Going to Los Angeles and looking for places to eat!

I’ll be going to LA in a couple of weeks and will be staying in the Glendale area. What are some good Korean All you can eat places and food in general I should try? I’m only going to be there for 4 nights so these are some the things I’m thinking of but open to suggestions!

Korean BBQ AYCE
Peruvian
Japanese
BBQ

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Little Tokyo is like 13 min (driving distance) from you. There are a few good restaurants there.

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Staying just in/around the Glendale area …

Korean BBQ King
3747 Foothill Blvd
Glendale
(818) 957-1442

Natalie Peruvian Seafood

Bodega 69

Sushi Nishi-Ya
1712 Victory Blvd
Glendale
(818) 244-2933

Big Ants (Glassell Park location)

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Thank you so much! I’ll have to check these places out!

Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Persian. Home to a very large population.
Raffis and Mini Kebob come to mind.

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Hi @ibuyufo ,

Welcome! :slight_smile: Are you willing to drive outside of Glendale? Or just want to stay in the immediate area? Asking because in L.A., people are used to driving everywhere to get somewhere. :slight_smile: But also a short drive in various directions opens up a world of additional eating possibilities.

Downtown / Chinatown / Little Tokyo

If you’re willing to drive a short amount, heading south, about 13 - 15 minutes as @Chemicalkinetics mentioned will lead you to Chinatown, Little Tokyo and Downtown L.A. in general. There are some good eats in that area to consider including:

  • Angry Egret Dinette - Interesting, fun, creative dishes by way of Mexico, the U.S., Asia and beyond, in a casual setting. The Chef-Owner is classically trained, but is making delicious comfort food instead. Here’s a thread with pics and thoughts.

  • Sushi Kaneyoshi - A newish Sushi bar that is making some legit, good quality Sushi in Little Tokyo. I posted a review and pictures awhile back for your reference. (Try DM’ing them on Instagram or put yourself on the waitlist / call, to see if there are any cancellations if you can’t get a reservation.)

  • Bavel - Excellent, chef-ified (but still relaxed, enjoyable) Middle Eastern cuisine by a classically trained chef (Ori Menashe). Try their regular Housemade Hummus or the Duck Hummus, both come with their Handmade, Cooked-To-Order Pitas, that taste nothing like the usual “cardboard Pita” you might be expecting at many places. It’s fluffy, piping hot and delicious. They have many other dishes to consider as well (Stewed Beef Cheeks, Lamb Neck Shawarma, etc.). https://baveldtla.com/

  • Shibumi - Interesting Kappo-style Japanese cuisine, but these days Shibumi is doing more of an “Omakase” set course with their small plates. They are the only specialist for Chinmi (“Unique Bites”) in L.A. (think, fermented Uni for 28 days(!), pickled veggies, they have some items that have been fermenting for over 2 years(!), etc.). But the majority of their menu is not Chinmi, so you don’t have to worry if you’re not into it. :wink: They also have an extensive Sake & Japanese Whisky list. https://www.shibumidtla.com/

There are more places in Downtown to recommend, but let us know if that’s an acceptable drive.

Pasadena

If you’re willing to drive ~15 minutes east from Glendale, you’ll hit the Pasadena area (home of the Rose Parade & Rose Bowl). Some standouts include:

  • Bulgarini Gelato - Owner-Gelato Master Leo Bulgarini is super obsessive about his Italian Gelato. He makes Gelato on another level. Be sure to try his famous Italian Pistachio or Sicilian Almond or Hazelnut Gelato if any of them are in stock when you arrive. The other flavors are lovely as well (thanks again @ipsedixit !). They also have some excellent Handmade Pastas. I posted some pics in this thread.

  • Tatsunoya Ramen - One of the very few examples of a legit Japanese Ramen shop from Japan that didn’t pull a bait-and-switch and leave their U.S. branch(es) with poorly trained staff to make a quick buck, Tatsunoya features fantastic Kurume-style Ramen. Think, rich, deeply porcine Tonkotsu Broth, cooked for over 15 hours. Even after 4+ years, their staff here at this Pasadena branch are still making a fantastic bowl helmed by Nakato-san. Some pics and thoughts here.

If you think you’ll be in the Pasadena area, let us know and we can provide more recommendations as well. :slight_smile:

As for Glendale proper, I think @js76wisco @ipsedixit had good recommendations already. Glendale has a strong restaurant showing for Middle Eastern cuisine.

For Peruvian-Chinese near Glendale, there’s:

For your other requests like Korean BBQ, the best places are in Koreatown, which is about ~25 - 30 minutes south west of Glendale.

For American BBQ? I’ve been spoiled by Heritage BBQ, but that’s too far south for you I think (it’s in San Juan Capistrano), so maybe the next time you visit the OC. :wink:

Lastly, FYI, driving on a weekday out of Glendale, you’ll want to try and avoid morning and late afternoon rush hours (so avoid ~8 - 10 a.m. and 4 - 7 p.m. if you can help it, or just plan for traffic delays). Enjoy! :slight_smile:

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Thanks everyone! The date is getting closer and this is an awesome list of places to try!

If you are in Glendale you should really hit up Mini Kabob. Armen and his parents are the nicest people and the food is delicious.

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4 posts were split to a new topic: Will be in the Los Angeles area Wednesday to Sunday.

Maybe Glendale in range

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Moo’s Craft BBQ in Lincoln Heights (somewhat in Glendale-ish area) is a must visit. The brisket, ribs, sausage and (fri, sat, sun) the smoked burger is amazing. My favorite BBQ spot in SoCal and they have a nice amount of craft beers as well if that’s your thing.

Never had a smoked burger how bad can it be !