With inflation going through the roof and the cost of everything going up, it’s hard to eat at a restaurant without spending an arm and a leg to do so.
It seems like the minimum cost of eating out anywhere is at least $15 and not including the tip. Luckily for Orange County there are many restaurants that serve up reasonably priced and delicious food
From quesadillas to burgers and noodles, Here are 17 of the most budget friendly restaurants in Orange County.
Check out our other Orange County Guides:
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The 8 Best Breweries In Orange County In 2022
The 6 Best Breakfast Burritos In Orange County For 2022
The 8 Best Pizzas In Orange County In 2022
The 8 Best Burgers In Orange County
The 10 Best Bars In Orange County For 2022
13 Best Restaurants In Aliso Viejo in 2022
13 Best Restaurants In Fountain Valley In 2022
The 7 Best Swap Meets in Orange County
Taqueria Los Gueros
Taqueria Los Gueros is a small taco shop in Anaheim that has the entire neighborhood lining outside their door.
Carne asada, al pastor, chorizo, cabeza, it’s all here! Whether you want it in a taco or a burrito, they don’t skimp on the meat. They load those things up and makes sure you get your moneys worth.
Tacos are $1.50 and you only need a few of them to feel uncomfortably full.
This taqueria makes cheap and delicious work!
Bring some cash, they don’t accept credit cards.
628 W La Palma Ave Anaheim, CA 92801
Burger Stop
Burger Stop is a solid, no-frills neighborhood burger joint that seriously delivers on flavor and value.
They have 15 varieties of burgers that are all delicious and none of them cost more than $7.30.
Get the avocado-bacon cheeseburger with waffle or zucchini fries and you have yourself a damn fine meal.
2302 S Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92707
Bahn Mi Che Cali
Bahn Mi Che Cali is an institution of the Vietnamese community and is the epitome of taste and value.
Where else can you get a foot long delicacy for under 6 bucks? Not only that, they have an incredible deal with buy 2 sandwiches and get the 3rd for free. They also have similar boba deals.
You can feed your entire family for under $20 here.
Locations all throughout Orange County
El Toro Bravo
Here’s another hidden gem taco spot that really delivers value and flavor.
The tacos and burritos here are hefty! They are heavy handed when it comes to scooping their flavorful meats.
2 tacos is plenty and is literally a pound of food. Not only are their portions sizes huge, their food in huge in flavor. All their meats, including carnitas, carne asada, lengua, buche, pollo, chicharron are flavorful, juicy and tender.
Tacos cost $3, burritos are $9 and the 2 taco combo plate with rice, beans and a drink is $9.
562 W 19th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Lucky Chinese Food
Lucky Chinese Food is known throughout Orange County for the sheer volume of food that you are given on each order. They absolutely stuff your food container with as much food as possible. One combo order is more than enough to feed two people.
In terms of quality and taste, Lucky is the best in Orange County for this style of Chinese takeout.
Get the house chicken and bring cash. A two-item combo will only set you back about $11, but you can feast like a can for the entire day.
18525 Brookhurst St Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Bunz
If you are looking for a good burger and fries place that isn’t a fast food chain, than Buz is where it’s at. Located next to the Vans Skate Park, Bunz serves up gourmet style burgers at a very reasonable price.
Hamburgers start at $4.99 and goes up to $7. A burger, fries and drink combo will only set you back $9.
They also serve tater tots, onion rings, cheese fries and milkshakes. It’s all win-win here baby!
7491 Center Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(Related: The 19 Best Huntington Beach Restaurants In 2022)
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ
If you want some Hawaiian comfort food, look no further than Aloha. They serves up island favorites, including Bbq chicken, chicken katsu, kalbi short ribs, spam musubi and much more.
Each combo meal comes with a heavy handing helping of meat, rice, mac salad and steamed cabbage. Although the average combo plate comes in around $14, the portions here are huge. You can easily feed two adults with a combo plate.
Locations all throughout Orange County
Victory Diner
Victory Diner is a classic American diner that serves up all your favorites foods from breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Every item on the menu is well under $10 and turning it a combo with fries and a drink will only set you back an additional $3.50.
Victory is open 24 hours, so if you are looking for a bacon and avocado omelette at 10pm or a pastrami sandwich at 5am, Victory has you covered!
388 Main St, Orange, CA 92868
Tikiyaki
It’s been suggest by many residents that Tikiyaki has the best teriyaki bowls in Orange County and one visit here will make you a believer.
Tikiyaki hits all the marks when it comes to taste, portion sizes and value. Any bowl you get here is absurdly delicious, the portions sizes are very generous and the cost is well under $10.
Teriyaki bowls here will only set you back $8 and the combo plate are under $10. Pro-tip: substitute the cabbage for rice.
2271 N Tustin St, Orange, CA 92865
Hole Mole
If you are looking for a great Taco Tuesday deal, Hole Mole is the spot! Most tacos (fish, chicken, asada, carnitas, and al pastor) are $1.29 and the shrimp is $1.99.
You can literally have a filling meal for two here on Tuesdays. Expect a 20-30minwait for your food on Tuesday, so call ahead.
14430 Newport Ave Tustin, CA 92780
In-N-Out
We couldn’t leave this place off the list. The quality and value of In-N-Out is well know, but it bears repeating.
As of May 2022, a Double-Double combo is still well under 10 bucks and will only cost you $8.70.
Compare that to Five Guys, where a combo will easily set you back $20 and is frankly less tasty in my opinion.
Locations all throughout Orange County