By now there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Mr. Fries Man. The South LA street food vendor — real name Craig Batiste — is one of a growing number of Instagram-famous food stars cooking up hearty modern LA comfort food below the 10 freeway, and has been profiled by everyone from KCRW on down. Now, after a short stint working on a food truck, Mr. Fries Man has landed a permanent restaurant location right in Gardena — and the opening party is this weekend.
Batiste carries some 50,000 Instagram followers, and has for years been operating out of a home kitchen doing delivery and pick-up plates of loaded fries. There’s always around half a dozen different meat options on offer, and customers can call in their request for a big carton filled to the brim with shrimp, beef, you name it. Containers average around $15, but can jump or dip depending on what you want your meal to look like.
Now Batiste is taking that same model to a strip mall space off Western Avenue in Gardena, with a grand opening party slated for Saturday. They’re actually collaborating with Gardena’s own Wings-N-Greens on the space, so you’ll be able to get fried chicken, loaded fries, and lots more once the place comes fully online.
The Saturday Mr. Fries Man event kicks off at 11 a.m., with regular hours to follow next week. It’s great news to see Batiste move into a permanent space all his own, as county officials — still working through the logistics of a street food legalization initiative — have lately been keen to crack down on vendors, including fan favorite All Flavor No Grease.
Mr. Fries Man
14800 S. Western Ave. #108
Gardena, CA