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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.

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Food Friday

Food

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.
Food

The Tesla diner may be coming, but our homegrown SoCal diners still rule

They're also far less likely to ruffle feathers.
Food

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.

More Stories

Cheap Fast Eats, DTLA Edition: Iconic Pupusas, Mesquite Smoked Tacos And Vegan Skinny Burritos

Another round of stellar eats for every tastebud that go easy on your budget.
Don't Celebrate Thanksgiving? Yeah, My Family Doesn't Either

Gab Chabrán reflects on growing up in L.A. in a Latino home that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving and the traditions they formed instead.
Soup Dumplings, Kimchi Burritos And More Fast, Cheap Eats In Glendale

Oklahoma-style smash burgers and Georgian dumplings make for some excellent cheap bites in Glendale
At Masarap Cafe, West African and Filipino Cuisines Find Their Pairing

Husband and wife Felix Agyei and Hazel Rojas combine food from their heritages, creating a marriage of West African and Filipino cooking
LAist's Guide To Snacking In the City: My Favorite Little Tokyo Treats

Our snacking tour of L.A. returns with a new batch of snacks, this time from Little Tokyo.
Cheap Fast Eats: Long Beach Edition Tucks Into Breakfast Burgers, Maharaja Burritos And Of Course, Fish Tacos

Continuing LAist’s guide to chowing down cheaply, but happily. This time we're right next to the Pacific (to be specific).
Food Experts Have Some Surprising Suggestions For Dishes To Break The Yom Kippur Fast

From bagels to honey cake, these are a few suggestions from cooks and food enthusiasts for breaking the fast after the most solemn Jewish holiday. Also, read tips for preparing for the fast.
LA Food Vendors Who Lacked Permits Will Find Relief With California's New Law

The state's SB972 was signed by Gov. Newsom into law, providing relief for many who haven't been able to get the proper permits to sell certain foods on the street.
On Rosh Hashanah, An Appreciation Of Challah, The Bread That ‘Wove A Community’ For One LA Baker

"The process of making the bread feels like a holy act to me."
Introducing Cheap Fast Eats: LAist's Guide To Chowing Down For $10 Or Less. This Time We're In Pasadena

In our new monthly series, we visit neighborhoods across the city to find quick and tasty dishes that are easy on the wallet.