Headed down from SF for my roughly biennial 3 night trip next week with my 9 year old daughter – so can’t do long tasting menus or high end sushi. Staying downtown and plan to mostly hang around there, try to get into the Broad, MOCA, ice skate at Pershing Square, etc.
Monday: Will head straight to Langers for pastrami lunch and would like to stay downtown Monday night for dinner – thinking maybe BS Taqueria happy hour then Little Sister? Or should I just go straight to Broken Spanish instead? Bestia?
Tuesday: Dinner reservation at Hatchet Hall. Thinking of checking out Prawn for lunch. Will likely grab a bagel and lox at Wexlers then wait in line for tickets to the Broad – any idea what wait is on a Tuesday?
Wednesday: Cento for lunch? Maple Block dinner – is it worth the trek from downtown? I’ve been to both Bludsoe’s and dug them both and love BBQ, been to Franklin, etc. Wanted to check out Felix but all booked – do they take walk ins and if so any idea of wait if you get there when they open?
I don’t think so. I’d stay closer to DTLA and go to Koreantown or places downtown. A lot of places you mention are great. Bestia. BS Taqueria. Broken Spanish.
Koreatown has so many places. Park’s BBQ or Kang Ho Dong are good choices for kids.
Broken Spanish for small plates, drinks and dessert. The place is a tad dressy at night. BS Taqueria for tacos and churros.
Skip Prawn. Go to Carnitas Moreliana for pierna/cueritos mixed tacos,
Check out Gjusta if you can get to Venice. It is not crowded early for breakfast and may have the best bagels and smoked fish in town. But lunch is my favorite cuz prime rib butcher.
My advice Wednesday: Gjusta for lunch and spend some time in West LA/Santa Monica/Beverly Hills and then dinner at Maple Block. I highly recommend calling Maple Block in advance to make the beef short rib available when you go. It is amazing. Also noteworthy, the coppa ribs, pork spare ribs, lean brisket, prime rib, chicken and pickles.
And at Gjusta, get prime rib butcher extra horseradish (must get), bagel with smoked salmon belly, falafel sandwich, carrot cake and sides of their delicious veggies.
The DTLA Little Sister it not my favorite, in both execution and service. Perhaps someone else can speak to that location because my experiences have been so-so.
If you’re into BBQ, we think Maple Block beats Bludso’s by a good margin (we did a side-by-side comparison of lean brisket). It’s not that Bludso’s was bad, just that MB was noticeably better. MB also has a very tasty side of smoked peewee potatoes w/espelette, chives, and creme fraiche. On the other hand, Bludso’s does have Nicole Rucker’s pies for dessert – the Mexican Lime Pie was great.
Brisket aside, I think both MB and Bludso’s La Brea are great but very different in style and offerings. I don’t know if the OP can do so, but to try both would give a fair assessment of the better brick & mortar BBQ in LA.
Broken Spanish is the place I’m most eager to return to on my next trip.
Baco Mercat’s my most regular stop downtown. Great vegetable dishes (not necessarily vegetarian). Kid-friendly.
KazuNori is good and cheap for a quick snack.
You can eat well at Little Sister Downtown if you order the right things.
Don’t go to Clifton’s to eat, but walk around and check out the crazy decor.
If I had three nights in LA and was staying downtown I wouldn’t spend two hours schlepping out to Santa Monica and back. Not a bad place to stop if you’re driving to LAX.
Bestia and Gjelina are great but to me very similar to SF places such as Zuni and Nopa.
Gjusta is the most unconvivial place I’ve ever eaten. It doesn’t do anything better than places in SF. Would not go back unless I was staying nearby so I had somewhere to eat takeout.
Yeah I think I’ll keep Broken Spanish. I tried Baco Mercat a few years ago and wasn’t wowed enough to want to return, but in any event I am trying to get to places I haven’t been before (other than Langers which is a mandatory stop for me). I really enjoyed Gjelina but agree you can get similar in SF (except the warm patio dining experience). Really enjoyed Parks too a few years ago. Have not been to Gjusta but all the buzz has me intrigued - but sounds like takeout would be fine. Cliftons does look cool for a walk through. We are driving down so will have a car.
Probably a dozen of other places I cant name off the bat in Koreatown.
Just approaching this hypothetically as someone who lives in SF and is in LA to visit. What is SF strong points? Italian, Cal-___, Cantonese, and high end dining. What is it lacking? Korean, Thai, and tacos.
Thai Town would be high on my list and is only 10-15 minute ride on the Red Line from 7th Street Metro Center. Koreatown/Wilshire x Vermont is only 2 stops away.
Guerrilla Tacos pops up in DTLA Arts District. Tire Shop Taqueria is worth the Uber/Lyft ride.
You got these neighborhoods and areas like Koreatown, Thai Town, Little Saigon, San Gabriel Valley, etc.
I am always searching and researching for some random dish that a certain place specializes in. It really leads me to look deeper into different cusines.
Tx, Yes, agreed. Love Mexican and Thai as well. I have been to Guerrilla, Ricky’s and Guisados (and Coni’ Seafood) previously. The one other place I am tempted to return to is Night & Market, but I was there with a group of four so got to try a lot, just two if us this time. Tire Shop looks good - too many choices.
get the dosirak (shaken lunchbox) at Kang Ho-dong Baekjeong
one taco will be sufficient for the 9 year old.
i second that.
and purists/snobs might sneer, but the food court at the koreatown plaza might be a good choice for the 9 year old. pao jao dumpling house serves what might be the best shrimp dumplings (the jjajjangmyeun isn’t bad either) in k-town. and awoolim’s kimbap should suit most any 9 year old. and if you’re looking for soju to take back up north, the market there has good deals around holiday time.
I think Broken Spanish is much better than BS Taqueria and Little Sister and would recommend it.
I would forget about Bestia. It’s way too hard to eat there. Although I do think it’s a great restaurant, it’s not even the best Italian restaurant in DTLA in my opinion. (Officine Brera would get my vote.)
I don’t think Cento is worth a visit. I think Maccheroni Republic in the same area and price range has better food and offers a better experience too.
If one were to take something to go, the bagels and/or baguette with smoked fish plate would be ideal. The sandwiches tend to lose some of their magic as they sit. The baguette for the prime rib butcher is grilled with olive oil and I believe they dunk the meat in jus before plating.