I felt a little nostalgic, but not because I had eaten at Pioneer Chicken before. It was because…read morethis is what fast food used to look like: friendly cashiers who asked if we had any questions and then happily took our order, rather than directing us to a kiosk or telling us to use an app. The dining room was clean and inviting, and they still offered free refills on soda. I ordered the chicken strips with fries, while my partner ordered a two-piece chicken dinner with macaroni salad and spicy rice. Although we had to wait a little while for the food, it arrived hot. We both agreed that it was some of the best fast-food fried chicken we had ever eaten. The chicken was moist and the batter was crispy. My fries were good, and my partner's macaroni salad and spicy rice were both flavorful. We especially loved the biscuit. I also couldn't help noticing that although the dining room feels like something of a relic, it is very well maintained. There were no dirty tables and no trash on the floor. I was genuinely shocked when the cashier came out to ask how everything was and whether we needed anything else. Most fast-food chains seem determined to eliminate as much human interaction as possible. Pioneer Chicken was a refreshing reminder that fast food can still be friendly, clean and satisfying. Pioneer Chicken is a winner in my book!

First time I tried out Pioneer was around 2007 to 2008 when I first moved to Los Angeles. I…read morebelieve that location was in the Mid-Wilshire area and I was not impressed. Here we are now in 2026 and I've been seeing a lot of buzz about Pioneer on social media. So, I decided to take a 25 minute drive to give them another try. What I ordered...3-piece chicken dinner leg, thigh, wing and added a breast with a biscuit. Sides I got were the raved about spicy rice and the mash. I also ordered a two-piece fish ala carte. THE SIDES- rice was ok and tasted parboiled, but the flavor was decent. The mash and gravy I would totally skip. It's got that instant mash taste going on, gravy wasn't bad though. The biscuit was soft yet tasted too dense and dry once I bit into it. THE CHICKEN - WAY better than I what remember at the Mid-Wilshire location, and I was quite impressed at how juicy the breast was. Some pieces like the thigh had way too much batter on it and overall, the batter seemed to hold onto the oil making it a little greasy. This is not something I would eat often. This chicken reminded me of Golden Bird and Honey's Kettle. THE FISH - The surprise hit! Loved the fish! The pieces were a nice size with thick pieces of fish and the batter complimented it quite well. The fish is the star of the show! I just wish they had a better tartar sauce, but it also does not need it. Would I go back? If in the area....YES! Let me also add that the customer service was really good too.

Man, I gotta tell you!…read moreI saw this spot featured by In The Kut on YouTube and I was hooked just by how the place looked. It had those old menus that just by looking at it, you KNOW the food is fire! This spot is located in the historic Boyle Heights area of L.A. At first, it was hard to find. It's next to a large BofA building that kind of hides it. Once we parked in the lot behind the building,e stepped out and immediately got a whiff of that grill! I stepped up and ordered the pastrami burger combo (burger, fries, and a drink). I also ordered the onion rings on the side, which I'll describe in a bit. The pastrami was nice and lean- not too fatty. I spread some ranch onto it and my eyes rolled back into my head after that bite! The ranch is thicker than others that I've had. There is also what looked like dill in it. The burger also came with a small side of spicy mayonnaise. It was perfect! Then I saw the onion rings. They are the size of a glazed donut! Just massive! 4 come in an order. That's probably enough. The breading is that smooth one- not the rough panko one. You know that one is going to slap! My whole meal was $24. Not too shabby. Bonus- they were blasting some oldies like Barbara Mason the whole time. You KNOW I'll be back! Shoutout to the young guy (I forgot his name!) working the register. He was really cool and friendly! I can't wait for our next visit!

Ok, maybe I had high hopes for this place, but I'm not I was disappointed either…read more To start off, the young lady behind the window was great. She helped me select a nice choice out of their burger selection. She was polite and very helpful in answering my questions., I picked the avocado bacon burger. Here is where the good and room for improvement could happen. To start the meat was very tasty with a nice bit of char, but a little on the dryer side. The bacon had good flavor as well, but the avocado was barely there. Don't get me wrong this taste like a backyard barbecue burger and I would definitely like to dry their pastrami burger next. Now as for their onion rings, it would be for the fact I took them to go, as they must have steamed in the bag and gotten a bit soggy. The batter was like a bear batter and loved the portions of onion to batter ratio. So minus being a bit soggy and oily, I still liked them. I think the highlight was the ranch dressing. I loved their ranch dressing for sure. Hahaha Now since I didn't stay to dine in, I can only say it was a hot afternoon and there was outdoor seating with some in the shade and some that you would definitely get your tan on. I'd definitely be back, and like to try their other selections.

Lately I've been on a food tour of Los Angeles and my latest fixation is burritos. Of course I had…read moreto come and try Al & Beas. They're on every list. It's a small shop, very limited indoor and outdoor seating. There was a line even at 2pm. I was chatting with my fellow line mates and most of them have been coming here for years. They said the cheap prices, consistent quality, and familiarity keep them coming back. After trying their chile relleno and green salsa burritos i can agree. Simple food, simple recipes. I felt like i was eating my grandma's food. It tasted like the food I grew up on. Don't be shy, ask to share a table with someone when there are no seats. The patrons are friendly. I can't wait to go back. Tip: don't come here expecting to be in and out. They have a sign that says it perfectly "We don't make fast food. We make quality food as fast as we can".

The worst service ever The cashier on Saturday at 12:45pm…read more I was told to hold on I waited only to be rude upon ordering I asked her if the salsas have onion because it was my first time she answered idk then she ringed me up with out asking is that all I told her I'm Not done she got in her feelings and said your just ignoring me girls with her head shaking if you work here you should be more knowledgeable if the salsas have onions or you could of asked anyone instead you ignored me and gave me attitude ruined my experience and didn't even get to taste the food

I was really uncomfortable with my experience here. While we were sitting near the food area, staff…read morekilled a roach right in front of us and very close to the food. It was disturbing and completely ruined my appetite. Cleanliness is extremely important when it comes to restaurants, and seeing that made me question the hygiene standards. Unfortunately, after that, I didn't feel comfortable eating there. I hope management takes pest control and sanitation more serious

This is the first time I've stopped in this restaurant and the food tastes good. It wasn't crowed…read moreat all. I'm from Bakersfield and I'm guessing this place is a local favorite among the community here. No complaints here.

First time at Howlin' Ray's and I already have to give a huge shoutout to Charlie and the entire…read moreteam! The service and energy have been incredible from the moment we arrived. Everyone has been so welcoming and genuinely amazing. If the service is any indication of what's to come, we can't wait to try the food!

When we visited LA last year, our son recommended Howlin' Ray's and we really enjoyed the food at…read morethe Pasadena location. This time, we decided to try the Chinatown location since the traffic going toward Pasadena looked terrible. This location is pretty small and doesn't really seem set up for dining in. It feels more takeout-focused, although they do have some tables outside so we sat there. They didn't have the Mild+ spice level that the Pasadena location offers so I ordered two Mild and one Medium chicken tenders. I also got a side of collard greens after seeing several reviews recommending them. I felt like the spice level was higher at this location than at the Pasadena one. Even the Mild was definitely spicier than I remembered! It still had really good flavor, though. I also really enjoyed the collard greens and was glad I decided to try them. I'm not sure if it's just this location or if all of their locations do this now but they also gave us bottled water for free, which was nice. One thing I really liked about the Chinatown location was the parking. There's a huge parking lot across the street so finding a spot was easy. I prefer the Pasadena location for dining in but its parking lot is very small and finding a spot can be difficult. We'll definitely go back to Howlin' Ray's when we visit LA again next spring. We just haven't decided which location we'll choose next time!

I went at night time Tuesday the girl was alone taking oder in the front and in drive tho. She is…read morestill having amazing customer service. The food was good. Kathy was her name will come back again. Hope they are treating her right.

What a wonderful surprise a very good location. Believe me…read moreeven though under same brand some are not nearly this good. Selena C. was cleaning dinning room, greeted me and rang me up while answering questions on rewards! What a great employee! Selena C. definitely deserves recognition: reward/raise! No I don't know her or anyone at this location. Yet I know good employees while by owning my own businesses and working restaurants and fast food! Good order fresh tasty zucchini. See pics!

This is my go to place when I am hosting at my home…read more Everyone always says the food is great. And in my experience the service is also great

I have been eating super Pollos for the past 15 years. I recently I have been ordering for my…read moreevents at home. They have been a hit at my parties. Everyone always asks where we ordered from. I usually get the Tres pollos with five sides for a party of about 20 and it's more than plenty. Everyone is able to take some to go. At least three of my family members and friends have said that they are now go to get food from this location. I usually order a day in advance and it's more than plenty of time to have your food ready by the time you pick up. Highly recommend.

1. The staff are joyful. 2. The music is poppin'…read more3. The stewed meat - especially the beef - is unique and full of flavor 4. The tortillas are made in house and PHENOMENAL Best i've ever had! 5. The tamale - OMG! The masa - also best I've ever had! 5. Know that the enchilada is unlike any enchilada we've had - I'd say it's just a larger taco. But the cheese enchilada is still delicious as a big taco. Looking for a late Friday night taco spot that was still open near DTLA. Hubby, and I ventured into Boyle Heights and went into one of the few places open. We did not come because of YELP reviews. We did not come because of reputation. We came in completely blind, and it was fantastic. Don't go expecting it to be fancy. It's not. But it's clean even if it's hard to find the wash bowl after using the bathroom. What it is is full of life, flavor, Joy, and just genuinely good feeling food. Like somebody's grandma's food. The 3 staff members working there were all senior citizens. But they had great energy and attitudes. The lady taking orders was extremely helpful explaining the menu, pointing out each item that we ordered on our sampler plate, and checking on us regularly. The other woman who was making the dough for the tortillas was working hard, as was the cook. My favorite memory is seeing the cook start jiggling and bouncing along to the merengue music, as my husband and I had been the entire time we were there. All of us just wiggling our hips fast to merengue, no words, just big smiles, cuz ... how can you not? While there I was able to see all of their accolades, learn that Guisados is a Boyle Heights staple, and that it is named for the term that means "stewed meat and vegetables." They have vegetarian options so if that's your lifestyle, wiggle your way to Guisados! Finally, the Jamaica agua fresca was on point!

Pescado burrito was on point! The fish was tasty - seemed pan fried and lightly breaded? - and they…read morenailed the cabbage/beans/cream/salsa combo. I called in my order and they were super cool about adding calabacitas. And it was ready on time as usual which I appreciate. Guisados is a pretty space for a casual meal and I love their truth in disclosure. How their menu including specials is written on a gigantic chalkboard behind the cooking space, where you can see exactly what goes into your food. Their handmade tortillas from masa are to die for and make me nostalgic for the Bay Area - tortillas hecho a mano are sadly rare on the L.A. taco scene! Also don't miss their agua frescas - I got limon and melon (cantaloupe) and both were seriously delicious.

Love this spot! Had a great 1st experience. Tasty food,…read moresuper friendly service, small restaurant offering covered outdoor seating. They have burgers, hot dogs, tamales and pastrami. Reminds me of The Hat. Great prices!! The chili cheeseburger was big, filling, and delicious! Fries and onion rings were perfectly salted and crispy! I was in heaven when I saw how much came in the box Get the orange bang! It's so good you'll want to get a large!

ramon es muy nice! que bueno la comida ! So happy ! Had…read morethe cheeseburger special and u loved every bite :)

A small, unassuming, humble corner restaurant tucked away in Boyle Heights serving up the best…read morechicken omelette I've ever had. Stumbled across this place cause I was in the area for a job. Upon walking in, the vibes are very cozy and intimate, not a lot of seating though. My waiter, Gabriel, was extremely friendly, welcoming, and had very good knowledge of the menu which I appreciate a lot. Now back to the omelette-- oh my god. Best omelette in my life I think. The eggs were soft, pillowy and cooked to PERFECTION. Not overdone and not super runny either. The chicken was extremely tender and flavorful. The sauce they used was sweet and savory, the pickled onions balanced it all out with the perfect acidity. I wish I was around this area a lot more, I'll definitely be coming back!

A Boyle Heights gem! We came here for brunch and boy did this place exceed our expectations. CHECK…read moreTHIS PLACE OUT! We ordered the Huarache - 5 stars! (5 hour cooked suadero meat) Chilaquiles - 5 stars! (we liked one sauce over the other) Enchilladas - 4.5 stars! The place itself is small and cozy with a vibrant warmth of good vibes. DO expect a wait time and 2 hour metered parking is available out front. The service itself was amazing and all the food tasted like it was cooked from scratch. I loved the rustle and bustle of cooking noises in the background and my friend and I overall had a lovely time!