Unlike other Old Hollywood spots where much of the allure stems from sitting in a booth that the Rat Pack sat in 55 years ago, Dan Tana’s is a restaurant still very much in its heyday. Without fail, Dan Tana’s will place you in the crossfire of several rounds of gin martinis, secret shots with the maitre d’, and copious amounts of cheesy chicken parm served on red-checkered tablecloths.

Legend has it that Philippe The Original invented the French dip sandwich. While we can’t prove that, we can prove that this split-level sandwich spot in DTLA is one of the longest-running businesses in the city, having continuously operated since 1908. On weekends or during Dodger games, you’ll have to stand in a fast-moving line for one of their hot sandwiches loaded with pastrami, roast beef, or turkey on a crusty French roll. We always order ours with a slice of Swiss cheese.

The original location of this legendary Korean cafe is open until 5am every night of the week, but no matter when you arrive, you’ll find a dining room with groups huddled around skillets of galbi jjim with rice cakes and vegetables in a spicy marinade. Order it with cheese on top, and they'll blowtorch the whole pile at your table. This is one of the single most iconic dishes in LA, and the sole reason why, even at 3am, you’ll be waiting around on the sidewalk until your name gets called.

You can't bring up Oaxacan food in LA without talking about Guelaguetza, and for good reason: this Koreatown institution deserves credit for bringing top tier mole to the masses in LA. But mole aside, Guelaguetza is also where you go for a crash course on all things Oaxacan: banana leaf tamales, black bean enfrijoladas, and crispy tlayudas decorated an assortment of meats like tasajo and spicy chorizo links.

Serving comforting pots of gumbo with dark-brown roux isn’t the only thing that makes Harold & Belle’s a household name—this Creole restaurant is also a source of pride for the Black community in LA. The Jefferson Park/Crenshaw communities have been coming to this candlelit restaurant to eat catfish platters, crunchy po’boys, and shrimp étouffée for over 50 years. Harold & Belle’s has evolved with the times, adding plant-based options like vegan gumbo and fried oyster mushrooms to their menu.

Whether or not Jitlada is the best Thai restaurant in LA is a source of debate, but it’s certainly the most famous and definitely good enough to live up to its hype. The menu is a massive collection of 400 dishes, many of which are known to be generous with their Thai chile heat. Dishes come in big, family-style portions, whether it's the spicy jungle curry with crispy pork, the Dungeness crab slathered in delicious garlic sauce, or the pad thai that is still one of our favorites in town.

This century-old grocery is a cultural touchpoint for the entire Westside, and home to a deli counter that sells one of the greatest sandwiches in existence: The Godmother. Prosciutto, mortadella, salami, and provolone are laid out on the freshest, crunchiest Italian bread this side of the Jersey turnpike. Lines can get extreme, so order ahead of time online or grab a pre-made sandwich up front to bypass the line of mostly locals that show up daily.

In operation since 1948, a meal at this restaurant/market in Pico-Union feels less like you’re eating at a traditional restaurant and more like you stumbled into a neighborhood potluck at a community center. Everyone orders what they want individually from the front counter—we love the saganaki and veggie moussaka—and then dines in the adjoining dining room where enough tables have been pushed together to fit your needs. Be sure to grab some homemade Greek yogurt and honey for dessert.

The combination of beans, cheese, and tortilla is a simple thing—but somehow this well-worn stand in Boyle Heights has taken that trifecta to a whole other level. Open since 1966, Al & Bea’s is a family-owned East LA staple with a loyal fan base that spans from Boomers to the TikTok generation. Though they serve a long list of Mexican bites like taquitos and hard shell tacos, we usually hone in on their classic bean and cheese burrito.

Lawry’s is one of those restaurants you can’t suggest to first-timers without them asking, “Wait, like that Lawry’s?” Yes, that Lawry’s—the Beverly Hills institution whose seasoning is in the back of every spice rack in America. A meal at the ballroom-esque La Cienega location is slightly corny, and you’ll definitely feel like you’re eating dinner on a cruise ship, but the food is legitimately delicious.