The OG Soup Dumpling: Why Khinkali House is Glendale's Best Kept Secret…read more Let's get one thing straight: if you think the "soup dumpling" started with a two-hour wait outside a Din Tai Fung, you're about 600 years late to the party. While the culinary world is currently obsessed with the delicate, bite-sized Xiao Long Bao--which didn't even show up until the 1870s in Shanghai--the Georgians have been perfecting this craft since the 13th-century Mongol invasions. Khinkali is the OG. It's the rugged, fist-sized ancestor that doesn't need a bamboo steamer basket or a delicate, nervous touch. It's a meal that requires soul, a bit of primitive technique, and a complete disregard for your clean shirt. Tucked away on Artsakh Avenue, Khinkali House is where you go to pay your respects to this ancient culinary titan. Atmosphere and the Art of the Rainy Day I happened to drop in on a rare, miserable rainy day in Glendale, and let me tell you, sitting out in their roomy, covered patio area while the water drummed against the roof was pure atmospheric gold. It's the kind of setting that demands heavy, unapologetic comfort food. The service here is sharp, warm, and attentive--the kind of old-school hospitality that makes you feel like a regular before you've even opened the menu. The Opening Act: Borscht with Soul You don't just jump into a pile of massive dumplings. You have to prepare the palate. I started with a bowl of their Borscht, and it was exquisite. It arrived as a deep, vibrant crimson pool of beet-infused soul, swimming with tender beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. It was earthy, slightly sweet, and served at a temperature that could ward off any chill in your bones. It's the kind of bowl that tells you immediately that this kitchen isn't just following a recipe; they're honoring a bloodline. The Main Event: The Four Pillars of Khinkali Then came the heavy hitters. Unlike the thin-skinned, elegant Xiao Long Bao, Khinkali is built for battle. It's a massive, boiled parcel with a thick, satisfyingly chewy dough gathered at the top into a sturdy little knot or "handle" (the kudi). You don't eat the handle--you use it to hoist the beast, bite a small hole in the side, aggressively slurp out the liquid gold trapped inside, and then devour the rest. I worked my way through all four flavors, and each was a masterclass in balance: Ground Beef & Pork: The classic heavyweight. The moment you pierce the dough, a rich, heavily spiced, aggressively savory broth floods your spoon. The meat is fatty in all the right ways, laced with herbs that cut through the richness. It is purely addictive. Lamb: A masterclass in bold, unapologetic flavor. The lamb adds a deeply gamey, sophisticated depth that grounds the entire dish. As it boils, the rendered fat mixes with the internal cooking liquids inside that thick doughy cavern to create a broth that is darker, earthier, and aggressively flavorful. It's a heavy, soulful revelation that hits you right in the chest. Mushroom: Often treated as a vegetarian afterthought in other places, here it's a star. It hits you with a massive wave of umami. The mushrooms are tender and earthy, producing a fragrant, woodsy liqueur inside the dumpling that makes you realize you don't need meat to create a complex masterpiece. Georgian Cheese (The Undisputed Champion): I'm just going to say it--this was my absolute favorite. It is an exercise in pure, primal decadence. Instead of a meat broth, biting into this unleashes a molten, gooey river of tangy, salty Georgian cheese. It pulls, it stretches, and the sharp, slightly funky bite of the cheese against the warm, thick dough is a spiritual experience. I could eat ten of these and die happy. The Return Trip The tragedy of Khinkali House is that the dumplings are so filling, you have to leave the rest of the menu unexplored. But I am already plotting my return. Next time, I'm coming back for the Adjarskiy Khachapuri--that famous Georgian boat-shaped bread loaded with melted cheese and crowned with a fresh egg yolk and a pat of butter. I also have my eye on the Zhengyalov Hatz (a traditional Armenian herb-filled flatbread), and the wildly intriguing Osetrina (Sturgeon) Skewer, which you just don't see every day. The Verdict: Respect the Elders Let's cut the noise. Xiao Long Bao is great for a polite, light lunch, but Khinkali is for when you want to feel something real. Khinkali House has managed to bring a 13th-century mountain staple to a Glendale patio and make it feel like the most relevant thing on the street. It's bold, it's historical, and it's flat-out delicious. If you want to experience the true evolution of the dumpling, get yourself to Khinkali House. Grab a handle, watch the rain, and eat like a Georgian highlander. You can thank me later.

First time here and I'll definitely be back. Our waitress was amazing.. Very welcoming, attentive,…read moreand helpful. Here's what we ordered: Cheese Plate & Charcuterie Board - Would absolutely order again. Great variety and perfect for sharing. Zhengalov Hatz - Loved it. Grilled Khachapuri - Solid and satisfying. Mediterranean Salad - Refreshing with a great mix of herbs that blended perfectly together. Khinkali (Fried Cheese, Beef, and Mushroom) - All were amazing. Definitely a must-order. Pork, Osetrina, Shrimp, and Lamb Skewers - Not bad at all, but probably wouldn't order them again. Overall, really enjoyed the experience, food, and service. Looking forward to coming back :)

I first tried khachapuri years ago right after moving to LA, at a now-closed little…read morehole-in-the-wall in Sherman Oaks. It was listed on the menu as Ajarski, and I had absolutely no idea what it was... I just called it a pizza boat. It was SO insanely good, and I'd been chasing that same comfort-food high ever since... until I found Tony Khachapuri. Get. The. Original. It is to die for. The dough is incredible, the flavor is unreal, and it's basically perfect comfort food. If I'm ever depressed, this is what I'm ordering, and I just know everything will be okay. Lol. Haven't been in person yet, but I recently moved closer to the neighborhood and will definitely stop by soon!

I'd only had Khachapuri once before and it blew me away. I bookmarked Tony Khachapuri that same day…read moreand finally made it in. I am glad I did. I scored street parking right away -- total luck -- because that area can be a pain. The space itself is modern, clean, with a few tables inside and a couple out front. The server was friendly and easygoing. I joked about the baklava and fresh pastries sitting right by the register -- dangerous placement. I held strong. My partner could not resist the baklava. We ordered Khachapuri with bacon and chives. It came out molten lava hot -- we had to let it cool before diving in. Honestly, if we'd taken it to go, it probably still would've been too hot to eat when we got home. It was delicious. One was plenty for the two of us, but I couldn't help noticing the wraps, sandwiches, and fries coming out for other tables. They looked really good as well. That said - as much as I tell myself I'll try something different next time, I already know I'm ordering the Khachapuri again.

Located in the same plaza where they shot Superbad!…read more The restaurant is small but very wonderful. It was not busy when we went so we got our food pretty quickly. I ordered the borscht and potato pirogi - both were great! The herring salad was great and the bread was even great! We ordered vodka shots - pickle, mixed berry and lemon. They were all really good! Even the kompot was good. I think my experience at Kalinka was so good I recommend going. I'll definitely be back whenever I'm in town.

A cute Russian restaurant hidden in Glendale/Burbank. I have been wanting to go as they are across…read morethe street from Mambos. The pigmeni was good, but more on the room temperature side. I felt that the Beef Stroganoff was quite small for an entree and the price. The chicken dish did take a really long time to come out - we had to eat the beef stroganoff and pigmeni as they were getting cold. Was a bit awkward and I wish the staff paced the food out so that we all ate together.

I am starting to think this place is a money laundering front or something, because they are never,…read moreever open. I've tried going in person, I've tried ordering delivery... and they are always closed. Always. It's a shame, because the menu of uncommon Armenian & Georgian food looks amazing.

We found this while out on a walk in the area. The chef/owner is very friendly. The restaurant…read moreitself is simple and spotless. There's parking on-site. We ordered for takeout and tried the Chashusli beef stew, Vani Navak (eggplant dish), and the Salmon plate. It did not disappoint! The food is seasoned well, not too salty and not greasy. Portions are ample (we had leftover for the next day). Ordering is easy either via one of the ordering Apps or better yet, directly with the restaurant. We've been a couple of times as we like their menu offering. This is now our 'go to' place to satisfy our craving for tasty, honest and reasonably priced meals.

Ate Armenian food for the 1st time. Got the Oxtail Khashlava, Eggplant dip, and Ground beef kebab…read more(my finger covered up the picture). I'm no Armenian food expert, but I felt All three were delicious and well seasoned. Reminds me of Persian food & some Mediterranean food, but even better ! Service was great. Louisa was very attentive and helpful for answering our questions. Ambiance: This place is definitely geared towards hardcore old world immigrants. Decor is super extra. Folks drive black Mercedes. They started doing live music at one point, and I felt like we were in another country. I love it.

The manager here is the one who makes this restaurant better and different than the other…read morerestaurants. Thank you Armine for amazing hospitality and delicious food. We will definitely be back again.

Food is scrumptious! We ordered the bbq platter and it was too much for us 5 people. Shout out to…read moreour server Michael! His service was on top!

Food was great camera here on a business lunch also Great service! Got attended by Michaelread more

Great spot for Armenian food! The setting is casual and doesn't have a ton of seating, so we took…read moreour food to go. The portions are large so we were able to share! We got the beef and chicken plate and Greek salad. This was enough for 3 of us to share! The beef and chicken were tender and marinated well. All the sides in the combo were good too - especially the hummus! The greek salad was a nice complement, and again really large portion. I really enjoyed the meal and would recommend if you're looking for Armenian food!

I finally tried Mini Kabob and it was all that and more…read more I ordered the chicken and beef plate with rice and hummus (yes to the hummus), and the chicken was incredibly well-seasoned and juicy -- so good. Only note for next time: I'll ask for it a little more well-done (just personal preference... I like my chicken with a little extra bite ). The eggplant caviar was solid and a generous portion, but the real standout? The Caesar wrap. It completely lived up to the hype -- bold, flavorful, and honestly addictive. I almost ordered a second one to take home. Also worth mentioning: the son of the owner who took my order was super friendly and had great customer service, even with a long line. He kept things moving while still being engaging, which I appreciated. I was excited to hear they're opening a Studio City location -- I'll definitely be back. This place is a must. Get the Caesar wrap.

Hidden Gem with the best hummus I've ever tried. Falafel wrap also was fantastic. The service was…read moregreat, food was out quick and fresh. 10/10 recommend

Great spot! I come here practically every morning have to get their zahtar bread. The crew here is…read morereally nice and professional their menu has tons of options. I really like coming here hanging out it's nice and cozy definitely love it here 10/10

So my love for this place is well documented... I just want to make it clear, six years later the…read morefood somehow tastes exactly the same. As delicious as I remember it being. Anyway, I had a funny story that I thought I would share about just how good the food is here. I drove over here with my family 45 minutes from Century City because Arman Tsarukyan (an elite UFC fighter who is Armenian) recently put up a video of him eating a giant platter of khorovats and I just got kebab envy... Anyway, on our way here we saw the big Griffith Park picnic tables and thought, "hey, we should take it to go and eat at Griffith Park!" Now, yes. It was a good idea in theory. We transported the food 15 minutes to the Park and lo and behold, the food is still piping hot and the lavash is nice and warm from being in the box. I'm ripping off pieces of grilled pork rib with lavash, some onions, some eggplant caviar, AUMF, you know what it is. Across from me, Eunice and my 3-year-old son are just housing the combination lule plate. Eunice is cutting up little chunks of lule for the little guy and he is putting it away. I finish my food and then my eyes start to do the fatty daddy wander, parents you know what I'm talking about. The period of internal bargaining where you start justifying taking food away from your son because he ain't really appreciate this anyway. This kid probably couldn't tell Hamlet's Kitchen from Zankou Chicken. He's not gonna finish the lule, right? Like there's no way. Anyway, Eunice is now done and the little guy, he's still working on his half of lule. It's cut up into little 3-year-old boy pieces but he's doing the same thing -- lule, lavash, eggplant caviar, AUMF! I'm thinking -- God, this little guy eats so slow. Clearly he's going to tap out soon. But he just keeps going, it's maddening. Then out of the corner of my eye, we spot a coyote. Now, I live in sunny, coyote-less Century City. I don't know how to deal with coyotes, man! Also, I'm sitting in front of a pile of pork bones. I probably smell like this coyote's dinner. So I tell the fam (who also see the coyote now) "aiite, time to head out, guys." We start packing up the to go boxes and trash to quietly (and quickly) get the f-- outta there. And then I stare at the closed box that had my son's leftover food. The coyote's staring a hole through me. I'm staring back at it, then I look at the box. There must be a quarter of uneaten lule kabob in there. With lavash. And eggplant caviar. If this coyote attacks me or my family, it would be a shame if I was in such a hypocaloric state that I was unable to put forth my best effort in fighting the coyote off. Right? Like you wouldn't want me to endanger my family by not being 100% in my match with this coyote. I open my son's takeout box, scoop up all the leftover lule with a lavash, dip in eggplant caviar, AUMF! Come at me, stupid coyote. So yeah that's how much I love this place. Even when facing a coyote, I still can't stand to watch any Hamlet's Kitchen lule go to waste. I learned later coyotes around here are mostly pretty chill, which, I mean, of course I knew that why else would I have done such a thing?! EDIT/UPDATE: So Eunice read this and is now telling me that she SAW THIS HAPPEN IN REAL TIME and was SO PISSED at me until she looked up how to deal with coyotes on Google. Still worth, guys. Get it hot and yeah, just eat it at home or in your car.

Delicious pork! Very healthy excellent spices! Highly recommend! Superb service! Great ambience!…read moreExcellent Hummus! Great prices! A must try!

Just a really fantastic breakfast experience. It's a local favorite and parking is legitimately…read morechallenging at times (uhhhhh, I can usually get street parking), but there's a reason I stop by this place so many mornings on my way out of Los Angeles. You order at the counter. I usually end up getting one of the breakfast meals - and all of them have managed to be both flavorful and fresh - in many ways the opposite of the typical American breakfast. The "bowl of foul", which apparently rhymes if you pronounce foul the Armenian way, is something they advertise a lot on their menu - and for good reason. It's actually one of the least foul breakfasts I've ever had in my life. It's a delicious flavorful bean dip with generous breads on the side to eat with it - as well as a platter of fresh vegetables. Still my favorite food to get here. Also decent was their fatteh, which is cream, yogurt, chickpeas, and a lot of assorted nuts, all dolloped over fried pita bread. Also very good, but I'm just honestly not a huge fan of nuts. It also comes with the vegetable platter which is the perfect combo with the creamy chickpea thing. The food usually takes 10-15 minutes to come out, but that's because they're clearly preparing everything fresh in the back (you can kind of see them do this.) They also have a fountain machine, which is a huge plus to ice addicts like me. Everything is casual, but also very clean and neat. Honestly, it's also a very nice cafe to relax in, do work, talk with friends, etc. etc. This is very much close to the "optimal" place to me when it comes to taking friends out somewhere to reconnect. Anyways, this place is highly recommended for both a wonderful dine-in and dine-out experience. I try to stop by it as often as possible for their breakfast to the point where I can count on my fingers the amount of times I've had breakfast at a place that WASN'T the Old Sassoon Bakery. Honestly, this place stands as a towering achievement of mastering everything that "new hip trendy" food often isn't. It's super affordable, generous portions, super clean, fast service (but you can stay around as long as you want), and the main draw is just the delicious, flavorful, authentic food that very much lives up to all of the hype and more.

Delicious flatbreads and ful. We ordered the food to go but then as we were putting the food in…read morethe car it just all smelled so good we had to take a bite. Good thing I don't live near this bakery or else I'll be in trouble. The proprietor is also just delightful.