Downtown L.A. Restaurants Current and Anticipated...

Codex Borgia · #1 Posted **Oct 13, 2006, 2:27 AM**

I just recently accepted a position working for the Omni Hotel Downtown. I am excited to be back Downtown again after one heck of a long absence. Although I am no stranger to downtown dining - I am not exactly hip to every new restaurant on the scene now and in the near future...

In reviewing Trip Advisor.com reviews on the Omni, I have found many glowing reviews however many guests have mentioned the dearth of restaurant options downtown. All of you Downtown Boosters chime in here and list your favourites and anticipated openings.

Thanks!

Easy · #2 Posted **Oct 13, 2006, 4:43 AM**

I've noticed that for quite a while. The people writing reviews on tripadvisor consistently give downtown low scores for restaurants, nightlife, and the homeless. Okay nightlife and especially the homeless I can understand, but there seem to be quite a few good restaurants downtown. I've come to the conclusion that many people from out of town are not looking for Patina, Cafe Pinot, Palm, etc. They're looking for Bubba Gump's, Outback, and similar. The LA Live opening should go a looong way to changing tourists impressions of downtown. Once there is a popular destination these other great restaurants that have been there all along will "discovered" by business visitors and tourists.

Quixote · #3 Posted **Oct 13, 2006, 4:51 AM**

Pete's Cafe (San Fernando Building)

Pitfire Pizza (Higgins Building)

bobcat · #4 Posted **Oct 13, 2006, 4:59 AM**

Seriously, there's no need for a thread to list every current downtown restaurant. Any new restaurants are usually mentioned in the "Downtown LA Nightlife" discussion.

KarLarRec1 · #5 Posted **Oct 13, 2006, 11:05 PM**

Liberty Grill
Wolfgang Puck Express
Qdoba
Camille's Sidewalk Cafe
626 Reserve

Codex Borgia · #6 Posted **Oct 14, 2006, 12:38 AM**

Thanks for your input guys - much appreciated!

colemonkee · #7 Posted **Oct 14, 2006, 1:26 AM**

Codex, congrats on the job, and welcome (back) to downtown! There's lots of info on the LA Nightlife thread. My personal favs are Pitfire Pizza, Pete's Cafe and Bar, Blossom and Lost Souls (note they are all within two blocks of my place).

PeterJ · #8 Posted **Oct 14, 2006, 2:00 AM**

i'm a big fan of tiara cafe for lunch. i think roy's is a nice addition to the DTOWN dinner scene, as is Liberty Grill. I like Roy's a bit more tho.

Had dinner at Royal Claytons last weekend. Food was so-so. But the bar was nice.

LosAngelesBeauty · #9 Posted **Oct 15, 2006, 10:50 AM**

My favorite is Blossom at Main/Winston and Uncle Johns at 8th/Olive (open only for lunch).

Codex Borgia · #10 Posted **Oct 15, 2006, 2:56 PM**

Great!-many restaurants here that I was unaware of - I'll inform my staff about them. Looking forward to visiting them myself.

RAlossi · #11 Posted **Oct 15, 2006, 7:00 PM**

There are quite a few restaurants in Little Tokyo that you can check out. There are too many to mention here, but you might want to try one of the shabu-shabu houses out there for an interesting experience if they've never done it before. I like Kushi Shabu, which is in Weller Court (2nd/San Pedro)

RAlossi · #12 Posted **Oct 15, 2006, 7:01 PM**

Oh yeah, and be sure to check out chowhound.com for a whole lot of interesting reviews about restaurants. It's a really active forum, so just search for "downtown" in the LA boards. There's always a lot of input there.

hesed · #13 Posted **Oct 17, 2006, 5:54 PM**

Does anyone have any suggestions for good places (coffee shop or cafe?) to hang out and read for a couple of hours?

PeterJ · #14 Posted **Oct 17, 2006, 6:07 PM**

went to the opening night at J restaurant and lounge on saturday. remarkable space. i hope they get the maximum out of it. the food was good, not great. the space is huge and will be, no doubt, be used for many events.

above the dining room, there is a bar, dance floor and outdoor smoking terrace. from what i can tell, that area will function like a nightclub.

to me, the great potential of the space is the giant wraparound patio that is closed in by a high wall so that you feel secluded -- yet it's not so high that you can't see the skyline towering above it. if they design it right and give it a garden feel, it could be spectacular. imagine dining in a private garden in downtown LA with a view of the skyline.

oh, it's located at 11th and olive.

RAlossi · #15 Posted **Oct 18, 2006, 1:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hesed

Does anyone have any suggestions for good places (coffee shop or cafe?) to hang out and read for a couple of hours?

I'd definitely recommend Lost Souls Cafe on 4th between Broadway and Main (I think) at 124 West 4th Street. I can't remember if they played music in there, but if so, it was kind of quiet.

Otherwise, there are bound to be places around Bunker Hill/FiDi during the weekdays that are open... maybe grab some coffee and hang out at Pershing Square, WaterCourt, or the Central Library.

LosAngelesBeauty · #16 Posted **Oct 18, 2006, 3:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAlossi

I'd definitely recommend Lost Souls Cafe on 4th between Broadway and Main (I think) at 124 West 4th Street. I can't remember if they played music in there, but if so, it was kind of quiet.

Otherwise, there are bound to be places around Bunker Hill/FiDi during the weekdays that are open... maybe grab some coffee and hang out at Pershing Square, WaterCourt, or the Central Library.

I have to concur on that one!

It's inbetween Main and SPRING St. in the alley.

Alta California · #17 Posted **Oct 18, 2006, 7:37 AM**

Lost Souls Cafe is an earnestly hip place. It's what you imagine the breakroom of LA Weekly would be. It's tuck in an alley between two Gilmore buildings. The coffee is of unknown origin and like Starbucks, survives on sugary drinks.

There's a sushi and roll place called Teriyaki Boy on Main and 3rd. A good lunch place with a good non-hipster crowd.

LosAngelesBeauty · #18 Posted **Oct 25, 2006, 6:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hesed

Does anyone have any suggestions for good places (coffee shop or cafe?) to hang out and read for a couple of hours?

Also forgot to mention Bishop Coffee Shop at 8th/Grand on the ground floor of the South Park Lofts. It's a small coffee shop and it needs business desperately.

WesTheAngelino · #19 Posted **Oct 25, 2006, 3:59 PM**

^Anybody feel that way about Lost Souls too? Everytime I walk in there it's dead as door knob. I hope the people who run it are just using it as a front for a drug business or something lol cause i would hate to see it fail

LosAngelesSportsFan · #20 Posted **Oct 25, 2006, 10:53 PM**

The space underneath the Roosevelt will be a Citizen Smiths restaurant when the sales center closes down, according to what i was told yesterday while checking out some floorplans.