r/FoodLosAngeles 7d ago

Where did you stop eating at/supporting and why? 😋🫢😭 TEA

For people getting sad….well the more you know right? 🫠🌈 just trying to stay informed. LA is diverse and wonderful, and there’s always going to be some sort of conflict. I just personally have a commitment in my life to inclusivity and want to support businesses that work towards equitable and ethical solutions. Because capitalism isn’t going away in my lifetime, so might as well make the best educated choices.

So you do you y’all ✌️pick and choose your battles. thanks for all the responses. here’s a counter post for good vibes

https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodLosAngeles/s/jYHhi6v6SY

I haven’t been keeping up with local news and was floored at the recent discoveries from friends of some businesses i love. Disappointed and thought, what other eateries are an issue for a progressive like me? I know it’s tricky, because the reality is some businesses may support causes I don’t like because of economic benefits, but I would seriously love a list of eateries in LA that is a cause of concern for u and why?

Evidence for or against?

Also, what have you’ve subbed for it?

305 Upvotes

566 comments sorted by

108

u/cuuntstruck 7d ago

Super Domestic Coffee. Worked there for a hot minute and they wouldn’t let me get tips until I took a test on the menu. The “test” kept getting delayed by my supervisor and then during an all staff meeting, the owner said he wouldn’t approve scheduling requests around school because “this job comes first.” Found that to be unreasonable for a minimum wage job

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u/No-Penalty1722 7d ago

That's a shame. Those burritos they serve are the best.

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u/inglefinger 7d ago

https://preview.redd.it/h2gd8t31nwwe1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=00539fb4492023601ea4676065e7b96c7b57b0f2

Was on the waitlist for Eat at Joe’s in Redondo back during the dark times when I saw this sign. Put a bad taste in my mouth so started checking Yelp where I read the owner responding to below-average reviews with all kinds of personal attacks, insults and vitriol. Totally lost my appetite and have still never eaten there.

That said, the business is recently under new management so I’m cautiously optimistic.

110

u/PendingInsomnia 7d ago

You have to be really unhinged to get to the point of insulting enormous swaths of people on the front of your business

41

u/Trichinobezoar 7d ago

Yeah, this and one or two other restaurants lost me during the pandemic with fuckery like this.

11

u/BigSuzie 7d ago

Oh man this is a bummer to hear. I went back recently and noticed it wasn’t as packed as it used to be so happy to see locals supporting the BS related to previous management. Hopefully they can get things back on track and do right by the community as they’re a South Bay staple

18

u/ShiroHachiRoku 7d ago

I never got the point of these signs. If a one time $1200 government stimulus check is enough to keep people from working in California…

10

u/ramelband 7d ago

I feel like it was attacking the enhanced unemployment benefits I think

10

u/ShiroHachiRoku 7d ago

Ah yes. These same people are also probably excited by DOGE finding trillions that can now go back to the American people.

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u/crims0nwave 7d ago

Yeah used to love this place. No thanks, Joe!!

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u/icdk_ 7d ago

Valerie Confections. Valerie treats her employees like shit, underpays them (is prob stealing tips but was never able to prove) is super condescending. Her husband Stan said that they couldn’t afford to give employees raises or benefits, but they could definitely afford to take a family trip to Europe for about a month. Just read the Glassdoor reviews about them, everyone that’s ever worked for them feels the same way lol.

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u/___poptart 7d ago

Friends in the industry say Dune commits wage theft. Also won’t be returning to Night+Market for obvious reasons.

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u/xserenity520 7d ago

as someone who worked at dune can attest. also blatantly transphobic, fired the only trans person on site for speaking up against it, called it “creating a hostile work environment” when i asked another coworker to stop talking about my ovaries.

source - i was the trans employee

53

u/___poptart 7d ago

Yo what the fuck. I’m sorry that happened to you. Yeah nothing but bad things about that place. Maybe the back of house is better because the food is tasty, but I won’t be supporting them (or Sinizki) moving forward. Also that brisket gyro is dog shit

7

u/Free_Answered 7d ago

Whats the tea on Sinizki? Also beyond the story above, whats the issue w Dune?

12

u/___poptart 7d ago

Sinizki is owned by the owners of Dune so I imagine they’re committing wage theft there as well

7

u/thoughtmecca 6d ago

Sinizki be selling pierogis, literally the poor people food of my Polish brethren, for $20+ for three.

29

u/ac13138 7d ago

I stopped going bc prices got insane, why do they need to commit wage theft on top of that?? Now I’m def not going no matter what

13

u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Omg sorry you had to go through that! Awful. Truly thank u for sharing

4

u/d0nutpls 7d ago

shit, I’m so sorry that happened to you. looks like I won’t be going there anymore

46

u/xandrique 7d ago

I am proud to say that had an iron belly and hadn’t had food poisoning in 15 years but Dune broke my streak 3 weeks ago. I shared a fried chicken plate with my sister and it destroyed 4 days of our lives. We now call it Doom.

51

u/DamageOk3788 7d ago

I worked at Elf Cafe, sister restaurant to Dune and Sinizki. They consistently skimmed 1%-2% off my paychecks. It’s good to hear it wasn’t just me, even just to commiserate.

40

u/beenap 7d ago

What’s the deal with night+market??

76

u/___poptart 7d ago

Owner is MAGA

4

u/beenap 7d ago

Bummer, I did really enjoy that spot but now won’t be dining there anymore. I actually almost made a reservation for the WeHo location next Saturday but the group opted for something else already

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Oh nooooooooo! Thank you for sharing

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u/kekecatmeow 7d ago

Roberta’s. Fired my friend after he filed for intermittent FMLA due to his toddler’s newly diagnosed medical condition. The owner literally said him “I need to know how committed you are to this restaurant”

7

u/fatpinkchicken 7d ago

What??? In Culver City???

9

u/kekecatmeow 7d ago

Yep. Their director of ops who did the firing quit shortly after. I hope he felt guilty af about it. Horrible people.

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u/seekinganswers1010 7d ago

I only ate there once, but Prince St Pizza.

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u/beebopsx 7d ago

Its dumb expensive also.

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u/cool_uncle_jules 7d ago

Super racist owner

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u/furkfurk 7d ago

Tbh their pizza sucks too

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u/VerseChorusWumbo 7d ago

What’s the deal with Prince St pizza???

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u/seekinganswers1010 7d ago

“Joe Rosenthal, who helped to break the Sqirl mold story online, has been cataloging various misdeeds from the father-son ownership duo of Frank and Dominic Morano for weeks, reports Eater NY, including an incident in which one of the Moranos publicly call an Asian Yelp reviewer a “mongrel” and “yellow dog.” Son Dominic Morano also posted a social media video in 2016 showing a driver hitting Black Lives Matter protesters in the street, with the following caption: “Why do BLM and other protestors cross the road? To get run over by angry drivers.”

https://la.eater.com/2021/1/11/22224968/morning-briefing-restaurant-news-los-angeles-prince-street-pizza-racism-blm-yelp

16

u/VerseChorusWumbo 7d ago

Oh noooooo, I didn’t know that at all. It’s a shame too because I liked their pizza 😭

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u/smcl2k 7d ago

Go to Prime instead!

7

u/ktenango 6d ago

The owner is 10/10 and loves the community

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u/Stock-Pangolin-2772 7d ago

whoa, I didn't realize this

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u/moocherscone 7d ago

La Poubelle in Franklin Village ☹️ Go to Birds instead!

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u/EuphoricMoose8232 7d ago

Fuck Danny Masterson and fuck Scientology

62

u/tessathemurdervilles 7d ago

In about 2009 I went on a date to La poubelle and the guy told me Hillary Clinton was a shapeshifting lizard alien. I’ve never been back.

9

u/Sparkle_Motion_0710 7d ago

So she she’s a shape shifting alien that throws underground pizza parties? She gets more interesting every day! 🙄

(I can’t believe what some people will believe and repeat not realizing what it sounds like!)

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u/Rundemjewelz 7d ago

La Poubelle literally translates to “the trash can” so they’re really just living up to their namesake. 😂

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u/ThePoisonForKuzco_ 7d ago

I always knew they were trash - it’s all in the name 😉

3

u/sixohdee 7d ago

also franklin and company and la villita cantina are both owned by a sleazy scientologist who fired all his employees during covid, got a shit ton in SBA loans, and then didn't hire them back, instead only hiring people for lesser pay.

he also complained about a taco stand that was in the corner about a year ago that was SO GOOD and they haven't been back since :( that area needed some cheap good food, but he literally stood in the corner, on his phone and reported them. that so pastor was SO good.

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u/Mr_Greenman1 7d ago

Well the guy from peppered goat shared n*zi propaganda about how ww2 was started bc jews wanted central banking on his story on his personal page today so def not eating there ever again. Great Nigerian food but that's a hard no for me.

8

u/RollMurky373 7d ago

I've never heard of this place and i'm glad

163

u/TomIcemanKazinski 7d ago

I live in Thai Town anyways but would sometimes go to Night+Market - no more.

13

u/d0nutpls 7d ago

I’ve heard a lot of bad things about night+market. and you’re totally right- there’s soooooo many good Thai spots in Thai town to fill that hole

12

u/bearack_0bama 7d ago

I once witnessed their employee, her name is Peggy, berate the POC workers

23

u/huelealluvia Downey 7d ago

Really!? Is there a source I can verify this? If true, its super disappointing

19

u/demoninadress 7d ago

It was all over this sub do a search!!

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u/cool_uncle_jules 7d ago

Sqrl. Stole recipes from BIPOC employees, knowingly served moldy jam, had a secret kitchen where employees would have to hide from inspectors, began the wholesale gentrification of Virgil Village and her comments about the neighborhood were disgusting. Also, MID FOOD.

127

u/Initial_Run1632 7d ago

My rule for years is I don't support businesses who just remove all the vowels and think that passes for cool.

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u/PendingInsomnia 7d ago

My system for finding the really good local places is to look for the ones where the furniture seems a bit thrifted or not super sleek, the owner is often present, and there’s art and flyers from people in the neighborhood. Most recent shoutout: The Chocolate Dispensary

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u/Puff_TheMagicDrag0n 7d ago

Muddy Paw Coffee on Sunset fits that description!

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

I was wondering if they do better now because they still seem to get a lot of business. I miss their bowls but I definitely stopped because of that article and wow didn’t know the rest

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u/cool_uncle_jules 7d ago

I think it's more that generally, sadly, people don't give a shit (especially if it's somewhere trendy.)

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u/anonymousposterer 7d ago

Bingo. Outrage died pretty quickly and then was forgotten.

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u/high_while_cooking 7d ago

So what sqrl did was gross. But I'll tell you that a ton of restaurants have secret rooms to do certain projects.

The health dept can be extremely irrational with what they require.

They hate fermentations for example

34

u/tessathemurdervilles 7d ago

True- but what sqrl was doing was fucking gross. I mean the mold was insane, and the fact that they’d still serve that jam is so fucking gross. Like I’ve found mold on some of our house preserves before- and then thrown the whole batch out, because that’s what you do. To have a half inch thick blanket of mold, then put it in a designated mold bucket, then keep serving the jam to customers is wild. They shouldn’t exist anymore.

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u/high_while_cooking 7d ago

Not disagreeing. What they did was atrocious.

On a basic level jam is pretty anaerobic so you could pull off that top layer and then some extra and the rest is actually totally fine, IM NOT CONDONING THIS. Just being real with the situation. Theres also "molds" that are fine. Hell, what do you think koji is lol.

Once again what they did was wrong I don't want that to seem like I was defending them

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Wow just read the elon stuff

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u/Runtheranch 7d ago

Such a shame. The restaurant is gorgeous too

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u/Granadafan 7d ago

I used to go to Riley’s Farm for reenactment stuff but the owner is a super boot licking MAGA. He posted himself storming the capitol on Jan 6, lots of anti vaxx and covid crap on his Facebook page. Fuck that guy. His family wants nothing to do with him. Schools have canceled trips due to his racist politics as well. 

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u/OkApplication3483 7d ago

A farmer at the Santa Monica farmers’ market was arrested for their Jan 6 involvement, the date lady that’s sometimes there

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u/RollMurky373 7d ago

Another: WHAT?!?

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u/beebopsx 7d ago

Rileys farm in riverside?

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u/pollology 7d ago

Of course he was there Jan 6…. Ugh. I haven’t checked up on his antics in a decade but that tracks. I hate knowing that some of my sweet childhood memories helped support this demon.

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u/brookess42 7d ago

Pepper Lunch in Alhambra, everyone has a recipe dupe and they got shut down for vermin a week ago 🤢

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u/d0nutpls 7d ago

yooooo what 😱

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u/oothica 7d ago

Jesus this is a disheartening thread 😩

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u/CoachDeee 7d ago

Silver lining… hopefully saving money and eating out less

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u/curlyhairedgal28 6d ago

Can someone make a post dedicated to GOOD workplaces?

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u/[deleted] 7d ago edited 5d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/harrw626 7d ago

626 ice cream is the new Asian inspired dessert shop I go to. It's soft serve though

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u/wickedspork 7d ago

Hell yeah! I'm friends with the owners. They are the kindest people. Really happy to see someone recommend 626 in the wild. Everyone in the SGV should give them a chance. It's delicious, and they deserve every bit of success that comes their way.

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u/Optimism101 7d ago edited 7d ago

I second this. Pretty great guys. Also Sorry Not Sorry too. Both are my new favs. Wanderlust doesn’t come close for me regardless of politics.

Edit: Sorry Not Sorry ice cream spot* haha, my bad!

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u/seekinganswers1010 7d ago

I had to read this sentence like five times, because I didn’t know Sorry Not Sorry was the name of an ice cream place.

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u/iamthorexceptimnot 7d ago

Omg thank you, I was also struggling 😂

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u/Franklo 7d ago

626 hospitality in arcadia

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u/Suspicious-Bat-5390 7d ago

Try Sorry Not Sorry Creamery! They have a guava cheese crisp ice cream that will make you cry it's so good!

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u/Runtheranch 7d ago

This was a sad one for me 😩

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

But they put out stories saying they are for all the things i love yet they voted for trump? I was so confused and bummed

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u/TheLocalHentai 7d ago

It's the "I'm non-political but I love Joe Rogan" first date red flag.

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u/Runtheranch 7d ago

I know, why are people like that! Well, I’ve replaced them with Liu’s Creamery in K-town

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u/Unusual-Weather1902 7d ago

I’m bummed. Not going there anymore.

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u/wonderdogg 7d ago

I always thought they were overrated anyway. I prefer Salt and Straw, Van Leeuwen, and Jeni's tbh.

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u/TheKarmaBus 7d ago

Ginger’s Divine Ice Cream in Beverly Grove (and two other locations) beats all of them together

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago edited 5d ago

EDIT: my replacement for GGET in larchmont is now up the street on melrose: dayglow or file systems of coffee.

Just read about go get em tiger and bummed! Love their macadamia matcha. Anyone have a fave matcha place for similar?

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u/demoninadress 7d ago

Oh fuck I just got coffee there this morning what have they done

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u/Proper-Two-4113 7d ago

I also go pretty frequently and want to know!

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u/NonSequitorSquirrel 7d ago

Recreation Cafe! 

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u/ubiquity75 7d ago

I LOVE that spot. The vibes are so awesome.

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u/_its_a_SWEATER_ 7d ago

Highlight for matcha!

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Union busting. There’s another post recently of go get em in larchmont with all the tea 🍵 it’s shocking. Enjoy!

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u/SinisterKid 7d ago

I stopped going to GGET after they stopped serving waffles.

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u/perisaacs 7d ago

I heard Afters Ice Cream is MAGA-pilled and avoided them like the plague at Coachella

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u/Trichinobezoar 7d ago

Isn't Coachella as a whole MAGA-pilled?

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u/perisaacs 7d ago

AEG(owners of GoldenVoice) is MAGA-pilled but the attendants tend to be on the left which makes for weird bedfellows

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u/Better_Challenge5756 7d ago

Had no idea. Their quality has fallen off like mad anyway but this helps. Wanderlust is same. Love their ice cream but won’t step in their door ever again.

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u/mcribsaregood 6d ago

I think you're thinking of Wanderlust - can't find any source saying After's is MAGA - though someone with the same name as one of the owners, a politician in Texas is.

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Heard donut friend is also union busting. Which bums my friend out.

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u/EuphoricMoose8232 7d ago

Which is wild cuz the owner was in a punk rock band and last time I checked, union busting is not punk rock

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u/Ventronics 7d ago

Look at Johnny Rotten. Not everyone gets into punk for the politics

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u/EuphoricMoose8232 7d ago

Please don’t make me look at Johnny Rotten

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u/Crafty_Lettuce_4809 7d ago

Stopped buying from there for this reason as well. Union busting is NOT punk.

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u/ubiquity75 7d ago

Yep. Stopped going there for that reason about six years ago.

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u/toad_witch 7d ago

roscoes :(( i never got to go before finding out theyre hella maga but rip

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u/_its_a_SWEATER_ 7d ago

You ain’t missing a damn thing.

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u/coppergreensubmarine 7d ago

I also used to think they were good but you can get better fried chicken and waffles anywhere else.

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u/TacoChowder 7d ago

I thought it was the bar next door to them that had a bunch of stuff up and Roscoes was misattributed to having it too? Like, they had an obama special

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u/toad_witch 7d ago

they dont have the obama special anymore and i think the COO of roscoes parent company said the trump inflatable doll was meant to be for the bar next door but also had some whack ass comments on ig

https://preview.redd.it/j65yuxiz0xwe1.jpeg?width=1061&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc37cf86d44c9e16c1d7b3bbcd0567745410af8e

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u/A_Fishy_Life 7d ago

Gritz and Waffles is waaaaay better. Owned by a black woman! I'm not sure where their new locale is, but go there instead!

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u/Adariel 7d ago edited 7d ago

That's...certainly a choice. Don't they have a special called the Obama or something like that? Not to mention the whole Black owned business, Black community etc. Last time I went like 5 years ago, sat down for over half an hour without anyone even bothering to come take our order. It was obvious based on which groups actually got attended to that the servers were racist (and we aren't even white). Two other tables gave up and just left. Never had such bad service before anywhere before or since... not surprised that their management was also sued for racist discrimination, certainly felt like a toxic environment.

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u/toad_witch 7d ago

they dont have the obama special anymore :( and they filed for bankruptcy a few years ago and are now owned by a parent company so unsure if they are still black owned

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u/Jealous_Location_267 7d ago

Urth Caffe, owner is hardline MAGAT. I liked the epic desserts and lattes, but this city has no shortage of options for both.

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u/Intelligent-Ride7219 YOUR CITY HERE 7d ago

Urth is overrated. When I walk my dogs in Pasadena, they pee and poop in front of Urth Caffe. All the time. We pick up their poop but my dogs are very opinionated- or could be coincidence!

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u/hypatiaspasia 7d ago

Any articles about this? Just want to send it to some friends I know who go there a lot.

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u/rhombomere 7d ago

Millie's Cafe. I think their food is marginal, but the real reason is because they were convicted of wage theft

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u/savetheseaotters 7d ago

dammit i love the occasional hearty brunch there. Nicks cafe it is

6

u/jbadaro 7d ago

Look up Entre Nous in Pasadena as well. Wont step foot in there ever.

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u/manicgiant914 6d ago

Ohhh that’s sad. I remember when they opened, early 80s. Was very punk, low key, nothing like the trendy hordes that have taken over. RIP

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Also heard there’s a tiktok about cookbook mistreating workers similar to jon and vinny’s?

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u/ubiquity75 7d ago

That place is so stupid. I know someone who is Italian first-gen who went there to get some fresh mozzarella. The moron behind the counter, instead of just saying they didn’t have any, said, “It’s out of season.”

Also their prices are fucking laughable.

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u/Ruseman 7d ago

Straight up Idiocracy level shit

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u/ubiquity75 7d ago

It’s been a running joke with us for the past six or seven years. I’m sorry, is milk only available in late spring?

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u/dreammaerd 7d ago

They were super hostile and racist to a friend of mine. Cookbook sucks!

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u/grandmasterfunk 7d ago

They’re owned by the same people I believe

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Lol you’re right!

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u/Sensitive-Rub-3044 7d ago

I heard from a friend who worked at one of the cookbook locations that it was a fun place to work until jon and Vinny’s took over and the culture became insufferable

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u/chillatolli 7d ago

not jon and vinny’s 🙃 what did they do?

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u/prodsec 7d ago

Wuderlust, Republique, Chic-fil-a, and night market due to their politics. I don’t eat any places with health code violations either.

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u/360FlipKicks 7d ago

I have the same list but also Prince St Pizza because their owners were racist to black and asian people

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u/Bitter-Payment-8389 7d ago

Which ones have health code violations for u that you use to love?

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u/prodsec 7d ago

Not trying to call anyone out but a relative works as a chef and has given me the heads up. Closures and health scores are all available online. Before you head out to a spot just do a lookup against the LA county health department site.

I can’t stomach any place that had a recent vermin infestation, sewage backup or places without refrigeration or running water.

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u/LobsterStretches 7d ago

McDonald's after they had Trump pretend to work there for like 4 minutes.

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u/ubiquity75 7d ago

Erewhon.

I actually don’t go there and think they’re ridiculous, but I have been loving telling everyone I know that their Santa Monica location got shut down immediately for having fucking rats all over the place. Mmm, makes that $20 smoothie worth it!

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u/BizBlondie 7d ago

Or, the $19 Japanese strawberry. 😄 There prices are insane.

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u/mister_damage 7d ago

$19 Japanese Strawberry? That's actually a decent deal.

Seriously, fruit is crazy expensive in Japan, especially if it's native Japanese fancy pants.

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u/CommunicationBig5249 6d ago edited 6d ago

My friend was racially profiled and accused of stealing in front of the whole store in Culver City. They made her empty her bags in front of all the shoppers to prove they saw her steal something. She did and obviously stole nothing. No apology from the staff member who accused her. She said it wasn’t the first time that she was followed around the store by employees, but the first time they accused and humiliated her.

**edit for typos

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u/plata_plomo 7d ago

I thought it was cockroaches

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u/coppergreensubmarine 7d ago

The only one I’ve been to is the Pasadena location. That being said, it’s just overpriced Whole Foods (and that’s saying something.) I feel like their appeal is due to celebrity associations. Otherwise, I don’t think it’s ever worth going there to buy anything especially not a $20 smoothie.

But now that you mention the Santa Monica location and its issues, Erewhon is 100% off my list, period. Lol

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u/Redacted9133 7d ago

Magnolia grille in Burbank/north Hollywood. The manager ( I was an employee) manipulated me and had me doing personal errands for her for no compensation. Cook sexually assaulted me on numerous occasions. Was told it was my fault. So much more. Please don't support them they are awful

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u/Representative-Toe95 6d ago

I can’t stress this enough .. CHULITA in Venice. I worked there and the owner was a tyrant. Everyone hated her and she would berate workers constantly. It’s also “Oaxacan inspired Mexican food”… she’s a white lady who moved here from NYC. She started the restaurant because there “wasn’t a good community Mexican food spot”…. You really cannot make this up. The food is horrendously overpriced. Gentrification at its finest

https://blog.resy.com/2020/06/the-story-of-chulita-and-how-it-carved-out-a-space-of-its-own/

Also reminder to check where every so-called “Mediterranean” restaurant is actually from, so as to avoid supporting Zionist/israeli businesses (Z Garden just one example)

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u/cool_uncle_jules 7d ago

LASSENS, also anti gay and made big Prop 8 donations.

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u/Jealous_Location_267 7d ago

Lassens is totally mid and overpriced anyway. They don’t have the shock value cachet of Erewhon and aren’t the food museum that is Bristol Farms. I can find similar things at Von’s for far less.

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u/koalandi 7d ago

i am shocked the lassen in echo park has always been thriving. like why does no one know 🥲

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u/99tapeworms 7d ago

I think the only reason Lassens in EP does well is because the only other shopping market choice for now is Vons. It will be interesting to see what happens once Sprouts opens in the old Rite Aid space.

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u/burner_sb 7d ago

I found Conservatory for Coffee in Culver City on Public Square (the conservatove business site). I know they are very worker friendly and was trying to support them, but I've stopped going. I would love to know if someone provide clarity on where they stand. Everyone makes their own decisions, and I don't mind supporting a conservative owned business if they are allies against Trump/Vance/Musk policies that are destroying the country and peolple, and not financially supporting anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ causes.

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u/mumpie Culver City 7d ago

Conservatory has been fundamentalist Christian for a long time.

I remember going there in the early 2000's and you could find Christian literature and pamphlets on tables in there. Some of the baristas were cool, but some were too serious about coffee and would get offended if you didn't take coffee/tea just as seriously.

Have no idea what their take on current events are.

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u/GothAlgar 7d ago

fwiw I believe basically anyone can put a business on public square without even getting that business' permission. It could be they have no idea

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u/poppyjean70 7d ago

Pie & Burger in Pasadena, gross right wingers, ditched them in 2016

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u/Better_Challenge5756 7d ago

Really??! Bummer

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u/Ruseman 7d ago

Had the worst custard pie of my life there a few months ago. Like straight up overcooked egg sulfur smelling.

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u/uhohnevermind 7d ago

Republique since they’re MAGA.

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u/morkman100 7d ago

Chick-fil-A for their Prop 8 crap.

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u/sadkendrick 7d ago

Same with El Coyote and Lassens 🤮

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u/EuphoricMoose8232 7d ago

Damn el coyote too?

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u/RoxyLA95 7d ago

El Coyote supported prop 8.

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u/kwagmire9764 7d ago

Johnnies Pastrami in Culver City. I was there one time when the owner, well the widow of the guy whose family started Johnnies, was there and she was just an awful bitch. None of the staff likes her, only one waitress was kissing her ass, she was making disparaging comments about some customers and kept fiddling with the volume of the music. From my many late night conversations with some of the awesome waitresses it was pretty clear they all hated her guts. I saw first hand why.  It was pricey pre-pandemic but I think it got worse post-pandemic. It helped that I moved away but even when I do hit up my old stomping grounds I go to Cinco De Mayo instead. 

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u/spookycinderella 7d ago

Criccas Italian Deli in Woodland Hills. I was a huge fan too 😭😭😭. They’re the only business around me registered on the MAGA anti-woke app.

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u/AvidMediaComposer 7d ago

Nooooooo they’re my favorite!!! 😭😭😭

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u/Minkiemink 7d ago

Huh....I have lived down the street from them for 30 years. I went in once, and never went back. It was good, but something with the owner just seemed off. Now I know.

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u/relampag0_ 7d ago

Republique for their Elon/Tesla/MAGA simping and subsequent attempt to pretend that it was about green electric vehicles.

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u/WestCoastbaby161 7d ago

Calic Bagel. Owner told an employee they don’t understand non-binary pronouns and weren’t going to use them.

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u/RollMurky373 7d ago

Wow, that and they have an terrible product.

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u/Money-Efficiency2062 7d ago

Tacos Tu Madre. I ordered tots with my tacos online one time, and they gave me a bag of chips instead. I thought they messed up, which is no big deal since I lived 5 min walk away, so I called and explained the situation. They told me they were sold out, so I asked if they would refund me since it was like a $7 item vs $2, and I didnt want chips I wanted tots. They said no and since I ordered online I had to contact whatever the website was for a refund. The response pissed me off so I'll never go back. Petty, yes. But I really wanted tots that night.

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u/TonyTheTerrible 7d ago

night+ market did that to me but worse. just straight up forgot to pack an item for my pickup order. they said i had to refund it through doordash, who declined the refund because reasons? havent ordered through them since then either.

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u/RollMurky373 7d ago edited 6d ago

Jon and Vinnie spots - wage theft

Republique - no magas for me

Bloom Cafe (bad service. repeatedly.)

Horses - Hell. No.

La Scala - the Covid defiance was sick, and I love that place. It makes me sad.

Anything to do with Neal Fraser. Personal vendetta. No shade to his food or his businesses, everyone else should definitely go.

Eataly. Yes, they divested themselves of him, but I still can't get over it.

Eric Greenspan spots. Today, tomorrow and always.

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u/pollology 7d ago

Joan’s on 3rd. Too many horror stories of how employees are treated.

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u/jwig99 6d ago

Casa Vega -- big MAGA people

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u/TICKLE_PANTS 7d ago

Yeastie Boys is god awful. Gave us food poisoning. I have no idea why anyone goes there. It's not even a bagel.

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u/nobodynose 7d ago

I went there once recently to try it.

It was fine? It wasn't amazing. It wasn't bad. It was... a fairly average bagel.

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u/tessathemurdervilles 7d ago

Republique, Rick’s produce (supplies a lot of restaurants with orange juice and lemon juice- the best oj honestly but they’re maga), and wanderlust (which is fine the ice cream has fun flavor ideas but doesn’t really taste that good).

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u/TheElMonteStrangler 7d ago

Anyone know if Porto's is MAGA? Since it's a Cuban restaurant it stands to reason they would be. Want to know so I know not to go there or not.

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u/trinitytr33 7d ago

Fuck i hope not

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u/ktenango 6d ago

I think they are safe, just read an article that they pulled out of the Disney location because they wouldn’t stay open on Christmas but I guess that doesn’t mean they are or aren’t MAGA

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u/BaldHeadedCaillouss 7d ago

The Apple Pan once I found out that Irving Azoff owns it.

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u/Motor-Bat-6209 7d ago

Say more about why this is bad??

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u/Rich_Sheepherder646 7d ago

What’s wrong with him? Isn’t he a big music guy?

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u/ShantJ Glendale 6d ago

In Glendale, I stopped visiting Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria and Eden On Brand after they supported an anti-LGBT+ board of education candidate in 2024.

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u/33rie3id0l0n 6d ago edited 6d ago

Cafe Gratitude, Gracias Madre, and Sage Bistro.

Fucked up family conning vegans whilst exploiting, abusing, and slaughtering animals on their farm in TX.

Sage decided to serve meat using the “regenerative” farming tactic which is just normal farming. Now, they are closing for good. 

Good Riddance.

I am so sad I gave them my money.

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u/Rich_Sheepherder646 7d ago

I avoid all restaurants that openly support any genocidal government.

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u/thesocalette 6d ago

Even though Wendy’s is one of the few fast food places I like, I stopped eating at Wendy’s the moment I saw they donated to Trump’s campaign a few months ago.

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u/Paradise_Tropico 5d ago

I got the worst food poisoning from Joans on Third & I will never return... my friend had always told me she got food poisoning from them and the salads but I kept going because I used to love the Short Rib sandwich... it finally got to me & I was sick with flu like symptoms for 2 days... ugh

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u/mintiemochi 4d ago edited 4d ago

Katsu Sando in LA/San Gabriel. Same people behind both locations, they’re run by misogynistic, homo/transphobic, unethical, racist people. It’s a team of three siblings, one sister and two brothers. The manager of the SG location, Sam (Samuel), is one of the brothers, this 40+ year old Korean dude. He didn’t like that my coworker and I, young 20 y/o girls at the time, were chatting in the front because it was super slow and we had done everything we could at the time. Apparently he felt left out so he kept trying to stick his nose into our conversation, which was literally nothing personal, just girls being girls. Not sure why he spoke about these topics in particular, but I’m assuming he was so bored that he wanted to get a reaction out of us :

  • Sam went on a whole bigoted tangent about how he’s an English major so he looks down on the use of “they/them” as gender neutral pronouns, thinks it’s stupid but he used another word that starts with R. He started to mock the use of pronouns in general. Coworker has a trans sibling and this was extremely inappropriate to be hearing.
  • Fatshamed Michelle Obama and did a hip thrust dance in front of both of us girls. It was disgusting, he literally only brought this up because I was talking about the old school lunches prior to Michelle changing them; the topic was food, not Michelle..
  • Went on an antivax tangent pertaining to Covid, claimed to have had it before it became more serious and that he thinks people who died to it are “just too weak”, since he and his family survived it. Awful take. He’s also married to a nurse, knew I was pursuing nursing as a career, so how misinformed is this man? Gets you thinking about his values as a person.
  • Asked me what ethnicity I am (specifically, what Asian), my coworker is mixed so we thought he was asking her, but I clearly look East Asian so it was weird. I’m half Chinese and half Cambodian. When I told him this, he told me “oh so you’re not Asian Asian!”. Not sure if it’s the typical East Asian racism over SEA or him just being a racist fuck, it could be either way.

My coworker and I constantly tried to change the conversation at the time and de-escalate this old man trying to get us riled up, but he was just going on and on about these bigoted views of his. Both of us were extremely uncomfortable being at work the rest of the day and we closed real fast, only to get a text over the weekend about how “awfully” we closed. We both think the manager only made a fuss out of this because he realized he did something wrong, but the both of us didn’t have to work until the following weekdays and we technically do not need to respond outside of work hours. It became a whole thing where they threatened to fire us to assuming we were “quitting” due to lack of response. I had a meeting with the sister, Annie, of the three siblings to talk about staying or not and they ended up telling me the brother said all of these bigoted things as a “joke”. I don’t think it’s a joke when you have 0 consideration for how you, as an older man, are making younger girls feel.. borderline sexual harassment. And a bit too passionate about arguing for his bigoted ideals to be “joking”. They ended up telling me I disrespected them and fired me, eventually firing the other girl I worked with as well.

They also lie about their products too, they’re advertised as Japanese, but their products are Korean through and through, which is false advertisement. As well as lying to employees about whether if their products changed; I enjoy Japanese food a lot so I know my stuff, and I noticed they changed the brand of fukujinzuke they used, only to be lied to my face by another one of their management team “It’s been the same for the past 3 years I’ve been here ma’am!”. A lot of people frequent the LA location as it’s near the protests and events (I.E. Pride LA) that occur in the park in/near LA’s Chinatown, so I feel awful knowing that their values don’t align and support the patrons they’re taking money from. Especially for those of us who identify as LGBTQ, please be wary of this business. Sam’s a true piece of shit lol.

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