CA · Cheap eats
The 10 best cheap eats in San Francisco.
Cheap, and over the odds on quality. Harry's list is ranked by Worth It score: how much quality you get for what you spend, not just how little you spend.
SF is expensive, but the cheap-eat exceptions are real. The Mission taqueria is the best value meal in the city. The Tenderloin has $8 banh mi that would cost $18 in the Mission. The Outer Sunset has hand-pulled noodles at prices that ignore the zip code. The Ferry Building market has overpriced versions of all of these; skip it.
How Harry ranks cheap eats
Value is not just price.| Cheapest tier | The cheapest price tier, or the second tier when a real source confirms it and Harry rates the place Great Value or Cheap but Cheerful. |
|---|---|
| Worth It score | The ranking. It measures quality against price, so a high number means the place punches above its price class. Not just cheap; cheap for what you get. |
| Harry Score 70+ | Cheap eats still have to be good eats. Nothing under seventy, and nothing Harry rates a tourist tax, a false economy or paying for the scene. |
Harry's ten — San Francisco
Ranked by Worth It score.- 01Akari Japanese Bistro
japanese — 1155 Folsom St, San Francisco
4.9 across 115 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; more than you'd expect at this price.
Great ValueWorth It
83
Harry
92
- 02Mayaflor
mexican — 1494 California St, San Francisco
4.8 across 139 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; punches well above its price point.
Great ValueWorth It
83
Harry
92
- 03Early Bird Tacos - Catering
mexican · brunch — 2501 Phelps St, San Francisco
4.9 across 163 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; unusually good for what you'll pay.
Great ValueWorth It
82
Harry
90
- 04Tio Chilo's Grill
mexican — 2872 24th St, San Francisco
4.8 across 236 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; unusually good for what you'll pay.
Great ValueWorth It
81
Harry
89
- 05Casita Vegana SF
vegan · vegetarian — Pier 27, The Embarcadero
5.0 across 20 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; punches well above its price point.
Caveat: Looks promising, but the sample size is tiny. Harry is watching.
Great ValueWorth It
81
Harry
87
- 06YOSSIE'S CANTINA
mexican — 398 7th St, San Francisco
4.7 across 121 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; unusually good for what you'll pay.
Great ValueWorth It
81
Harry
87
- 07Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie
asian-fusion · fusion — 572 O'Farrell St, San Francisco
4.7 across 577 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; more than you'd expect at this price.
Worth It
80
Harry
86
- 08Golden Boy Pizza
pizza — 542 Green St, San Francisco
4.7 across 4.9k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; praised by Eater 38 (Eater 38 — San Francisco (2026)).
Worth It
80
Harry
86
- 09Dandelion Chocolate
chocolate-shop · cafe — 740 Valencia St, San Francisco
4.7 across 2.7k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; ranked #66 of 5,903 locally on Tripadvisor.
Worth It
80
Harry
85
- 10La Taqueria
mexican · burrito — 2889 Mission St, San Francisco
4.5 across 7.4k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and Eater 38.
Worth It
80
Harry
85
How this list is built Places across San Francisco with a Harry Score of 70 or more in the cheapest price tier, or a confirmed second tier that Harry rates Great Value or Cheap but Cheerful. Nothing Harry rates a tourist tax, a false economy or paying for the scene. Chains with several branches get one entry. Ranked by Worth It score. No restaurant pays to appear. Scores last recomputed .