Where to Eat at LAX, 2021 Edition

From traffic getting to the airport to inefficient security lines and unplanned delays, traveling through LAX can be a veritable nightmare. The last year-plus, of course, has heavily affected travel and restaurants in Los Angeles and beyond. In the midst of the pandemic, LAX has been busy with construction and renovations, which means some significant changes in the operations of eateries, restaurants, lounges, and bars at the airport.

Because many places are temporarily closed, LAX is even offering an airport-only food delivery service called Order Now that will bring dishes from across terminals, in case a particular terminal you’re flying out of doesn’t have many options. Here is an updated list of what’s open and what’s new at Los Angeles’s busy international airport.

Five Standout Places to Eat

Matthew Kang

1. WPizza and The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck at Terminal 6: Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s classic pizzas, pastas, and salads are often the most reliable things to eat in an airport setting, though the prices will certainly be higher than a fast food spot.
2. Ink.Sack at Tom Bradley International Terminal: A sandwich shop licensed from chef Michael Voltaggio. Prices run around $10, with great options like the pork butt banh mi and Spanish godfather, an Italian-style deli sandwich pays homage to chef José Andrés.
3. Border Grill at Tom Bradley International Terminal: Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken’s Santa Monica restaurant has a casual place inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal that’s always reliable for Mexican fare.
4. 8 Oz Burger Bar in Terminal 4: Come here for big Niman Ranch beef burgers and shoestrings fries from chef Govind Armstrong.
5. Cole’s in Terminal 4: One of the two LA restaurants to have claimed the invention of the French dip sandwich (the other being Philippe’s), this small counter has four different sandwiches including roast beef, pork, pastrami, and turkey.

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Terminal 1

A Quick Meal

• California Pizza Kitchen ASAP: pizza and salads
• Reilly’s: Irish pub with corned beef sliders, potato chip nachos, beer flights
• The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: coffee, blended drinks, baked goods

Fast Casual/Bars

• Rock & Brews Concert Bar and Grill: rock and roll-themed salads, sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, craft beers, and a full bar
• Urth Caffe and Bar: a full-service restaurant with coffee, sandwiches, and salads

Note: Beaming Cafe, Cassell’s, Chick-Fil-A, Deli & Co., Einstein Bagels, Pei Wei, and Trejo’s are temporarily closed as of mid-May.

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Terminal 2

A Quick Meal

• Starbucks: coffee mega-chain (Arrivals and Departures)
• Fresh Brothers Pizza & Sandwiches: pizza, salad, wings, sandwiches
• Breeze: a simple coffee shop
• Jersey Mike’s Subs: submarine sandwich chain

Fast Casual/Bars

• Built Custom Burgers: customizable burgers and fries from The Counter
• Slapfish Modern Seafood Shack: sandwiches, tacos, breakfast, seafood
• SeaLegs Wine Bar: snacks, small plates, wine
• Barney’s Beanery: diner food inspired by Route 66

Note: Pick Up Stix is currently closed

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Terminal 3

Terminal 3 is currently under construction.

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Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Terminal 4

A Quick Meal

• Dunkin’ Donuts: donuts, coffee
• Starbucks: coffee mega-chain
• Homeboy Cafe: sandwiches, salads

Fast Casual/Bars

• Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza: pizza, salads, beer, soups
• 8 oz. Burger Bar: popular burgers from chef Govind Armstrong
• Campanile: an airport outlet of chef Mark Peel’s iconic La Brea eatery
• Cole’s: French-dip sandwiches
• La Provence Patisserie and Cafe: French macarons, paninis

Note: Real Food Daily is currently closed

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Terminal 5

A Quick Meal

• Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: coffee, blended drinks, baked goods (Arrivals is closed)
• Coffee Corner: coffee shop

Fast Casual/Bars

• Lemonade: quick-casual salads, sandwiches, breakfast (Closed)
• Donburi Bistro: Japanese rice bowls
• Loteria! Grill: Mexican fare from chef Jimmy Shaw
• Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Market & Bistro: gifts, gourmet items
• Ford’s Filling Station: an airport outlet of chef Ben Ford’s gastropub (Closed Tuesday and Wednesday)
• Rock & Brews Concert Bar & Grill: rock and roll-themed salads, sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, craft beers (Closed Tuesday and Wednesday)

Note: Farmer’s Market is currently closed.

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Terminal 6

A Quick Meal

• The Habit Burger Grill: California-based burger chain
• Starbucks: coffee mega-chain

Fast Casual/Bars

• The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck: made-to-order breakfast and lunch options
• The Wine Bar by Wolfgang Puck: wine, beer, craft cocktails
• WPizza by Wolfgang Puck: the celebrity chef’s signature pizzas
• Earthbar: healthy food, acai bowls, smoothies
• BLU2o: beachy California-cuisine
• Point the Way Cafe: a gastropub from Golden Road Brewery

Osteria by Fabio Viviani, Peet’s Coffee, Wahoo’s, and Starbucks (Arrivals) are currently closed.

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Terminal 7

A Quick Meal

• Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: coffee, baked goods, snacks

Fast Casual/Bars

• Ashland Hill: an airport outlet of the Santa Monica gastropub
• bld: sandwiches, salads, hot plates
• The Counter Custom Built Burgers: burgers, fries
• B Grill by BOA Steakhouse: burgers, salads, steaks, pastas, seafood
• Rolling Stone Bar & Grill: bar food, booze
• Wolfgang Puck Express: pizzas, sandwiches

Loteria, Dunkin’, and Klatch Coffee are currently closed.

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Terminal 8

A Quick Meal

• Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: coffee, baked goods, snacks
• Panda Express: fast-casual American Chinese fare

Fast Casual/Bars

• Corona Bar: bar food, beer, booze
• Engine Co. No. 28: full-service bar and restaurant with classic American cuisine

Corona Bar and Carl’s Jr. are currently closed.

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Tom Bradley International Terminal

Pre-Security Checkpoint

• Earl of Sandwich: national sandwich chain

West Gates (New for May 2021)

• Flight Shop
• Playa Vista: Coffee, snacks, fruit, and other grab-and-go items

After Security Checkpoint

A Quick Meal

• Starbucks: coffee mega-chain
• Panda Express: American Chinese fare
• Vanilla Bakeshop: cupcakes
• Kentucky Fried Chicken: fried chicken chain

Fast Casual/Bars

• ink.sack: classic and modern sandwiches by chef Michael Voltaggio
• Vino Volo: wine bar with small plates

A Leisurely Meal

• Border Grill: Mexican specialties from chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken

800 Degrees, Asian Street Eats, Chaya Sushi, Coffee Bean, James Beach, La Mill Coffee, P.F. Chang’s, Petrossian, Pinkberry, Playa Vista, Pret a Manger, Scoreboard, Starbucks Evenings, Umami Burger, and W Pizza are currently closed.