Best Cheap Eats Restaurants in Montebello
17 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Tacos Los de la Esquina
Late-night street-style tacos cooked to order in a parking-lot stand.
Notable Picks
8.5
Night-only taco stand parked by the Super A Foods lot, turning out chilango-style suadero, asada, and al pastor tacos well past midnight. Lines of locals and industry workers make it one of the purest late-night taco experiences in 90201.
Must-Try Dishes:
Suadero tacos, Carne asada tacos, Al pastor tacos
What Makes it Special: Late-night street-style tacos cooked to order in a parking-lot stand.
8.5
Rice Street Thai Urban Food is a busy strip-mall spot serving Thai street food staples, curries, and creative specials that draw diners from across Southeast L.A. The kitchen leans bold and slightly modern, but keeps flavors familiar enough for weeknight takeout and delivery. It’s the go-to Thai choice in Bell Gardens for both dine-in and app-driven orders.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pad Thai with shrimp, Green curry with chicken, Luk chup dessert bites
What Makes it Special: High-volume Thai street food hub with bold flavors and delivery reach.
8.4
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Pioneer Chicken in Bell Gardens is a classic LA fried chicken counter where crispy bone-in chicken and old-school sides still anchor the menu. Wings come out shatter-crisp with a thick, nostalgic crust that regulars pair with fries, rolls, and coleslaw for value-heavy combo runs.
Must-Try Dishes:
Original Recipe Fried Chicken, Crispy Chicken Wings, Fried Shrimp Basket
What Makes it Special: Retro LA fried chicken brand still turning out ultra-crispy wings.
#4
Mui Sushi
8.4
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Hidden Gems Heaven
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Mui Sushi is a compact Florence Avenue spot known for creative Latin-influenced rolls and strong execution on baked and tempura options. Online orders and reviews call out consistently fresh fish, careful packing for delivery, and house rolls that lean indulgent rather than minimalist. It functions as the go-to neighborhood roll shop for Bell Gardens locals who want variety without driving to bigger sushi districts.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bell Gardens Roll, Baked Scallop Roll, Nacho Libre Roll
What Makes it Special: Small neighborhood sushi shop specializing in loaded, Latin-leaning rolls.
8.3
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
NMS Waffle & Grill, often listed as Pho Waffle and Grill, is a casual mom-and-pop drive-thru on Garfield where steaming bowls of pho share the menu with waffles, boba, and snacky sides. Online reviews highlight deeply flavored broth, generous noodle portions, and the convenience of grabbing a hot beef pho without leaving the car.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pho Beef Noodle Soup, Hot and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, Chicken Dumplings
What Makes it Special: Drive-thru waffle shop doubling as a reliable pho stop.
8.1
Vibes:
Sweet Treats Escapes
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
El Pollito Bakery is a Salvadoran-leaning neighborhood bakery offering sweet breads, cakes, and simple savory items from early morning onward. Regulars appreciate the friendly counter service, warm breads, and pricing that works for everyday stops.
Must-Try Dishes:
assorted pan dulce, house sweet breads, whole celebration cakes
What Makes it Special: Casual bakery with Latin American–style pastries at very friendly prices.
8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Late Night Legends
Old-school Eastside-style taco shop where hard-shell tacos, soft street tacos, and big burritos come out fast until late evening. It’s a reliable neighborhood stop for affordable combo plates and aguas frescas before or after a night out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne asada tacos, Hard-shell shredded beef tacos, Breakfast burrito
What Makes it Special: Classic counter-service taco joint with big portions and low prices.
Alfredo's Mexican Food is a drive-thru and walk-up staple where oversize burritos and late-night plates have fed Bell Gardens for years. The menu leans heavy on California-style carne asada, breakfast, and combo burritos that arrive sauced, stuffed, and built to travel.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne Asada Burrito, California Burrito, Breakfast Burrito
What Makes it Special: 24-hour-style Mexican window slinging massive burritos and combo plates.
8
Boys Burgers #7 is a fast-moving Bell Gardens burger shack on Garfield Avenue known for hefty 1/2 lb burgers, drive-thru convenience, and a broad menu that stretches from flautas to shrimp baskets. High repeat traffic and solid ratings make it a dependable stop for big, quick burger meals.
Must-Try Dishes:
1/2 lb Double Burger, Cheeseburger Combo, Shrimp Basket with Fries
What Makes it Special: Drive-thru burger spot turning out big patties and Mexican-influenced plates.
Worthy Picks
#10
Primo Burgers
7.9
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Primo Burgers is a neighborhood burger shop tucked into a Garfield Avenue center, known for drive-thru convenience and big, no-frills burgers. It leans more toward quick, satisfying combo meals than destination dining, but locals rely on it for weeknight dinners and late burger cravings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bacon cheeseburger combo, Pastrami burger, Breakfast burrito
What Makes it Special: Drive-thru burger spot focused on hearty combos and classic fast-food comforts.
#11
J B Burgers
7.9
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Comfort Food Classics
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Quick Bites Champions
J B Burgers is a Bell Gardens staple on Gage Avenue serving flat-top burgers, breakfast burritos, and griddle classics from morning through night. It’s a go-to for locals who want straightforward burgers, thick shakes, and value-minded plates without leaving the neighborhood.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger Special, Breakfast Burrito
What Makes it Special: Classic Gage Avenue burger stand with big portions and low prices.
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
Sports Bar Central
Super Pizza Veloz in Bell Gardens focuses on big, shareable pizzas, wings, and family packs built for parties and game nights. It’s a go-to for value-driven orders where generous portions, potato wedges, and soda bundles matter as much as the pies themselves.
Must-Try Dishes:
Two-topping large pepperoni pizza, Family pack with wings and wedges, Potato wedges
What Makes it Special: High-value pizza shop known for big family bundles and wings.
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Sweet Treats Escapes
New Donut and Water is a neighborhood donut and bagel counter on Florence where early-morning regulars grab coffee, sweet pastries, and simple bagel sandwiches. It’s a practical stop for quick breakfast runs, with friendly service, long hours, and prices that stay firmly in the everyday range.
Must-Try Dishes:
Toasted everything bagel with cream cheese, Turkey avocado bagel sandwich, Ham, egg and cheese breakfast bagel
What Makes it Special: Early-opening donut and bagel spot with strong value and coffee.
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Mariscos Sol Y Mar is a high-volume Mexican seafood restaurant known for fish tacos, ceviches, and cocktail-style shrimp plates plus breakfast and combo platters. It’s more about energy and quantity than polish, drawing families and groups for weeknight dinners, game-day bites, and casual happy hours.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fish tacos, Ceviche de camarón, Coctel de camarón
What Makes it Special: Busy neighborhood mariscos spot with affordable fish tacos, ceviches, and shrimp cocktails.
#15
Tom's Burgers #1
7.8
Vibes:
Pet Friendly Paradise
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Tom's Burgers #1 is a long-running Bell Gardens coffee-shop–style spot doing burgers, breakfast plates, and Mexican-American combo plates from early morning through the evening. A few patio tables out front welcome leashed dogs, so you can sit outside with your pup while you work through a burger or breakfast burrito.
Must-Try Dishes:
Family-pack burger or chicken combo, Breakfast burrito with bacon, Wet burrito with red sauce
What Makes it Special: Old-school burger and breakfast house with outdoor tables where dogs are welcome.
#16
El Jalisciense
7.7
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Hidden Gems Heaven
Group Dining Gatherings
El Jalisciense is a modest corner Mexican restaurant frequently shouted out for its hearty burritos and classic plates. Regulars favor the carne asada and super burritos, which lean traditional and filling rather than flashy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne Asada Burrito, Super Burrito, Chile Verde Burrito
What Makes it Special: Straightforward neighborhood Mexican spot with well-stuffed, no-frills burritos.
7.6
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Sweet Treats Escapes
Donuts Town & Water is a corner donut shop on Eastern that mixes classic donuts with made-to-order sandwiches, including hearty bagel builds. Between bagel sandwiches, breakfast plates, and iced coffee, it works as a low-key breakfast or lunch option for nearby residents and workers.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pastrami bagel sandwich, Tuna bagel sandwich, Breakfast bagel with egg and cheese
What Makes it Special: Donut shop that also turns out sizable, customizable bagel sandwiches.