Beloved Downtown LA Soul Food Restaurant Opens Second Location in Inglewood

Comfort L.A.’s been gathering steam since transitioning from pop-up to brick and mortar in 2015. The owners opened a second location in Inglewood today, and it’s meant to land with a bang in a neighborhood rich with soul food, and only blocks away from the forthcoming NFL stadium.

Comfort L.A. gathered regulars with its soul food classics, mainly fried chicken, mac and cheese, rice and beans, and collard greens, and all-day chicken and waffles. All produce and meats are organic, and owners Mark Walker and chef Jeremy McBryde named some dishes after familiar and inspiring faces.

The Jamal is named after a customer who ordered the 30 piece wings every single week. The mac and cheese hails from Jeremy’s cousin Kina, hence Cousin Kina’s mac and cheese. And the Maw Maw’s yams recipe comes from McBryde’s grandmother.

The Inglewood menu has some new additions along with a weekend brunch. These include a breakfast sandwich, and a chopped chicken sandwich with mango slaw on a brioche bun. There’s also a grits breakfast bowl with home fries, scrambled eggs, and chopped chicken covered in McBryde’s special sauce. The sauce features a bit more sweet than heat.

Comfort L.A. started as a pop-up in 2015. The partners met at a catering event, which transformed into 10 months of successful pop-ups, resulting in the first Comfort L.A. restaurant and food truck by January 2016. The Downtown outlet truly is a destination and sits right next door to Skid Row. After three years of developing a following, they planned an expansion into Inglewood.

Walker knows Inglewood well, and while all are welcome, there’s a specific drive to bring Comfort L.A.’s soul food to the African-American community. For further appeal, a modern Ernie Barnes-inspired mural from the 1970s TV show Good Times adorns in the main dining room.

This is a savvy and bold leap for McBryde and Walker. As the neighborhood prepares for the NFL stadium coming in 2020, solid competition is just around the corner with established joints like Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, Ms B’s M & M Soul Food, and The Serving Spoon. Comfort L.A. hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Comfort L.A. 902 N. La Brea, Inglewood, CA

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