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Table setting at Sunset Tower Hotel’s Tower Bar.
Table setting at Sunset Tower Hotel’s Tower Bar.
Wonho Frank Lee

20 Classic Restaurants Every Angeleno Must Try

Throwback to LA's best old school eateries and dives

by Eater Staff Updated
39 comments / new
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Table setting at Sunset Tower Hotel’s Tower Bar.
| Wonho Frank Lee
by Eater Staff Updated
39 comments / new

Los Angeles is a city blessed with a tapestry of long-standing restaurants. Even after decades of service, these places continue to thrive thanks to a loyal following of dedicated regulars who find comfort in dependable cooking and familiar hospitality. Here now are 21 classic restaurants every Angeleno must try at some point.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Brent's Deli Northridge

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Head to Northridge in the San Fernando Valley for a never-fail Jewish deli experience. Brent’s Delicatessen and Restaurant, operating for more than 55 years, has been serving its pastrami sandwiches, behemoth breakfast plates, and delicate blintzes to ravenous masses coming locally from the Valley and beyond. While the assortment of soups and triple-decker sandwiches bring in the out-of-towners, longtime diners tend to go for more comforting dishes: think fall-apart stuffed cabbage rolls filled with tender beef and covered in a sweet and sour sauce, plump sides of kishka, and steaming potato knishes.

19565 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 886-5679
(818) 886-5679
Dimly lit interior of classic Jewish deli Brent’s, with blue-green banquettes and wood-paneled table tops.
Dining room of Brent’s Deli in Northridge.
Stan Lee

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Golden Bull Restaurant

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Hearkening to an era of stiff martinis and big chops, Golden Bull received a second chance at life with new ownership under Mark Verge, who operates Ashland Hill and Margo’s in Santa Monica. The old school vibes continue to charm the beachside restaurant. Order the incredible prime rib.

170 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 230-0402
(310) 230-0402
Prime rib at Golden Bull
Prime rib from Golden Bull
Golden Bull [Official photo]

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Chez Jay

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Westside dive bar legend Chez Jay is still humming along on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica after all these years. Originally opened in 1959, the charm and kitsch of the place remains as strong as the drinks themselves.

1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-1741
(310) 395-1741

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The Apple Pan

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A much-beloved Westside institution with Ohio-style burgers served in a humble diner-like stand along Pico, the Apple Pan makes consistently good sandwiches and pies. It’s hard to think of a more enduring greasy spoon in LA.

10801 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 475-3585
(310) 475-3585

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Dan Tana's

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Dan Tana’s is the quintessential Hollywood hangout. Opened in 1964, the Italian-American haunt serves late every night of the week, with hits like chicken parmesan and grilled steaks. The bar continues to be a legendary place to grab a drink and hobnob with celebrities.

9071 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 275-9444
(310) 275-9444
Veal parmigiana and other dishes at Dan Tana’s
Dan Tana’s
Hillary Dixler Canavan

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The Tower Bar

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Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe the Tower Bar on the Sunset Strip. This Jeff Klein-owned staple hotel bar has been ground zero for innumerable Hollywood deals and covert discussions over the decades, thanks to its status as a coveted and understated home for socially mobile Angelenos. That might sound like a negative, but it’s definitely not. Tower Bar is an industry haunt in a town where power and access mean a lot, and these days a whole new generation of Old Hollywood-seeking newcomers have begun to populate the shadowy corners of the room. It’s all great fun — and great people-watching to boot.

8358 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 848-6677
(323) 848-6677
An overhead shot of a white plate with a cooked steak and pile of fries at Sunset Tower Bar in Los Angeles.
Steak frites at Tower Bar in West Hollywood.
Wonho Frank Lee

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Pann's Restaurant

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A must-stop on the way to LAX, Pann’s is a diner study in Googie architecture. Though it’s no longer open in the evenings, sitting down to a thick mug of black coffee and a plate of eggs is still a highlight.

6710 La Tijera Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
(323) 776-3770
(323) 776-3770
Pann’s 2
Pann’s Restaurant
Wonho Frank Lee

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Smoke House Restaurant

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Burbank’s Smoke House has a few things going for it: For starters, the place is a stone’s throw from some of LA’s biggest studios. It’s also got one heck of a signature dish in its cheesy garlic bread, though reducing the historic place (circa 1946) to just a side menu item wouldn’t quite be fair. No, this Lakeside Drive spot is more than all that, it’s a home for creatives who come for a charred steak and a stiff drink after work, in a dining room that looks just as rustic and fun as it always has.

4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 845-3731
(818) 845-3731

Musso & Frank Grill

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Hollywood’s oldest restaurant might be its very best, even after more than a century serving grilled chops and Continental classics like French onion soup. The pastas are so much better than they should be, like a super-simple fettuccine alfredo or sumptuous rigatoni vodka. And of course everyone has to order a cocktail of some kind, from the ramos gin fizzes to the legendary martinis served with an extra sidecar. There’s something about the quiet dining room, filled with only the sounds of clicking silverware and suave servers pitching the day’s specials, that makes this one of LA’s most special meals.

6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 467-7788
(323) 467-7788
French onion soup at Musso & Frank.
French onion soup at Musso & Frank.
Matthew Kang

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Chosun Galbee

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Opened for 22 years now, this is Koreatown’s longest standing premium barbecue destination (old-school classic Woo Lae Oak closed years ago). Chosun Galbee continues to draw fans for its tender, fatty cuts of short rib and marinated beef served with some of the best mul naengmyeon in town. It helps that the modern ambience and elegant service delivers every night.

3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 734-3330
(323) 734-3330
Chosun Galbee kkotssal arrayed on a plate
Unmarinated beef short ribs on a platter at Chosun Galbee.
Chosun Galbee

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El Cholo

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This legendary family-operated restaurant has hit the century mark. El Cholo remains packed while still churning out classic traditional enchiladas, burritos, tacos, as well as shaken margaritas. The flour tortillas are worth ordering a dozen before leaving the premises.

1121 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 734-2773
(323) 734-2773
A red and green neon sign for El Cholo restaurant.
El Cholo’s iconic neon sign.
Mona Holmes

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Kotohira Restaurant

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Gardena continues to protect the status of its classic Japanese restaurants, from Otafuku’s soba and izakaya fare to Fukugawa’s regal breakfast bento, but Kotohira has been immortalized ever since Jonathan Gold wrote about owner Tadashi Takahashi’s udon, thick, squiggly, and bouncy like “elastic ropes.” Kotohira continues to serve majestic, affordable lunch bento along with its udon in a bustling Gardena strip mall, and the young folks searching for boba or hot pot might not realize the iconic restaurant that persists.

1747 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 323-3966
(310) 323-3966
Lunch bento with tempura and karaage at Kotohira in Gardena, California.
Lunch bento with tempura and karaage at Kotohira in Gardena, California.
Matthew Kang

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Langer's Delicatessen

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Serving perhaps the greatest pastrami in America, Langer's is a fantastic diner in Westlake offering everything from reuben sandwiches and corned beef to matzo ball soup and lox. It's easily the best Jewish deli in a city full of great delis.

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-8050
(213) 483-8050
#19 sandwich at Langer’s Deli
#19 sandwich at Langer’s Deli
Wonho Frank Lee

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Bill's Taco House

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Bill’s is a South LA legend, just below Downtown, that focuses primarily on one thing: the cheeseburger taco. It’s a mashup made purely for Los Angeles, the kind of last-century dining innovation that just makes perfect sense. The orange and yellow corner location today is stuffed with old photos of days gone by, and the cheeseburger taco still beckons all who come in, some 74 years later.

219 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011
(323) 233-1587
(323) 233-1587
Tacos and more from Bill’s Taco House.
Tacos and more from Bill’s Taco House.
Farley Elliott

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Yang Chow Restaurant

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The 45-year-old Yang Chow is charming in so many ways, from the celebrity photos adorning the walls to its lively dining room and attentive service. Its most popular dishes, like slippery shrimp and Szechuan chicken, have put the Chinatown restaurant on the map and keeps people from all walks of life returning for more.

819 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 625-0811
(213) 625-0811
Fried Chinese shrimp at Yang Chow on a plate.
Slippery shrimp at Yang Chow.
Cathy Chaplin

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Cielito Lindo

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Cielito Lindo has been serving its famous rolled tacos slathered in avocado salsa since 1934. The proud tradition continues today as the restaurant anchors bustling Olvera Street in Downtown's northern edge.

23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 687-4391
(213) 687-4391
Rolled taquitos in a cast iron skillet over a fire. Cielito Lindo

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Philippe the Original

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Opened since 1908, Philippe is famous for its bustling lunchtime crowd and made-to-order service. Served simply with one’s choice of meat — and, crucially, degree of dipped-ness — the century-old French dip is the kind of inexpensive, satisfying, and wholly unique meal that reminds eaters with every bite that Los Angeles has been cooking great food for a very long time.

1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 628-3781
(213) 628-3781
An abundant spread of French dip sandwiches and more at Philippe.
Philippe the Original
Wonho Frank Lee

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Al & Bea's Mexican Food

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Opened in 1966, this legendary Boyle Heights restaurant serves tremendous bean-and-cheese burritos that were immortalized by the late food writer Jonathan Gold. However, the Mexican American community has revered these burritos for much longer than Gold’s review, and this roadside stand has been a fixture in this neighborhood for almost 55 years.

2025 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 267-8810
(323) 267-8810
Al & Bea’s breakfast burrito wrapped in yellow paper and held in a hand.
Al & Bea’s
Farley Elliott

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La Casita Mexicana

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Jaime Martín del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu first opened La Casita Mexicana in 1998 in Bell, serving classic Mexican fonda fare like enchiladas tres moles, chiles en nogada, and mole poblano in a colorful, vibrant room. Now, 25 years later, it’s arguably the finest sit-down Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, continuing to serve the Southeast LA community with polished but reasonably priced fare.

4030 E Gage Ave, Bell, CA 90201
(323) 773-1898
(323) 773-1898
Jaime Martin del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu of La Casita Mexicana.
Jaime Martin del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu of La Casita Mexicana.
Elizabeth Daniels

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Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant

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One of LA’s two-decade-old Cantonese seafood and dim sum palaces continues to turn out some of the best regional, celebratory Chinese food along a busy stretch of Rosemead. Chef Tony He has opened some of the most legendary restaurants in North America, but this iconic spot, which originally opened in Vancouver, continues to draw healthy weekend lines for shumai, har gow, roast duck, fresh sauteed lobster, and steamed fish in a luxurious open dining room.

3939 Rosemead Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 288-3939
(626) 288-3939
Dim sum plates at Sea Harbour.
Dim sum at Sea Harbour in Rosemead.
Wonho Frank Lee

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Brent's Deli Northridge

19565 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91324

Head to Northridge in the San Fernando Valley for a never-fail Jewish deli experience. Brent’s Delicatessen and Restaurant, operating for more than 55 years, has been serving its pastrami sandwiches, behemoth breakfast plates, and delicate blintzes to ravenous masses coming locally from the Valley and beyond. While the assortment of soups and triple-decker sandwiches bring in the out-of-towners, longtime diners tend to go for more comforting dishes: think fall-apart stuffed cabbage rolls filled with tender beef and covered in a sweet and sour sauce, plump sides of kishka, and steaming potato knishes.

19565 Parthenia St, Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 886-5679
(818) 886-5679
Dimly lit interior of classic Jewish deli Brent’s, with blue-green banquettes and wood-paneled table tops.
Dining room of Brent’s Deli in Northridge.
Stan Lee

Golden Bull Restaurant

170 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402

Hearkening to an era of stiff martinis and big chops, Golden Bull received a second chance at life with new ownership under Mark Verge, who operates Ashland Hill and Margo’s in Santa Monica. The old school vibes continue to charm the beachside restaurant. Order the incredible prime rib.

170 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 230-0402
(310) 230-0402
Prime rib at Golden Bull
Prime rib from Golden Bull
Golden Bull [Official photo]

Chez Jay

1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Westside dive bar legend Chez Jay is still humming along on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica after all these years. Originally opened in 1959, the charm and kitsch of the place remains as strong as the drinks themselves.

1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-1741
(310) 395-1741

The Apple Pan

10801 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

A much-beloved Westside institution with Ohio-style burgers served in a humble diner-like stand along Pico, the Apple Pan makes consistently good sandwiches and pies. It’s hard to think of a more enduring greasy spoon in LA.

10801 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 475-3585
(310) 475-3585

Dan Tana's

9071 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Dan Tana’s is the quintessential Hollywood hangout. Opened in 1964, the Italian-American haunt serves late every night of the week, with hits like chicken parmesan and grilled steaks. The bar continues to be a legendary place to grab a drink and hobnob with celebrities.

9071 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 275-9444
(310) 275-9444
Veal parmigiana and other dishes at Dan Tana’s
Dan Tana’s
Hillary Dixler Canavan

The Tower Bar

8358 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe the Tower Bar on the Sunset Strip. This Jeff Klein-owned staple hotel bar has been ground zero for innumerable Hollywood deals and covert discussions over the decades, thanks to its status as a coveted and understated home for socially mobile Angelenos. That might sound like a negative, but it’s definitely not. Tower Bar is an industry haunt in a town where power and access mean a lot, and these days a whole new generation of Old Hollywood-seeking newcomers have begun to populate the shadowy corners of the room. It’s all great fun — and great people-watching to boot.

8358 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 848-6677
(323) 848-6677
An overhead shot of a white plate with a cooked steak and pile of fries at Sunset Tower Bar in Los Angeles.
Steak frites at Tower Bar in West Hollywood.
Wonho Frank Lee

Pann's Restaurant

6710 La Tijera Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045

A must-stop on the way to LAX, Pann’s is a diner study in Googie architecture. Though it’s no longer open in the evenings, sitting down to a thick mug of black coffee and a plate of eggs is still a highlight.

6710 La Tijera Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
(323) 776-3770
(323) 776-3770
Pann’s 2
Pann’s Restaurant
Wonho Frank Lee

Smoke House Restaurant

4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505

Burbank’s Smoke House has a few things going for it: For starters, the place is a stone’s throw from some of LA’s biggest studios. It’s also got one heck of a signature dish in its cheesy garlic bread, though reducing the historic place (circa 1946) to just a side menu item wouldn’t quite be fair. No, this Lakeside Drive spot is more than all that, it’s a home for creatives who come for a charred steak and a stiff drink after work, in a dining room that looks just as rustic and fun as it always has.

4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 845-3731
(818) 845-3731

Musso & Frank Grill

6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

Hollywood’s oldest restaurant might be its very best, even after more than a century serving grilled chops and Continental classics like French onion soup. The pastas are so much better than they should be, like a super-simple fettuccine alfredo or sumptuous rigatoni vodka. And of course everyone has to order a cocktail of some kind, from the ramos gin fizzes to the legendary martinis served with an extra sidecar. There’s something about the quiet dining room, filled with only the sounds of clicking silverware and suave servers pitching the day’s specials, that makes this one of LA’s most special meals.

6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 467-7788
(323) 467-7788
French onion soup at Musso & Frank.
French onion soup at Musso & Frank.
Matthew Kang

Chosun Galbee

3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Opened for 22 years now, this is Koreatown’s longest standing premium barbecue destination (old-school classic Woo Lae Oak closed years ago). Chosun Galbee continues to draw fans for its tender, fatty cuts of short rib and marinated beef served with some of the best mul naengmyeon in town. It helps that the modern ambience and elegant service delivers every night.

3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 734-3330
(323) 734-3330
Chosun Galbee kkotssal arrayed on a plate
Unmarinated beef short ribs on a platter at Chosun Galbee.
Chosun Galbee

El Cholo

1121 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006

This legendary family-operated restaurant has hit the century mark. El Cholo remains packed while still churning out classic traditional enchiladas, burritos, tacos, as well as shaken margaritas. The flour tortillas are worth ordering a dozen before leaving the premises.

1121 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 734-2773
(323) 734-2773
A red and green neon sign for El Cholo restaurant.
El Cholo’s iconic neon sign.
Mona Holmes

Kotohira Restaurant

1747 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247

Gardena continues to protect the status of its classic Japanese restaurants, from Otafuku’s soba and izakaya fare to Fukugawa’s regal breakfast bento, but Kotohira has been immortalized ever since Jonathan Gold wrote about owner Tadashi Takahashi’s udon, thick, squiggly, and bouncy like “elastic ropes.” Kotohira continues to serve majestic, affordable lunch bento along with its udon in a bustling Gardena strip mall, and the young folks searching for boba or hot pot might not realize the iconic restaurant that persists.

1747 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 323-3966
(310) 323-3966
Lunch bento with tempura and karaage at Kotohira in Gardena, California.
Lunch bento with tempura and karaage at Kotohira in Gardena, California.
Matthew Kang

Langer's Delicatessen

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Serving perhaps the greatest pastrami in America, Langer's is a fantastic diner in Westlake offering everything from reuben sandwiches and corned beef to matzo ball soup and lox. It's easily the best Jewish deli in a city full of great delis.

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-8050
(213) 483-8050
#19 sandwich at Langer’s Deli
#19 sandwich at Langer’s Deli
Wonho Frank Lee

Bill's Taco House

219 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011

Bill’s is a South LA legend, just below Downtown, that focuses primarily on one thing: the cheeseburger taco. It’s a mashup made purely for Los Angeles, the kind of last-century dining innovation that just makes perfect sense. The orange and yellow corner location today is stuffed with old photos of days gone by, and the cheeseburger taco still beckons all who come in, some 74 years later.

219 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011
(323) 233-1587
(323) 233-1587
Tacos and more from Bill’s Taco House.
Tacos and more from Bill’s Taco House.
Farley Elliott

Yang Chow Restaurant

819 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

The 45-year-old Yang Chow is charming in so many ways, from the celebrity photos adorning the walls to its lively dining room and attentive service. Its most popular dishes, like slippery shrimp and Szechuan chicken, have put the Chinatown restaurant on the map and keeps people from all walks of life returning for more.

819 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 625-0811
(213) 625-0811
Fried Chinese shrimp at Yang Chow on a plate.
Slippery shrimp at Yang Chow.
Cathy Chaplin

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Cielito Lindo

23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Cielito Lindo has been serving its famous rolled tacos slathered in avocado salsa since 1934. The proud tradition continues today as the restaurant anchors bustling Olvera Street in Downtown's northern edge.

23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 687-4391
(213) 687-4391
Rolled taquitos in a cast iron skillet over a fire. Cielito Lindo

Philippe the Original

1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Opened since 1908, Philippe is famous for its bustling lunchtime crowd and made-to-order service. Served simply with one’s choice of meat — and, crucially, degree of dipped-ness — the century-old French dip is the kind of inexpensive, satisfying, and wholly unique meal that reminds eaters with every bite that Los Angeles has been cooking great food for a very long time.

1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 628-3781
(213) 628-3781
An abundant spread of French dip sandwiches and more at Philippe.
Philippe the Original
Wonho Frank Lee

Al & Bea's Mexican Food

2025 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Opened in 1966, this legendary Boyle Heights restaurant serves tremendous bean-and-cheese burritos that were immortalized by the late food writer Jonathan Gold. However, the Mexican American community has revered these burritos for much longer than Gold’s review, and this roadside stand has been a fixture in this neighborhood for almost 55 years.

2025 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 267-8810
(323) 267-8810
Al & Bea’s breakfast burrito wrapped in yellow paper and held in a hand.
Al & Bea’s
Farley Elliott

La Casita Mexicana

4030 E Gage Ave, Bell, CA 90201

Jaime Martín del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu first opened La Casita Mexicana in 1998 in Bell, serving classic Mexican fonda fare like enchiladas tres moles, chiles en nogada, and mole poblano in a colorful, vibrant room. Now, 25 years later, it’s arguably the finest sit-down Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, continuing to serve the Southeast LA community with polished but reasonably priced fare.