Dino's Main (#1) vs. Dino's Pico (#2)

[BeenThereAteThat]

I am a big fan of Dino's Burgers #2 on Pico (the chicken, of course).

I found myself over on the Eastside with my wife, and we decided to try Dino's #1 on Main for the first time. It was definitely different (beans in with the fries), but the big disappointment was the marinade/sauce (we always get extra brushed on). It just tasted odd at #1, and not much like Dino's #2 on Pico.

Was it just some sort of off-night, or do they have different marinade/sauce on Main?

Oh, and I should mention that they were very friendly at Main #1.

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Dino's Chicken and Burgers
2575 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90006, USA

Dino's Burgers
2817 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90031

[Briggs]

It's been a few years since I've been to either, but I found the chicken MUCH spicier (hotter) than the Pico location. I prefer the Pico for the chicken. The Pastrami sandwich, while ample, falls into The Hat style, NOT deli style. Both seemed to do a brisk business, and the brother at the Main location was quite friendly.

But again, it's been awhile.

[Hershey Bomar]

I ate at Dino's on Pico yesterday. I got a lot of "hey what's up white boy" looks. Everyone was nice, short wait, and super cheap.

Man that chicken would taste good late at night after a bar. Also, it could have been saltier.

This was my first visit in yeeeears and it hasn't changes at all.

[BeenThereAteThat]

"I got a lot of 'hey what's up white boy' looks."

Really? I've been there at various times, from lunch to late at night...never any weirdness like that.

[JAB]

I go regularly at lunch time and have never experienced anything of the sort either. I go quite a ways out of my way to go to Pico where Main is much closer. It's just not worth the convenience. Pico is that much better.

[nosh]

I have been a fairly regular customer at the Dino's on Pico for many years, almost always coming in for lunch when it is the busiest. I'm usually wearing slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie, and I have never encountered any attitude there of any kind. The only possible problems I can think of would be if a customer was unfamiliar with the way the lines work (there are two, one just outside the door and one inside, and you have to line up once to give your order and then usually step back and return to pick it up) and there is also sometimes a bit of resentment if someone is picking up an armful of chicken specials to take out, since they take a bit of time to grill and that slows things down for those who are waiting.

My only small complaint is that I really like extra of the garlicky, turmeric marinade to dip my fries, and years ago they'd give me some on the side in a little cup. Then they stopped, and would only spoon more "sauce" over the top of the chicken, which sogged up the fries a bit. Still a favorite of mine, though.

[BeenThereAteThat]

Nosh, I love the soaked/sogged fries...at least at Pico. The Main marinade did not work on the fries at all.

[nosh]

The "sauce" soaked fries go great tucked into a bit of tortilla wrapped up with a bit of torn-off chicken. And those thin fries themselves -- I always have a suspicion that they are fried in lard, but I'm afraid to ask 'cuz I really can't handle the truth.

[Norm Man]

Dino's Burgers Pico and Dino's Burgers Main St. are owned by brothers but they use different recipes for the chicken marinade. The owner of Dino's Pico said that his brother at Dino's Main St. does not know his chicken marinade recipe.

The owner of Dino's Burgers Pico has a second location in Azusa. The Azusa restaurant is much nicer than the Pico restaurant and serves its food on real plates. But the chicken is the same.

Dino's Burgers Azusa
843 W. Arrow Highway
Azusa 91702
[phone]
[phone]

[BeenThereAteThat]

Thanks. I didn't know about the Arrow Highway location.

[Norm Man]

BTW, Dino's Azusa has a much larger menu than Dino's Pico but I've never ordered anything but the Half Chicken Plate.

I usually have 2 orders of Chicken and Fries with extra "juice" and then drive about 5 miles to Donut Man in Glendora for dessert. Now that's a combo that's worth the drive from Marina Del Rey (for me)!

Donut Man
915 E. Route 66
Glendora 91740
[phone]

[nosh]

They have some similarities -- Both are burger stands. Both are a couple of miles away from downtown, on opposite sides. The Dino's on Main is N/E of downtown, above the County Jail area to the east of Chinatown. The Dino's on Pico is to the S/W of downtown, on Pico at Berendo. Both have a few of their own parking spaces alongside or behind them and some street parking.

After that, the differences emerge. I discovered the Dino's on Pico second, reading a rave about the chicken in the L.A. Times. Wow. Amazing chicken, big lines at lunch, a tasty marinade, fantastic bargain. Went often enough to sample some other items -- huge pastrami sandwich, good burgers, carne asada plate. Then realized and rediscovered that the Dino's north of the jail had the same name, and was better than the normal burger stop. Friendly and somewhat convenient, but they don't have anything like the same chicken and fries.

[jackt]

i think the pico one and the one on arrow hwy are related, but the main st one is under different ownership. if you search the forums i'm pretty sure it's been discussed in the past- that's what i remember reading.