Sponsored message

Food

Fast food & snack set isolated on white background: burger, dessert, pizza, coffee, chicken, wok, beef etc. Hand drawn sketch style, chalkboard drawing.

Cheap Fast Eats

We know. While we love living in SoCal, it can take quite a toll out of your pocket book, time and energy. That’s why we created Cheap Fast Eats — to give you a friend-in-the-know shortcut to finding tasty food you can grab quickly for $10-$15.We’ve been scouting out places for a couple of years now, and have gone as far afield as Santa Ana and the Valley, from Culver City to Pico Union. So check out our new fall edition — a curated list of places we think you’ll like for cool temps.

Cheap Fast Eats: 5 new meals to try for around $10 that are worth the trip

A Honduran baleada on a white plate, filled with mashed beans, sprinkled cheese, and topped with bright pickled red onions, all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

Cheap Fast Eats heads to North Hollywood for tasty food around $10

A toasted Guatemalan torta sandwich filled with shredded meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and guacamole, served on parchment paper with a side garnish of parsley and tomato. A small toothpick flag with “Muchá! Comida Chapina” is placed beside it.

Inventive, affordable bites in OC: Cheap Fast Eats visits Santa Ana

Smashburger meal served on a tray lined with classic black-and-white checkered paper, paired with a tall serving of golden fries in a playful Chinese takeout-style box

Cheap Fast Eats visits Pico-Union for globetrotting bites around $10

A plate with roasted chicken, potatoes, a salad, pita bread, and three different sauce containers against a pale blue tiled surface.

Sponsored message

Food Friday

Food

Going to Dodger stadium? The best places to eat, drink and be merry

Consider it fuel for the traffic-clogged drive into the stadium and the hike to your seats.
Food

Head to 'GarViet,' the thriving Vietnamese food scene in the San Gabriel Valley

Fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War, Garvey Avenue is brimming with familiar favorites and rare regional specialties.
Food

Best fries in SoCal? Oh, you have some strong opinions

Where to find the perfect French fries in LA that are not too soggy or too crispy.

More Stories

A James Beard nominee just opened a diner. And it's the coolest place to be

Chef Daniel Castillo has opened a love letter to diners in Santa Ana.
The Tesla diner may be coming, but our homegrown SoCal diners still rule

They're also far less likely to ruffle feathers.
Original Pantry cooks find a new home — and loyal customers — at East LA taco spot

A handful of longtime Pantry cooks have been serving fried potatoes, eggs, pancakes, bacon and sourdough bread at an East L.A. restaurant since the diner closed in March.
The Tournament of Cheeseburgers is back — now cheesier and juicier than before

Nominations are open for your local faves, culminating in a winner to be crowned at Smorgasburg LA on July 20.
This Altadena restaurant's neighborhood is gone after the Eaton Fire. It's reopening anyway

The neighborhood’s beloved Thai restaurant, Miya, is again opening its doors, even though there may be few customers.
Vibe check: A new pope-inspired sandwich has dropped. We try 'The Leo'

The Leo is Portillo's entry in the pop culture space capitalizing on the surprise choice of the first U.S.-born pope. We asked a Chicago expert to take a bite — our editor in chief, Megan Garvey.
Stay local this Mother’s Day: 9 Boyle Heights places to brunch with mama

From old-school favorites to newer hotspots, we’ve got your Día de las Madres brunch plans covered.
USDA, DOGE demand CA and other states hand over personal data about food stamp recipients

The Department of Agriculture is demanding sensitive data from states about more than 40 million food stamp recipients as DOGE is amassing data for immigration enforcement.

Listen 3:45
Sloooow dough and why it’s making delicious bread in LA

Two days for bread dough to rise? More for pizza dough? Devoted bakers and pizza chefs are patiently waiting for the magic to happen.
Yes, eating is my job: LAist food editor gives his top tips for dining out

How to eat out multiple times a week without busting your pants.