for juicy birria and seafood tacos, operating on a limited evening schedule. It’s a low-key stop with serious flavor payoff, especially when you want something local and unpolished rather than a full sit-down meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Birria tacos, Shrimp tacos, Quesabirria with consommé
What Makes it Special: Old-school taco-stand birria with a cult-local following.