Arguably one of the best examples of this humble side dish, this Southern-style eatery in Mid-City has a nice smokiness and a slight tang to balance it out, resulting in a mac & cheese that's not too rich. The base is a curly pasta that's just right for bite-sized eating.

Easily one of the most popular orders here, the mac & cheese is finished off with a toasting on the top, which gives it a baked, bubbling appearance. Flavored with blend of cheese that includes some goat cheese, it's a wallop of rich, stringy goodness.

This super creamy comfort dish is a nice thing to add to the sides at this popular barbecue joint on La Brea and Melrose. With a nice, even cheese sauce that boasts a slight spicy kick.

The French onion mac & cheese at this Koreatown beer bar is a massive onslaught of flavor, based on a caramelized onion beer cheese whiz, gruyere, asiago, and fried shallot crumbs. A nice mish-mash of classic American and French flavors.

Sprinkled with bread crumbs, this hearty side dish at this Venice cafe gets a finish in the oven for a slightly toasted flavor. Creamy, not too rubbery, and based on four different cheeses, it's hard not to order the large size and save some for later.

Topped with a crust of bread crumbs for an extra dose of crunch, this ultra rich dish using corkscrew pasta has a base of Quebec cheddar and mozzarella. It's probably the most expensive mac & cheese here, but it's also more than big enough for two hungry people to share.

This lobster mac & cheese is pretty reasonably priced at around $8, though there's a slight fishiness that could be off-putting. Still, it's creamy, decadent, and addictive, something that you almost won't want to share.

This rosemary-intensive mac & cheese has some complaining that it's not rich or creamy enough, but this baked version topped with crunchy bread crumbs has a more mild flavor that's a little more approachable.

This pasta-centric restaurant in Mid-City is more straightforward, topped with crunchy bread crumbs and served in a wide pan for sharing. The cheese blend in the dishes results in a creamy, rich goodness that shows off the perfect texture of the pasta.

The truffle mac & cheese gets a slight hit of truffle oil, which can normally be repulsive, but balances out when served with the creamy cheese sauce and hearty pasta. A smaller portion served in a ramekin, it's a good side dish to the fare at this Silver Lake Gastropub.

This sports bar in Hollywood boasts are nice, hearty mac & cheese that might be one of the richest examples of this dish in the city. Topped with toasted bread crumbs, it's a fine dish to pair with a pint of IPA while catching a game.

Served elegantly in a ramekin, this elbow macaroni and cheese gets baked off with a nice crust at this all night diner in both Santa Monica and just west of Downtown. At 3 a.m., it's hard to argue with this kind of decadence.