Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest
places to get cocktails in town.
For a tourist-trap experience that lives up to its promise: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria in Santa Monica
Does a $54 pizza really work in Los Angeles? For all intents and purposes, no, but somehow I ended up with my toddler at the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria on the Third Street Promenade in downtown Santa Monica, anyway. There will be a line out front (some line sitters among the fans, I’m sure) and slices will run for $7.50 or more a pop, though you can probably hack the order to be more affordable (buying no more than four slices for two people, or ordering a whole pie for a group of four or more). The reward of slouching through the pre-patio line truly comes from within: the pizzeria’s immersive interior gives the effect of a subway-sewer-turned-neon-ninja-paradise — think slime-green lighting, prismatic LED signs dripping from above, and fan posters and other ephemera plastered on the walls. Vintage-style televisions near the front of the line will captivate the kids; a mirrored hallway leading to the main dining room and back bar begs to be selfied in. I can’t say I recommend going more than once, but if you’re a TMNT superfan or just need something to do to kill 90 minutes with your little ones, this could do the trick. 1444 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager
For a sports bar that also does great martinis: The Holloway in Echo Park
Steak and actually good martinis at a sports bar? At the revived Hollowaway in Echo Park, the combination just makes sense. After closing in 2021, the bar reopened in its former Echo Park park home in March, which also once housed the Lonely Oyster. The dim, intimate interior feels more like a clubhouse than a sticky-floored sports bars with just enough televisions to give everyone a good view of the game without overwhelming the space. A well-poured Guinness sets the tone for the rest of the menu: ice-cold martinis, steak frites cooked to medium rare paired with herbaceous chimichurri, and a burger of the week that reflects the chef’s whims. And with the World Cup wrapping up this weekend, there is no better time to find an excuse to settle in for a few daytime pints and wings. 1320 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
For a round of adult Jell-O shots: Vandell in Los Feliz
My ongoing love affair with Vandell started with the savory-sweet-umamiSmoked Tomato cocktail, a drink that feels like genuine magic and alchemy, but it certainly doesn’t end there. I also love the strange Green Pepper cocktail, the gin gimlet with its boozy Japanese plum lurking at the bottom of the glass, the juicy burger, spacious booths, and flawless hospitality. Recently, my girlfriends and I queued outside the Los Feliz bar at 4:45 p.m. on a Thursday to snag a table without a reservation and felt absurdly triumphant when it worked. First came a round of drinks and burgers, then a second round, and finally, a round of off-menujelly shots. As best I can tell, they’re always available but in limited quantities; months ago, I spotted someone else sipping one and simply asked, “What’s that?” They’re smartly only half set so they slither out of the tiny goblets they’re served in rather than requiring a spoon — or worse, your finger. Don’t tell too many people. I’d like them to still have some the next time I go. 1966 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027. — Hilary Pollack, Eater deputy editor
For a Mexican seafood feast: Coni’Seafood, multiple locations
I visited Coni’Seafood for the first time last week (I know) and am already fantasizing about my next visit. Bright, lime-drenched seafood screams summer to me and I’m not sure anyone does this better than Coni. The shrimp aguachile remains a must-order; the vibrancy of the green sauce against sweet raw shrimp is unbeatable. I also loved the camarones a la diabla, which features a generous portion of shrimp with sweet grilled onions tossed in a fiery chile sauce. If it’s your first time, be sure to get the pescado zarandeado, Coni’Seafood’s most famous dish. A grilled snook arrives alongside tortillas and a literal boat of grilled onions and makes for an impressive centerpiece to any meal. Head to the newer Coni’Seafood outpost in Hermosa Beach on a weekend to make a beach day out of it. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest
