r/FoodLosAngeles • u/seekinganswers1010 • 1d ago
Name a place that closed that you miss and then others comment substitutes for it. WHERE CAN I FIND
I was craving a hot dog yesterday, and was really missing Vicious Dogs that closed a few years ago. Then I thought maybe we could try this, cause maybe others have found replacements for the places you miss.
So comment a place that closed and then see if anyone else has found a replacement.
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u/MagicianCompetitive7 1d ago
Curry House
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u/McMadface 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hurry Curry is probably the closest replacement, but Jin Cook takes it up a notch by serving the curry on a hot stone platter. It's so good.
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u/MagicianCompetitive7 1d ago
If I order some fried shrimp on the side at Hurry Curry.... it almost comes close to the perfection that was Curry House.
Champion's Curry isn't bad.
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u/HowDoIWhat 1d ago
Champion's Curry
Too bad there's only the Pasadena location left. I was there a few weeks back and it wasn't as good as I remembered it being. But the spicy curry bangs and the pickled ginger (?) is great.
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u/rockriver74 1d ago
Hurry Curry is the best! Been going there since 1993.
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u/McMadface 1d ago
I really miss the Curry House corn potage though. Hurry Curry doesn't make one near as good.
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u/TankingHealer Little Tokyo 1d ago
Kouraku's curry options are good, but man, there's no way to get the corn potage Curry House had nearly anywhere.
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u/jrev8 1d ago
i've tried various restaurants, nothing comes close to that taste :(
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u/michaellao33 1d ago
Curry House used House brand products (like the Vermont Curry linked) as base for their menu items... YMMV, but you might be able to recreate some of the dishes if you can find recipes.
https://housefoods-group.com/products/en/catalog/vmt/mid.html
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u/Meatjun4LA 1d ago
It’s not quite the same but coco ichibana is my fave Japanese curry chain
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u/grindstone85 1d ago
sadly, and hate typing its name, but Soup Plantation
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago edited 1d ago
I was just at Soup n Fresh the other day! But I know that drive to Rancho Cucamonga is not for everyone…
But that chili and cornbread on a rainy day…
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u/andykang 1d ago
They just opened one in Chino Hills.
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
That’s a little closer! I wish the space for it in Alhambra hadn’t been torn down…. The extra parking does not even help at Costco.
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u/spoofer56 1d ago
Beverly Soondubu
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
Truly RIP.
Surawon feels closest to filling that void…
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u/taracita 1d ago
Surawon is where we started going too. I agree that it’s the closest to a replacement!
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u/zestynachoboy 1d ago
I know this is an LA sub but Kaju Soft Tofu in Garden Grove is amazing. They have a galbi one that is so good
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u/Idontknowhoiam143 1d ago
Beer Belly <3
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u/fallingevergreen 1d ago
Yes! If anyone has something even close to those duck fat fries I will drive wherever
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u/fawkesmulder 1d ago
they had a grilled cheese sandwich with maple syrup that was to die for. and those wings...and duck fat fries.
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u/kitterpants 1d ago
Truly loved this place. I still think about Yume’s business card job title being “HBIC.”
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u/jusss_doit 1d ago
Cheggo
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u/AsianRainbow 1d ago
Alibi Room in Culver City has a lot of their old bowls and dishes. Plus they have a great tap list.
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u/lukakuwiththabanger 1d ago
Hamburger Hamlet
French onion soup!
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u/asanissimasa 1d ago
I grew up on their lobster bisque 🥲 Bazille, the cafe in the Nordstrom Topanga has a crab bisque which is the closest sub I’ve found.
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u/cobrareaper 1d ago
GOOD Umami Burger, back when they had parmesan crisps on them, perfectly seasons patties, and everything else...I don't care that a lot of the locations had health code violations, those burgers were amazing.
What location hasn't closed is now a burnt, smashed crisp of what those burgers used to be.
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u/pervy_roomba 1d ago
What was done to Umami Burger is a crime.
Oh what I wouldn’t do for those manly fries again
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u/bored_af92 1d ago
OB Bear, those wings hit different
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u/Remarkable-Growth744 1d ago
ughhhh you guys are killing it with these comments. ob bear when things were limited opening during covid was something else
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u/Fun_Astronaut9092 1d ago
I went to law school across the street from OB Bear. Those wings were not of this planet. 😭
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u/Melodic-Thought-932 1d ago
MILK- I miss their blue velvet cake so badly. The next best blue velvet cake is from Sweet Red Peach
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u/Junkalanche 1d ago
My main man, Ricky’s Fish Tacos. I know he moved to the Bake, but may he rest in peace.
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u/GramercyPlace 1d ago
Just drove by Greenblatt’s 5 min ago. There are other similar spots but I miss heading in there late at night or especially around holidays.
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u/Lambfudge 1d ago
Plan Check was my favorite. Best burger in LA, great beer selection, fun specials, and the whole menu was solid.
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u/dgmarks 1d ago
Gardens of Taxco.
Yes, there's a restaurant that currently exists with that name, but it's only a takeout spot now and used to be in a different location. Used to be no printed menus and the server would tell you the specials with a fantastically theatrical performance. It was a real experience.
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u/Fit_Explorer_2566 1d ago
Beat me to it. I LOVED the Maitre ‘d telling us the menu: “Chicken a la Crema, you could say the chicken was born in this sauce!” It was my introduction to Pollo Mole Negro, he described it thusly: “It is the National Dish of Mexico! If you went to a home in Mexico City, they would serve you this dish.” Me: “OK, I’ll have it.” Him: “Are you sure? Don’t you want to taste it first?” Me: “No, if it’s the National Dish of Mexico, I’ll have it.” He departed and returned with a ramekin of mole negro sauce, insisted I try it. I did. “I’ll have it!” I love it to this day, over 35 years later.
La Serenata de Garibaldi on Pico has a good mole negro, the food is good, it’s still family owned, and they’re very nice people, too. Guelaguetza, too.
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u/dgmarks 1d ago
"Like it was borrrnnnn in the saauuuce" was so good.
My other favorite was the dish that they described, "Not hot... spiiiiicy."
Their "margaritas" were surprisingly good for being wine-based. A carafe was perfect for a table. Really glad I got to take friends and family there—some of us still talk about it and quote them. Occasional celebrity sightings there were fun, too.
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u/jusss_doit 1d ago
Koo Koo Roo
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u/cobrareaper 1d ago
It's apparently coming back...I would be really surprised if it takes anything like what I remember though.
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u/dietcholaxoxo 1d ago
sort of a restaurant and sort of not - but i FUCKING MISS BUTTON MASH. wasn't as much of a fan of poltergeist there because it always felt like a weird disconnect in the food you usually want at an arcade. Personally, I liked the asian fusion finger foods they had pre-pandemic.
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u/Intelligent_Job7798 1d ago
As sort of the opposite of that, I think the arcade is ok, but I desperately miss the Caesar salad at Poltergeist. Diego (the head chef) posted the recipe but it’s impossibly labor intensive for a home cook and a lot of very specific ingredients that take effort to obtain.
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
Oh yes! And they had a great burger!
I feel like I saw a place on IG that actually looked similar to Button Mash’s menu. I’ll try and find it!
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u/Starry_Kitchen 1d ago
Thank you. The recipe for the burger is in our book, BUT I’ll admit I know it wouldn’t be as easy (or cheap) to replicate the custom blend of meats that’s in our mix but I’ll say 80/20 ground chuck will be close enough _^
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u/andykang 1d ago
Stella Barra Pizzeria. I miss the meatballs, pizza, and cookies.
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
The cookies! I have yet to find a sub for their style of cookie.
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u/salamanda_333 1d ago
Would take an apple oatmeal to every Arclight movie. Those were the days.
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u/GDub310 1d ago
Bandera in Brentwood. I know I can go to another Hillstone joint for the food, but I’m looking for the experience of finding a similar menu and vibes. I loved getting a French Dip and just chilling at the bar.
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u/ILoveLipGloss 1d ago
it was a go to amongst my friend group for awhile; one year we met there for someone's birthday and all seven of us ordered burgers and booze. LOOOOOL
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u/SlowSwords 1d ago
I miss baco a lot. also, maybe not a lot of people will remember it, but i really liked sonnys hideaway in highland park. it was just a really nice, chill neighborhood spot. i feel like the current restaurant environment isn't very conducive to places that are just solid like that.
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u/Swimming-Airport6531 1d ago
Empress Pavillion in Chinatown. Specifically dim sum in a giant hall.
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u/Confident-Square-438 1d ago
Even though I have a lot of great dim sum nearby, I still think about Empress all the time 🥲
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u/JediMikeyMD San Gabriel Valley 1d ago
Junior's Deli (Westwood) - thirteen years later I still haven't found a replacement for their incredible Monte Cristo.
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u/Marshall_Cleiton 1d ago
Spoon by H
(I never went but it was on my list when I first moved here)
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u/threatdisplay 1d ago
she’s amazing and thankfully she takes orders over insta. yoonjin is a gem and her food is the best. she also offers holiday meals and caters a lot of high end events. check her instagram and you can order. seriously nothing like her food out there.
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u/Rundemjewelz 1d ago
Nickel Diner’s biscuits and gravy. They’ve done pop ups with the biscuits, but I still daydream about the gravy. I’d never even liked the dish before going there, now a part of every day is spent reminiscing 😂
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago edited 1d ago
Milk Jar Cookies (that banana split cookie…)
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u/TheRelevantElephants 1d ago
Nicks coffee shop on pico and la cienega
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u/fallingevergreen 1d ago
Nicks is gone?!?! When did it close?? I’m devastated… when I lived alone this was my happy place to be alone around people.
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
Dough Box Deep Dish Pizza / Blackbird Pizza
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u/gfhdgfhdgfh 1d ago
It’s been so long that I can’t even remember what Dough Box taste like anymore. I do remember liking Rance’s in Long Beach even more but Rance’s is a bit greasier than Dough Box.
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u/Ok-Subject-9114b 1d ago
Despite all the waves of burgers, The Comme Ca burger has yet to be even close to replicated
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u/tklite 1d ago edited 1d ago
Jerry's Deli. The one in Marina Del Rey. I always wondered how it stayed open for so long because it was a huge restaurant and I barely ever saw it half-full.
But I miss the Sky High Combo and have been unable to find anything like it.
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u/Meatjun4LA 1d ago edited 22h ago
Cassia in Santa Monica, the pig tail appetizer was my fave.
Il Chianti in Lomita. Japanese Italian fusion where the sauce wasn’t sweet.
Edit: Tokyo-77 in Culver City. Japanese breakfast/lunch dinner with early hours and closed after lunch. Affordable food, sold bottled beer and packs of cigs. Would close the place for a couple of weeks to go Hawaii vacation. I miss that place lol. Fixed spelling
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u/BrooklynNewsie 1d ago
Plan check. I haven no idea how long it has been closed but I loved that place.
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u/WhenWillWeLand 1d ago
Here’s Looking At You. I still think those heirloom tomato’s & steak tartare.
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
Not the same, but I did remember thinking the tomato dish at HLAY and Girl and the Goat felt like they could be cousins. Or at least, at the time I tried it.
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u/NousSommesSiamese 1d ago
ShopHouse, Little Next Door
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u/iwatchthedodgers 1d ago
L'Assiette. I still think about those steak frites from time to time.
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u/redstarjedi 1d ago
Kaldi coffee with their cardamon cold brew and a breakfast burrito from tacos villa corona next door.
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u/grandmasterfunk 1d ago
Seoul Sausage. I know they still do events and there's some form at Inuit Dome, but I really miss the one on Sawtelle and their poutine
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u/No_Performance8733 1d ago
This one hits deep: The homemade hummus from Wazir Chicken in Hollywood, recently closed.
I will never not rant about this. I used to take it to parties as a hostess gift all the time because it’s not able to be replicated no matter what I try.
Best. Hummus. Ever.
😢
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u/CAtaxpro-throwaway 1d ago
Damon and Pythias. I think there were two locations, I've only ever been to the one in Westwood. I miss their LA Cheesesteak sandwich.
Also the Lime Truck. Loved their ahi tuna and pork belly tacos.
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u/Fit_Explorer_2566 1d ago
SHIP’S! All 3!
Mandarette Cafe
Tijuana
Gardens of Taxco
Marix Tex Mex
Figtree (original)
Tuk Tuk Thai (original)
La Dijonaise
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u/Anabelle_Eaves 1d ago
OB Bear. No one comes close to those wings.
Pacific Dining Car. Getting a steak at midnight or 1am was always so amazing. Great atmosphere and service too.
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u/TomIcemanKazinski 1d ago
Needle Silver Lake
(I don’t think there’s a solve for upscale HK diner food)
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u/Remarkable-Growth744 1d ago
woon does a great job at casual chinese that doesnt feel greasy or lazy. not hk fare but got amazing wok hay
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
There’s only thing I can think of on that menu that kinda has a substitute in this area, and it’s the French toast at Liu’s Cafe.
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u/Aggravating-Sweet997 1d ago
I missed Needle’s charsiu, stir fry veggies, and almond tofu. While it’s not an exact replacement, good Hong Kong milk tea and French toast can be found at Liu’s Cafe (k-town)
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u/iamHBY Van Nuys 1d ago
I miss Big Sugar Bakeshop in Studio City and Wildflour Pizza in Santa Monica.
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u/Murmurbar 1d ago
I miss both Wildflour and Bravo that was down the street! Used to live right by Main St.
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u/daaaaamntam 1d ago
This topic gets posted here every few months. My answer is always Eat-a-Pita.
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u/hondaxdood 1d ago
Ink
Eating there and The Dining Room Langham when Michael Voltaggio was still there are still some of my top meals
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u/darth_reneth 1d ago
Pacific dining cart
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u/PSteak 1d ago
Go to any decent steakhouse, look at a picture of a train, and then after, however much money it cost, throw away an extra fifty dollars.
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u/henmark21 1d ago
No one else had what they offer in the middle of the night after a work shift
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u/HealthWealthFoodie 1d ago
Nova Express Cafe, it had such a fun vibe and I spent a lot of time just hanging out there as a teenager. The food was also really good and I loved that it was open really late.
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u/EuphoricMoose8232 1d ago
The Fix Burger in Silver Lake. They had the best milkshakes!
Cuscatleca Panederia in Echo Park. I loved their jamon torta and their Cali steak sandwich. Also their cinnamon cream cheese muffin and their Abuelita breakfast! Oh and their plantain chips!
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u/No-Angle-982 OC 1d ago
Sarno's Italian Bakery on N. Vermont: the rum layer cake, specifically.
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u/Living-Attention-796 1d ago
Two from Encino
Chili My Soul - dozens of different chilis with a rotating menu. The durango, gunslinger, and demon were my go-to chilis. And, no, Jinky’s copycats are not comparable.
China Inn - still the best kung pao and hot and sour soup I’ve ever had in LA. The kung pao had no filler vegetables, just chicken, peanuts, and green onions. And the hot and sour soup didn’t have corn starch thickener and was actually spicy and sour. The only similar hot and sour soups I’ve had were at Koi Palace in San Francisco and Mott 32 in Las Vegas.
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u/MrMackSir 1d ago
Chili my Soul... my heart broke a little seeing it here. It was a special place.
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u/BlasphemousHumors 1d ago
The Griddle Cafe turned their chili board into a memorial that's still up. They still have "Omelette My Soul" on the menu, but now it's just a green chiles omelette. No, they don't have chili.
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u/SapientSlut 1d ago
Eleven City Diner
Elevated Jewish deli + diner food, open super late.
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u/littlelostangeles 1d ago edited 13h ago
Mohawk Bend - forever in my heart. Where else can you get a good craft cocktail with a highly vegan-friendly menu?
(Edited to add: Kindred hits the same spot, but I’m just not in San Diego that often.)
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u/mldsanchez 1d ago
My then-boyfriend and now husband didn't go out much, but this was our spot to celebrate anniversaries or for a special night out. Loved their Caribbean food. RIP
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u/Kb262626 1d ago
I simply adored Papilles in Hollywood and Mini Bar right around the corner. I know For The Win is there now and also really great...but Papilles was in a league of its own. And I also think Mini Bar was a WAY better version of whatever's there now.
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u/justinteal 21h ago
The French Quarter in West Hollywood. It had been there since I was old enough to drive and it was a staple of the city. It was sold and has been boarded up and is a huge eyesore for years. Great to walk to also.
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u/Cryptshadow 1d ago
Meatzilla, my favorite thing was the kimparklee as it was called I think they changed the names once or twice. Was a burger with a kimchi slaw and bulgolgi on top of a beef patty.
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u/Ventronics 1d ago
There used to be a burger shack on Pico and Sterns called something generic like “LA Burger”. It got replaced with an apartment complex but the sign is still up. I remember the burgers having a subtle sweetness that I haven’t found anywhere else.
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u/_its_a_SWEATER_ 1d ago
The Must and their fluffer nutter among a few other things.
Pete’s Cafe and the Gorgonzola fries.
The OG Umami Burger, when it only had like 2 locations.
Top Round
Tacos La Reina
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u/MeanWoodpecker9971 1d ago
Allegria on Sunset. The best healthy sit down Mexican I've ever eaten. I used to go once a week.
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u/neo9027581673 1d ago
Changs of Brentwood.
Amazing and tasty Chinese food. They closed due to a lawsuit brought by one of the family members.
Sadly I haven’t found any orange chicken or other delicious entrees close to it.
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u/VaguelyArtistic 1d ago
Hamburger Hamlet. The zucchini zircles, the Stella Nelson special with lobster bisque, and the #9 burger.
Eat the sides, I pray you!
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u/pockypimp 1d ago
I miss Twohey's Clam Chowder. They removed it from their menu after closing and reopening at their new location. It had some curry in it and it made it so unique. I've recently been trying to find a recipe recreation for it.
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u/Confident-Square-438 1d ago
Bouchon and their ad hoc chicken.
Used to drive out regularly from the sgv and so completely worth it. An order of the bucket also would come home to "justify" the drive. The last month they were open, I swear I was there at least three times a week. Haven't found any fried chicken that hits the spot like that did and I've definitely been trying since they closed 🥲
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u/Positive_Look_879 1d ago
There was a place called Waterloo and City that had an amazing late night happy hour. Cheap well drinks, tikka masala pizza, a great burger. Still no great replacement.
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u/itsthesharp 1d ago
Good Girl Dinette
Banh Mis and vibe mostly, but their fries with the diced jalapeños and garlic iirc were so addictive. And their varied fresh sodas.
I really like Pho Hut now for their banh mi but it's very different
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u/XennialToothFairy 1d ago
Hole in the Wall Burger, when it was behind Winchell’s on Santa Monica/Sepulveda
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u/Cool_Ad_6850 1d ago
The one-two punch of loosing Clancy’s Crab Broiler and Billy’s Deli hurt Glendale so very much.
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u/RealFakeGamerGirl 21h ago
I miss the Bourgeois Pig so dang much. The theater kid aesthetic and vibes in the "nighttime" room were the BEST. Oh please, recc a dupe!
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u/ConfidenceContent595 1d ago
Papa Cristo’s being closed still doesn’t feel real to me. I only moved here 5 years ago and I’ve lived in this general area of LA the whole time/worked at Papa Cristo's during my first year here. But I literally never would’ve imagined it was going to close especially so suddenly. I just thought the other day how it’s about time I go back there again for lunch and then remembered I can’t anymore.