Where to eat? (LA/Hollywood/Santa Monica)

[JES11583]

Hey! We will be out there starting next Friday. We fly into LAX around lunchtime. Are there any must eat at places? Two adults and two children (ages 3 & 8).

Our potential itinerary is below so any suggestions you have, let me know:

 

Friday: LAX (hotel) and plan to go to Santa Monica for the afternoon/evening

 

Saturday: Hollywood/Beverly Hills. No real schedule aside from a 11am two hour tour.

 

Sunday: Disneyland

 

Monday: driving to Long Beach to board the ship

 

I heard there was a place in Beverly Hills we should go for breakfast but I can't recall name.

 

All suggestions welcome!! Beachfront restaurants are also of interest. We will have a rental car.

Thank you!! :)

 

 

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[BritinSoCal]

Hey! We will be out there starting next Friday. We fly into LAX around lunchtime. Are there any must eat at places? Two adults and two children (ages 3 & 8).

Our potential itinerary is below so any suggestions you have, let me know:

 

Friday: LAX (hotel) and plan to go to Santa Monica for the afternoon/evening

 

Saturday: Hollywood/Beverly Hills. No real schedule aside from a 11am two hour tour.

 

Sunday: Disneyland

 

Monday: driving to Long Beach to board the ship

 

I heard there was a place in Beverly Hills we should go for breakfast but I can't recall name.

 

All suggestions welcome!! Beachfront restaurants are also of interest. We will have a rental car.

Thank you!! :)

 

 

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Pick up your hire car and get to Santa Monica pronto - lest you want to see LA traffic at first hand! Taking Lincoln (the not so iconic part of Highway 1 - the PCH) is not a bad idea and avoids the Freeway crawl.

 

Santa Monica and Malibu have some good eateries. We really like the Reel Inn - it's a no frills (and I mean none) fish restaurant, the beach shack vibe and Jamaican cuisine from Cha Cha Chicken and Urth Caffe (lighter fayre - but your kids will love the desserts!) You'll also find Urth Caffe in Beverly Hills and Hollywood, on Melrose.

 

But my recommendation at times like this is always to head over to Trip Advisor and search there...

Edited October 12, 2016 by BritinSoCal
darn auto correct!

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Hopefully you are not spending 3 nights in a hotel near LAX. It is a miserable place to stay with nothing around it.

 

As to food, the LA area has dozens of "must eat" places. LA County alone has twice as many people as the entire state of Kentucky with the commiserate number of restaurants. Trip Advisor has reviews on over 8,000 restaurants and that doesn't even include separate cities like Santa Monica and Long Beach.

 

Here are a couple (few) resources to look at.

 

http://la.eater.com/maps/best-los-angeles-restaurants-38

http://la.eater.com/maps/best-new-los-angeles-restaurants-heatmap

https://www.thrillist.com/eat/los-angeles

 

So where you decide will depend on what kind of food and budget. Everyone has personal favorites. We can't ever agree on best burger, best pizza, best whatever so you will get a variety of answers.

 

A bit more direction on type of food would be helpful.

 

As to beachfront restaurants, there really are not many in LA, partly because of the cost of the land. Malibu has a couple, there are some in Orange County, but not a lot in general.

[SadieN]

For lunch after you get into town. Near LAX is In an Out at 9149 S Sepulveda.

It's located under the runway approach. Be warned that parking can be difficult.

Check out the menu and 'secret' menu.

[JES11583]

Thank you, all! I'll check out your recommendations. We like everything. Good seafood, all American, Italian, etc. Definitely don't want to spend a fortune since we are a family of 4 with a very nice vacation laid out (but also don't want junk or eat what you pay for /cheap quality kind of food either.). I want to stay away from chains that I can find anywhere.

 

Yes, I made the ignorant mistake of booking hotel by LAX just bc of not wanting to spend of fortune on that part of it and also because I knew we'd have a rental car and just drive wherever.

 

 

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[Cuervosar]

1. In n Out. It's a must.

2. Any taco shop that ends in "bertos", i.e. Roberto's, Alberto's, etc. If you don't know what to order ask for a carne asada burrito. The less English spoken and the scarier it looks, the better the food.

3. Second on Reel Inn, there used to be two; one on PCH near Topanga, one on Third Street. Not sure of the Third Street location anymore.

4. If the La Brea Bakery is still in Disneyland, Ham & Cheese Panini. It's not in the park, but in the Downtown Disney area. Much better than the park food.

5. If you go to Disneyland, conisider reservations in the Blue Bayou. It's inside the Pirates of the Carribean ride, reserve when you first get to the park. Sells out by noon an any given day. It's a sit down waiter served meal that can be a great break after fighting the crowds all day.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Cuervosar

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Thank you, all! I'll check out your recommendations. We like everything. Good seafood, all American, Italian, etc. Definitely don't want to spend a fortune since we are a family of 4 with a very nice vacation laid out (but also don't want junk or eat what you pay for /cheap quality kind of food either.). I want to stay away from chains that I can find anywhere.

 

Yes, I made the ignorant mistake of booking hotel by LAX just bc of not wanting to spend of fortune on that part of it and also because I knew we'd have a rental car and just drive wherever.

 

My favorite "beachfront" dining in Santa Monica is to get sandwiches and salads from Bay Cities Deli and then go to the park on Ocean Ave or to the beach area in South Santa Monica and eat it there. Life in LA doesn't get any better than a Spicy Godmother eaten at the beach.

 

http://www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com/

 

The restaurants from Eater LA and Thrillist LA won't be chains and won't all be fancy, some are very down home. LA's best foods are Mexican, Asian (Chinese, Thai, Japanese & Vietnamese) and Modern American. I don't think LA does Italian especially well. That isn't to say you can't find good Italian, but it isn't like NYC or San Francisco where great Italian is around every corner.

[BritinSoCal]

1. In n Out. It's a must.

2. Any taco shop that ends in "bertos", i.e. Roberto's, Alberto's, etc. If you don't know what to order ask for a carne asada burrito. The less English spoken and the scarier it looks, the better the food.

3. Second on Reel Inn, there used to be two; one on PCH near Topanga, one on Third Street. Not sure of the Third Street location anymore.

 

1. Deffo - it's a Californian standard. Google the secret menu and you'll act as native, just like me :)

2. Seconded - better still, find a late night taco van

3. Only the restaurant on the PCH http://www.reelinnmalibu.com/

[slidergirl]

My favorite "beachfront" dining in Santa Monica is to get sandwiches and salads from Bay Cities Deli and then go to the park on Ocean Ave or to the beach area in South Santa Monica and eat it there. Life in LA doesn't get any better than a Spicy Godmother eaten at the beach.

 

http://www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com/

 

The restaurants from Eater LA and Thrillist LA won't be chains and won't all be fancy, some are very down home. LA's best foods are Mexican, Asian (Chinese, Thai, Japanese & Vietnamese) and Modern American. I don't think LA does Italian especially well. That isn't to say you can't find good Italian, but it isn't like NYC or San Francisco where great Italian is around every corner.

 

Oh yes to Bay Cities!!!! When I worked in SM, my co-workers and I would drive down Colorado and up Lincoln to Bay Cities at least once a week for those wonderful sandwiches...

If you don't have an In & Out where you live, yes, go and get your burger fix at the one there on Sepulveda by the airport. They do two things: beef hamburgers and french fries. Multiple ways. Grilled cheese if you don't eat meat. My usual order when I fly somewhere with an I&O: Grilled cheese and fries Animal Style...

For breakfast, early lunch by the airport - head down to Marina del Rey/Venice. I used to eat probably most Saturdays down at Maxwell's Cafe on Washington. I used to LOVE their avocado omelette.

In Hollywood, I have only one place: Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles - Oh My! Another place where you will wait, but it is worth it! Corner of Gower and Sunset. There supposedly are a few more outlets, but I've only gone to the one in Hollywood.

[JES11583]

Counting down the days!! Thank you all for the great advice!! I plan to use it!!

 

 

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[BritinSoCal]

Just a hint from a local :cool: if you're driving to Santa Monica, apart from the parklng lot by the pier (tbh I wouldn't bother actually trying to park on the pier itself), all the other ocean side parking lots close at dusk (6:30 pm-ish). We usually park in one of the City's parking lots on 4th Street, which will also be handy for the pedestrianised 3rd Street Promenade...

[JES11583]

Just a hint from a local :cool: if you're driving to Santa Monica, apart from the parklng lot by the pier (tbh I wouldn't bother actually trying to park on the pier itself), all the other ocean side parking lots close at dusk (6:30 pm-ish). We usually park in one of the City's parking lots on 4th Street, which will also be handy for the pedestrianised 3rd Street Promenade...

 

 

Thank you, so much!! I really appreciate the heads up! I'll take any and all "hints" [emoji39][emoji39][emoji6]

 

 

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