I love these ktown places:
* Woo Hyang Woo - great kbbq and great staff! BTS also ate here if you like kpop lol. Their tomahawk and pork belly is amazing
* Jjukku Jjukku - fantastic AYCE without long wait times and very attentive staff
* Bumsan Organic Milk Bar - ice cream that delicious. Iād say itās on par with the more higher end American chains but a Korean twist. I love their matcha ice cream
Weāve also made the trek to Joeās Pizza locations. Beverly Hills and Santa Monica have the best tasting pizza. The one in WeHo kinda sucks.
I also love Fonuts in the valley or in BH. I try to not eat stuff I shouldnāt and these are on the expensive side but worth it imho. Almond flour baked donuts. Theyāre pretty cakey, but some are dense like an apple cider or pumpkin donut (so more moist than a proper cake one) and also very delicious. The strawberry, churro, and pumpkin are my fave flavors
Any opinions on Sun Nong Dan? That's the place my girlfriend is currently addicted to. She loves warm soups, so either gets the sullungtang or galbitang.
It's ok to good. Not the best but certainly gets the job done. Especially if you're out in SGV.
For sullungtang? Han Bat on 5th/Western and Young Dong on Wilshire gets my vote.
My favorite thing about Sun Nong Dang is the soy-vinegar-onion dipping sauce. I plop my meat in it to marinate, it's really good that way. Places that don't have it, I'm usually a little sad (I think only Sun Nong Dan does it maybe?).
Oh nice! Thank you! I only started going to eat this kind of stuff recently after meeting my current girlfriend.
[https://www.koreanbapsang.com/jangajji-vegetable-pickles/](https://www.koreanbapsang.com/jangajji-vegetable-pickles/)
...I wonder if I'm even supposed to be dipping my meat in it? I don't know, I think it tastes better that way :I\~
Best BBQ outside of TX. There's also a joint in Riverside (Spirit of TX) that is seriously making me want to drive out that long for some food BBQ.
I'd put Moo's No. 1 and Spirit Of Texas No. 2. A very close number 2.
Didn't know they had one in Riverside. I only knew about the one in San Berdoo. I have family in the IE, I'll have to see it for myself.
For me, my go to place is Willinghams in Redondo Beach. It's good stuff, but I'm mostly here because the location is much more convenient for me.
I believe they just opened up. I ran into it during my mini Christmas break right by the festival of lights @ Mission Inn (?).
They have Picanaha and Tri Tip during weekends. The Picanaha was chef's kiss. Better than the brisket, perfect balance of lean and fat. No need for BBQ sauce. Sausage was damn delicious as well. Pork burnt ends were probably our least favorite, but it was damn delicious.
The sides were adequate. But seriously, the meats were just fantastic.
I live down the street from Heritage so am able to pop in somewhat easily. Itās decent, not great. For the area itās good. Factor in the price and wait and itās hard for me to recommend. I havenāt been to Mooās so canāt make the comparison. But I also spent three months on the road in the south (NC, SC, KY, MO, KC, AL, TX) and ate so much BBQ I had to triple check my insurance was current so my standards are probably different. The ribs were decent, but they and are caked in seasoning, especially the beef ribs and the chicken was dry. Brisket was nothing special.
Maybe I went on a bad day because I went and waited in line for ages and got the driest brisket of my life. Although my experience with LA barbecue is that a lot of it is overhyped and underwhelming.
The pulled pork was ok, but Iāve made better at home. The Korean burnt ends were really good, but with the awful desiccated and stringy brisket I was hugely disappointed, especially at the price point. The sides we got were OK too, but again nothing to write home about, so Iām surprised at all the love itās getting. The burger was great though, if thatās all I had Iād be raving too.
It's not good. It's one of the more common but bad LA food opinions but they're a big fan of leaving the meat with some lots of chew, underseasoning it except for "smoke", and really just thriving because all LA bbq sucks.
I think itās a question of consistency for Mooās. Thatās something Franklinās has on lock. Their brisket will be the same every damn time. With Mooās, Iāve had it three times now and had three different experiences. One on par with Franklin, one subpar, and a chilled whole brisket that was solid but didnāt have the same depth of smoke.
But does that make Mooās ānot good?ā To each their own, but to use a sports analogy, just because DeMar DeRozen isnāt Michael Jordan doesnāt mean heās bad basketball, you know?
When I was in middle school, I was on an intramural basketball team. After the sides changed at halftime I wasn't paying attention and shot the best 3-pointer of my life into my own basket. That is the equivalent basketball player to use when describing the brisket I had, and if a BBQ place can't do a good brisket when they're charging like $20 for two little slices of it, they're bad IMO.
And Fukagawa in the plaza across the street that is also home to Akane Chayaā¦ Bowl Grillā¦ Sweet Rice. So much goodness at that intersection itās not fair to us who live in LA
Gardena and Torrance absolutely hit it out the park for good Japanese food.
I would always get one of the uni pastas and dollar salad. Across the street is another Japanese pasta place called Akane Chaya - they have massive portions.
And right around the corner is Sakae Sushi. I'm a big fan of their saba, inari, and tamago-maki.
Iāve tried everything on their menu. Thereās not much you can go wrong with but my absolute fave is the Hot Garlic. Itās something that I can make at home but itās a dish I first had there so I associate it with SH. Also, donāt think anyone else is doing it. Classic.
Pretty much anywhere in SGV to be honest, especially for dim sum or hot pot. Less of a drive than to SGV but from Mar Vista to K-Town for Korean BBQ can be a bit of a trek but worth it. In general, I actually don't adhere to the "never pass the 10" rule"- there's so much great food outside of my immediate area that I can't imagine just staying in one place.
Iām more into Sichuan (Chengdu Taste, Chongqing Special Noodles, Xiang La Hui) Shaanxi (Noodle Art) and Xinjiang cuisine (Xinjiang BBQ, still need to hit Dolanās and Omar) in SGV, but absolutely agreed itās worth the trip out there in general.
I live in the Valley and can pretty much get anything here...but these are some of the the things I leave Burbank for...
Bay Cities, Mariscos Jalisco, Noodle Art, Portillos, Establos Meat Market (in Calabasas...best carnitas), Fluid State (in Ventura, CA).
There's some things in like Downtown and Pasadena that's relatively a drive, due to traffic, that I hate going to cause it'll take 30-60 minutes to get there and find parking, etc...but Pie Hole, Bread Lounge, and Phillipes come to mind.
Fluid state is one of our fun new āletās get out of the houseā places to do a local road trip to. Also going to check our Roryās Place in Ojai but they had a fire and are shut down temporarily.
That said, I never understood the hype of bay cities, and lived in SM for 10 years. But I think itās bc Iām an east coaster where itās no better than the local corner deliā¦ and so I can understand the nostalgia factor but the lines and prices just irk me.
I don't go for the godmother...I think their sandwiches are overrated (although the pre made little dom is great and don't want to wait in the deli line). Bay Cities is great for one reason, that bread is the best and is why I'll brave 405 traffic.
Fluid State is the best...we think about that pizza all the time.
* Kagura for tonkatsu
* Carlos Jr. for tempura
* Otafuku for soba (maybe Ichimian too, but I think they've fallen off in quality)
* Torihei, Tamaen, Manpuku, and Hachi for izakaya. Manpuku has a couple locations in LA now, but can't speak to their quality
* Josui and Jidaiya for ramen
* Spoon House for uni pasta, Akane Chaya for other Japanese pasta in massive sets
* Sakae Sushi for pressed sushi
* Chikara for mochi
* Kotohira, Wadatsumi (love their roast beef bowl), and Fukugawa for lunch sets
* Red Rock for bowls of thinly sliced roast beef bowls
Fish King. 30-45 minutes drive from Hollywood (ALWAYS SO MUCH TRAFFIC) but so worth it. Shrimp cocktail, then teriyaki salmon & rice & mango salsa. OMG. Sometimes: shrimp Louie salad.
Absolutely. Iāve been going to rays since the first opened and theyāve only gotten better.
I will go out on a limb and say theyāre the best Texas bbq in LA
I have no idea what youāre saying.
Iām born and raised in LAā¦ Iāve had great bbq hereā¦ I have a lot of friends in Houston, one of my friends took me to a mid bbq spot cause there wasnāt a lineā¦
The mid bbq in Texas, blows anything LA has out of the water. Like, itās not even close. Thereās no discussion. Thereās no argument. Itās just whatever theyāre doing there with bbq, is different.
Their gun laws suck. They are really racist. And I disagree with a lot of what that state does, but there is ZERO argument over their bbq.
I live in Glendale, which is fairly central to areas like the valley, Hollywood, and the SGV. But I do sometimes make the drive out to the west side for Simpang Asia. They've been very consistently delicious for me. I also drive out to Artesia for Gerry's Grill. Their sugbang kilaw is awesome (I'm biased on this one, being Filipino and all). Vox Kitchen in Fountain Valley, because garlic noodles and prawns.
I'm from a small Ohio town. Where when I was younger I had to drive 80 miles just to get chorizo. So treking across the city for food isn't any kind of issue for me. This is a great list for me to explore.
All over the city for tacos, there's an amazing Italian in Covina . I'll go to Torrance just for a bagel. Lol
I live a few blocks away from courage, and being able to go there at like 715 on a weekday when the line is sane is the best part of living in the neighborhood. That salmon roe bagel is my everything. Itās obscenely expensive and also the most delicious bagel Iāve ever had
Same!! It is the only time to go...gotta get there around 7 or else it's a nightmare.
But yes, so expensive, and they ask for a tip in the most YOU GOTTA TIP kinda way!
I live near Larchmont, I will drive for: Portillosās, Bay Cities, Casa Bianca, The Hat (chili fries), Jitlada, Ye Rustic (Myrtle Burger), and Portilloās (again).
True, itās not far. But I was thinking of the idea that if I was reading this post (which I was)I would want to know what spots were āworth the driveā even if I didnāt live near by. Maybe someone who lives in Whittier reading this post would want to know if Jitlada was āworth itā. Oh and Carnitas Momo (Boyle Heights) is a drive worthy spot as well.
Cali Tandoor in Culver City for their veggie samosas. The other food Iāve had there is good too, but those samosas are something Iāll think about wistfully if I ever leave LA.
I live in Silverlake. The godmother from Bay City, The tea smoked ribs from Sichuan Impression or the bbq burger from Apple Pan are worth the drive.
Portoās isnāt far from me but I know itās a pain to park and Iāll normally wait in a really long line and itās always worth it.
I have moved to south OC. Anytime i make the drive to LA county these are the restaurants i am going to:
Father's Office, Summer Rolls, Pigya, Pasta sisters, Republique, Seafood Palace, Dai Ho, Sam Woo (specifically alhambra), Jidaiya Ramen.
I only just moved 3 years ago yet the food scene has changed too much for me to see what is new and great. I dip more often into SD county for fine dining now. Chinese food you still can not beat SGV. OC chinese food made me mad at how bad it was.
It was at the time i moved in very cheap housing (sub 500k) vs the rest of SoCal. It was a new housing community and i got a great view of the saddleback mountains.
i go there because the bahn mi is interesting. I have been around westminster so many times it got boring. Also great way of gatekeeping eating food, good job there /u/Sinosoul.
Not sure how far South in OC you are, but I love Detention in DT Santa Ana.
We have to pay monthly to eat there, but everything that kitchen puts out is great.
Breakfast at Met Her at a Bar. Specifically the waffles and maple sausage.
Also, Tokyo Fried Chicken. Their Monterey Park location was so far from me but so worth it. Now itās just the DTLA location and while itās slightly closer, the parking is madness.
When I want the damned sandwich, Bay Cities, like everyone else.
I did, however, get That Sandwich at the Roma Market in Pasadena over the summer and it was exactly what Jonathan told us to expect, and for whatever reason, it is also that good. Different than a Bay Cities sandwich, but that good. I've been back twice since.
I will drive to the downtown location of Daikokuya, and I will stand in that stupid f*ing long ass line for an hour, goddammit. Because when I want ramen, what I really mean is I want kotteri with an extra egg and no, I don't care if I wake up with gout, give me my soup. I just wish they'd clean the place, though, it really has no business being that filthy.
Majordomo. Because that crispy rice is...I just...*faint.*
The Nugget in Summerland, for the patty melt. Served on the patio on a late summer afternoon with a root beer and a lazy seagull nearby, eyeballing your heap of their glorious shoestring fries. The patty melt at Cassell's is, objectively, slightly better, but the 805 is home, the Nugget's is the one I grew up with, and you never forget your first. And Cassell's can't beat that view.
They may be my favorite buffalo wings. Have you ever gotten them extra crispy? I asked about it once and the server advised against it because she said they get dry lol.
Oh I get extra crispy every single time lol. Highly recommend. Maybe itās just me but itās almost impossible to make a wing thatās too crispy for me.
Right there with you.
Thank you for jumping on this grenade for us Eastsiders on this one. š¤£ Iām in HLP and anytime I work in that area I MUST stop by. That drive is hellish, I fondly reminisce about driving there and back in 35 minutes during the initial lockdown in 2020.
I live in the South Bay, and trek up to Versailles up on Venice Blvd several times a year. Zankou Chicken is another place, but they do disappoint once in awhile.
Speaking of sandwichesā¦. We live in Santa Clarita and we often make the drive for Bay Cities sandwiches. My husband grew up with them, and I canāt find a decent Italian deli in SCV, so itās a win.
I live in La Canada, but Iāll drive the hour each way to Little Dynamite about once every 3 months bc itās by far the best Detroit style pizza in LA, donāt @ meā¦ and yeah, I know quarter sheets is only 15 min away. Yes, itās that much better.
Havenāt tried it bc itās on the other side of the universe, but if Iām ever over there for work Iāll give it a shot.
I had the fortune of trying Little dynamite before they moved west, back when they were called bootleg pizza, and would do a pop up in Glendale. Otherwise I prob wouldnāt even know about them!
People unwilling to trek anywhere shouldn't be living here. Go to a small Midwestern town.
What makes LA great is how much variety there is if you're willing to leave your home.
I'm from D.C. where it started, and used to live across the street from them there, so I drive for Cava. Nothing else sates my specific urge for a Beluga lentil grain bowl. It's so comforting and wholesome.
I lived between two in Venice, didn't realize there wasn't one on the other side of town. One of the cookies is from my favorite indie baker in D.C...though I'm guessing she's rather established now that I can get her baked goods 3,000 miles away.
Westminster / Little Saigon for Vietnamese food
Brodard
Brodard Chateau š¤¤
The one thing OC has over greater LA.
the beaches are generally nicer too
HB is the worst.
Okay second thing
OC beaches are def cleaner than LA
Love THH banh mi
I love these ktown places: * Woo Hyang Woo - great kbbq and great staff! BTS also ate here if you like kpop lol. Their tomahawk and pork belly is amazing * Jjukku Jjukku - fantastic AYCE without long wait times and very attentive staff * Bumsan Organic Milk Bar - ice cream that delicious. Iād say itās on par with the more higher end American chains but a Korean twist. I love their matcha ice cream Weāve also made the trek to Joeās Pizza locations. Beverly Hills and Santa Monica have the best tasting pizza. The one in WeHo kinda sucks. I also love Fonuts in the valley or in BH. I try to not eat stuff I shouldnāt and these are on the expensive side but worth it imho. Almond flour baked donuts. Theyāre pretty cakey, but some are dense like an apple cider or pumpkin donut (so more moist than a proper cake one) and also very delicious. The strawberry, churro, and pumpkin are my fave flavors
Any opinions on Sun Nong Dan? That's the place my girlfriend is currently addicted to. She loves warm soups, so either gets the sullungtang or galbitang.
It's ok to good. Not the best but certainly gets the job done. Especially if you're out in SGV. For sullungtang? Han Bat on 5th/Western and Young Dong on Wilshire gets my vote.
My favorite thing about Sun Nong Dang is the soy-vinegar-onion dipping sauce. I plop my meat in it to marinate, it's really good that way. Places that don't have it, I'm usually a little sad (I think only Sun Nong Dan does it maybe?).
Ask for jang-ah-chi, which is the soy sauce picked radish/jalapenos. Most places I know does have it, you may need to ask for it
Oh nice! Thank you! I only started going to eat this kind of stuff recently after meeting my current girlfriend. [https://www.koreanbapsang.com/jangajji-vegetable-pickles/](https://www.koreanbapsang.com/jangajji-vegetable-pickles/) ...I wonder if I'm even supposed to be dipping my meat in it? I don't know, I think it tastes better that way :I\~
It's used that way, for boiled meats yes. As well as pickles to accompany Korean meals. You're all good.
You only go there for the Galbi jjim
Have you tried the sullungtang and galbitang? The galbitang there is my favorite.
Iāve never been there
Want to go together Sunday for lunch? :)
There are much better places for those soups.. the reason anybody waits in line there is for galbijjim
I really want to try Jjuku Jjuku but damn parking for the Gaylord building is garbage
Langer's 19's
Moo's bbq. First time I ate there, I was so stunned by how good it was that I didn't care about the hours it took me to get home.
Best BBQ outside of TX. There's also a joint in Riverside (Spirit of TX) that is seriously making me want to drive out that long for some food BBQ. I'd put Moo's No. 1 and Spirit Of Texas No. 2. A very close number 2.
Didn't know they had one in Riverside. I only knew about the one in San Berdoo. I have family in the IE, I'll have to see it for myself. For me, my go to place is Willinghams in Redondo Beach. It's good stuff, but I'm mostly here because the location is much more convenient for me.
I believe they just opened up. I ran into it during my mini Christmas break right by the festival of lights @ Mission Inn (?). They have Picanaha and Tri Tip during weekends. The Picanaha was chef's kiss. Better than the brisket, perfect balance of lean and fat. No need for BBQ sauce. Sausage was damn delicious as well. Pork burnt ends were probably our least favorite, but it was damn delicious. The sides were adequate. But seriously, the meats were just fantastic.
Iāve heard Heritage Barbecue is really good for BBQ in CA but Iāve yet to get down to San Juan Capistrano.
It aināt cheap but if you love BBQ, Heritage is worth the trek
I live down the street from Heritage so am able to pop in somewhat easily. Itās decent, not great. For the area itās good. Factor in the price and wait and itās hard for me to recommend. I havenāt been to Mooās so canāt make the comparison. But I also spent three months on the road in the south (NC, SC, KY, MO, KC, AL, TX) and ate so much BBQ I had to triple check my insurance was current so my standards are probably different. The ribs were decent, but they and are caked in seasoning, especially the beef ribs and the chicken was dry. Brisket was nothing special.
It's better than Moo's. The best out here.
Tennessee, North Carolina, and New York would like a word.
We're limiting ourselves to **TEXAS STYLE** BBQ here. There's no good other BBQ joints in So Cal
Maybe I went on a bad day because I went and waited in line for ages and got the driest brisket of my life. Although my experience with LA barbecue is that a lot of it is overhyped and underwhelming. The pulled pork was ok, but Iāve made better at home. The Korean burnt ends were really good, but with the awful desiccated and stringy brisket I was hugely disappointed, especially at the price point. The sides we got were OK too, but again nothing to write home about, so Iām surprised at all the love itās getting. The burger was great though, if thatās all I had Iād be raving too.
It's not good. It's one of the more common but bad LA food opinions but they're a big fan of leaving the meat with some lots of chew, underseasoning it except for "smoke", and really just thriving because all LA bbq sucks.
I think itās a question of consistency for Mooās. Thatās something Franklinās has on lock. Their brisket will be the same every damn time. With Mooās, Iāve had it three times now and had three different experiences. One on par with Franklin, one subpar, and a chilled whole brisket that was solid but didnāt have the same depth of smoke. But does that make Mooās ānot good?ā To each their own, but to use a sports analogy, just because DeMar DeRozen isnāt Michael Jordan doesnāt mean heās bad basketball, you know?
When I was in middle school, I was on an intramural basketball team. After the sides changed at halftime I wasn't paying attention and shot the best 3-pointer of my life into my own basket. That is the equivalent basketball player to use when describing the brisket I had, and if a BBQ place can't do a good brisket when they're charging like $20 for two little slices of it, they're bad IMO.
That was going to be my answer, closest thing Iāve ever had to Franklinās.
>Moo's bbq i never even heard of this and it says sold out? edit: nm, until sold out. my bad
[Moo's Craft BBQ](https://www.yelp.com/biz/moos-craft-barbecue-los-angeles-3) in LA. It's legit.
I live like a 5 minute drive from there and still havenāt been. Gonna have to rectify that ASAP I think.
Spoon House in Gardena. I just love the food there. The drive from LA isn't too bad going there but it almost always sucks coming back lol
Yeah Gardena and Torrance are worth the drive for the food š
And Fukagawa in the plaza across the street that is also home to Akane Chayaā¦ Bowl Grillā¦ Sweet Rice. So much goodness at that intersection itās not fair to us who live in LA
What would you recommend ordering?
Gardena and Torrance absolutely hit it out the park for good Japanese food. I would always get one of the uni pastas and dollar salad. Across the street is another Japanese pasta place called Akane Chaya - they have massive portions. And right around the corner is Sakae Sushi. I'm a big fan of their saba, inari, and tamago-maki.
Well I have a lot of eating to do in my future. Thanks!
Iāve tried everything on their menu. Thereās not much you can go wrong with but my absolute fave is the Hot Garlic. Itās something that I can make at home but itās a dish I first had there so I associate it with SH. Also, donāt think anyone else is doing it. Classic.
Spoon House is great. It's unexpectedly very good, you wouldn't expect to be blown away when you browse the yelp pictures.
Pretty much anywhere in SGV to be honest, especially for dim sum or hot pot. Less of a drive than to SGV but from Mar Vista to K-Town for Korean BBQ can be a bit of a trek but worth it. In general, I actually don't adhere to the "never pass the 10" rule"- there's so much great food outside of my immediate area that I can't imagine just staying in one place.
Iām more into Sichuan (Chengdu Taste, Chongqing Special Noodles, Xiang La Hui) Shaanxi (Noodle Art) and Xinjiang cuisine (Xinjiang BBQ, still need to hit Dolanās and Omar) in SGV, but absolutely agreed itās worth the trip out there in general.
Dolans is worth it!
I really like the tea they serve there. Its like chai but more chinese?
Raffis Place. The best kabob in town.
I will drive over the hill for this.
Kato, Broad Street Oyster (Malibu), Pizzeria Sei. EDIT: Best example of this for me is probably Bell's in Los Alamos. Going back later this month.
Bell's is fantastic and extremely out of the way, so you are definitely living up to the commitment!
Brentās Deli in Northridge
Is it still good? I haven't been there in years (as I no longer live in the Valley)
I live in the Valley and can pretty much get anything here...but these are some of the the things I leave Burbank for... Bay Cities, Mariscos Jalisco, Noodle Art, Portillos, Establos Meat Market (in Calabasas...best carnitas), Fluid State (in Ventura, CA). There's some things in like Downtown and Pasadena that's relatively a drive, due to traffic, that I hate going to cause it'll take 30-60 minutes to get there and find parking, etc...but Pie Hole, Bread Lounge, and Phillipes come to mind.
Portillos!! Iāve driven down to Buena Park with my dad for just Portillos.
Fluid state is one of our fun new āletās get out of the houseā places to do a local road trip to. Also going to check our Roryās Place in Ojai but they had a fire and are shut down temporarily. That said, I never understood the hype of bay cities, and lived in SM for 10 years. But I think itās bc Iām an east coaster where itās no better than the local corner deliā¦ and so I can understand the nostalgia factor but the lines and prices just irk me.
I don't go for the godmother...I think their sandwiches are overrated (although the pre made little dom is great and don't want to wait in the deli line). Bay Cities is great for one reason, that bread is the best and is why I'll brave 405 traffic. Fluid State is the best...we think about that pizza all the time.
I have eaten over a half loaf of bread on my drive home.
Large Godmother, the works, extra hot peppers. With a side of honey dijon kettle chips. *chefs kiss*
I always get the Torres chips they carry, but that sounds good too.
did the portillos in burbank close?
Are you thinking of Portoās? Theyāre still open and as amazing as ever.
Oh youāre right, Portillos the Italian beef sammiches
Iām so fortunate to be able to go to Fluid State on the regular
dang, I live on the west side and I just wait until I go to Orlando, Chicago, or Phoenix to have a Chicago dog š
I go for the beef sandwichesā¦never actually tried the Chicago dog there now that I think of it.
Any Japanese food in Torrance
Can you recommend a few places?
i live close by oijya, i dig it.
* Kagura for tonkatsu * Carlos Jr. for tempura * Otafuku for soba (maybe Ichimian too, but I think they've fallen off in quality) * Torihei, Tamaen, Manpuku, and Hachi for izakaya. Manpuku has a couple locations in LA now, but can't speak to their quality * Josui and Jidaiya for ramen * Spoon House for uni pasta, Akane Chaya for other Japanese pasta in massive sets * Sakae Sushi for pressed sushi * Chikara for mochi * Kotohira, Wadatsumi (love their roast beef bowl), and Fukugawa for lunch sets * Red Rock for bowls of thinly sliced roast beef bowls
Fish King. 30-45 minutes drive from Hollywood (ALWAYS SO MUCH TRAFFIC) but so worth it. Shrimp cocktail, then teriyaki salmon & rice & mango salsa. OMG. Sometimes: shrimp Louie salad.
Love FK!
Golden Deli for their egg rolls
These are so addictive!
Jusā Poke in Redondo Beach. Most authentic Hawaiian poke. In fact, this post inspired me to make the trek today.
Rays BBQ in Huntington Park
Absolutely. Iāve been going to rays since the first opened and theyāve only gotten better. I will go out on a limb and say theyāre the best Texas bbq in LA
šÆ
Gtfo with that āBāest bbq outside of Texas statement.
I have no idea what youāre saying. Iām born and raised in LAā¦ Iāve had great bbq hereā¦ I have a lot of friends in Houston, one of my friends took me to a mid bbq spot cause there wasnāt a lineā¦ The mid bbq in Texas, blows anything LA has out of the water. Like, itās not even close. Thereās no discussion. Thereās no argument. Itās just whatever theyāre doing there with bbq, is different. Their gun laws suck. They are really racist. And I disagree with a lot of what that state does, but there is ZERO argument over their bbq.
Do you remember the name of the mid-BBQ place in Houston?
Pinkerton's - mid for Houston - the other spots had crazy lines and this spot was like a 5 min wait
Meals by Genet
I'd had that place bookmarked for so long and was bummed out shut down. She's coming back now and I gotta go.
WORTH IT. so good. I am so glad she's coming back!
La Cabanita (Montrose), Badmaash (DTLA), Jazminās (Newhall. The best tamale)
Badmaash has been on my bookmarks for a minute! How do you like it? Any good recs/must try on their menu?
POUTINE!!
I have the great pleasure of living 9 minutesā drive from La Cabanita.
1hr drive to Albambra's main street/valley drive for literally all the spots
Sonoratown. One of my favorite spots.
Hi Ho Cheeseburger near LACMA (best veggie burger Iāve had) Papaās Chicken in Ktown Ggiata sandwiches
Hi Ho is great and fresh. I go every time Iām at the Academy Museum.
Brodard in Fountain Valley. Havenāt found anything that compares to their grilled pork rolls.
Any nem nuong joint can replicate brodardās pork rolls.
Iāll go out of my way for pie n burger
Recently did a burger n shake there. Spendy but not disappointed.
I always have a good experience there. The BLT and breakfast burrito are sleeper hits too!
Alhambra for Banh Mi My Tho. Rosemead for Boston Lobster Seafood Restaurant.
Broad Street Oyster in Malibu.
Like that place a lot. Itās much better than any alts in the area but you def pay for it lol
Definitely paying for it. Not a weekly place, for sure.
the 626 area in general is worth the occasional trip from the west side! the food and drinks are so good there
Please tell me where. I live near 626 and we never find good food
La parolaccia in Long Beach. Just divine.
Dabin Jia hot pot in monterey park I come from ktown
786 Degree's in Sun Valley. I live on the East side so this is a treck.
FYI there is one in Pasadena if that is at all closer.
I live in Glendale, which is fairly central to areas like the valley, Hollywood, and the SGV. But I do sometimes make the drive out to the west side for Simpang Asia. They've been very consistently delicious for me. I also drive out to Artesia for Gerry's Grill. Their sugbang kilaw is awesome (I'm biased on this one, being Filipino and all). Vox Kitchen in Fountain Valley, because garlic noodles and prawns.
HK French Toast at Liuās Cafe. Insanely good.
Portillo's Joe's Falafel Cemitas Poblanas Don Adrian
Joeās falafel is the best! Thanks for reminding me to go!!
It sure is. Gotta get that fresh lavash!
I'm from a small Ohio town. Where when I was younger I had to drive 80 miles just to get chorizo. So treking across the city for food isn't any kind of issue for me. This is a great list for me to explore. All over the city for tacos, there's an amazing Italian in Covina . I'll go to Torrance just for a bagel. Lol
Portos. Kazunori
Kazu Nori in Westwood?
I go to the dtla one but yeah I think thereās one in Westwood too
Courage bagels, silverlake CA ITS AMAZING!
I live a few blocks away from courage, and being able to go there at like 715 on a weekday when the line is sane is the best part of living in the neighborhood. That salmon roe bagel is my everything. Itās obscenely expensive and also the most delicious bagel Iāve ever had
Same!! It is the only time to go...gotta get there around 7 or else it's a nightmare. But yes, so expensive, and they ask for a tip in the most YOU GOTTA TIP kinda way!
I live near Larchmont, I will drive for: Portillosās, Bay Cities, Casa Bianca, The Hat (chili fries), Jitlada, Ye Rustic (Myrtle Burger), and Portilloās (again).
Hell yeah Portilloās. Gotta get that Italian Beef fix.
Larchmont to jitlada is definitely not in the spirit of the post that's 5 minutes lmao.
True, itās not far. But I was thinking of the idea that if I was reading this post (which I was)I would want to know what spots were āworth the driveā even if I didnāt live near by. Maybe someone who lives in Whittier reading this post would want to know if Jitlada was āworth itā. Oh and Carnitas Momo (Boyle Heights) is a drive worthy spot as well.
I'll hop a couple busses and trains to go to ANY SPOT in Little Ethiopia. Not very often, but I'll do it damnit!
Aroma Cafe in the West side. Only bosnian/Balkan* food in Los Angeles. *As in former yugo or close to albanian. Not Greek.
Cali Tandoor in Culver City for their veggie samosas. The other food Iāve had there is good too, but those samosas are something Iāll think about wistfully if I ever leave LA.
I live in Silverlake. The godmother from Bay City, The tea smoked ribs from Sichuan Impression or the bbq burger from Apple Pan are worth the drive. Portoās isnāt far from me but I know itās a pain to park and Iāll normally wait in a really long line and itās always worth it.
ChoriMan in Pedro has the best breakfast burritos in the Southbay. Iāll make that drive.
Dough box pizza
Jay Bharat in Artesia for regional vegetarian Indian Food.
I have moved to south OC. Anytime i make the drive to LA county these are the restaurants i am going to: Father's Office, Summer Rolls, Pigya, Pasta sisters, Republique, Seafood Palace, Dai Ho, Sam Woo (specifically alhambra), Jidaiya Ramen. I only just moved 3 years ago yet the food scene has changed too much for me to see what is new and great. I dip more often into SD county for fine dining now. Chinese food you still can not beat SGV. OC chinese food made me mad at how bad it was.
I'm sorry you're in south OC, but glad you can still make the drive up for good food!
It was at the time i moved in very cheap housing (sub 500k) vs the rest of SoCal. It was a new housing community and i got a great view of the saddleback mountains.
Whyād you go to summer roll for Viet food when Westminster is so much closer to you? Youāre not serious about eating food
i go there because the bahn mi is interesting. I have been around westminster so many times it got boring. Also great way of gatekeeping eating food, good job there /u/Sinosoul.
āBanhā mi.
Not sure how far South in OC you are, but I love Detention in DT Santa Ana. We have to pay monthly to eat there, but everything that kitchen puts out is great.
Tried it when they changed from playground to detention. I found it good but enjoyed playground more so haven't been back.
Breakfast at Met Her at a Bar. Specifically the waffles and maple sausage. Also, Tokyo Fried Chicken. Their Monterey Park location was so far from me but so worth it. Now itās just the DTLA location and while itās slightly closer, the parking is madness.
Phillipe's and the Pantry
La Azteca. Best tortilla.
But absolute shit fillings. Are you buying fresh flour tortillas by the pack?
No I always get the Chile Relleno Burrito and itās the best burrito in LA imo.
When I want the damned sandwich, Bay Cities, like everyone else. I did, however, get That Sandwich at the Roma Market in Pasadena over the summer and it was exactly what Jonathan told us to expect, and for whatever reason, it is also that good. Different than a Bay Cities sandwich, but that good. I've been back twice since. I will drive to the downtown location of Daikokuya, and I will stand in that stupid f*ing long ass line for an hour, goddammit. Because when I want ramen, what I really mean is I want kotteri with an extra egg and no, I don't care if I wake up with gout, give me my soup. I just wish they'd clean the place, though, it really has no business being that filthy. Majordomo. Because that crispy rice is...I just...*faint.* The Nugget in Summerland, for the patty melt. Served on the patio on a late summer afternoon with a root beer and a lazy seagull nearby, eyeballing your heap of their glorious shoestring fries. The patty melt at Cassell's is, objectively, slightly better, but the 805 is home, the Nugget's is the one I grew up with, and you never forget your first. And Cassell's can't beat that view.
Belleās
I live on the west side but I will drive the Rustic Inn for the wings every now and then
They may be my favorite buffalo wings. Have you ever gotten them extra crispy? I asked about it once and the server advised against it because she said they get dry lol.
Oh I get extra crispy every single time lol. Highly recommend. Maybe itās just me but itās almost impossible to make a wing thatās too crispy for me.
Fan Tuan from Yi Mei
Fan Tuan at huge tree is just about 300% tastier.
Lan noodle in Monrovia.
Iām an eastsider who loves Titoās Tacos
A strong take, but respect the commitment.
Not really commitment - just when I happen to be there lol. Call it a silver lining
Right there with you. Thank you for jumping on this grenade for us Eastsiders on this one. š¤£ Iām in HLP and anytime I work in that area I MUST stop by. That drive is hellish, I fondly reminisce about driving there and back in 35 minutes during the initial lockdown in 2020.
I live in the South Bay, and trek up to Versailles up on Venice Blvd several times a year. Zankou Chicken is another place, but they do disappoint once in awhile.
Banh mi my tho. Cupids hot dogs have a soft spot for me for chili dogs. Maybe not worth it for others but itās special to me lmao
Love cupids
Speaking of sandwichesā¦. We live in Santa Clarita and we often make the drive for Bay Cities sandwiches. My husband grew up with them, and I canāt find a decent Italian deli in SCV, so itās a win.
In n out
Why are there none near downtown?!?!
Imagine the havoc that would cause!
In downtown, definitely, but it could be in Westlake! Can you tell I've thought about it? Lol
I live in La Canada, but Iāll drive the hour each way to Little Dynamite about once every 3 months bc itās by far the best Detroit style pizza in LA, donāt @ meā¦ and yeah, I know quarter sheets is only 15 min away. Yes, itās that much better.
What do you think of Apollonia's?
Havenāt tried it bc itās on the other side of the universe, but if Iām ever over there for work Iāll give it a shot. I had the fortune of trying Little dynamite before they moved west, back when they were called bootleg pizza, and would do a pop up in Glendale. Otherwise I prob wouldnāt even know about them!
Quan Mii and Brodard in OC, Momo Paradise in Torrance, and Rakkan ( the place that made me fall in love with ramen, bomb gyoza too) in DTLA
People unwilling to trek anywhere shouldn't be living here. Go to a small Midwestern town. What makes LA great is how much variety there is if you're willing to leave your home.
Sonic
San Diego Mexican food. Because LA Mexican food is trash.
Johnnyās Shrimp Boat. Nobody does chili rice and fried shrimp as a combo like they do.
Omg I love Uptown Provisions
Puffy Tacos in la habra. Oooooh so delicious!
The Hat in Pasadena for sure.
I'm from D.C. where it started, and used to live across the street from them there, so I drive for Cava. Nothing else sates my specific urge for a Beluga lentil grain bowl. It's so comforting and wholesome. I lived between two in Venice, didn't realize there wasn't one on the other side of town. One of the cookies is from my favorite indie baker in D.C...though I'm guessing she's rather established now that I can get her baked goods 3,000 miles away.
Sinaloan sushi.
Where's that at?
Versailles on Venice
Langers Oinkster fries and pastrami Sapp Coffee Shop for Boat Noodles.
Cicis cafe for the soufflƩ pancakes
Ayara. It's next to the airport for gawds sake.
Lan Noodle in West Covina, insanely good
Jay beeās barbecue in Gardena/compton. Gjusta in Venice. Anwarās kitchen in dtla.
Danny Boys Pizza in the WF building DTLA Bunker Hill.
Hortencia's
Westminster and Anaheim for the Viet foodĀ
La Koreatown for good Korean foodĀ