The Brief

Santa Ana is one of those places where I've always felt at home. Traditional Mexican clothing stores with ranchero wear, elaborate Quinceañera dress displays, legacy streetwear brands, modern Filipino bakeries and cafes that also serve natural wine — the city feels like a place where different cultures of Orange County converge, all eager to share their distinct takes on clothes, music, art, and of course, food.

Over the years, I’ve kept tabs on its dynamic dining scene, from regional Mexican cuisine to Korean-run smashburger establishments and workhorse breakfast burritos.

Here's a range of dishes for you to try — as always, I've aimed to showcase those in the increasingly rare $10 to $15 range.

This is Cheap Fast Eats Santa Ana.

Nate’s Korner

Two-egg breakfast burrito made with shredded hash browns and two over easy eggs from Nate’s Korner in Santa Ana.

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You can find Nate’s Korner in the outer lands of Santa Ana, where the city limits converge in a love triangle with Irvine and Costa Mesa.

Upon first look, its broken signage, which shares a lot with a 7-Eleven, might not scream viral breakfast burritos. Still, that's precisely what it's become known for over the last year, particularly in local food influencer circles.

I ride hard for this burrito simply because it bucks the conventions of most other breakfast burritos I’ve had. Instead of the usual scrambled eggs and diced potatoes, its base model version ($10.49) contains two eggs slightly over easy nestled in a thicket of shredded hash browns with a small helping of house red salsa, all wrapped in a large thin tortilla. You can also add extra proteins, including ham, bacon and sausage (two for $13.99 or all three for $15).

Nate’s Korner might not scream viral breakfast burritos but that's exactly what it's become known for recently.

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It also deserves a place in the breakfast burrito pantheon because of its size. It’s enormous. I usually eat half or share it with my wife, who learned about Nate’s from some of her coworkers. Do yourself a favor and order it cut in half to share with someone, or take the rest home and save for the morning after.

Tortas Ahogadas Los Primos

On a stretch of road surrounded by sheet metal and auto glass factories, you can find Tortas Ahogadas Los Primos, a food truck specializing in tortas.

The traditional torta is a Mexican sandwich made with a bolillo and filled with meats, cheese, vegetables and the occasional generous spread of beans. At Los Primos, they also offer Torta Ahogadas, a staple of Guadalajara cuisine.

Instead of a bolillo, a Torta Ahogadas is prepared with a Mexican sourdough bread called birote salado. Another difference is revealed in its name, which translates as “drowned torta." It’s customary to douse the whole thing in a light-yet-spicy red salsa, filling all the nooks and crannies of the bread, making it exceptionally wet, and extra flavorful, with every bite. 

Los Primos offers five combinations of ahogadas, each stuffed with various cuts of pork or beef and multiple condiments, which is somewhat rare in the U.S. I chose the IIegal ($15), which means “illegal.” It is made with roasted pork butt, cream, sliced tomato, white onion, Panella (a rustic Mexican cheese similar to other grilling cheeses like paneer and halloumi), and yellow mustard, like you would find at the ballpark.

Los Primos truck in Santa Ana, located on 5th Street in an industrial area.

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The Torta Ahogada Ilegal bursts with textures and flavors. Just don't forget to grab extra napkins.

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It was the mustard that caught my attention, representing a natural mixing of cultures, and creating something unique. Sure, you could call it fusion, but this feels much more organic.

The sandwich arrived covered with bright red salsa and topped with raw white onion and a pinch of oregano. Biting into it, the combination of spicy, creamy, and sharp flavors burst forth in perfect unison. It's big, so bring a friend with you to take part in this delicious roadside torta experience.

Las Brisas De Apatzingan Restaurant

Morisqueta sola and an order of picaditas from Las Brisas De Apatzingan Restaurant in Santa Ana.

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Located in a residential neighborhood that feels reserved for locals, Las Brisas De Apatzingan Restaurant is a small Mexican eatery specializing in dishes from Michoacán and Guerrero. The name refers to the city of Apatzinga, located in Michoacán a few hours away from the Guerrero state border.

I started with the comida Michoacána. A colleague recommended trying their morisqueta ($11.25), a rice and bean dish that modern dining standards might consider a rice bowl. Interestingly, it's the only one of its kind in Mexican cooking. (Sorry, your order at Chipotle doesn’t count.)

The dish features a bed of short-grain rice with a large helping of well-crafted frijoles de la olla (slow-cooked beans from the stove), topped with a light red salsa, a side of fresh crumbled cotija cheese, and thinly sliced green cabbage. While simple in its approach, it punches above its weight.

Las Brisas De Apatzingan Restaurant in Santa Ana.

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Las Brisas De Apatzingan Restaurant in Santa Ana.

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I also ordered the picaditas ($4.25) from the Comida Guerrerense section. A picadita is a round, thick fried corn cake similar to a sope, with various toppings, including meats, beans, cheese, veggies and salsa. It's sope’s more rustic cousin, slightly bigger in circumference.

The picaditas come two to an order, with the choice of red or green salsa (or do as I did and get both), and taste deliciously homemade. My favorite aspect of the dish is its finger-imprinted edges, revealing its connection to the human hands that made it. The salsa's velvety textures provide a flavorful radiance with each bite, especially with the soft crispness from the fried masa textures. I can’t wait to get back there and explore more of the menu soon.

Loosies Pizza

If you ever ask where to find the best pizza in Santa Ana, the locals are likely to point you toward Loosies.

In this particular context, "loosie" refers to a single slice of pizza ($4), and this small pizzeria is the perfect place to pop in and grab one. It captures the look and feel of the neighborhood, with flyers of local punk shows and custom skateboard decks serving as wall art.

While you can get a whole pie there, it's the single slice that Cheap Fast Eats fans will be interested in. The offerings includes classic cheese, pepperoni, and a White Ferrari (a white pie made with mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil, named with a nod to the Frank Ocean song). You can also find all-meat (pepperoni and sausage), veggie (artichoke, mushroom, bell pepper), and Hawaiian (pineapple and Canadian bacon).

Hawaiian, White Ferrari and pepperoni slices at Loosies Pizza in Santa Ana.

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Loosies Pizza in Santa Ana bring vintage retro neighborhood charm.

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The crispy crust leans more toward NYC-style pizza, but for my money, I’d say it’s OC-style pizza, given how beloved it is by the community, which makes it great.

I’ve always enjoyed the White Ferrari for its creamy, savory flavors. However, this time, I found myself particularly enjoying the Hawaiian slice.

(Before you roast me in the comments about how pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza, let’s get one thing straight: there are many more pressing issues that we as a society need to address.)

Loosie’s take on Hawaiian pizza feels like a point of pride: a simple ring of fresh pineapple paired with a whole slice of Canadian bacon, baked into an exquisite thin layer of melted cheese and a sweet-tasting sauce. Stop by for a slice next time you find yourself in the area, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Lunch Bang

Lunch Bang is a family-owned establishment specializing in smashburgers and Korean food. This unlikely food pairing originates from the mind of Doug Chung, who took over his parents' business during the pandemic, transforming it from a sushi and teriyaki spot into what it is today.

Despite the reimagining, Lunch Bang remains a charmingly bare-bones operation in a pale yellow brick building next to a marijuana dispensary.

Inside, you’ll be greeted with a couple of tables containing chessboard patterns and a flat-screen TV usually playing chess matches — noticing a theme here? At a counter toward the back you’ll find Chung, his parents, and a couple of employees cranking out smashburgers along with a few simple Korean lunch dishes.

The Backyard and California smashburgers at Lunch Bang in Santa Ana.

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Gab Chabrán considers the smashburger at Lunch Bang in Santa Ana.

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I decided to focus on the smashburger side of the menu, as there were three different ones to try, and I wanted to give them all a fair shake. Their classic smashburger ($6), made with cheese, grilled onions, pickles and secret sauce, is the perfect introduction to LB’s burger prowess.

While smashburgers are known for their lacy edges, Lunch Bang takes it the extra mile, almost creating an entire meat skirt around the burger. It makes it a bit of a challenge to eat without getting a little messy, but it also feels appropriate.

The OK ($7), is their take on the Oklahoma Smash burger, a super-thin patty smashed within an inch of its life underneath a bed of shaved white onions, a slice of American cheese, and a tangy, creamy secret sauce on a soft squishy bun that’s purchased from a local bakery.

Not to be outdone is the California Burger ($7), an ode to an In-N-Out Burger, made with cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, diced onion and the secret sauce. It delivers a fresh taste that cuts through the fat of the smashburger patty, making for a delightfully refreshing bite.