Kit

What is the best of Los Angeles eating? Nothing fancy, just good food? Will be staying in West Los Angeles and can travel through Downtown area.

CA Native

Phillipe's--the Original
Original Tommy's hamburgers on Rampart
Pink's Hotdogs
Musso & Frank Grill

Alisa

What kind of food are you looking for? Likes and dislikes? Let me know--I am a native westsider and can give you some tips.

kam

El Tepeyac in East LA for giant burritos. Alisa, do you know where we used to go on or just off Wilshire in Koreatown for great hamburgers? It was a tiny place with a cafeteria type service but the burgers were to die for. Senility approaches! Also, Kit, go to the Chowhounds site for LA suggestions.

michele

Kit,
Like CA Natives suggestions (don't know if I'd call Musso and Frank's a dive though)

Cassell's Hamburgers on Sixth and Wilshire (close to Koreatown-is that the one you were thinking about, Kam?) They grind their own prime, love the potato salad, homemade mayo,homemade thousand island,homemade lemonade, cafeteria style. Lunch only.

Millie's Diner in Silver Lake-a true dive-a counter and a few tables-EVERYTHING is fresh. Lots of selections from great omelettes, to pork chops, to salads and those rosemary roasted potatoes and homemade buttermilk biscuits!!!!(Their motto is: We do everything the pain in the #$@@ old-fashioned way-taste the difference)It's right on Silver Lake Blvd towards downtown. Don't bring a cell phone--they yell at you if it rings.Breakfast and lunch only.

M.

CA Native

Yeah, michele, you're right.

But I had to throw M&F's in the mix because they rock. Probably should have said Clifton's Cafeteria (thehorrorthehorror) or maybe The Pantry. Pacific Dining Car too??

kelbel

The Apple Pan in West LA on Pico is a local favorite. Pinks on La Brea in Melrose area is another local dive, know for its hot dogs and celebrity sightings. Try the Dresden if in the Los Feliz area--north of Koreatown. Its on Vermont, and a hipster scene, with a very "dive" like appeal, and pretty good food.

Would skip Musso and Franks unless you like rude, poor service and over priced foods. Though to their credit, they are a piece of Hollywood history.

Nora

I wouldn't suggest El Tepeyac generally for a tourist. The neighborhood is a little dicey and I wouldn't want them to end up getting lost in some of those areas. I know there are nice families living there, but we have a little gang problem there too. Sad but true.

michele

Yes, The Pantry in downtown LA-open 24 hours(think PDC is too expensive to be a dive, but great atmosphere). There's also Cole's downtown, Phillipe's competition. I've never tried it, but have friends who swear by the place. How about The Kitchen on Sunset and Hyperion? Very good food at very reasonable prices.( a big bowl of good cioppino is $10) BYOB"Lunch to Latenite"-their motto. Has the requisite divey feel--a counter, waitresses who have seen better days...
Does Canter's or Langer's count? great delis and not as upscale as Nate 'n Al's
(Langer's is lunch only-7th and Alvarado-dicey neighborhood, but if you got mugged after eating one of their pastrami sandwiches you'd die happy).

This is a great question, Kit.

M.

xxx

Cole's is the home of the original French Dip sandwich. I just don't know what all the hype's about.

Pink's, Tommy's Burgers and In N Out are all fast food institutions that are a must for any LA visit.

lagirl

A great "divey" Italian place, although not as "famous" as the great suggestions above, is Allejo's. There are two - one on Lincoln at Washington (the border between Venice and Marina Del Rey) and the second on Lincoln closer to the airport in a strip mall - I think it's called University Mall or something like that.

Alisa

Burgers in Koreatown--uhm, you have stumped me Kam!

Some of my faves:

Farmers Market on Third and Fairfax--great for hanging out, people watching. Go for the Cajun food, the crepes, apple fritters. Dupars is a famous diner located there. Close to the Museums.

Speaking of donuts--go for Stan's Donuts in Westwood. Peanut butter, banana and chocolate donuts--with fresh banana--YES!

The Apple Pan on Pico--great pie.
John O'Groats for breakfast on Pico in West LA--great biscuits.

Hide Sushi on Sawtelle in West LA.
Titos Tacos-West LA
Zankou Chicken-Eastside
Falafel King-Santa Monica/Westwood
Johnnie's Pastrami-West LA
Al Gelato--Beverly Hills

Versailles Cuban Restaurant on Venice in West LA. Go for the half chicken with black beans and rice and plantains--heaven.

Ocean Seafood in Chinatown for dim sum--I know some peeople prefer ABC Seafood--that's good, too!

Warsawa restaurant-polish food in Santa Monica--pricey but soooo good. Dried plums wrapped in bacon, peirogi, a stoli on the rocks--makes me a happy!

Of course, In n Out Burger!

yes

Alisa knows her LA restaurants. I second Tito's, the best burrito joint in the country. Also, I'd add Dukes (on Sunset, I think). A "gentrified" diner.

lennie

Darn , Michelle, you had to tell everybody about Millie's--great dive.

I love the Farmers'Market, but it's not a dive--just a casual outdoor spot.

If you want a good taco go to Yuca's on Hillhurst in the Los Feliz area. Also, Yucatan tamales on Saturday only.Agree with Zankou chicken-Sunset and Normandie. With rare exceptions, most of the Westside suggestions are just casual spots, not dives ( although Duke's qualifies).

jay

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CA Native

ok, here's another two:

Maria's Ramada, Hollywood

and Phil's Diner in North Hollywood...the only place I can think of owned by an Asian guy named Hong (who also cooks) named, "Phil."

btw, if you go to Cole's, wear a couple nose plugs to deal with the weird sub-odor that permeates the place and has permanently adhered to the naugahyde.