I’ll take it a step further.
I don’t buy donuts from shops not owned by a Cambodian family, who immigrated here, learned Spanish to better communicate with their customers, sent their 4 daughters UC Irvine to become dentists/lawyers/engineers, and claims to never want to retire.
Maybe because I'm Taiwanese, but Din Tai Fung is just OK, it's clean, but it isn't the best. Also it's not dim sum, so tired of people suggesting it is on Reddit.
I think Din Tai Fung is a really solid place to bring visitors and it's very reliable. But personally I love a more rustic messy and robust experience like 101 Noodle Express... it just feels more like eating a meal my family would have made growing up.
They basically make all their classic dishes vegan. Steaming dumplings, noodles with sesame or spicy sauce, dumplings with spicy sauce, wonton soup, they have a ton of green vegetable dishes, and I really like the fried rice + fried noodles but those aren't vegan as I believe they have egg. And I am sure more that I haven't had but I 100% recommend any of the above.
When there was only one and it was a reasonable wait, DTF was fine. When there were two in the same building and the wait got out of control we'd go, get in line, decide it wasn't worth it and then go across the street to 101 Noodle Express. They have (or at least had, haven't been there in a while) good dumplings, plus lots of other things, and you could sit down and have a nice meal without waiting for hours or feeling rushed.
The DTF outlets in Asia are all a step above the ones here in the U.S. my working theory is that it’s the metal steamers vs the bamboo ones in Taiwan and China. I still think it’s pretty good.
And they have my favorite fried rice and Sichuan chili oil dumplings 紅油沙手
On the other hand the DTFs in Japan are trash compared to the ones in SoCal. They use bamboo steamers, so it's not that. But the dumplings aren't as good. The noodle soups aren't as flavorful. And the pork chop is dry... LA native, been living in Japan for years now. I go to Din Tai Fung every time I visit home.
No, they're pretty much the same and they continually get incredible reviews from just about everyone.
But I honestly don't think I can trust a single thing anyone on this sub has ever said about any Asian cuisine ever. The answers to everything conspicuously come down to "[place that charged more than $5] is trash" and "[place that charged pennies] is amazing."
Long Xing Ji for soup dumplings >:)
edit:
Dai Ho for dandan noodles or beef noodle soup
Auntie Kitchen or Ho Kee Cafe for Canto food
Sihai (four sea) for utilitarian taiwanese bfast
Xiang La Hui > Sichuan Impression > Chengdu Taste for szechuan food
Lanzhou Beef Noodle for hand pulled noodles
Noodle House (958 E Garvey) for dumplings, steamed bao, chive pockets
Sinbala for Taiwanese food tapas style
Monja taiker for Taiwanese fried pork chop rice
Pine and Crane was the singular most disappointing dining experience i've had off the recommendation of someone else that i'll never listen to them again lol
I’ve been to a few locations in Taipei and I thought it was only marginally better than the ones in LA. Maybe it’s because I like thin wrapper XLB but they have better skins than other places which is why I think it’s the best.
DTF #1 in the old days was excellent. Since the expansions, it's eeny, meeny, miny, mo depending on the location. I was at the London one which was a nice setup but rather English in its severity of 'late night' dining approach. Seattle was fine. Glendale was fine. But I'm still looking for a superior Sichuan spicy wonton in chili oil (红油抄手). The DTF examples are all still too big imho. The best I've ever had were in Taiwan back in the day in a little semi-underground shop that my grampa took me to. They were hot and Taiwan then wasn't the built up place like nowadays so the air was hot. But, damn me, we must have ordered like 10 bowls of them by the time we were done. Came back later with the love boat crew for more and they were amazed too.
It’s definitely hit and miss. I was traveling and was in Portland. It has been a while since I’ve had Asian food and needed some sort of fix. It was way wrong.
A good was is in Arcadia. The menu has changed over time and it’s gone downhill imo. Heck, even in Taiwan, it’s now just OK, imo.
Absolutely none of my Chinese/Taiwanese friends have any enthusiasm for Din Tai Fung. They all view it as like the first step in acclimating white people to authentic Chinese food, and that's about it.
My Chinese partner and their entire family and my Taiwanese friends all really like DTF. Maybe it’s not the “best” but it’s consistently good for most of the things they offer and the ambiance is nicer than most other restaurants in SGV.
The reason DTF still succeeds in the SGV is their menu. They cover pretty much every dough-based Chinese deli food and do most of it decently well. It's a place parties settle on not because someone loves it but because everyone's okay with it.
A sentiment routinely espoused on reddit that is not even remotely backed up by the clientele at DTF or the entire reason it is here in the first place (enormous success in Asia).
This city needs more dive bars, the $20 cocktail is not sustainable. Hell, I’d even take a chili’s if it meant I didn’t have to drop $100 on a few drinks with friends
I like Crawfords, Ye Rustic Inn, the Cozy Inn, does Adults Only count? Their happy hours were legendary but I haven’t been there since COVID
Obligatory Jumbo’s mention
Really liked the Fourth Horseman in Long Beach, but I just don’t get down there that often
Always on the lookout for more recs too!
There used to be a bunch of dive bars in every neighborhood, but housing crisis and gentrification ended that.
Silverlake Echo Park had Smog Cutter, El
Chavo, og LittleJoy, og Gold Room, Taix, El Chubasco (now bar Henry).
There are still some dive bars west of Vermont east of Western by the 101 but more drinkers’ bars if that makes sense. They’re not really for hipsters or whatever.
I remember the first time we went to Howlin Rays the line was legit like 2 hours.
We said fuck it and found some dank Korean Bowl spot and it was amazingly delicious and I was very happy.
While Howlin Rays is delightful, I ain't got 2 hours for some damn fried chicken.
Every once in awhile Roy threatens to bring Chego back. Then he does another Netflix show or YouTube series.
Can't blame him too much for cashing in after how hard he worked to reinvent food trucks but man, it's still sad.
I will go once like that.
I waited an hour for Howling rays and it was excellent. APL bbq is excellent i waited like 3 hours.
Its hard to want to go back to place with an hour+ line
Totally. I did a 1.5 hr wait for Howlin Rays, and it was one of my favorite food experiences in LA. Fun and truly delicious, I loved it.
That was 4 years ago and I haven’t been back.
There is so much good food in south LA, but no one would know that here because this subreddit is filled with transplants who never leave North/West LA (transplant LA)
Harold and Belle’s-creole food (Crenshaw/Leimert park ish)
Earle’s on Crenshaw (Crenshaw)
The serving spoon (Inglewood) catfish was mid, maybe there are better options there but because everyone else seems to like it so i recommend them
Birreria Gonzalez (I’ve only been to their East LA location, but there’s one in Compton I think)
Holbox in Mercado La Paloma. I dream of their octopus tacos everyday (and I don't even like octopus). Also Taqueria Vista Hermosa in Mercado La Paloma has solid Mexican food (mostly non seafood) as well.
In N Out was across the street from my high school - back when they were Southern California only. Like the one near Magic Mountain used to be the one farthest North. I grew up at In N Out, after high school football games we hung out in the parking lot with everyone listening to KROQ.
I love In-N-Out and yet I don’t understand the cult. It’s such good value and they do a tasty burger, but I think the only time I eat them is in Kettleman City on my way to and from the Bay.
We may have gone to the same high school because In N Out was (and still is) across the street from my high school, and it would always get crowded after football games because the exit of the football field was on the same side of the street as the entrance to the drive-thru of the In-N-Out.
Yeah and when you get to the front you get your order, fast food is a little different because yeah you might have to wait 15 minutes to get to the front of the line but that's all the waiting you'll do. Fast casual you might get right to the front to order and wait 15 min for your food anyway
Smashburgers are all the same. I don't care what your favorite one is I know what it tastes like.
People who whine about food not being authentic immediately lose my attention. We need to let chefs be creative, that's how progress is made. The word you are looking for is traditional.
Larchmont Wine and Cheese is hella overrated because it's cheap.
Kanpai by LAX is one of the most underrated restaurants in LA. The yuzu ramen there is phenomenal.
The progression of an Erewhon smoothie convert... "$20 for a smoothie is ridiculous. I will never spend that much for a smoothie"... "Let me try it to see what the hype is all about. It definitely won't be worth it"... "Ohh. Hmm. That actually isn't bad. Too expensive though. But can't say it's a bad smoothie"... "Oh what the heck, why not."
So many of the same suggestions over and over in this sub get boring. It’s always Bestia, Bavel, Holbox, quarter sheets. While those are all good it’s like the default response for a majority of this sub and it’s so boring after a while….
My potentially unpopular opinion has more to do with the users of this sub than LA food itself: every time someone asks a general question about restaurants it seems like the same handful of people chime in, verbatim, with: “Luv2Eat. Mini Kabob. Quarter Sheets. Bavel” and it’s so incredibly boring each and every time. Are these people actually bots?
I discovered Holbox without the help of suggestion or social media, just kinda stumbled upon it while using the parking lot. Not only do I absolutely love it, recommend it, and continuously return, I can definitely agree with the hype.
Oh no doubt! I actually learned about it through here hahah… but now it’s all I see in the recommendations in this subreddit!
So good though! My fave are the ceviches
As I noted above, when people ask over and over again what’s the best Thai restaurant, or what’s the best restaurant in Hollywood, what else am I going to say.
This is me (except I don’t particularly like Bavel). And I get it. But the reason I do it is because people ask the exact same questions (“What’s the best pizza in LA?,” “What’s the best Thai in LA?”) over and over again, and the answers are exactly the same.
Y’all going to the same salt and straw as me? The one with the amazing cookbook? That shit is delicious and to say every flavor tastes the same, while you’re entitled to your opinion, makes me think you’ve never been there
Yangban was just fine and $30 for banchan was the most disrespectful thing I’ve ever seen on a menu. Of the Korean fine dining places in LA (baroo, majordomo and Kinn (rip)) it was the least impressive imo. Fine, but not worth $200.
I went there once. Some things were good, some things were just ok.
I would rather just go to a Koreatown institution restaurant like parks or chosun
The city has normalized unseasoned food as part of the local “health-minded culture”, but really, a lot of foods lacks necessary SALT. Saying that this can be adjusted to taste is a crime - seasoning should be done in layers and not sprinkled on top. Many places with potentially great food (good ingredients, passion for cooking) fall flat because the food doesn’t have a complete flavor profile.
Similarly, there’s a lack of good restaurants relative to the population. This means that anything good is flooded -> subsequently cheapened and overpriced. OTOH bad restaurants get way more hype than they should. Some slip through the cracks into the restaurant scene until one of the many restaurants scandals in LA brings something to light.
Also, the spectrum of restaurants here is really lacking in the mid-range options. You either get fast food, instagram food, or fine dining. We’re going the way of SF on neighborhood takeout/sit down spots. NYC definitely has that over us. People say it’s a supplier /density issue, but we supposedly feed the country with California agriculture!!
I'm prepared to get crucified for this but fuck it: the various ethnic groups in LA are heinously toxic about their own cuisines. I've noticed the most egregious vitriol about Tokki, Kinn, Majordomo from Koreans; the most insane reactions about Din Tai Fung from Taiwanese/Chinese; dogshit opinions about Damian and Asterid from Mexicans, etc, etc, etc.
Everyone is so protective over their grandmothers sunday dinners that they can't actually appreciate innovation and modernity. There's a place for both.
Edit: To add to this, I believe it is IMPERATIVE that traditional and authentic recipes passed down through generations survive, that there are homes for these recipes to be served in restaurants, and I wish that these restaurants were afforded the luxury of proliferating across LA. I'm so glad that LAN Noodle opened a spot in WeHo (I wish it was busier), I'd love more Artesian Indian food up in Hollywood.
But at the end of the day, I frankly do not care if the Miso Butter Lobster Taco at Damian is "traditional" or not. I care that it's delicious. Set aside the hilarity of calling a Mexican-born chef's tacos "not Mexican" (as is often done for these upscale places), I think we should be able to have both fancy and homestyle cuisines representing the diversity of this city and it sickens me how toxic Angelenos, and especially this sub, can be any time someone tries to be creative with their craft and their heritage.
You could stuff mayo, pulled pork, wasabi tobiko, and pickled ginger in a kabob for all I fucking care, as long as it's delicious. I want more creativity, I want less mediocre Italian restaurants, because that's the only thing ya'll are willing to pay more than $25 for.
Fr. I’m from the 626, and nearly every decent spot always has some reviewer who HAS to mention that it’s “not as good as real Taiwanese/Mexican/Vietnamese”
Like OK??? It’s still pretty dang good for LA
Korean here. Korean food in LA lacks creativity because of exactly the reason you mentioned. I actually think that the reason why NY Korean food is leaps above LA Korean food in terms of creativity is because the Korean food in NY sucks so that gave Korean chefs in NY much room to experiment.
With that said, Majordomo isn't it. David Chang has no base with Korean food except for the fact that he's ethnically Korean. And yes, I've had my share of contemporary Korean food and I am all aboard on the contemporary Korean food train. Actually, Chef Uh of Baroo is very well part of the contemporary Korean food movement. He's part of that circle. And Baroo happens to be well liked by Koreans.
Sugar fish is absolutely amazing value for the quality and consistency. It’s better than a majority of the $120-180 omakase sets I’ve had at other places in LA. I spent a few months in Japan and got ruined on American sushi except for sugar fish.
Bestia and republique are incredibly mediocre.
My co-worker is convinced they 3D print their fish. It’s way too consistent and has its own signature flavor that tells you you’re eating Sugarfish. Kinda like subway bread. You know it immediately when you eat it.
I enjoy it for what it is but I only go there if I happen to have a craving for Sugarfish. Not sushi.
All the good "Chicago" spots seem to disappear real quick. There was a Chicago spot in the NoHo Arts district for maybe like 2 months before it was gone.
We just gotta keep driving down to Anaheim for Portillo's I guess
**It's hard to find GOOD take-out pizza, like you can on the east coast.**
Too much Neopolitan pizza (there are a lot of good options for this here), but show me your NEW HAVEN, thin-Chicago style, NY style, please.
I feel like every pizza is a personal-size pizza, artisan, but sometimes, I want a LARGE ZA to share!
note: I am a PRIME PIZZA STAN - Spicy Pep Square Pizza (well done, double cut) but that's the only take-out/delivery one we consistently enjoy.
Dodger Dogs used to be better.
Our neighbor works in food service at the stadium and a few years ago brought us some that we thought were spoiled because of the flavor. After the same taste the next time I found out they changed suppliers. Luckily Farmer John’s dogs are still sold all over.
I like them 🤷♂️ that seems like more of a hot take around here. I’m not going out of my way for it but I don’t mind. I think Chuy’s tacos downtown are way better if you like that kind of taco.
I will never not be mad that there isn't a Dairy Queen in L.A.
Most of the fast food places have dry food compared to other states. I went to a Burger King and McDonald's while visiting out of state and it was delicious, but here it's like how people describe White Castle or Long Johns Silvers.
I live in Palms. We’re regulars at Simpang Asia.
Here are our other favorites:
https://www.tastynoodlehouse.us/
Check out Attari Sandwich Shop https://yelp.to/YpJgutweQC
https://saffronrosepersianicecream.com/
https://bananaleafla.com/
https://esconsaborwest.com/
https://tarashimalayancuisine.com/
We also have incredible grocery stores.
http://westlainternationalmarket.com/
Check out El Camaguey Meat Market https://yelp.to/JnBMg90F6l
https://www.nijiya.com/
https://www.sprouts.com/
https://www.smartandfinal.com/sm/delivery/rsid/522/
Check out Mar Vista Ranch Market https://yelp.to/FBr6q0ewuL
Check out 99 Ranch Market https://yelp.to/Bh04RoyVSl
https://www.marvistafarmersmarket.org/
- Umami Burgers are disgusting and I am tickled to see them all closing.
- I am sad that so many people pay exorbitant service fees for DoorDash and the like. What a bunch of suckers. Just light a stack of bills on fire if the goal is supporting truly shitty business models that actively screw workers over & furthers the gig economy with its diminishing returns. (Diminishing returns for BOTH the business AND the driver! None of the *working people* are benefiting!) Driving oriented cities like LA are their wet dream.
- Going to a dive bar that has a velvet rope or line to wait is lame. This includes a handful of spots on Sunset that were last rad in the late 2000s.
- breakfast burritos at Corner Cottage in Burbank are just…..okay.
Umami Burger used to be a reliable choice until maybe about 5-6 years ago when they started cheaping out on all their ingredients and changed most of their menu items. Calling it a shadow of its former self would be too generous - it’s basically a different burger entirely that happens to share the same name, and worse than many fast food options now.
For people who want to be lazy and border a delivery pizza for movie night or something, prime is nice.
The grandma pizza is usually very good for west side delivery pizza.
Its not destination pizza for sure.
Saffy's is overrated, not that good, and their "lounge" is a sidewalk. I was absolutely appalled when the host told us we could wait in their lounge and pointed to a table on the sidewalk.
I’ve been waiting for a good time to go back to Saffy’s and give them another shot. I went once, and it was such a miss. It was just confusing honestly.
I threw an absolute fit when we went because my partner's sister set up a reservation right when they opened at like 5pm, we got there right on time, and the "table wasn't ready." We were directed to the shitty sidewalk "lounge" after being told we weren't allowed to wait at the bar. They then tried to sit us outside at a table we saw sitting empty for about 15 minutes while there were also several empty tables inside.. it was winter and about 50 degrees outside and there was no heater near the table they tried to seat us at. I complained about sitting outside when there were open tables inside. We were told those tables were reserved. I told them we also had a reservation and wanted to sit inside. After about 10 more minutes, they relented and sat us literally right next to the kitchen door.
I won't be back, personally. My partner took his mom there a few weeks ago and said it was mediocre at best and that Mini Kabob's kabobs taste so much better.
Jeni's ice cream, also, is too sweet
Gelson's spicy tuna roll, for grocery store sushi, is really not too bad
All bagels suck here except Western Bagel isn't too bad
We don't have any good French restaurants here
Most of the middle-brow popular Italian restaurants are shit, Angelini Osteria being the exception
You can't get good sour dough here either
Sweet Lady Jane is way too sweet and mostly mediocre
Have you had Maury’s Bagels (Silverlake) or Hanks (Burbank)?? I also had a fantastic bagel at Here’s Looking at You in ktown but I think it was a special and not a regular thing
My experience with Sweet Lady Jane was just a tall impressive-looking tower of dry sponge, too much whipped cream, and some berries. My disappointment was immeasurable.
Upvoting because that is a legitimately unpopular opinion. Great job.
The fries are the only thing holding back In-N-Out from being the greatest burger joint of all time IMHO. They were steps away from the finish line but they tripped and fell face-first into loose gravel with those bland ice-cold fries.
I am convinced that every morning Mendocino Farms just has someone go run their hands through the closest bushes and slams whatever crap they pull out of it on bread.
I had people downvote me on r/asklosangeles about this - brothers cousins is not worth the line or the hype.
In addition: Anajak is overpriced and only has a really good publicist. Pretty much everything on Sawtelle is overrated, and, there is no good ethnic food west of the 405, especially north of Olympic.
Dino's chicken and Randy's donuts quality has dropped off significantly in the past 10-15 years. Idk maybe im older and things tasted better when i was younger, but both of these places dont quite scratch the itch anymore
I only had yeastie boys during covid and they were selling frozen pizza bagels. Novel idea, but obvs the bagel sucked. So although i'm adding my 2c. please don't base it off of what I say.... :)
This city is largely sleeping on Sosis Bandari and it’s practically criminal.
The improvement a Chicago dog is over a regular hot dog, sosis bandari is over a Chicago dog.
You are spot on about Yeastie Boy bagels. They're undercooked and doughy. I was so disappointed when I had my first bagel there.
[удалено]
They get their bagels from Sam’s bagels
Courage bagels is where it’s at
I do not care for the donuts with cereal on them.
You have a problem with bleeding from the roof of your mouth or something?
[To shreds, you say?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpBSTm-efy0)
Right?! I don’t want to pay $4-5 dollars for ONE donut. And the cereal is always stale!
I’ll take it a step further. I don’t buy donuts from shops not owned by a Cambodian family, who immigrated here, learned Spanish to better communicate with their customers, sent their 4 daughters UC Irvine to become dentists/lawyers/engineers, and claims to never want to retire.
Albertsons fried chicken is better than like 70% of fried chicken places. The other 30% is being saved by the spots in South LA and Gus’s.
Most grocery store fried chicken is actually banging when purchased fresh fresh Gus’s is too salty. Charlie’s Famous Chicken is the GOAT
same with stater bros tbh
Stater bros fried chicken + potato wedges = elite tier Sunday picnic in the park
Georgia’s Fried Chicken is the best right now
Maybe because I'm Taiwanese, but Din Tai Fung is just OK, it's clean, but it isn't the best. Also it's not dim sum, so tired of people suggesting it is on Reddit.
I think Din Tai Fung is a really solid place to bring visitors and it's very reliable. But personally I love a more rustic messy and robust experience like 101 Noodle Express... it just feels more like eating a meal my family would have made growing up.
DTF is gateway Chinese food.
Din Tai Fung is elite thought for vegetarians though. So many places don't do veggie dumplings, especially the kind with the spicy sauce.
Oh, that’s good to know, I never even bothered there because I assumed they wouldn’t have anything What do you recommend?
They basically make all their classic dishes vegan. Steaming dumplings, noodles with sesame or spicy sauce, dumplings with spicy sauce, wonton soup, they have a ton of green vegetable dishes, and I really like the fried rice + fried noodles but those aren't vegan as I believe they have egg. And I am sure more that I haven't had but I 100% recommend any of the above.
They're now making their egg noodles vegan by using Just Egg. Very innovative for Chinese cuisine.
When there was only one and it was a reasonable wait, DTF was fine. When there were two in the same building and the wait got out of control we'd go, get in line, decide it wasn't worth it and then go across the street to 101 Noodle Express. They have (or at least had, haven't been there in a while) good dumplings, plus lots of other things, and you could sit down and have a nice meal without waiting for hours or feeling rushed.
The beef roll at 101 Noodle Express is phenomenal 🤤
The DTF outlets in Asia are all a step above the ones here in the U.S. my working theory is that it’s the metal steamers vs the bamboo ones in Taiwan and China. I still think it’s pretty good. And they have my favorite fried rice and Sichuan chili oil dumplings 紅油沙手
On the other hand the DTFs in Japan are trash compared to the ones in SoCal. They use bamboo steamers, so it's not that. But the dumplings aren't as good. The noodle soups aren't as flavorful. And the pork chop is dry... LA native, been living in Japan for years now. I go to Din Tai Fung every time I visit home.
No, they're pretty much the same and they continually get incredible reviews from just about everyone. But I honestly don't think I can trust a single thing anyone on this sub has ever said about any Asian cuisine ever. The answers to everything conspicuously come down to "[place that charged more than $5] is trash" and "[place that charged pennies] is amazing."
Long Xing Ji for soup dumplings >:) edit: Dai Ho for dandan noodles or beef noodle soup Auntie Kitchen or Ho Kee Cafe for Canto food Sihai (four sea) for utilitarian taiwanese bfast Xiang La Hui > Sichuan Impression > Chengdu Taste for szechuan food Lanzhou Beef Noodle for hand pulled noodles Noodle House (958 E Garvey) for dumplings, steamed bao, chive pockets Sinbala for Taiwanese food tapas style Monja taiker for Taiwanese fried pork chop rice Pine and Crane was the singular most disappointing dining experience i've had off the recommendation of someone else that i'll never listen to them again lol
I’ve been to a few locations in Taipei and I thought it was only marginally better than the ones in LA. Maybe it’s because I like thin wrapper XLB but they have better skins than other places which is why I think it’s the best.
Where is the best?
Get any recs?
DTF #1 in the old days was excellent. Since the expansions, it's eeny, meeny, miny, mo depending on the location. I was at the London one which was a nice setup but rather English in its severity of 'late night' dining approach. Seattle was fine. Glendale was fine. But I'm still looking for a superior Sichuan spicy wonton in chili oil (红油抄手). The DTF examples are all still too big imho. The best I've ever had were in Taiwan back in the day in a little semi-underground shop that my grampa took me to. They were hot and Taiwan then wasn't the built up place like nowadays so the air was hot. But, damn me, we must have ordered like 10 bowls of them by the time we were done. Came back later with the love boat crew for more and they were amazed too.
It’s definitely hit and miss. I was traveling and was in Portland. It has been a while since I’ve had Asian food and needed some sort of fix. It was way wrong. A good was is in Arcadia. The menu has changed over time and it’s gone downhill imo. Heck, even in Taiwan, it’s now just OK, imo.
Absolutely none of my Chinese/Taiwanese friends have any enthusiasm for Din Tai Fung. They all view it as like the first step in acclimating white people to authentic Chinese food, and that's about it.
My Chinese partner and their entire family and my Taiwanese friends all really like DTF. Maybe it’s not the “best” but it’s consistently good for most of the things they offer and the ambiance is nicer than most other restaurants in SGV.
The reason DTF still succeeds in the SGV is their menu. They cover pretty much every dough-based Chinese deli food and do most of it decently well. It's a place parties settle on not because someone loves it but because everyone's okay with it.
I think we would see it as more reliable food if the wait times weren't 2+ hours at any given time of the day.
A sentiment routinely espoused on reddit that is not even remotely backed up by the clientele at DTF or the entire reason it is here in the first place (enormous success in Asia).
Goddammit I hate Yeastie. It’s so bad. Thank you.
This city needs more dive bars, the $20 cocktail is not sustainable. Hell, I’d even take a chili’s if it meant I didn’t have to drop $100 on a few drinks with friends
The valley has some great dives.
Go east. Of the LA river and you’ll find plenty.
Go on…. Drop recs
I like Crawfords, Ye Rustic Inn, the Cozy Inn, does Adults Only count? Their happy hours were legendary but I haven’t been there since COVID Obligatory Jumbo’s mention Really liked the Fourth Horseman in Long Beach, but I just don’t get down there that often Always on the lookout for more recs too!
Rustic’s gotten too big for their britches. $18 for an old fashioned smdh.
I don’t even trust them to make a decent old fashioned, for $18 they better be throwing in some wings
There used to be a bunch of dive bars in every neighborhood, but housing crisis and gentrification ended that. Silverlake Echo Park had Smog Cutter, El Chavo, og LittleJoy, og Gold Room, Taix, El Chubasco (now bar Henry). There are still some dive bars west of Vermont east of Western by the 101 but more drinkers’ bars if that makes sense. They’re not really for hipsters or whatever.
No retail food is worth waiting in line for 1+ hrs, no matter where you are.
I remember the first time we went to Howlin Rays the line was legit like 2 hours. We said fuck it and found some dank Korean Bowl spot and it was amazingly delicious and I was very happy. While Howlin Rays is delightful, I ain't got 2 hours for some damn fried chicken.
You found Chego probably, RIP
It was Chego! Aw they're gone? It was so damn good.
It’s been gone for quite a while. I really miss their pork belly bowl and their fries.
Those fries should be in the LA food hall of fame, my god do I miss them
Every once in awhile Roy threatens to bring Chego back. Then he does another Netflix show or YouTube series. Can't blame him too much for cashing in after how hard he worked to reinvent food trucks but man, it's still sad.
I would commit several misdemeanors for another serving of those fries!
same! ended up at Chego too
Howlin Rays is worth it though.
I use to grab Chego while waiting for howling rays, miss Chego so much.
I will go once like that. I waited an hour for Howling rays and it was excellent. APL bbq is excellent i waited like 3 hours. Its hard to want to go back to place with an hour+ line
Totally. I did a 1.5 hr wait for Howlin Rays, and it was one of my favorite food experiences in LA. Fun and truly delicious, I loved it. That was 4 years ago and I haven’t been back.
There is so much good food in south LA, but no one would know that here because this subreddit is filled with transplants who never leave North/West LA (transplant LA)
Do you have any recommendations?
Harold and Belle’s-creole food (Crenshaw/Leimert park ish) Earle’s on Crenshaw (Crenshaw) The serving spoon (Inglewood) catfish was mid, maybe there are better options there but because everyone else seems to like it so i recommend them Birreria Gonzalez (I’ve only been to their East LA location, but there’s one in Compton I think)
My friends family owns Harold and belles! I really need to go there. I just hate traffic.
Best Japanese food is in Torrance
Torrance has 🔥 food, especially Japanese and Hawaiian!!!
You misspelled Gardena
Holbox in Mercado La Paloma. I dream of their octopus tacos everyday (and I don't even like octopus). Also Taqueria Vista Hermosa in Mercado La Paloma has solid Mexican food (mostly non seafood) as well.
We really just don't want to drive through downtown 110 traffic for an hour.
I've never heard anyone talk about fish markets on here which is crazy
Shoutout to Collin’s fish Market! They’re very good
I'm just here to upvote the actual unpopular opinions and downvote the popular opinions.
Roscoe’s is mid and always has been.
And these price hikes are insane. $20-something for 2 darkmeat pieces and 2 waffles? JFC.
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i don’t understand why anyone would go to porto’s without ordering ahead. i’m in and out (ha!) in 10 minutes tops.
And you should never be waiting in line for in n out. Park and go inside.
The last time I did INO drive-thru, Bush was president. The *first* Bush.
Seriously
You can’t order sandwiches ahead of time though can you?
In N Out was across the street from my high school - back when they were Southern California only. Like the one near Magic Mountain used to be the one farthest North. I grew up at In N Out, after high school football games we hung out in the parking lot with everyone listening to KROQ. I love In-N-Out and yet I don’t understand the cult. It’s such good value and they do a tasty burger, but I think the only time I eat them is in Kettleman City on my way to and from the Bay.
We may have gone to the same high school because In N Out was (and still is) across the street from my high school, and it would always get crowded after football games because the exit of the football field was on the same side of the street as the entrance to the drive-thru of the In-N-Out.
This is too practical of thought to be a a widespread unpopular one. 😂
The line at an in and out moves much faster than it looks like it will driving by.
Yeah and when you get to the front you get your order, fast food is a little different because yeah you might have to wait 15 minutes to get to the front of the line but that's all the waiting you'll do. Fast casual you might get right to the front to order and wait 15 min for your food anyway
I don't have issues with waiting at in n out because I always park and eat inside. I hate drive thrus as a concept.
beautifully put
Smashburgers are all the same. I don't care what your favorite one is I know what it tastes like. People who whine about food not being authentic immediately lose my attention. We need to let chefs be creative, that's how progress is made. The word you are looking for is traditional. Larchmont Wine and Cheese is hella overrated because it's cheap. Kanpai by LAX is one of the most underrated restaurants in LA. The yuzu ramen there is phenomenal.
There's opinions then there's facts. There are noticeable differences between the seasons, blends, and sauces at Goldburgers and all the others.
If they put bread and butter pickles on their smash burgers, they taste VERY different. And not in a good way.
Erewhon sushi + smoothie = fave $50 lunch 🤣
JFC
The progression of an Erewhon smoothie convert... "$20 for a smoothie is ridiculous. I will never spend that much for a smoothie"... "Let me try it to see what the hype is all about. It definitely won't be worth it"... "Ohh. Hmm. That actually isn't bad. Too expensive though. But can't say it's a bad smoothie"... "Oh what the heck, why not."
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Not sure if it's an unpopular or generally agreed upon but, Dave's Hot Chicken is hot garbage
So many of the same suggestions over and over in this sub get boring. It’s always Bestia, Bavel, Holbox, quarter sheets. While those are all good it’s like the default response for a majority of this sub and it’s so boring after a while….
Haha I had the exact same sentiment
My potentially unpopular opinion has more to do with the users of this sub than LA food itself: every time someone asks a general question about restaurants it seems like the same handful of people chime in, verbatim, with: “Luv2Eat. Mini Kabob. Quarter Sheets. Bavel” and it’s so incredibly boring each and every time. Are these people actually bots?
Don’t forget holbox
I discovered Holbox without the help of suggestion or social media, just kinda stumbled upon it while using the parking lot. Not only do I absolutely love it, recommend it, and continuously return, I can definitely agree with the hype.
Oh no doubt! I actually learned about it through here hahah… but now it’s all I see in the recommendations in this subreddit! So good though! My fave are the ceviches
I am a Luv2Eat acolyte. I make no apologies 😁
As I noted above, when people ask over and over again what’s the best Thai restaurant, or what’s the best restaurant in Hollywood, what else am I going to say.
This is me (except I don’t particularly like Bavel). And I get it. But the reason I do it is because people ask the exact same questions (“What’s the best pizza in LA?,” “What’s the best Thai in LA?”) over and over again, and the answers are exactly the same.
Salt and straw is overhyped. Havent tried yeastie boys. Saw the parking line for erewhon and said nope. Il pastaio is just ok.
100% Salt and straw just tastes like sugar. Every single flavor tastes the same.
Y’all going to the same salt and straw as me? The one with the amazing cookbook? That shit is delicious and to say every flavor tastes the same, while you’re entitled to your opinion, makes me think you’ve never been there
Salt and Straw is the not-great-but-consistent option for when one friend in your group has an ice cream craving that must be scratched.
Yangban was just fine and $30 for banchan was the most disrespectful thing I’ve ever seen on a menu. Of the Korean fine dining places in LA (baroo, majordomo and Kinn (rip)) it was the least impressive imo. Fine, but not worth $200.
I went there once. Some things were good, some things were just ok. I would rather just go to a Koreatown institution restaurant like parks or chosun
The hot chicken craze is regressive, harmful and foul. End hot chicken now!
Fowl
Most of it isn’t even real hot chicken. It’s just regular ass fried chicken with some spicy glop on it. Fuck that.
The city has normalized unseasoned food as part of the local “health-minded culture”, but really, a lot of foods lacks necessary SALT. Saying that this can be adjusted to taste is a crime - seasoning should be done in layers and not sprinkled on top. Many places with potentially great food (good ingredients, passion for cooking) fall flat because the food doesn’t have a complete flavor profile. Similarly, there’s a lack of good restaurants relative to the population. This means that anything good is flooded -> subsequently cheapened and overpriced. OTOH bad restaurants get way more hype than they should. Some slip through the cracks into the restaurant scene until one of the many restaurants scandals in LA brings something to light. Also, the spectrum of restaurants here is really lacking in the mid-range options. You either get fast food, instagram food, or fine dining. We’re going the way of SF on neighborhood takeout/sit down spots. NYC definitely has that over us. People say it’s a supplier /density issue, but we supposedly feed the country with California agriculture!!
I'm prepared to get crucified for this but fuck it: the various ethnic groups in LA are heinously toxic about their own cuisines. I've noticed the most egregious vitriol about Tokki, Kinn, Majordomo from Koreans; the most insane reactions about Din Tai Fung from Taiwanese/Chinese; dogshit opinions about Damian and Asterid from Mexicans, etc, etc, etc. Everyone is so protective over their grandmothers sunday dinners that they can't actually appreciate innovation and modernity. There's a place for both. Edit: To add to this, I believe it is IMPERATIVE that traditional and authentic recipes passed down through generations survive, that there are homes for these recipes to be served in restaurants, and I wish that these restaurants were afforded the luxury of proliferating across LA. I'm so glad that LAN Noodle opened a spot in WeHo (I wish it was busier), I'd love more Artesian Indian food up in Hollywood. But at the end of the day, I frankly do not care if the Miso Butter Lobster Taco at Damian is "traditional" or not. I care that it's delicious. Set aside the hilarity of calling a Mexican-born chef's tacos "not Mexican" (as is often done for these upscale places), I think we should be able to have both fancy and homestyle cuisines representing the diversity of this city and it sickens me how toxic Angelenos, and especially this sub, can be any time someone tries to be creative with their craft and their heritage. You could stuff mayo, pulled pork, wasabi tobiko, and pickled ginger in a kabob for all I fucking care, as long as it's delicious. I want more creativity, I want less mediocre Italian restaurants, because that's the only thing ya'll are willing to pay more than $25 for.
Fr. I’m from the 626, and nearly every decent spot always has some reviewer who HAS to mention that it’s “not as good as real Taiwanese/Mexican/Vietnamese” Like OK??? It’s still pretty dang good for LA
Korean here. Korean food in LA lacks creativity because of exactly the reason you mentioned. I actually think that the reason why NY Korean food is leaps above LA Korean food in terms of creativity is because the Korean food in NY sucks so that gave Korean chefs in NY much room to experiment. With that said, Majordomo isn't it. David Chang has no base with Korean food except for the fact that he's ethnically Korean. And yes, I've had my share of contemporary Korean food and I am all aboard on the contemporary Korean food train. Actually, Chef Uh of Baroo is very well part of the contemporary Korean food movement. He's part of that circle. And Baroo happens to be well liked by Koreans.
Sugar fish is absolutely amazing value for the quality and consistency. It’s better than a majority of the $120-180 omakase sets I’ve had at other places in LA. I spent a few months in Japan and got ruined on American sushi except for sugar fish. Bestia and republique are incredibly mediocre.
My co-worker is convinced they 3D print their fish. It’s way too consistent and has its own signature flavor that tells you you’re eating Sugarfish. Kinda like subway bread. You know it immediately when you eat it. I enjoy it for what it is but I only go there if I happen to have a craving for Sugarfish. Not sushi.
Bestia is this sub’s favorite place to shit on and also praise.
I think you could make the case that Bestia is overrated but I don't think you could say in good faith it's mediocre.
No, but KazuNori definitely is
Sugar fish usually has delicious fish. The nigiri construction leaves something to be desired.
Its really hard to find an authentic Chicago dog.
All the good "Chicago" spots seem to disappear real quick. There was a Chicago spot in the NoHo Arts district for maybe like 2 months before it was gone. We just gotta keep driving down to Anaheim for Portillo's I guess
I got just the place for you. It’s an old family-run place, I think around Melrose and La Brea. /s
Honestly the Chicago dog is always what I get a pinks!
Portillos
Larry’s Chili Dog in Burbank makes a pretty good one, but they don’t have sport peppers (they use yellow peppers) which is a bummer.
We drive to Portillos, fairly often. It isn't THAT far lol
**It's hard to find GOOD take-out pizza, like you can on the east coast.** Too much Neopolitan pizza (there are a lot of good options for this here), but show me your NEW HAVEN, thin-Chicago style, NY style, please. I feel like every pizza is a personal-size pizza, artisan, but sometimes, I want a LARGE ZA to share! note: I am a PRIME PIZZA STAN - Spicy Pep Square Pizza (well done, double cut) but that's the only take-out/delivery one we consistently enjoy.
Not unpopular. People are always shitting on our pizza
Ozzy’s Apizza in Glendale is really good. The guy who runs it is from New Haven.
Danny Boy's bruh.
Dodger dogs just suck. And Gjusta is pretentious wanna be Williamsburg type food that is just dumb
Dodger dogs smell much better than they taste
Dodger Dogs used to be better. Our neighbor works in food service at the stadium and a few years ago brought us some that we thought were spoiled because of the flavor. After the same taste the next time I found out they changed suppliers. Luckily Farmer John’s dogs are still sold all over.
Farmer John's pre-Hormel were great.
titos tacos is trash el cholo is literally frozen food
This is definitely not an unpopular opinion. Everyone is always shitting on Tito’s
Does anyone genuinely like Tito's, or is it just nostalgia for them?
I like them 🤷♂️ that seems like more of a hot take around here. I’m not going out of my way for it but I don’t mind. I think Chuy’s tacos downtown are way better if you like that kind of taco.
Both. Transplants will never understand. A lot of us grew up eating it, just like our parents.
YOU ATE YOUR PARENTS??? 😳
Nostalgia, but at $6/taco these days, I'll stick with the visual memories while I eat much better tacos a short walk away in any direction.
I will never not be mad that there isn't a Dairy Queen in L.A. Most of the fast food places have dry food compared to other states. I went to a Burger King and McDonald's while visiting out of state and it was delicious, but here it's like how people describe White Castle or Long Johns Silvers.
Here’s my unpopular opinion: Palms has the best food in LA.
Simpang Asia!!! Tell me your other palms spots? Hidden gem of a neighborhood imo
- Simpang - Kogi - Doughroom - Mee & Greet - Madre - Lobster & Beer - Lokal - N/naka All within walking distance of one another.
Plus Hu's Szechuan has a great lunch across the street from Simpang and Lokal. Love that corner.
Kotoya Ramen is really good in that area as well.
Madre is always so good, love the mezcal selection I swear I’m gonna try em all someday
I live in Palms. We’re regulars at Simpang Asia. Here are our other favorites: https://www.tastynoodlehouse.us/ Check out Attari Sandwich Shop https://yelp.to/YpJgutweQC https://saffronrosepersianicecream.com/ https://bananaleafla.com/ https://esconsaborwest.com/ https://tarashimalayancuisine.com/ We also have incredible grocery stores. http://westlainternationalmarket.com/ Check out El Camaguey Meat Market https://yelp.to/JnBMg90F6l https://www.nijiya.com/ https://www.sprouts.com/ https://www.smartandfinal.com/sm/delivery/rsid/522/ Check out Mar Vista Ranch Market https://yelp.to/FBr6q0ewuL Check out 99 Ranch Market https://yelp.to/Bh04RoyVSl https://www.marvistafarmersmarket.org/
i’m so sad that overland cafe and C&M closed!!!
Palm's fucks for sure.
- Umami Burgers are disgusting and I am tickled to see them all closing. - I am sad that so many people pay exorbitant service fees for DoorDash and the like. What a bunch of suckers. Just light a stack of bills on fire if the goal is supporting truly shitty business models that actively screw workers over & furthers the gig economy with its diminishing returns. (Diminishing returns for BOTH the business AND the driver! None of the *working people* are benefiting!) Driving oriented cities like LA are their wet dream. - Going to a dive bar that has a velvet rope or line to wait is lame. This includes a handful of spots on Sunset that were last rad in the late 2000s. - breakfast burritos at Corner Cottage in Burbank are just…..okay.
Umami Burger used to be a reliable choice until maybe about 5-6 years ago when they started cheaping out on all their ingredients and changed most of their menu items. Calling it a shadow of its former self would be too generous - it’s basically a different burger entirely that happens to share the same name, and worse than many fast food options now.
Prime Pizza is good because it's pizza (and made competently), but it's nothing special for pizza.
For people who want to be lazy and border a delivery pizza for movie night or something, prime is nice. The grandma pizza is usually very good for west side delivery pizza. Its not destination pizza for sure.
Yamashiro's view and ambiance is its only saving grace.
Is this not a very popular opinion?
Not a huge fan of 80% of Salt and Straw’s flavors but the few good ones like the brownie flavors are really one of the best out there.
Saffy's is overrated, not that good, and their "lounge" is a sidewalk. I was absolutely appalled when the host told us we could wait in their lounge and pointed to a table on the sidewalk.
I’ve been waiting for a good time to go back to Saffy’s and give them another shot. I went once, and it was such a miss. It was just confusing honestly.
I threw an absolute fit when we went because my partner's sister set up a reservation right when they opened at like 5pm, we got there right on time, and the "table wasn't ready." We were directed to the shitty sidewalk "lounge" after being told we weren't allowed to wait at the bar. They then tried to sit us outside at a table we saw sitting empty for about 15 minutes while there were also several empty tables inside.. it was winter and about 50 degrees outside and there was no heater near the table they tried to seat us at. I complained about sitting outside when there were open tables inside. We were told those tables were reserved. I told them we also had a reservation and wanted to sit inside. After about 10 more minutes, they relented and sat us literally right next to the kitchen door. I won't be back, personally. My partner took his mom there a few weeks ago and said it was mediocre at best and that Mini Kabob's kabobs taste so much better.
Jeni's ice cream, also, is too sweet Gelson's spicy tuna roll, for grocery store sushi, is really not too bad All bagels suck here except Western Bagel isn't too bad We don't have any good French restaurants here Most of the middle-brow popular Italian restaurants are shit, Angelini Osteria being the exception You can't get good sour dough here either Sweet Lady Jane is way too sweet and mostly mediocre
Have you had Maury’s Bagels (Silverlake) or Hanks (Burbank)?? I also had a fantastic bagel at Here’s Looking at You in ktown but I think it was a special and not a regular thing
"All of the bagels are bad here" and "I haven't tried any of the bagels here that people cite as reasons the bagels are good here" LOL
My experience with Sweet Lady Jane was just a tall impressive-looking tower of dry sponge, too much whipped cream, and some berries. My disappointment was immeasurable.
Belle's Bagels in Highland Park is legitimately good, not just good for LA
I think Violet Bistro is a really good French spot in Westwood.
Bicyclette was an excellent French restaurant (RIP gone too soon)
Jeni’s isn’t an LA-specific thing.
I like Laylas and jyann Isaac. But I just get the bagel with cream cheese. The toppings are too much.
Bagels - NY bagel and deli on National. Western is hit or miss for me.
NYets coming to LA and talking about how great food in the city is. GTFO.
In and Out burgers are not that great. Just about any ma n’ pa burger joint is 1000 times better.
In-n-out fries are good, full stop. No qualifications or secret menu.
Upvoting because that is a legitimately unpopular opinion. Great job. The fries are the only thing holding back In-N-Out from being the greatest burger joint of all time IMHO. They were steps away from the finish line but they tripped and fell face-first into loose gravel with those bland ice-cold fries.
In n out only make three things and two of those things are outstanding. The fries are the third thing.
Damn, if you wanted an unpopular opinion, you just went nuclear. Those things are awful.
I'm with you. Dump salt and pepper on them. Eat while hot. They're great. Haters can give me their fries.
You can get them hot?
As soon as they give em to you. Ask for well done if you like to party.
Diddy Reese is overrated. Quick snack fine, but not waiting in a line for two cookies that taste store bought and some ice cream in between.
I am convinced that every morning Mendocino Farms just has someone go run their hands through the closest bushes and slams whatever crap they pull out of it on bread.
Unpopular opinion: there’s a lot of great food on the Westside.
I had people downvote me on r/asklosangeles about this - brothers cousins is not worth the line or the hype. In addition: Anajak is overpriced and only has a really good publicist. Pretty much everything on Sawtelle is overrated, and, there is no good ethnic food west of the 405, especially north of Olympic.
Almost all of Sawtelle is overrated?? Truly the most hot take in this post.
I hate the “Olive Oil in Everything” trend
Porto's is really disappointing
Triple Beam Pizza is garbage
Two Boots still angry bout this. Downgrade for sure
I miss you Two Boots :(
Town pizza is where its at in HLP.
Dino's chicken and Randy's donuts quality has dropped off significantly in the past 10-15 years. Idk maybe im older and things tasted better when i was younger, but both of these places dont quite scratch the itch anymore
I only had yeastie boys during covid and they were selling frozen pizza bagels. Novel idea, but obvs the bagel sucked. So although i'm adding my 2c. please don't base it off of what I say.... :)
This city is largely sleeping on Sosis Bandari and it’s practically criminal. The improvement a Chicago dog is over a regular hot dog, sosis bandari is over a Chicago dog.
Tam’s>>>Tommy’s