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18 Tasty Spots to Try Before Departing From LAX

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2008_10_hasmapsla.jpgAs airports go, the latest additions to the food courts at LAX over the past couple years have improved the general quality of food in the airport by quantum leaps. But what if you're not going inside, or if you're picking up a friend for their first meal in the City of Angels? Fast food chains dot the roads leading to and from the airport, but there are better local options to be found.

So whether you're sending off a friend, buying your ride a meal or you're just in the mood for some comfort food because you're not flying off to a fancy overseas destination this summer, the area surrounding LAX is home to some very respectable food options that won't leave you in financial ruin. Without further ado, the 18 Best Places to Eat Near LAX. Note: don't forget this coming weekend is the "Century Crunch," meaning Century Blvd will be closed down.

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Front Page Jamaican Grille

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To those who have been to this hole-in-the-wall, the fact that this Jamaican restaurant made the list is hardly front page news. Intensely fragrant jerk chicken and oxtail arrive in styrofoam boxes accompanied with rice, beans and plantains. Chase the heat with a cold bottle of Kola Champagne (Jamaica’s national soft drink) or a glass of housemade ginger beer.

The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.

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This spot might be a favorite with the local police and LAXPD, but the giant nondescript ring-shaped pastry perched atop this Westchester establishment is not a donut. Instead, it’s a purveyor of no-nonsense bagels that would make even the most hardened East Coast visitor... well, briefly stop complaining, at least. Keep up with the fast-talkers with the shop’s iced coffee, which comes with coffee ice cubes.

Ayara Thai Cuisine

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Fried rice and drunken noodles are the go-to dishes at this Westchester Thai food restaurant. Cap off your meal with an order of the seasonal mango with sticky rice — Ayara Thai has one of the better renditions of the dessert in the entire city, Thai Town included.

Don Rogelio's Tex Mex Restaurant

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In a city where “Tex-Mex” food is generally considered a culinary travesty against authentic Mexican cuisine, Don Rogelio confidently puts out a capable fusion of Texas ‘cue and Mexican classics. Popular dishes include anything with chili verde, fresh chips and guacamole and “Bar Ba Coa” brisket with beans and rice.

In-N-Out Burger

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An essential stop for anyone who’s been without it (or will be without it) for a prolonged period of time, the In-N-Out in Westchester serves up God’s favorite quick-service hamburger to travel weary Angelenos and Double-Double neophytes alike. If you’re new in town, the correct answer to “would you like onions on that?” is always “grilled, please.”

The Good Pizza

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It has to be better than bad pizza, right? This “chain” goes two locations deep — with another location in nearby Playa Del Rey — but the food is all down-home goodness. The notion of fries on a barbecue chicken pizza might sound enticing, but opt for the more reasonable Capricciosa pizza instead: The pie comes absolutely loaded with artichoke hearts in addition to prosciutto ham, pepperoni and mushrooms.

Mariella's Taco Truck

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To many Angelenos, nothing says “welcome home” like getting some carne asada or al pastor tacos from a taco truck. Tucked away on Aviation Blvd. just south of Century, Mariella’s more traditional meat offerings are piled into a double-dose of soft corn tortillas and are a big hit with the hungry LAX airport staff.

El Pollo Grande Restaurant Y Pupuseria

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The restaurant name indicates it serves chicken, but you might want to go straight for the pupusas. The savory Salvadoran pastry is browned perfectly on both sides, and the queso con pollo pupusa elevates the humble disk of dough to a dish at least worth naming your restaurant after.

Sushi Kura

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In true L.A. fashion, this sushi restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall off Manchester Ave. Expect a pretty wide variety of rolls (some rolls of the “heavily sauced” variety) and extra-thick swaths of tuna, white albacore and salmon sashimi. Don’t skip the freshwater eel hand roll, which comes with a generous helping of the caramelized fish and a dab of masago.

Pann's Restaurant & Coffee Shop

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If the Googie architecture and classic ‘50s diner aesthetic of Pann’s seems familiar, it’s because it is: the owners of Pann’s Restaurant once owned Holly’s in Hawthorne, the location of the infamous coffee shop scene from Pulp Fiction. What Pann’s lacks in Mexican standoffs and Samuel L. Jackson quoting Bible verses, though, it certainly makes up for in excellent comfort food. With gargantuan ham steaks and fried pork chops served with eggs, breakfast is the meal of choice at Pann’s. If you don’t dig on swine, though, don’t worry: the restaurant also offers a superb plate of fried chicken and waffles.

Humble Potato

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This restaurant pronounces their burgers “hambaga,” and dresses up American fast food fare with a Japanese flair. Expect otaku-friendly décor and dishes like curry French fries, a sukiyaki cheesesteak and the “Battle Royale,” a hamburger (excuse us, “hambaga”) crowned with a fried egg and shichimi togarashi, a Japanese pepper powder.

Alejo's Presto Trattoria Italian Restaurant

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For those who just suffered through those minuscule, un-American portions overseas, this oak-adorned trattoria serves up massive portions of their excellent chicken piccata and big, hearty plates of pasta. Diners pack it in to split pizzas heaped with cheese and break up hot rolls to dip in the restaurant’s garlic olive oil.

Truxtons American Bistro

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Truxton’s is an American-style bistro famous for their house “monkey bread,” but it’s not the sweet and sticky coffee cake you’re thinking of: Truxton’s monkey bread is actually a cheesy, garlicky vessel of carbohydrate worship accompanied with garlic, ranch and marinara dipping sauces. If you’ve managed to completely block out the images of your disapproving personal trainer/cardiologist, feel free to tuck in to their cookie skillet, a massive cookie a la mode reminiscent of a B.J.’s pizookie.

Courtyard Cafe

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Small, charming and affordable, Courtyard Café offers up a variety of sandwiches priced under ten dollars in addition to a massive Mexican breakfast burrito made with potato, eggs and chorizo. It’s a spot to take food on the go and a great way to thwart the steep prices of the food options inside LAX.

KC's Crepes Cafe

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KC’s Café is more of a Japanese-style creperie and boba spot that takes the paper-thin pancakes with a variety of sweet or savory toppings and rolls them into a handheld package. Though it’s probably not the same experience as eating one in Paris (or Shinjuku, for that matter), the sweeter crepes are a guilty pleasure. Bring cash (credit cards aren’t accepted) and try an azuki (red bean) double cream crepe or the caramel crunch, both of which lend themselves well to one of KC Café’s numerous tea options.

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles

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Roscoe’s inclusion on this list might elicit a little controversy, but support of the LA landmark has been bipartisan: former United States Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon were regulars at the restaurant, and George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and current leader of the free world Barack Obama have all stopped by for a fix of the odd combination of fried chicken and waffles that Roscoe’s made famous.

Delta Pride Fish Grill & Southern Cuisine

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Southern style fried seafood is surprisingly hard to come by in Los Angeles, but Delta Pride’s specialty is cornmeal breaded fried catfish. Sides can be hit or miss, but the yams, hush puppies and macaroni and cheese are popular options. Portions err on the smaller side, but with food this heavy, that might be a good thing.

Aliki's Greek Taverna

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This old-school Greek diner is almost walking distance from LAX. The family-owned establishment is known for its lamb shanks, gyro wraps and vegetarian options, including a vegetarian pastisio, crunchy falafel and lemon potatoes.

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Front Page Jamaican Grille

To those who have been to this hole-in-the-wall, the fact that this Jamaican restaurant made the list is hardly front page news. Intensely fragrant jerk chicken and oxtail arrive in styrofoam boxes accompanied with rice, beans and plantains. Chase the heat with a cold bottle of Kola Champagne (Jamaica’s national soft drink) or a glass of housemade ginger beer.

The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co.

This spot might be a favorite with the local police and LAXPD, but the giant nondescript ring-shaped pastry perched atop this Westchester establishment is not a donut. Instead, it’s a purveyor of no-nonsense bagels that would make even the most hardened East Coast visitor... well, briefly stop complaining, at least. Keep up with the fast-talkers with the shop’s iced coffee, which comes with coffee ice cubes.

Ayara Thai Cuisine

Fried rice and drunken noodles are the go-to dishes at this Westchester Thai food restaurant. Cap off your meal with an order of the seasonal mango with sticky rice — Ayara Thai has one of the better renditions of the dessert in the entire city, Thai Town included.

Don Rogelio's Tex Mex Restaurant

In a city where “Tex-Mex” food is generally considered a culinary travesty against authentic Mexican cuisine, Don Rogelio confidently puts out a capable fusion of Texas ‘cue and Mexican classics. Popular dishes include anything with chili verde, fresh chips and guacamole and “Bar Ba Coa” brisket with beans and rice.

In-N-Out Burger

An essential stop for anyone who’s been without it (or will be without it) for a prolonged period of time, the In-N-Out in Westchester serves up God’s favorite quick-service hamburger to travel weary Angelenos and Double-Double neophytes alike. If you’re new in town, the correct answer to “would you like onions on that?” is always “grilled, please.”

The Good Pizza

It has to be better than bad pizza, right? This “chain” goes two locations deep — with another location in nearby Playa Del Rey — but the food is all down-home goodness. The notion of fries on a barbecue chicken pizza might sound enticing, but opt for the more reasonable Capricciosa pizza instead: The pie comes absolutely loaded with artichoke hearts in addition to prosciutto ham, pepperoni and mushrooms.

Mariella's Taco Truck

To many Angelenos, nothing says “welcome home” like getting some carne asada or al pastor tacos from a taco truck. Tucked away on Aviation Blvd. just south of Century, Mariella’s more traditional meat offerings are piled into a double-dose of soft corn tortillas and are a big hit with the hungry LAX airport staff.

El Pollo Grande Restaurant Y Pupuseria

The restaurant name indicates it serves chicken, but you might want to go straight for the pupusas. The savory Salvadoran pastry is browned perfectly on both sides, and the queso con pollo pupusa elevates the humble disk of dough to a dish at least worth naming your restaurant after.

Sushi Kura

In true L.A. fashion, this sushi restaurant is tucked away in a strip mall off Manchester Ave. Expect a pretty wide variety of rolls (some rolls of the “heavily sauced” variety) and extra-thick swaths of tuna, white albacore and salmon sashimi. Don’t skip the freshwater eel hand roll, which comes with a generous helping of the caramelized fish and a dab of masago.

Pann's Restaurant & Coffee Shop

If the Googie architecture and classic ‘50s diner aesthetic of Pann’s seems familiar, it’s because it is: the owners of Pann’s Restaurant once owned Holly’s in Hawthorne, the location of the infamous coffee shop scene from Pulp Fiction. What Pann’s lacks in Mexican standoffs and Samuel L. Jackson quoting Bible verses, though, it certainly makes up for in excellent comfort food. With gargantuan ham steaks and fried pork chops served with eggs, breakfast is the meal of choice at Pann’s. If you don’t dig on swine, though, don’t worry: the restaurant also offers a superb plate of fried chicken and waffles.

Humble Potato

This restaurant pronounces their burgers “hambaga,” and dresses up American fast food fare with a Japanese flair. Expect otaku-friendly décor and dishes like curry French fries, a sukiyaki cheesesteak and the “Battle Royale,” a hamburger (excuse us, “hambaga”) crowned with a fried egg and shichimi togarashi, a Japanese pepper powder.

Alejo's Presto Trattoria Italian Restaurant

For those who just suffered through those minuscule, un-American portions overseas, this oak-adorned trattoria serves up massive portions of their excellent chicken piccata and big, hearty plates of pasta. Diners pack it in to split pizzas heaped with cheese and break up hot rolls to dip in the restaurant’s garlic olive oil.

Truxtons American Bistro

Truxton’s is an American-style bistro famous for their house “monkey bread,” but it’s not the sweet and sticky coffee cake you’re thinking of: Truxton’s monkey bread is actually a cheesy, garlicky vessel of carbohydrate worship accompanied with garlic, ranch and marinara dipping sauces. If you’ve managed to completely block out the images of your disapproving personal trainer/cardiologist, feel free to tuck in to their cookie skillet, a massive cookie a la mode reminiscent of a B.J.’s pizookie.

Courtyard Cafe

Small, charming and affordable, Courtyard Café offers up a variety of sandwiches priced under ten dollars in addition to a massive Mexican breakfast burrito made with potato, eggs and chorizo. It’s a spot to take food on the go and a great way to thwart the steep prices of the food options inside LAX.

KC's Crepes Cafe

KC’s Café is more of a Japanese-style creperie and boba spot that takes the paper-thin pancakes with a variety of sweet or savory toppings and rolls them into a handheld package. Though it’s probably not the same experience as eating one in Paris (or Shinjuku, for that matter), the sweeter crepes are a guilty pleasure. Bring cash (credit cards aren’t accepted) and try an azuki (red bean) double cream crepe or the caramel crunch, both of which lend themselves well to one of KC Café’s numerous tea options.

Related Maps

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles

Roscoe’s inclusion on this list might elicit a little controversy, but support of the LA landmark has been bipartisan: former United States Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon were regulars at the restaurant, and George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and current leader of the free world Barack Obama have all stopped by for a fix of the odd combination of fried chicken and waffles that Roscoe’s made famous.

Delta Pride Fish Grill & Southern Cuisine

Southern style fried seafood is surprisingly hard to come by in Los Angeles, but Delta Pride’s specialty is cornmeal breaded fried catfish. Sides can be hit or miss, but the yams, hush puppies and macaroni and cheese are popular options. Portions err on the smaller side, but with food this heavy, that might be a good thing.

Aliki's Greek Taverna

This old-school Greek diner is almost walking distance from LAX. The family-owned establishment is known for its lamb shanks, gyro wraps and vegetarian options, including a vegetarian pastisio, crunchy falafel and lemon potatoes.

Related Maps