Where to Eat in Los Angeles: French Dips and Local Classics

If you want to know where to eat in Los Angeles, start with a French dip at Philippe The Original in Chinatown, pastrami at Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant in Westlake, mole at Guelaguetza in Koreatown, late-night al pastor from Leo's Tacos Truck, and tabletop Korean barbecue at Park's BBQ. All fourteen places below are inside the City of Los Angeles, and each was confirmed open on its own official site.

Los Angeles eats by neighborhood, so this guide groups the picks that way. Hours change, so treat every time here as typical and check the official site before you go.

How were these places chosen?

Every pick is inside Los Angeles city limits, known for one specific thing, and shown as operating on its own official site. We left out anything we could not confirm.

Order is a route, not a ranking. Opinions about what to order are ours.

What is a French dip, and where did it come from?

A French dip is a roll filled with sliced roasted meat, served with a cup of the meat's natural juices for dipping. Philippe The Original says it has served Los Angeles since 1908 and has been at its current Alameda Street address since 1951. That makes it the natural first stop.

Downtown and Chinatown

1. Philippe The Original, Chinatown

Philippe The Original, at 1001 N. Alameda St. in Chinatown, is where to order a French dip in Los Angeles. You choose the meat, which on the official site includes beef, pork, lamb, turkey, pastrami or ham, and it is carved to order.

The restaurant is typically open daily from 6 am to 10 pm, so it works for an early breakfast or a late dinner. Our order: the beef dip, dipped once.

2. Howlin' Ray's, Chinatown

Howlin' Ray's serves Nashville hot chicken from a stall in Far East Plaza, 727 N. Broadway, Suite 128, in Chinatown. The Chinatown location is walk-up service. Order the sando, a boneless chicken breast sandwich with slaw, pickles and comeback sauce.

Hours are typically Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm, so plan around that.

3. Grand Central Market, Downtown LA

Grand Central Market, at 317 S. Broadway in Downtown LA, has been a downtown landmark since 1917. It is typically open daily from 8 am to 9 pm, though each vendor sets its own hours.

It is the easiest way to sample several cuisines in one stop. The official site lists vendors including La Sandunga for Oaxacan food, Tacos Tumbras a Tomas for Michoacan-style carnitas, and Ramen Hood.

4. Tacos 1986, Downtown LA

Tacos 1986 has a downtown location at 609 S. Spring St. It is typically open Sunday to Thursday from 10 am to midnight and Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 3 am, which makes it a good late-night stop. Its other Los Angeles locations include Beverly Grove and Westwood. Santa Monica is a separate city, so skip that one if you want to stay inside Los Angeles.

5. Bestia, Arts District

Bestia, at 2121 E. 7th Pl. in the Arts District, is the modern, dinner-only pick on this list. Dinner is typically daily from 5 pm to 11 pm, and it is closed for most major holidays. Book through the reservations link on its site.

One tip: the bill carries a 4 percent service charge that Bestia says funds pay and health benefits for its full-time staff, and the official site says guests can ask to have it removed.

Hollywood and Mid-City

6. Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood

Musso & Frank Grill, at 6667 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, has operated since 1919 and is run by the same family across four generations. Go for dinner, start at the bar, then order from the grill: the official menu lists lamb chops, New York steak and roast prime rib of beef.

It is typically open Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm and Sunday from 4 pm to 10 pm. Monday is not listed, so confirm before you go.

7. Pink's Hot Dogs, La Brea

Pink's Hot Dogs, at 709 N. La Brea Ave., began in 1939 as a hot dog cart bought with a 50 dollar loan. Order the 12-inch jalapeño dog or the Brando dog. Hours are typically 9:30 am to midnight Sunday to Thursday and until 2 am Friday and Saturday.

8. Canter's Deli, Fairfax

Canter's Deli, at 419 N. Fairfax Ave., has served Los Angeles since 1931. Order pastrami or corned beef, or the pastrami Reuben. The Fairfax location is typically open 24 hours on Saturday and runs to 11:30 pm most other nights, so it is a reliable late meal.

9. Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant, Westlake

Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant, at 704 S. Alvarado St. in Westlake, is the pastrami counterpart to Philippe's French dip. Order the No. 19: pastrami on double-baked rye with coleslaw, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing.

It is typically open Monday to Saturday, 8 am to 4 pm, and closed Sunday and select holidays.

Koreatown and Central LA

10. Park's BBQ, Koreatown

Park's BBQ, at 955 S. Vermont Ave. in Koreatown, is where to try tabletop Korean barbecue in Los Angeles. The menu is organized around barbecue, soups, rice and noodles, and a Park's Special section, and the site advertises USDA Prime and Kobe-style beef. It is typically open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, including holidays.

11. Guelaguetza, Koreatown

Guelaguetza, at 3014 W. Olympic Blvd., is a Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown that has been serving mole since 1994; its own site calls the mole James Beard Award-winning. Order a plate with mole, and note that the site's shop sells mole negro and coloradito to cook at home. It is typically closed Mondays, open Tuesday to Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, and open longer on weekends.

12. Leo's Tacos Truck, La Brea

Leo's Tacos Truck is known for al pastor cooked on a trompo, a vertical spit. The official locations page lists a truck at 1515 S. La Brea Ave., typically open Sunday to Thursday from 10 am to 2 am and later on weekends. A second truck at 2400 W. Pico Blvd. keeps evening hours. Both are inside the city.

Westside and East Hollywood

13. Apple Pan, West LA

Apple Pan, at 10801 W. Pico Blvd., is an old-school counter spot. Order the hickory burger, then ask about the apple or cream pie. It is typically open 11 am to 11 pm Sunday to Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday.

14. Sqirl, East Hollywood

Sqirl, at 720 N. Virgil Ave. in East Hollywood, started with jam, and it still sells its own jams, marmalades and a lacto-fermented hot sauce. It is typically open 8 am to 4 pm daily and takes reservations through Resy. Come for breakfast or lunch, and buy a jar on the way out.

Can you eat across Los Angeles in one day?

Yes, if you follow the clock: start early in Chinatown and finish late on La Brea.

1. Morning, Chinatown: a beef French dip at Philippe The Original, when it opens at 6 am.
2. Midday, Chinatown: the sando at Howlin' Ray's, Wednesday to Sunday only.
3. Afternoon, Downtown LA: wander Grand Central Market.
4. Evening, Koreatown: Korean barbecue at Park's BBQ.
5. Late night: tacos at Tacos 1986 on Spring Street or Leo's on La Brea.

Swap in Langer's before 4 pm if you want pastrami, and Musso & Frank for a classic Hollywood dinner.

Where can you find more places to eat in Los Angeles?

For more places and neighborhoods, browse the food and dining listings or the neighborhood pages.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I eat in Los Angeles for a first visit?

Start with a French dip at Philippe The Original in Chinatown, pastrami at Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant in Westlake, mole at Guelaguetza in Koreatown, al pastor from Leo's Tacos Truck, and Korean barbecue at Park's BBQ in Koreatown.

Where can I get a French dip sandwich in Los Angeles?

Philippe The Original at 1001 N. Alameda St. in Chinatown serves French dips carved to order. Its official site lists beef, pork, lamb, turkey, pastrami and ham, and it is typically open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.

Where is the best Korean barbecue in Los Angeles?

Park's BBQ at 955 S. Vermont Ave. in Koreatown is a confirmed-open tabletop barbecue restaurant, typically open daily from 11 am to 10 pm. Which place is best is a matter of taste, so treat this as a good starting point.

Which Los Angeles restaurants are open late?

Tacos 1986 on Spring Street in Downtown LA typically stays open until 3 am on Friday and Saturday. Leo's Tacos Truck on La Brea Avenue and Pink's Hot Dogs also run late, and Canter's Deli on Fairfax is typically open 24 hours on Saturday.

Do I need reservations at these Los Angeles restaurants?

Bestia and Sqirl take reservations through links on their official sites, and Musso & Frank Grill is a dinner-only dining room worth booking. Howlin' Ray's in Chinatown and Leo's Tacos Truck are walk-up.