5 nights in Hollywood!

[lcpdfp]

Mom, Dad, and D & S (ages 19 and 21) are staying in Hollywood from Dec 27th to Jan 2nd. Can you recommend some nice places for dinner - entrees between $20 and $30 dollars? We like everything. We'll be sight seeing all day but staying at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood so want to stay fairly local for dinner (though we will have a car!). What do you recommend?.... we only have 5 nights ... plus New Years Eve (we have 10:30 concert tickets that night at the Disney Concert Hall ... any ideas for good, festive eating not to far from there?) All suggestions welcome! Thanks.

[JeetJet]

lets start this with popular fun food places that are nearby and the best at what they do ...

Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles
1514 N Gower St
Hollywood, CA 90028
[phone]

for Pizza -- Go to Vito's
http://www.vitopizza.com/

for Chili Dogs, Burgers, Chili fries -- Go to Carney's
http://www.carneytrain.com/enter.html

Then for a lesson in Old School Hollywood
Musso & Frank Grill
6667 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
[phone]

Breakfast
http://www.thegriddlecafe.com/

And last but not least
The Ice Cream and Milk shake wars

Mels -- good for breakfast, burgers, stars and shakes, the Espesso Shake is a good one
8585 Sunset
http://www.melsdrive-in.com/

The soda fountain at the Disney store on Hollywood and Highland -- across from the hotel

Milk (Chocolate, this is better than the $5 milkshake I dreamed of after watching Pulp Fiction, blue velvet cake and great cookies)
7290 Beverly Boulevard (at Poinsettia)
Los Angeles 90036
[phone]

Lucky Devil's -- Burgers & shakes
http://luckydevils-la.com/

Mashti Malone's Ice Cream
http://www.mashtimalone.com/default.htm

[mc michael]

Fantastic recs Jeet! I would add: In N Out Burger, 7009 Sunset (very close to the hotel), get the Double Double Animal Style, well done fries and shake; Chan Darae,1511 North Cahuenga Boulevard (not the best Thai, but close and within extreme striking range of Amoeba Records at Sunset & Ivar and the Arclight Theatres), and Yuca's at 2056 Hillhurst Ave for great tacos and burritos or alternately Loteria Grill at 6627 Hollywood Boulevard. Also, if you just happen to see a hot dog cart cooking up bacon wrapped dogs on the street, e.g., about the time you get out of that concert, order up, alternately, during regular hours, Skooby's Hot Dogs at 6654 Hollywood Blvd.
BTW, there's a pretty good and funky Farmers' Market on Sunday mornings at Hollywood and Ivar. Good eats there as well.

[lcpdfp]

Awsome ... I love milkshakes!

[Emme]

i second most of this, but have to say, i'd skip Mel's. i don't think of it as an LA must-do at all. it's an okay choice if you're just trying to figure out somewhere to go for lunch, but think you can do much better if you're trying to get in good LA food. and i think for burgers, i'd probably send people to 25 Degrees or Lucky Devil's (as you recommend) first.

for Peruvian, there's Los Balcones de Peru on Vine St.

you're also close to susan feniger's Street.

please, even though it's in close proximity, AVOID uWink. u won't.

for one dinner, you might consider making the 10 minutes drive to Bazaar at the SLS Hotel.

[lcpdfp]

Any thoughts for a couple of fancier places that Mom and Dad might like to go to while S&D do their own thing on one or two nights? Thanks!

[mc michael]

If you like seafood, get to the Hungry Cat (M&D). http://www.thehungrycat.com/
The Musso & Franks rec would be a good M&D pick--excellent martinis.

[Emme]

was gonna recommend Hungry Cat as well.

[baloney]

Well you mention you will have a car, so you can go straight down Highland to one of the Mozza's or even Providence, though Providence'll probably push you over budget.

[mc michael]

Probably reservation issues at Mozza and Providence, but no telling in this economy.

[J.L.]

May I add...

Zankou Chicken
Umami Burger

[Servorg]

Go to Thai town and hit up Jitlada and Sapp (for boat noodles) and just generally to look around.

[Emme]

great recs.

[wienermobile]

Take a trip to 3rd and Fairfax to LA's original Farmers Market. Everyone can try something different from Brazilian to Gumbo to Tacos and everything in between. And yes they are open for dinner.

[bu dat]

these are places i love now and (either loved - or would have loved - when i was 19 and 21):

pizzeria mozza - www.mozza-la.com/pizzeria/menu.cfm

el compadre - http://elcompadrerestaurant.com/ - festive/flaming margaritas

lala's argentine grill - http://www.lalasgrill.com/index.html (melrose

)

griddle - http://www.thegriddlecafe.com/

the bowrey - http://www.theboweryhollywood.com/

loteria grill - www.loteriagrill.com (hollywood or farmer's market)