Nine New Cheap Eats Spots to Try in San Diego Right Now (2024)

One of the newer local taco options, this Barrio Logan eatery is the brick-and-mortar extension of a popular taco catering company. The fresh and tasty street tacos are normally only $2.50 each, but on Taco Tuesday, score three tacos for just $5; don't miss the housemade salsas.

• Open in Google Maps

Sab E Lee is still bringing the heat with this spinoff eatery, which slotted into the Thai restaurant's original space in April. The menu has a few holdovers, including house curries, but the stars here are soul-satisfying noodles soups and tongue-searing versions of papaya salad.

• Open in Google Maps

With locations in Chula Vista and near Mesa College, this eatery recently opened a third outpost in the Sports Arena area that serves the same hearty Hawaiian menu. Plate lunches start at $7 and include steamed rice and macaroni salad; don't miss the panko-crusted chicken thighs, Kahlua pig or fried Korean chicken. [Photo via Yelp]

• Open in Google Maps

Fast-casual cuisine gets a fresh and healthy Japanese twist at this Bankers Hill eatery from the owners of Azuki Sushi. For under $10, add a protein (from chicken skewers to ginger pork) to a bento box, rice bowl, salad or cold ramen bowl combo that also includes miso soup.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Replacing a cheesesteak shop in Pacific Beach strip mall, this family-run grill is making its menu from scratch daily, from marinated pork and chicken gyro sliced from a vertical spit sandwiches and platters to Greek sausages, ground beef and lamb kebabs and more.

• Open in Google Maps

Downtown's food options get more global with this new no-frills Nepali and Indian sit-down spot from the owners of Grossmont Center's India Express. A $6.95 lunch special includes rice and two choices of curry; they also offer 10% off the entire menu between 3 and 5 p.m. daily. Check out their version of momo, which are delectable Himalayan dumplings.

• Open in Google Maps

It's not special occasion sushi, but the nigiri, roll and handroll plates at this fun, interactive conveyor belt sushi spot are fresh thanks to high turnover and only $2.25 each.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Holding its on on 30th Street, where it replace Veg-N-Out, Amorcito offers a help-yourself chips and salsa bar and a menu over over-stuffed tacos and burritos. Venture off the beaten path and try the meaty cochinita pibil and lengua Verecruzana or the veg-friendly nopales and rajas con crema.

• Open in Google Maps

Royale with Cheese, the mobile food cart-turned-food stand that's currently fueling Park & Rec's new University Heights playground, is doing tasty turns on grilled cheese with baskets of tater tots, plus breakfast sandwiches during weekend boozy brunch. Nothing on the menu is over $10.

• Open in Google Maps

One of the newer local taco options, this Barrio Logan eatery is the brick-and-mortar extension of a popular taco catering company. The fresh and tasty street tacos are normally only $2.50 each, but on Taco Tuesday, score three tacos for just $5; don't miss the housemade salsas.

• Open in Google Maps

Sab E Lee is still bringing the heat with this spinoff eatery, which slotted into the Thai restaurant's original space in April. The menu has a few holdovers, including house curries, but the stars here are soul-satisfying noodles soups and tongue-searing versions of papaya salad.

• Open in Google Maps

With locations in Chula Vista and near Mesa College, this eatery recently opened a third outpost in the Sports Arena area that serves the same hearty Hawaiian menu. Plate lunches start at $7 and include steamed rice and macaroni salad; don't miss the panko-crusted chicken thighs, Kahlua pig or fried Korean chicken. [Photo via Yelp]

• Open in Google Maps

Fast-casual cuisine gets a fresh and healthy Japanese twist at this Bankers Hill eatery from the owners of Azuki Sushi. For under $10, add a protein (from chicken skewers to ginger pork) to a bento box, rice bowl, salad or cold ramen bowl combo that also includes miso soup.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Replacing a cheesesteak shop in Pacific Beach strip mall, this family-run grill is making its menu from scratch daily, from marinated pork and chicken gyro sliced from a vertical spit sandwiches and platters to Greek sausages, ground beef and lamb kebabs and more.

• Open in Google Maps

Downtown's food options get more global with this new no-frills Nepali and Indian sit-down spot from the owners of Grossmont Center's India Express. A $6.95 lunch special includes rice and two choices of curry; they also offer 10% off the entire menu between 3 and 5 p.m. daily. Check out their version of momo, which are delectable Himalayan dumplings.

• Open in Google Maps

It's not special occasion sushi, but the nigiri, roll and handroll plates at this fun, interactive conveyor belt sushi spot are fresh thanks to high turnover and only $2.25 each.

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Holding its on on 30th Street, where it replace Veg-N-Out, Amorcito offers a help-yourself chips and salsa bar and a menu over over-stuffed tacos and burritos. Venture off the beaten path and try the meaty cochinita pibil and lengua Verecruzana or the veg-friendly nopales and rajas con crema.

• Open in Google Maps

Royale with Cheese, the mobile food cart-turned-food stand that's currently fueling Park & Rec's new University Heights playground, is doing tasty turns on grilled cheese with baskets of tater tots, plus breakfast sandwiches during weekend boozy brunch. Nothing on the menu is over $10.

• Open in Google Maps

• The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Diego
• 21 Gaslamp Restaurants and Bars That Are Actually Worth Trying
• 12 Enticing Rooftops for Eating and Drinking in San Diego