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Opened by local Christie Lujan in 2009, CaCao Mexicatessen was one of the first places in town to showcase the creative potential of the street-style taco, offering options such as sea urchin and pork crackling as fillings. With handmade tortillas and a serious commitment to the flavors of Mexico, CaCao has embedded itself as one of the go-to places for Mexican food in Northeast L.A.
1576 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90041, USA
Known For
- Duck carnitas taco
- Korean short rib tacos
- Modern Mexican cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Hollywood |
A humble taco shack on the side of the road, Cactus offers up $4 tacos with all types of meat you could imagine, even beef tongue. They also have carne asada and chicken for the less adventurous. This spot dishes out other Mexican favorites, but plowing through cheap tacos is the main reason to come here.
950 Vine St., Los Angeles, California, 90038, USA
Known For
- California burritos
- Delicious fries
- Excellent street-style tacos
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$ | Fairfax District |
This granddaddy of L.A. delicatessens (it opened in 1931) cures its own corned beef and pastrami and features delectable desserts from the in-house bakery. It's not the best (or friendliest) deli in town, but it's a classic. The space is huge, so wait times are short. Open round the clock, you can expect some post-bar rowdiness after 2 am. Next door is the Kibitz Room, where you can hear live music or comedy every night of the week.
419 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90036, USA
Known For
- Location adjacent to Kibitz Room bar
- Plenty of seating and short wait times
- Open 24 hours
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$ | Pasadena |
Those who normally skip vanilla ice cream because it's so—well—vanilla should shelve their preconceptions and order a scoop of Carmela's beloved brown sugar vanilla bean. But this local fave also encourages a dive into more complex flavor profiles like carrot orange ginger sorbet. The toothsome ice cream sandwich will make you feel like a kid again.
2495 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, California, 91104, USA
Known For
- Brown sugar vanilla bean decadence
- Wild seasonal flavors
- Joy-inducing ice cream sandwiches
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$ | Koreatown |
Since 1948, Cassell’s has been grilling up some of the city's best burgers and remains on just about every top burger list in town. In-the-know burger lovers come here for the reliability of a perfectly cooked patty, a toasted bun, and fries with the right amount of crunch. The simple diner features barstools, a dozen or so tables, and large windows looking out onto the street. Nothing fancy, Cassell’s just gets burgers right in a city that’s known for them.
3600 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, California, 90020, USA
Known For
- Perfectly cooked burgers and fries
- No-frills diner setting
- Late-night eats
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Hearty home cooking may not be a big part of L.A.'s dining scene, but that doesn't mean you can't have it when you're visiting the city. Tucked in the heart of Burbank, this diner-style spot serves chili everything, from traditional chili bowls to open-faced chili burgers. Of course, this being Los Angeles, ingredients are locally sourced from organic and sustainable farms.
2018 W. Burbank Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 91506, USA
Known For
- Beef chili
- Lemon pie
- Organic and locally sourced comfort food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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The husband-and-wife team that took over Cindy’s never set out to create a trendy space for hipsters looking for their next artisanal fix; they just wanted to make great, accessible food. That’s exactly what they've done, and by doing so they've established a neighborhood restaurant with reasonable prices and back-to-basics food that just so happens to look retro cool. Another reason to love Cindy's: they make almost everything in-house, including the smoked and cured meats.
1500 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90041, USA
Known For
- Brisket hash
- Barbecue cheeseburger with "cowboy candy"
- Retro diner–style space
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Started by former music producer and Donut Friend creator Mark Trombino, Creamo is to ice cream as Donut Friend is to doughnuts (and if you don't get those L.A. references, it's what In-N-Out is to burgers). Everything is vegan in the shop; nonetheless, nonvegans will love its 16 soy-based flavors, many of which are named after pop-punk and emo bands. Crowd-favorites stay year-round, but two to three flavors rotate seasonally, and inventive Trombino comes up with a new flavor every season. Not an ice cream fan? Vegan shakes like the Paramoreo, named after Paramore, might just change your life.
3534 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90026, USA
Known For
- Vegan ice cream
- Vegan shakes and ice cream sandwiches
- Donut Friend doughnuts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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By blending geometrical shapes and horizontal lines together in an airy place with big windows, Dinosaur Coffee has utilized its space well, bringing a touch of the new into a section of Silver Lake that feels a little old. Yet it’s more than just the interiors that draw people in—the coffee is excellent, as are the pastries. In a neighborhood where independent coffee shops are a dime a dozen, that’s saying a lot.
4334 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90029, USA
Known For
- Perfect oat milk latte
- Great cold brew
- No Wi-Fi
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Simple, small, and understated, it’s easy to miss the best falafel spot in town. Hearty Middle Eastern falafel and chicken shawarma are piled on homemade flatbread. Other menu items include tabbouleh and lamb, but, honestly, stick with the falafel—it’s second to none. Enjoy it al fresco in Dune's new outdoor dining space along Glendale Boulevard where people-watching is a favorite pastime. There's cold brew as well to perk you up before your weekend adventures.
3143 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90039, USA
Known For
- Organic green-herb falafel sandwich
- Fried chicken shawarma
- Outdoor dining
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While you definitely should try the flat shoe-shaped dish El Huarache Azteca is named after—think somewhere between a flatbread and a tostada—you cannot go wrong with any of the other options at this family restaurant that’s been a fixture in the area for the last couple of decades. Just be aware there’s often a wait for the food to come out.
5225 York Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90042, USA
Known For
- No-frills Mexican dishes
- Agua fresca
- Super huarache
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$ | Santa Monica |
Distinguished by its vintage neon sign, this gastropub is famous for handcrafted beers and a brilliant signature burger (along with a substantial and excellent menu). Topped with Gruyère and Maytag blue cheeses, arugula, caramelized onions, and applewood-smoked bacon compote, the Office Burger is a guilty pleasure worth waiting in line for, which is usually required. Get a side order of the addictive sweet-potato fries served in a miniature fryer basket with aioli. Don't even think of asking for ketchup—FO enforces a strict no-substitutions policy.
Because Father's Office is a bar, it's strictly for diners 21 and older.
1018 Montana Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90403, USA
Known For
- Addictive sweet potato fries
- Strict no-substitutions policy
- 36 craft beers on tap
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays, Reservations not accepted
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With minimalist decor marked by tropical wood banquettes, Silver Lake's bohemian past and ubertrendy present converge at Gingergrass. Traditional Vietnamese favorites emerge from the café's open kitchen, sometimes with a California twist. Consider classic crispy-skinned imperial rolls (filled with chicken, veggies, or crab and shrimp, served with lettuce and mint for wrapping) and Cal-light versions of banh mi, along with a refreshing basil-lime elixir.
2396 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90039, USA
Known For
- Roasted pork chop with rice
- Bánh mì sandwiches
- Great desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Smashburger spots in L.A. are a dime a dozen, but only a handful---like Goldburger---stand out. Tucked in a tiny spot on buzzing York Boulevard, this joint makes some of the juiciest, tastiest smashburgers in town, thanks in large part to the grass-fed beef and house-made sauces. The titular Goldburger is the one to try, of course, but you also can't go wrong with the other burger specials. Pair one with curly fries, and chase it all down with the craft sodas on offer.
5623 York Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90042, USA
Known For
- Counter seating
- Craft sodas
- Smashburger
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$ | Studio City |
Its walls may be heavy with framed photographs of film and TV stars, and folks from the biz might regularly grace its tables, but this Studio City diner is every bit as down-to-earth as your next-door neighbor, even after 40-some years. It gets pretty busy, but a plateful of that home cooking is worth the wait; or if you’re in a mad dash, grab a caffeine or fruit smoothie fix from the Neighbarista.
3701 Cahuenga Blvd. W, Los Angeles, California, 91604, USA
Known For
- Craft-your-own omelet
- Cottage fries
- Excellent breakfast food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | West Hollywood |
From a food truck to a brick-and-mortar space, Happy Ice is a rainbow-colored icee shop that keeps the crowds coming. Customers can combine up to three of the nine flavors, including the world-famous Rainbow Rocket, Mango Madness, Sour Apple Lush, and more. The shop is right in the middle of Melrose Avenue's shopping street, making it the perfect stop between vintage shopping and a quick lunch bite.
7324 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California, 90046, USA
Known For
- Colorful, Instagram-worthy atmosphere
- Creative slushies and icees
- Vegan-friendly ingredients
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$ | North Hollywood |
Sit down here to a table piled high with assorted hot and cold mezes, baba ghanoush, garlic fries, falafel, and kebabs piled on a bed of rice. Fresh, satisfying, and with excellent service, this reasonably priced hidden gem in the Valley is worth the trek over the hill.
11009 Burbank Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 91601, USA
Known For
- Lebanese home cooking
- Delicious appetizers
- Kabob-shish Tawook
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$ | West L.A. |
Some of the best sushi spots in Los Angeles are the most hidden and most discreet and come with zero fanfare, and the decades-old, no-reservations Hide (pronounced hee-day) is one of those restaurants. Walking through a curtained entryway, diners will find a smattering of tables and a sushi counter (which is where you should sit) where master sushi chefs slice raw cuts of the freshest fish in town. Keep in mind, this establishment is cash only, but it does have an ATM inside.
2040 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90025, USA
Known For
- Counter sushi
- Quiet atmosphere
- Cash-only policy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., No reservations
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Founded by Santa Monica natives, Huckleberry brings together the best ingredients from local farmers and growers to craft diner-style comfort food with a chic twist. Nearly everything is made on-site, even the hot sauce and almond milk. The light, bright space is perfect for a quick brunch. Choose from savories like toad-in-the-hole with housemade chimichurri or a chicken shawarma wrap with beet and carrot slaw and Castelvetrano olives. Breakfast is served all day. Baked goods rotate frequently according to the seasonal whims of the pastry chef; favorites include the Meyer lemon hazelnut scones. Bonito Coffee Roasters coffee tempts from the extensive drink menu.
1014 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, California, 90401, USA
Known For
- From-scratch diner-style breakfast options
- Delectable pastries
- House-made cold brew
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$ | Malibu |
Assemble a beach picnic like a Malibu local at this humble, health-conscious spot where sandwiches include the Surfer Princess (turkey and avocado) and the salads include the Quinoa Queen. You can also choose from smoothies and juices, salads, açaí bowls, snacks, drinks, and more. John's has served locals for more than four decades; you'll find yourself mingling with them in the sunny outdoor dining area.
3835 Cross Creek Rd., Los Angeles, California, 90265, USA
Known For
- Popular post-surf or beach-snacks spot
- Killer juices and smoothies
- Ever-changing weekly specials
