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Traveling through Los Angeles International Airport can sometimes be a nightmare, with traffic into the airport, inefficient security lines, and unplanned delays. Since 2019, LAX has beenbusy with construction and renovations, including ahighly anticipated but delayed people mover, which means significant changes for the restaurants, lounges, and bars at the airport. With years of construction already completed, and currently in testing mode sans passengers, the Los Angeles International Airport looks better than ever for passenger experiences inside the terminals. And travelers will be thrilled to see the opening of theAutomated People Mover, which will (hopefully)commence service in June 2026, whisking passengers to and from rental car lots,
parking lots, rideshare, and public transit. It’s not clear how much this will reduce traffic to and from the airport, but it should at least help reduce congestion.
One of the new options is an airport-only food pre-ordering service calledOrder Now, which allows passengers to order dishes in advance (or while waiting pre-security) instead of taking a chance on the often long lines. Here is an updated look, just ahead of the winter travel season, and what to expect when seeking out food at Los Angeles’s busy airport.
The Eater Guide to LA
From home to Hollywood, Eater’s got you covered.
The Eater Guide to Los Angeles is the perfect companion for a trip to the city of Angels. Find the best places to eat all across the city, like world-class tacos, the top Korean barbecue spots, and the fanciest fine dining destinations.
The Eater Guide to Los Angeles is the perfect companion for a trip to the city of Angels. Find the best places to eat all across the city, like world-class tacos, the top Korean barbecue spots, and the fanciest fine dining destinations.
Where to Buy:
- $19.99 at Amazon
- $19.99 at Bookshop
Four Standout Places to Eat
- Native by Nyesha at Terminal 3: A resurrected version of chef Nyesha Arrington’sformer Santa Monica restaurant, the current Eater YouTube host has a globally-inspired spot in Terminal 3 with green curry corn chowder, avocado toast, salmon rice bowl, and a fried chicken sandwich with hot curry mustard in what might be the most ambitious chef-driven restaurant in the entire airport. The beet salad with goat cheese, citrus, pistachios, chicken, and sherry vinaigrette is a good way to have a tasty pre-flight meal without feeling too full. The service is also speedy, with most dishes coming out in rapid succession.
- WPizza and The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck at Terminal 6 and Tom Bradley International Terminal: Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s classic pizzas, pasta, and salads are often the most reliable things to eat in an airport setting, though the prices will certainly be higher than in a fast food spot. Expect better-than-average pizza that keeps well in case hunger strikes mid-flight.
- Beecher’s Handmade Cheese at Tom Bradley International Terminal: The Seattle-based cheese shop offers breakfast sandwiches, soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches at reasonable prices.
- The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is a newer lounge that’s available to Priority Pass holders (which is included with multiple credit cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X) inside Tom Bradley International Terminal. Access to the lounge does cost an additional $35 per-person “top-up” fee, but offers one of the best selections of food and drink in the entire airport. From lunch through dinner, there’s a wide menu of dishes made to order, including sticky Korean chicken wings, tuna poke bowls, and miso doughnuts, plus a venison smash burger and fish and chips. The drinks menu is also dizzying, with full espresso, tea, cocktails, wine, juices, and spirits. The small but comfortable lounge does fill up during prime hours, so be prepared to wait or go as early as possible. Note: The breakfast options aren’t as ample as the food served later in the day, so it’s ideal to arrive after 11:30 a.m.
Terminal 1
A Quick Meal
- California Pizza Kitchen: California-style pizza, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers
- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Coffee, blended drinks, and baked goods
- Chick-fil-A: Southern-style fried chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and sweet tea
- Einstein Bros. Bagel: Breakfast sandwiches and bagels
- Panda Express: Steam table American Chinese food with combination plates
- Qwench Juice Bar and Wetzel’s: Located before security, with blended juices and pretzels
Fast Casual/Bars
- Urth Caffe and Bar: A sit-down spot with coffee, sandwiches, and salads
- Betcha Burger: A classic burger spot with hot dogs, chicken, and breakfast items
- Rock & Brews Concert Bar and Grill: Rock and roll-themed salads, sandwiches, hot dogs, pizzas, burgers, craft beers, and a full bar
- Ace Cerveceria and Tacos: Generic tacos, nachos, guacamole, and other dishes with a decent selection of bottled and draft beer
- Reilly’s Irish Pub: Based on the Sunset Strip nightlife spot, this restaurant serves burgers, sliders, tacos, and sandwiches with full cocktails and beer
Terminal 2
A Quick Meal
- Built Custom Burgers: Customizable burgers and fries meant to accommodate everyone.
- Fresh Brothers Pizza & Sandwiches: Personal-sized pizza, salad, wings, and sandwiches.
- Jersey Mike’s Subs: Sandwich chain with Italian subs, Philly cheesesteaks, and more.
- Pick Up Stix: Basic Chinese fast food classics served from a steam table.
- Starbucks: A chain coffee shop located in the pre-security departures area and the downstairs arrivals level.
Fast Casual/Bars
- Slapfish Modern Seafood Shack: Sandwiches, lobster rolls, fish tacos, breakfast, and other seafood bites.
- Barney’s Beanery: Diner food and pub inspired by Route 66. Its West Hollywood original is inexplicably popular with Gen-Z imbibers.
- SeaLegs Wine Bar: Snacks, small plates, and wine by the glass.
Terminal 3
A Quick Meal
- Jamba Juice: Popular juice and smoothie spot with bowls.
- Homeboy Cafe: LA’s iconic bakery and cafe with grab-and-go sandwiches and baked goods.
- Alfred Coffee: Hipster coffee drinks, pastries, breakfast burritos, and even beer and wine options.
- Fat Sal’s: LA’s popular sandwich shop with Philly cheesesteaks, Italian sandwiches, and pastrami reubens, among multiple options.
- Pizza, Please: A casual pizza slice shop with a location near USC.
- Cava: The national Mediterranean food chain with salad bowls, pita wraps, and mezze.
- Starbucks: The big coffee chain with espresso drinks, snacks, and grab-and-go fare.
A Bigger Meal with Cocktails
- Native: LA chef Nyesha Arrington opens an airport version of her now-closed Santa Monica restaurant, with room for 120 people and Asian-influenced dishes like Korean fried chicken sandwich, curry cauliflower, and grilled Kyokuyo red shrimp.
- Chicken + Beer: This Atlanta airport staple owned by rapper and actor Ludacris has made its way west, serving, you guessed it, chicken and beer. Expect Southern-style favorites like shrimp and grits, chicken n’ waffles, burgers, salads, sandwiches, cocktails, wine, and beer.
Terminal 4
A Quick Meal
- Natural Break: A grab-and-go sandwich and salad kiosk.
- Starbucks: The national coffee chain has a post-security location with espresso drinks, snacks, and prepared foods.
Fast Casual/Bars
- Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza: Pizza, salads, beer, soups from the old-school chain.
- Crowns LAX: A Black-owned brewery called Crowns & Hops from Inglewood has a new pub with cocktails, sandwiches, salads, and bowls, plus breakfast options
Terminal 5
Fast Casual/Bars
- Rock & Brews: Rock and roll-themed salads, sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, and craft beer
Terminal 6
A Quick Meal
- The Habit Burger Grill: California-based burger chain with breakfast, salads, and grilled sandwiches
- Starbucks: Coffee chain with breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and espresso drinks
- Peet’s Coffee: Another coffee chain featuring dark roasts
Fast Casual/Bars
- The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck: Made-to-order breakfast and lunch options, including the celebrity chef’s famous Chinois chicken salad.
- The Wine Bar by Wolfgang Puck: Wine, beer, and craft cocktails
- WPizza by Wolfgang Puck: The celebrity chef’s signature pizzas
- EarthBar: Healthy food, acai bowls, and smoothies
- Club 42 Tequila Bar & Bites: Basic agave cocktails and Mexican American appetizers
- Point the Way Cafe: A gastropub from Golden Road Brewery with flatbreads, beer, and sandwiches
- Starbucks Evenings: An all-day, wine-friendly place to get coffee and snacks
- Wahoo’s Fish Taco: Chain fish taco spot with chicken taquitos, loaded nachos, and burritos
- California Pizza Kitchen: A full-service restaurant with pizza, salads, and more inspired by Californian cuisine
Terminal 7
A Quick Meal
- Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Coffee, baked goods, snacks
- LA Life: A generic quick grab-and-go spot for salads, pre-cut fruit, and other snacks
- Klatch Coffee: Orange County-based specialty coffee chain
- Ashland Hill: An airport outlet of the Main Street Santa Monica gastropub with breakfast sandwiches and pre-made fare that’s simply warmed up
- BLD: Sandwiches, salads, and hot plates inspired by the former Beverly Boulevard restaurant by chef Neal Fraser
- Randy’s Donuts and Hilltop Kitchen: The famous doughnut-topped building in Inglewood has opened an outlet at LAX serving beautiful glazed cake and yeast fritters, plus coffee and other dishes from South LA’s Hilltop Kitchen
Fast Casual/Bars
- Loteria! Grill: Mexican fare from chef Jimmy Shaw
- The Counter: Burgers, fries, and more that can be fully customized
- B Grill: Breakfast dishes, sandwiches, burgers, salads, steaks, pastas, seafood by popular Sunset Strip restaurant BOA Steakhouse
- Rolling Stone Bar & Grill: Wings, burgers, chicken tenders, salads, and booze
- Wolfgang Puck Express: Pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and entrees from the celebrity chef
Terminal 8
A Quick Meal
- Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Coffee, baked goods, snacks
- Panda Express: Fast-casual American Chinese fare
- Carl’s Jr: National fast food burger chain with breakfast sandwiches
Fast Casual/Bars
- Engine Co. No. 28: Full-service bar and restaurant with classic American cuisine from the longtime Downtown LA institution.
- Stella Bar: All-day fare from breakfast to dinner with vegan/vegetarian options named after Stella Artois beer
Tom Bradley International Terminal
Pre-Security Checkpoint
- WPizza by Wolfgang Puck: Pizza spot from the celebrity chef
- Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf: Coffee and tea chain with snacks
West Gates
- Playa Cafe: Coffee, snacks, fruit, and other grab-and-go items
- Navarre: Casual sandwich spot inspired by Spanish cuisine
After Security Checkpoint
A Quick Meal
- Starbucks: Coffee mega-chain
- Panda Express: American Chinese fare
- Vanilla Bakeshop: Cupcakes
- Kentucky Fried Chicken: Fried chicken chain
- Pret-A-Manger: Pre-made sandwiches, salads, and more
- Playa Vista: Coffee, snacks, fruit, and other grab-and-go items
Fast Casual/Bars
- ink.sack: Classic and modern sandwiches in half portions by chef Michael Voltaggio
- Vino Volo: Wine bar with small plates
- Chicken Guy: From Guy Fieri and Robert Earl, this fast-food chicken spot has locations across the country, but this is the first location in Southern California. Expect tenders and chicken sandwiches with fries for around $15.
A Leisurely Meal
- Border Grill: Mexican specialties from chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken
- Chaya Sushi: Upscale Japanese lounge fare
- Chicken + Beer: An Atlanta-based restaurant with fried chicken sandwiches, shrimp and grits, and other Southern food with a wide selection of cocktails, wine, and beer
- Santouka Ramen: Hokkaido-style ramen bowls that occupy food court locations inside Mitsuwa markets
- Santa Monica Brew Works: crafts beers from Santa Monica’s local brewery, plus basic American pub bites like burgers
- Umami Burger: Fancy burgers from the once-prolific upscale chain
- 800 Degrees: Make-your-own Neapolitan-style pizzas
- Beecher’s Handmade Cheese: The popular spot from Seattle’s Pike Place market makes fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches and other fare
- P.F. Chang’s: The upscale casual chain restaurant served Chinese American and other Asian dishes on the mezzanine level of the Tom Bradley Terminal
PS Terminal
PS is a private terminal for flights in and out of LAX, with an entrance a few miles away from the airport’s main portal. Members or guests can go through a separate TSA-approved security and take cars directly to the terminal, bypassing crowds and the long walks through concourses. But the experience comes a hefty price tag, starting at $1,095 for one use or $4,850 for annual membership, plus an additional fee per use. The perks of using the PS terminal are good enough that the facility gets to near capacity every day of the week, so reservations are highly recommended.
Most people who come in with themselves or up to three additional guests can hang out in the salon, which features well-made cocktails and a sizeable menu of avocado toast, soba noodles, steak, seared salmon, caviar, and other dishes. The food and drinks are essentially unlimited — think of this as a first-class airline lounge, but with top-flight ingredients and preparation. The other option here is to book a private suite, which comes stocked with snacks, a private bathroom, toiletries, and other amenities — and all of the aforementioned food and drink available in the salon.
