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Trip Reports:
Dan 1, Dan 2, Dan 3, Dan 4, @Yehuda - 1 day trip
Joel2 - 4 day trip

Map of Jewish & Kosher LA

RESTAURANTS


Meat:

   [th]RESTAURANT NAME[/th]
   [th]Rating[/th]
   [th]Description[/th]
   [th]Area - Address [/th]
   [th]Supervision[/th]
Tierra Sur At Herzog Winery in Oxnard 5/5 stars-The menu here is constantly changing but is always amazing.  The flavors you will try here are unlike any you will get at another kosher restaurant in the world.
Oxnard -

   
La Gondola4.5/5 stars
-Avocado eggrolls to die for (I had it and I didn't like it
 I can't eat Avocado when it's warm, I'm sure others can't too-Sillypainter).  Great Bread with garlic margarine on the house(agree-Sillypainter) Great Gondola Burger special for lunch with excellent pasta or a soup.  And the Chai Steak with Carmelized Steak Sauce and arguably the best kosher ribs out there.   I'm getting hungry thinking about this place!
Pico

Meatos - https://meatos.us/

http://charcoalgrillbar.com/


   
Shiloh's4/5 stars
-Great baby back ribs and peppercorn steak.  They serve steaks with a number of dipping sauces which is pretty cool.  Also had some delicious key lime pie.
I did have a bad experience here with really bad food though...and service can be poor here as well.
Beverly Hills Thai4/5 stars-It can get very crowded so it's best to make a reservation in advance.
Jeff's 3.5/5 stars-Homemade onion rings, homemade sausages, Steak Sandwich, Western burger, lots of good and greasy stuff here.
PKD (Pico Kosher Deli)3.5/5 stars
-Excellent Deli-style food along with equally good homemade onion rings. No Reservations, but rarely more than a few minute wait. closes at 9 PM.
Pat's3/5 stars
-Either you love this upscale steakhouse or you hate it.  I used to hate it until my brother became good friends with the bartender.  Now when I go back with him we're treated to a feast for a king! Don't miss the bread pudding dessert!
Shanghai2.5/5 stars
-LA hasn't had very good Chinese since Sholom Cuisine closed.  This place is decent though.
Harissa4/5 stars-Home of the LA-famous pretzle challah! They offer Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/North African cuisine.  They have lots of seating and long hours.


1. Tierra Sur At Herzog Winery in Oxnard
5/5 stars
-The menu here is constantly changing but is always amazing.  The flavors you will try here are unlike any you will get at another kosher restaurant in the world.

2. La Gondola
4.5/5 stars
-Avocado eggrolls to die for (I had it and I didn't like it
 I can't eat Avocado when it's warm, I'm sure others can't too-Sillypainter).  Great Bread with garlic margarine on the house(agree-Sillypainter) Great Gondola Burger special for lunch with excellent pasta or a soup.  And the Chai Steak with Carmelized Steak Sauce and arguably the best kosher ribs out there.   I'm getting hungry thinking about this place!

3. Shiloh's
4/5 stars
-Great baby back ribs and peppercorn steak.  They serve steaks with a number of dipping sauces which is pretty cool.  Also had some delicious key lime pie.
I did have a bad experience here with really bad food though...and service can be poor here as well.

4. Beverly Hills Thai
4/5 stars
-It can get very crowded so it's best to make a reservation in advance.

5. Jeff's
3.5/5 stars
-Homemade onion rings, homemade sausages, Steak Sandwich, Western burger, lots of good and greasy stuff here.

6. PKD (Pico Kosher Deli)
3.5/5 stars
-Excellent Deli-style food along with equally good homemade onion rings. No Reservations, but rarely more than a few minute wait. closes at 9 PM.

7. Pat's
3/5 stars
-Either you love this upscale steakhouse or you hate it.  I used to hate it until my brother became good friends with the bartender.  Now when I go back with him we're treated to a feast for a king! Don't miss the bread pudding dessert!

8. Shanghai
2.5/5 stars
-LA hasn't had very good Chinese since Sholom Cuisine closed.  This place is decent though.

9. Harissa
4/5 stars
-Home of the LA-famous pretzle challah! They offer Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/North African cuisine.  They have lots of seating and long hours.

Milk/Parve:

1. Fish Grill
4.5/5 stars
-The best fish you'll ever have, period.  I'm not such a fish person, but their Grilled Salmon on Angel Hair Pasta with a huge order of well-seasoned fries...YUM! Get the grilled salmon sandwich.

2. Milky Way Reopened, brand new place worth a visit
4/5 stars
-Steven Spielberg's adorable mom will come shmooze with you and show you his movie posters in the back.  Cheeze blintzes and lemon tart are awesome. Chimichangas, potato latkes, and more all at prices that haven't been raised in decades.

3. Pizza Nosh (Agoura Hills)
4/5 stars
-Excellent pizza and Eggplant Parmesean, worth a stop if you're in the area.

4. Pizza Mayven
4/5 stars
-Good plain pizza and excellent fries, and that's about it.

5. Nagila Pizza
3/5 stars
-Good but pricey stuffed crust pizza, and that's about it. There are some big fans of their Naco's out there as well.

6. Trattoria Natalie
4.5/5 stars
-A trattoria is translated from Italian as a tavern, and that's what this restaurant feels like.  They have a cool on-table feature: its a paging device with three bottons.  One botton calls for water, the other for the bill, the last for a waiter.  The food is very good and prices not too expensive.

7. Meshuga for Sushi/Meshuga for Sushi 2
4/5
-With 3 locations (one in La Brea, one in Pico, and one in the valley), they offer great sushi at reasonable prices.  They have some space to eat in the restaurant.  They have long hours and a decent lunch menu.


IF you eat non-CY:
-Sweet Rose Creamery, on Beverly is Kosher and considered some of the best ice cream in LA by foodies http://www.sweetrosecreamery.com/, usually have 4 or 5 non dairy flavors
-Toppings Frozen Yogurt 349 S Robertson Blvd, good frozen yogurt, usually have a non dairy flavor or two


If you eat CY:
-Milky's at 1429 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035 recently became kosher and is cholov yisrael.

Breakfast/Bakery:
1. Cafe Elite
4.5/5 stars
-Amazing cake/crumb donuts along with your usual breakfast food.

2. Schwartz Bakery/Circa NY
4/5 stars
-A great but expensive bakery.  The crumb cheese danish is a personal favorite, as is their wonderful Caramel cake and "kit kat" chocolate rice crispy bars.
They also now serve breakfast in their Pico and Fairfax location.  I had the combo Pancake+Waffle+Franch Toast meal with fruit salad that was very good.
On friday's only they sell raspberry cheese pockets - they always sell out of them early.

3. La Brea Bagel
3/5 stars
-Very good bagels with all kinds of toppings and other breakfast food.

4. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - 7235 Beverly Blvd
4/5 stars
-The only coffee bean in LA that has Cholov Yisroel upon request and offers 3 Pas Yisroel bakery items from Delice; Chocolate Almond croissant, Custard twist, and chocolate croissant - also upon request.


SHABBOS TAKE OUT OPTIONS

1. Ralph's - both the Pico and La Brea locations have a kosher section with takeout
2. PKD: http://www.pkdla.com/soon.htm
3. Western Kosher on Pico: http://www.orderstart.com/westernkosher
4. Lieders La Brea: 129 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
5. Lieders Takeout, 8721 W. Pico Blvd, supposed to be excellent, check FB page for hours, (Shabbos Food LA: http://www.shabbosfoodla.com/)
6. Ariel's glatt has a nice selection - NE corner of La Brea and Beverly
7. Got Kosher has very ethnic style shabbat take out- lots of Moroccan food.
8. Elite Cuisine on La Brea/Detroit and Beverly has some nice options and the staff is really nice.


ATTRACTIONS

Attractions for the first time visitor (in no particular order):

1. Santa Monica (Pier, 3rd St. Promenade)
2. Hiking (Santa Monica Mountains, Hollywood Hills)(list of hikes sortable by distance)
3. Theme parks (Universal, Disneyland, Knotts, Six Flags Magic Mountain)
4. Beaches (Venice and Santa Monica are the most popular; Hermosa and Manhattan are the prettiest, Marina del Rey is the emptiest as it's in a residential area)
5. City Sites (The Grove, Hollywood & Highland Blvd, Rodeo Dr/Beverly Hills, Beverly Center)
6. Segway tours with www.segwow.com (tours are available in various locations)
7. TV Show Filmings (get free tickets to local TV shows being filmed) www.tvtix.com
8. Getty Center and Getty Villa.
9. Warner Bros Studio Tour
10. Mulholland Drive in Burbank (view of LA and the Hollywood sign)
11. Marina Del Ray Sportfishing or Whale watching (sometimes on groupon)
12. Griffith Observatory- Driveable Scenic View
13. LA Zoo

Attractions for the experienced visitor:

1. Santa Barbara, 2 hours north (40 min from Tierra Sur)
2. San Diego/ Coronado, 2 hours south
3. Big Bear/ Lake Arrowhead, 2 hours east
4. Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains.
5. Secret Stairs by Charles Fleming- check out the book
6. Hollywood Bowl
7. Descanso Gardens and Huntington Library and Gardens
8. Calico ghost town, 2 hours east
9. OC County fair (July 12-Aug 11 2013)
10. Adamson House in Malibu
11. Griffith Park - Merry-go-round, Pony Rides, & wagon rides for kids, Horseback Riding for older children.
12. The Queen Mary. Out of commission passenger and WWII ship. Is currently a museum, and a hotel. You can explore the ship or stroll along the empty decks at midnight (closed to tours at night, but open to hotel guests) with a great view of the Long Beach Harbor. 45 minutes south of L.A.

This is a general list.  I can go into specifics if you're interested. HT: Yehoshua

Amusement Parks: Adventure City, Disneyland, California Adventure, Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Legoland, Santa Monica Pier, Urban Air, Boomers

Water Parks: Raging Waters, Knotts Soak City, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Wild Rivers

Museums: Getty, Skirball, LACMA, La Brea Tarpits, Peterson Car, CA Science Center (space shuttle), Cayton Children Museum, Museum of Tolerance, Aquarium of the Pacific, Kidspace Children Museum

Hiking Trails: Griffith Park, Runyon Canyon, Caballero

Attractions: Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Adventure Lagoon, Sky Zone, Jump Club, Get Air, LA Zoo, Grove, Universal CityWalk, TopGolf, Lucky Strike Bowling, K1 Speed, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town Railroad, Madame Tussauds, Sunset Ranch Hollywood Horseback Riding, Beach, Marina Del Rey, Pump it up

HT:Thaber+Imayid2

Hotels within walking distance of shuls (under 2 mi.)

Pico
1. Mr. C (closest YOLA)
2. SLS
3. Residence Inn by Marriott (closest to Adas Torah or YICC)
4. Beverly Hills Marriott (closest to Adas Torah or YICC)
5. Best Western Plus Carlyle Inn (closest to Torat Chaim or Anshe Emes)
6. Intercontinental Century City (closest to YOLA)

Hancock Park
116northfuller.com
116northfuller.com - in the heart of Hancock Park / La Brea area. 5 minute walk to many shuls. 4 bedroom house with full kosher kitchen, hot plate, everything you need for shabbos.

Other areas
1. Andaz West Hollywood
2. W Westwood
3. Four Seasons, Beverly Hills
4. L'Ermitage


http://kosherconciergela.com/

HT: Dan

« Last edited by yelped on January 24, 2023, 11:58:48 PM »

Author Topic: Los Angeles Master Thread  (Read 2019276 times)

Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9880 on: October 07, 2018, 01:49:23 PM »
I would say give yourself at least 30 half hour more time then you really need. All the car rental lots are at least a 5- 10 minutes shuttle ride from the terminals at the minimum.
If my flight is at 11.25 PM can i arrive at the car return around 9.30?

Offline jose34

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9881 on: October 07, 2018, 01:53:47 PM »
which rental car company?

Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9882 on: October 07, 2018, 01:55:51 PM »
which rental car company?
that was part of my question, Which 1 would be the best?

Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9883 on: October 07, 2018, 04:22:31 PM »
Does anybody know which car rental company is closest to LAX T7 UA and/or fastest return?

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9884 on: October 07, 2018, 04:23:54 PM »
Does anybody know which car rental company is closest to LAX T7 UA and/or fastest return?

I did it with Hertz. Didn’t take too long. But almost missed my flight once when I cut it close.
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Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9885 on: October 07, 2018, 04:27:53 PM »
I did it with Hertz. Didn’t take too long. But almost missed my flight once when I cut it close.
TY! U think arrival 2 hours before to car return is to tight? last time I was in LAX 2 years ago it was about 12 pm and took about an hour to get from the car return to the terminal.

Online sillypainter

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9886 on: October 07, 2018, 05:08:18 PM »
All rentals are located off airport. Worse that can happen that the car rental bus is delayed (happened once to me), then take an Uber.

Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9887 on: October 07, 2018, 05:12:07 PM »
All rentals are located off airport. Worse that can happen that the car rental bus is delayed (happened once to me), then take an Uber.
Uber would come faster? I don't have a smartphone but I can prob ask somebody that does..

Offline jose34

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9888 on: October 07, 2018, 05:49:05 PM »
Youre gona risk that, asking someone to book an Uber for you if the shuttle doesnt come?

Thats whats so hard about LAX rental cars are all off site.
Also the shuttle has to get the airport and then stop at all the terminals.

Seems like the closest rental car agency is to LAX is Budget.

Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9889 on: October 07, 2018, 05:54:27 PM »
I did it with Hertz. Didn’t take too long. But almost missed my flight once when I cut it close.

All rentals are located off airport. Worse that can happen that the car rental bus is delayed (happened once to me), then take an Uber.

Youre gona risk that, asking someone to book an Uber for you if the shuttle doesnt come?

Thats whats so hard about LAX rental cars are all off site.
Also the shuttle has to get the airport and then stop at all the terminals.

Seems like the closest rental car agency is to LAX is Budget.
Thanks all for your help!
Is any rental company a faster experience?

Offline CS1

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9890 on: October 07, 2018, 08:02:16 PM »
The map has everything.
There are no nice chain hotels on the Beach in any of those places. If those are the parameters you'll need something like Shutters on the beach, or a similar boutique hotel

le meridien (delfina) in Santa Monica is close to the beach -- you can see the water from the upper floors.
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Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9891 on: October 07, 2018, 09:10:58 PM »
le meridien (delfina) in Santa Monica is close to the beach -- you can see the water from the upper floors.
There's still a difference  enteren that and a beach from hotel.

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9892 on: October 08, 2018, 07:50:38 PM »
If my flight is at 11.25 PM can i arrive at the car return around 9.30?
Should be more than enough time

Offline oldguy

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9893 on: October 09, 2018, 03:20:13 AM »
Should be more than enough time
Thank you!

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9894 on: October 09, 2018, 04:27:30 AM »
Is any rental company a faster experience?
IME with Enterprise I was in the airport in less then 10 minutes. (The return process took less then 60 seconds and the shuttle left right away)   

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9895 on: October 09, 2018, 10:42:23 AM »
I am planning a 10-12 day trip with young family next Feb 2019 - what is the weather usually like at this time of year? We are coming from London, UK.

Thank you

Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9896 on: October 09, 2018, 10:44:24 AM »
I am planning a 10-12 day trip with young family next Feb 2019 - what is the weather usually like at this time of year? We are coming from London, UK.

Thank you
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Offline Dan

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9897 on: October 09, 2018, 10:46:08 AM »
Rained nonstop for a week on our Feb 2017 trip.
YMMV
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9898 on: October 09, 2018, 01:48:49 PM »
Rained nonstop for a week on our Feb 2017 trip.
YMMV
Though that's the exception, not the norm. 2017 was an exceptionally rainy year.

Offline Dan

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Re: Los Angeles Master Thread
« Reply #9899 on: October 09, 2018, 01:53:51 PM »
Though that's the exception, not the norm. 2017 was an exceptionally rainy year.
Yes, but when I was in YOEC from 2001-2003 it did the same that time of year.

Either way, this is false
Always nice (as a tourist)
You'll love the break from the rain
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.