Food near the Staples Center

[BobMack]

I'm heading to the Laker game tonight and looking for somewhere casual and not too expensive ($10-$20) to eat beforehand. I searched the boards but most of the info is old and there has got to be more places in downtown since so much building has gone on down there.

Thanks
BM

[jazzlover]

There's always CPK on Figueroa, just a couple of blocks north of Staples. You can walk it. Hopefully when the construction is done there will be lots more places. CPK ain't great, but it does have beer & wine, and might even have a full bar if I remember correctly.

[Jwsel]

You could go to El Parian on Pico just east of Union. Very casual, inexpensive, and some consider the carne asada tacos the best in LA. (I was not so impressed, but they were good.) I had no problem with street parking the time I went.

[CulverJack]

Good suggestion - I just went to El Parian on Saturday night before the Clipper game. It's a favorite of mine because it is fantastic - all their meats (carne asada, carnitas and birria) are excellent. Tortillas are fresh and great too. All at half the cost of a sandwich and drink inside staples.

Amazingly quick, top value, and just blocks from Staples - we were in the building within 10 minutes of leaving the restaurant. And the Clippers won handily, too. Well, handily for them, that is.