Love this place. Been there twice now. Must try their octopus entree. Must try their scallop…read moreappetizer. Prices are moderate. The quality of their food is 5 star.

Located inside a food hall, this place earns its award for a reason. Fresh ingredients and done so…read morewell. Best to come on a weekday after lunch rush. Got lucky and found a parking spot and wasn't in line for too long. We sat right at the bar so was able to see a lot of items being made. The portion sizes are large so shareable. I will have to make a trek back here to try more items on the menu.

I am so happy I finally got to try Dama! I absolutely love Antonia LaFasso so I've been dying to…read moretry one of her restaurants. Now when you pull up originally you might think, "am I in the right place" but once you park and get into the courtyard, it is LOVELY! Amazing ambience! There is a bocce set up, string lights. It is a little slice of oasis in the middle of the fashion district. The restaurant itself - beautiful. I couldn't ask for more. Absolutely perfect in my book. Beautiful plants hanging, perfect Spanish music in the background (any place playing Natalia LaFourcade is a win). The drinks were great! I had the jungle bird which was fun. Food was so good too. The whipped beans are the star! We had the guacamole which was tasty, great tostadas with it. The arepas were good but the pork belly was a little too fatty (I know pork belly is always fatty) to the point the fat muted the flavored for the arepa a bit, but still delicious. The empanadas were great and as someone who lived in South America and ate empanadas every day, these really took me back to my Paraguay days. The squash blossoms were light and perfectly fried. Unfortunately my friends had gone to Funke the night before so they were comparing the squash blossoms and Funke won out, but they still liked Dama's! Small plates were enough for the 3 of us. The service was quick and attentive. Parking was easy for us. I will definitely be back!

Wonderful escape right in the heart of downtown. Plenty of street parking. There are lots around…read moretoo Love the outdoor area They have permanent benches that are cushioned with backrests too So enjoy the outside protected from the wind Most tables are shaded with the buildings surrounding too so you have this nice alcove feel Enjoy your mimosas and cocktails!!

Consistently good food and drinks. Very solid 90s hip hop…read morevibe. Brunch pops off on the weekends

Escala in Ktown is where cultures collide on the plate and in the room. Colombian food -- real…read moreColombian food -- in the heart of Koreatown. El Chino's spot, Bogotá soul, LA address. We got the chicharron plate: thick cut fried pork belly, rice, beans, avocado, sweet plantain, arepa, sunny egg. The ceviche. Short rib with guava gravy. Colombian soda. Sixteen dollars for a full plate that hits every time. The vibe inside matches the food -- it's lively, it's warm, it's the kind of spot where everyone belongs. And with the World Cup coming, this is exactly where you want to be watching the games. Big screens, great food, and a crowd that actually cares. Only in LA does a spot like this exist.

Came here for Mother's Day brunch. Service was great. Food was great. The French toast was…read moreparticularly interesting. Drinks were on the sweet side, but otherwise delicious. Will definitely be back!

This place is so disappointing. The menu sounds good but then the food is so bland and for the…read moreprice is just does NOT make sense! There's simply nothing remarkable about this place to warrant the prices and it's a real bummer. We got the aguachile ceviche and the crab ceviche and both had a funkiness to them that left us barely eating it. The chips are even boring and barely salted. Then our giant steak (we got talked into getting from the waiter about how amazing it was) was probably the worst cut of meat I have had at a restaurant! I have had better cuts of meat from Target! We had to ask for salt and sauce just to chew it and eat it because it was so chewy, gristly & bland! So disappointing! The guacamole was pretty good, nothing really to write home about, and the cocktails were fine. I've been here three times and that's plenty of tries to get an accurate sense of the place. Not coming back.

Beautiful indoors with nice breeze coming in and the decor is so retro and modern. Waiter was very…read morehelpful with excellent recommendations! Ill rank our food from favorite to least favorite. (1) SURF CLAM CEVICHE #1- the acidity and creaminess and sweetness with very fresh seafood was so high quality. Plantains had a perfect amount of salt and crunch. The thinly sliced red onion was also perfect. It was very flavorful and probably better than Holbox-- if you have been. 10/10 (2) TUNA CARPACCIO YUCA TOSTADA #2- this was the best bite overall, it is definitely small and you finish fast but the flavors were just outstanding. The tuna itself was so fresh and it had a nice acidic flavor with the perfectly crunchy tostada!! 10/10 (3) KANPACHI CEVICHE #3 - a coconut predominant flavor with a mild acidity to it. It also pairs with plantains and they were fresh and perfectly crunchy. Was weary about the corn at first but honestly couldn't taste it and it was so good! (4) AFRO-CARIBBEAN SHRIMP DUMPLINGS #4- my bf loves shrimp and said this was very tasty. I'm not the biggest fan of shrimp but thought it was very creamy, fresh, had the classic shrimpy sweetness and a coconut creamy sauce to pair with it that when used on the rice tastes like a sweet milk rice. These were cooked perfectly. (5) fried chicken #5 - solid fried chicken and good crunch to it with the chicken being very well cooked but I cant say I was blown away by it, it has good flavor when dipped in the sauce which has a nice smokiness and acidity to it that makes it really tasty. However if I came again, I probably wouldn't order again. Lastly we ordered the toffee dessert which was classic and yummy. Nice shareable size. Overall, would return 100% and bring friends from out of town. Terrific flavors and service and definitely a top LA restaurant.

Dying to try this place out as everyone that talks about it loves it, but can be a tough…read morereservation. You can park in the garage just past it on the left as street parking is tough. When you first walk in, you will notice two things - it is very dark and it is very loud. Service was great as we were walked through the menu and got some good suggestions Smoked trout dip - Flavors were on point and perfect with the plaintain chips for dipping Kanpachi ceviche - Great combo with the red onions and not too sweet with the coconut. Corn added some great texture to the dish and could have eaten three of these Baked oysters - Perfectly cooked and so tender with a fun presentation Shrimp dumplings - Great dish but not as great as the other items as the sauce was better than the shrimp Was recommended to get the coconut rice as a side and you need to do the same as it's really good Main issue is the dishes are small (welcome to modern day tapas) and we left a bit hungry. Quick tip - maybe easier to hear sitting at the bar, but if you need good conversation it can be difficult

Are you ready to eat a hefty and hearty meal? La Fonda Antioquena is one of few Columbian…read morerestaurants in LA. I've been here a few times since I tag along with my Columbian friend for brunch here. This place is not for vegetarians. So, keep on driving or skip reading this if you are. The empanadas here are delicious. My favorite type of empanadas. Made with a crunchy, fried corn dough filled with meat. Served with encurtido, it's a Columbian salsa type but little spice. What I had recently here is sanchocho. This soup reminds me of a caldo de res but with oxtail, plantain, yucca. It also has potato and corn. Very hearty and comforting. It's served with a side of white rice on the side and arepa. If you every come here for breakfast, you'll be fed like a champion. Try the bandeja paiso.. Take your gout pills first. It's a meat fest. Serving of fried pork belly (crispy chitarrones), grilled steak (churrasco). It's served with rice, beans, egg, plantains, arepas, Comes with heart healthy avocado and a tomato for good health. You might have a hard time standing up after this meal. The service here is always good. Well especially because my friend is a regular.

Delicious food and such a good experience here! They don't serve alcohol, but honestly the fresh…read morejuices totally make up for it -- so yummy and refreshing. Plato paisa they was to go..! It was delish! Definitely coming back!

Lala's is one of my favorite places to dine and wine. Lala's offers a great happy hour Monday to…read moreFriday from 3P to 6P and, my favorite, 1/2 off bottles of wine every Wednesday! Service: Is magnificent! Servers are very attentive, friendly and engaging! Ambiance: Fun and lively! Come to Lala's on Melrose for good food, wine, empanadas and fun!

My boyfriend and I celebrated Valentine's Day at Lala's on Melrose last night (Tuesday evening),…read moreand it was such a great experience from start to finish. First of all, our server was wonderful -- incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and genuinely enthusiastic about the menu. He gave thoughtful recommendations and explained the specials so well that we were immediately tempted. Now, I'll preface this by saying I'm half Argentinian -- so I'm very picky when it comes to Argentine food, especially chimichurri. I'm usually pretty critical. But Lala's absolutely delivered. The chimichurri was delicious -- bright, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. Paired with the fresh, warm table bread? So good. Even though I normally can't resist empanadas, we followed our server's recommendation and started with the morcilla (blood sausage). It was incredible -- rich, well-seasoned, and cooked perfectly. For my entrée, I ordered the Fresh Spinach Pappardelle and took our server's suggestion to pair it with pesto sauce. As someone who loves pesto (and finds it surprisingly hard to get right in Southern California), I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. It was fresh, vibrant, and satisfying without being heavy. My boyfriend ordered the Lomo (center-cut filet mignon). He's a sous chef at his own restaurant, so he's extremely critical when dining out -- and he had nothing but amazing things to say. That says a lot. The food quality was superb, the service was attentive without being overbearing, and the overall vibe was perfect for a Valentine's dinner. We'll absolutely be back -- and next time, I'm bringing my best friend (also half Argentinian) for her approval.

Rodrigo was such an amazing waiter, he provided samples of wine before we decided on the bottle…read more The food was delicious and the music/ ambiance was lovely.

Miguel always delivers a great experience! Fantastic food and service in Pasadena. 100!read more

This was my first time here from Las Vegas and let me tell you the food here was amazing…read more I had the half chicken with side salad which included beets, which I love. And also a side of rice. Also ordered an Horchata. The service was fast and efficient. The lady at the counter was friendly and kept the linE moving and had a good system going. This was a cool hole in the wall spot with a lot of traffic coming in and out and you can feel the buzz of how good the food was. I will definitely come back when I am in town.

Small little shop that's always bustling with business. No frills and the kitchen staff are always…read morefiring on all cylinders. I got chicken, rice, and beans. The chicken is white meat, but mine came a little dry for my taste. The skin was the best part - well roasted and flavorful. The black beans were decent, the rice was good. I did have to wait half an hour on a weekday in between lunch and dinner (when it was "less" busy, but less is relative - this place is always busy) so I walked around and did errands. I came back, the staff looked at me and called my name knowing I went out, and I took it to-go to eat at home nearby.

Mercado La Paloma Mission Statement: Mercado La Paloma is located in the Figueroa Corridor of South…read moreLos Angeles a neighborhood that is full of creative and hard working entrepreneurs, community spirit, artists, musicians and cultural traditions. The area has historically suffered from disinvestment - including a lack of quality jobs and business opportunities, quality gathering spaces, quality food, and art and cultural opportunities. The investment that has occurred in the area has often not been designed for the benefit of those living in our community. In 1999 in response to the suggestion of some residents in Esperanza's housing developments for a local version of the bustling markets that they had left behind in their home countries, the idea for Mercado La Paloma was born. Mercado La Paloma Offerings: Offering a unique blend of local retail, cuisine, and cultural experiences. Developed by Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, it provides affordable business opportunities and living-wage jobs for local residents. 1st Floor Community Room Rental Fees: - $25/hour for current Mercado tenants, vendors, and local community groups - $60/hour for external nonprofits - $100/hour for external for-profits - $55 per day for day table rentals For Room Reservations and more information, email: daniel@mercadolapaloma.com Shop Vendor Stalls Inside Mercado La Paloma: 1) Gloria's Alterations 2) Joe's Sports World 3) Donaji Oaxacan Crafts 4) Paloma Cutlery ========= Food Vendor Stalls Inside Mercado La Paloma: 1) Holbox 2) Taqueria Vista Hermosa 3) Thai Corner Food Express 4) Chichen Itza 5) Komal 6) Oaxacalifornia ======== Wait Time: Wait time doesn't seem like an issue with 5 of the 6 food vendors. The one food vendor that you might have to wait for is Holbox (Michelin 1 Star). I went over the weekend and the food vendor stall had a separate line dedicated to the shop. Took about 40 minutes get to the front of the line to order. Parking: Paid parking can be found in their private parking lot and free parking on Grand and surrounding neighboring streets. Ambiance/Decor: Pretty cool ambiance with plenty of tables and chairs inside outside for your dining pleasure. Shops/Food Vendor Of Choice: I haven't visit any of the shop vendors stalls, but I've visited 3 (Holbox, Taqueria Vista Hermosa, and Thai Corner Food Express) out of 6 food vendors stalls. All the food vendors that I've tried were very good. Mercado La Paloma For Thought: I would mind coming back to try other food vendors.

I love this food hall. Holbox is the most popular choice, but there's also excellent food at other…read moreplaces too. Chichen Itza is the older restaurant of the chef Gilberto (holbox) family. Komal has delicious food and is the expert with masa and tortillas. Oaxacalifornia has the best selection of agua frescas. There's Thai Corner that I have not yet tried but want to check out. Taqueria Vista Hermosa is great. There's something for everyone and the ambiance is always bustling. Parking can be difficult if you're visiting during busy hours on the weekend.