50 places to eat for $5 or less in Southern California

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Chicken gumbo soup with corn bread from Cha Cha ChickenLa ArcaTropicana Bakery & Cuban CaféCubano sandwich from Porto's bakeryLos Cinco PuntosCampos Famous BurritosMy TacoEl Huarachito RestaurantBreakfast burrito from Frank's restaurantPastor taco from Tacos Leo truckTacos ChapilitaTamales from GuisadosEl RancheroShish kebab sandwich from Cafe BravoRotisserie chicken from Kosher Chapa GrillHalluomi pita wrap from Shanto's bakeryBlack Bean Wowshi from Bella PitaNoodle soup from Wat Dong Moon Lek restaurantVegan crispy nuggets from Charm Vegan restaurantExplore Southland ethnic eatsMini ramen bowl from Shin Sen GumiJazz fries from FukuburgerSpicy lobster hand roll from Go Go SushiRoti Bakar from Simpang Asia restaurant and grocery storeOld Country CafeKang Kang Food CourtFamily PastryBanh Mi Che CaliNha Hang $1.99Buu DienKogi Kimchi quesadilla from the Kogi truckPho Quang Trung 2Banh Mi My ThoVan RestaurantIndian food plate lunch or dinner from All Indian Sweets & SnacksWhite spinach slice from Richie Palmer's PizzeriaPoor Boy sandwich from Bay Cities Italian Deli and BakeryFolliero's Italian Food & PizzaSpanakopita from Papa Cristo's Greek restaurant and marketLarge Greek salad from Mediterranean CaféLanza Brothers MarketPortillo'sSchodorf's LuncheonetteAladin Sweets & MarketFried chicken meal at Honey's Kettle chickenNine-inch stretch chili dog from Pink's Hot DogsSliders from Nick & Stef's steakhouseInside-out albacore roll from Chaya downtownSt. FelixCafe La Boheme

Neighborhood: Downey<br>
<br>
Type: Cuban, bakery<br>
<br>
10218 Paramount Blvd., Downey<br>
<br>
(562) 806-8343, <a href="http://tropicanabakeryandcubancafe.com">tropicanabakeryandcubancafe.com</a><br>
<br>
Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday; 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.<br>
<br>
$1.65<br>
<br>
Tropicana Bakery opened in 1999 and is owned and operated by the Madrazo family. Melvyn Madrazo Sr., patriarch of the family, received inspiration for the bakery from his childhood in Cuba, where he watched his father bake Cuban bread and pastries. The bakery sells a number of pastries, sides and soups for $5 or less. For $1.65, you can get an empanada. For $1.19, you can get a Cuban potato ball (mashed potatoes filled with ground beef). $4.99 buys a bowl of albondigas soup (meatballs, rice and vegetables).<br>
<br>
—JL

Tropicana Bakery & Cuban Café

( Cathy Silva )

Neighborhood: Downey

Type: Cuban, bakery

10218 Paramount Blvd., Downey

(562) 806-8343, tropicanabakeryandcubancafe.com

Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday; 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

$1.65

Tropicana Bakery opened in 1999 and is owned and operated by the Madrazo family. Melvyn Madrazo Sr., patriarch of the family, received inspiration for the bakery from his childhood in Cuba, where he watched his father bake Cuban bread and pastries. The bakery sells a number of pastries, sides and soups for $5 or less. For $1.65, you can get an empanada. For $1.19, you can get a Cuban potato ball (mashed potatoes filled with ground beef). $4.99 buys a bowl of albondigas soup (meatballs, rice and vegetables).

—JL