Yer Favorite Culver City restaurants

[Michelly]

Many moons ago, I used to work in Culver City. Then there were only three restaurants.
Now, when I drive through there, there are SO MANY to choose from!!

Where do YOU like to eat...and why?

[BrewNChow]

1) Zam Zam - clear cut. Not the best in Culver City, the best in LA. And I don't mean the best Pakistani, or the best biryani, or the best chicken tikka... I mean the single best restaurant in the city, with their saturday mutton biryani being the best plate of food in the city. I still drive up from Irvine just for this, no other reason.

2) Simpang Asia (if Palms area counts)
3) Mateo's

**moderate gap**

4)Bawarchi
5) Mitsuwa food court
6) El Jacalito
7) Tara's
8) Tacomiendo
9) Father's Office
10) LaRocco's

Honorable mention to Versailles, Yamadaya, Sazon, Taqueria Sanchez and Jasmine

Never got a chance to try EK valley or W&C.

Going against the fray and saying that Annapurna and the other South Indian places that get raves absolutely suck.

A-Frame wasn't awful per se, but wasn't good at all either and you value-wise it doesn't deliver.

Jasmine is OK but only on weekends. Their weekend-only biryani is good but obviously Zam Zam crushes them. So I get their mohingar soup or some other weekend special burmese thing; overall though, their food is too oily for my tastes.

[Ogawak]

I don't have much extra to add to this great list, except:
I would recommend Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken. If you like your fried chicken crispy, HKFC is your place. A little expensive for fried chicken, but good.

[kimmitron]

You can't forget to add the classics on this list! El Abajeño is still one of the best places for Mexican food I have ever been to! Been going there for over 20 years and it is still just as delicious!

[upstarter]

Al Abajeno is legit. Crunchy tacos are to die for.

[westsidegal]

not for their food, but for their margaritas:
Kay 'n Daves.

1) made with fresh lime juice NOT the disgusting pasteurized stuff that comes in a plastic jug full of g-d-knows-what.
2) and they have a selection of high end tequilas if you prefer that to the well tequila
3) they will make your drink without sugar syrup if you ask.

[emglow101]

When I am in the area. Not from around here. I enjoyed Johnnies Pastrami, cause you can't get that where I live. Sorrento Market and Pho Show. Oh, also A Frame.

[nosh]

Victor Jr.'s on Washington across from the studio, for sandwiches -- I like the Italian beef served with au jus for dipping -- and salads. Pizza not so much...
S&W Diner for big, filling, inexpensive breakfast combos -- entree like corned beef hash (homemade or canned), two eggs, and either pancakes, a waffle, or hash browns and toast, among other side choices. Cash only.
Hu's Szechwan -- just alongside CC in Palms on National -- for the lunch combos, kung pao chicken, twice-cooked pork or eggplant, with hot'n'sour soup and a small Chinese chicken salad.

[Dommy]

Victor Jr.'s chopped salad is a fave. at first it doesn't look like much, but the dressing is a highly addictive substance....

--Dommy!

[sarahbeths]

L'epicure is my absolute favorite for brunch, especially their insane french toast and quiche, keep meaning to try dinner. Waterloo&City, Lukshon (finally went, it blew me away), Tender Greens (niciose salad sub lemon dressing, can't beat their vegetable soup either), Golden China (most decent chinese I've had on west side), Sushi Zo (splurge serious sushi), Cheviot Farms aka Simpang Asia (chicken salad sandwich is my quick-lunch staple, lox/cream cheese bagel is a good deal in the morning). Cafe Brazil sometimes to mix it up. Pupuas sometimes at Glorias. In the Fox Hills Mall Five Guys Burgers.

[Dommy]

AH Glorias... her Cocido makes me SO happy (And less sniffly when needed)

--Dommy!

[PaulF]

My issue with Gloria's has been the crowds.

We were in there all the time, then Guy Fieri did his thing and all of a sudden there was a 45 minute or more wait. So, we stopped going there.

We like the dives and diners of Culver City, for what it's worth:

Ronnie's Diner is a go to for us for diner food done healthier.
When we want to get a lot of good food for a really cheap price we eat in Rutt's and order Loco Moco, Saimin soups, breakfast bowls, really good short ribs, spam musubi ... that sort of thing.
I eat at The Wood sometimes, grab a burger or turkey burger. They have a good happy hour and oysters on Wednesday.
I like cold cut subs from Sorrento's and meatball subs from Victor's.
I like shrimp burritos at Sanchez, they have good tortas, too.
We eat tacos and tortas at Tacomiendo.
The Cuban isn't awesome at El Rincon Criolla but we still go there and still enjoy ourselves. I've never been to Cuba, so I can't compare it to anything other than Versailles and it's fine for that.
We eat Thai at Ekkamai and occasionally get ribs, chicken and fish at Outdoor Grill.
We like Smitty's for fried fish, shrimp and wings. Their hot sauce is tasty, even though it comes out of a big gallon jug and is likely mostly preservatives.
Sometimes I get corned beef on rye at Johnnie's, where I also dig their pickles.
I like the sports bar burger at Joxer's Daly. I've had their fish and chips, too, but don't remember if they were great or not.

We go to other places, too, but they've been mentioned by others.

[Servorg]

My wife had the fish and chips at Ronnie's the other night. I would rate the fish as pretty good. Their fries aren't the draw, but they aren't bad. Their tartar sauce is also quite respectable. The only drawback is that they don't offer a spicy (horseradish infused) red chile sauce to go with the tartar sauce. This is a Friday special, so if you are there another weeknight (they are only open for dinner on weeknights - as PaulF well knows, so that information isn't aimed at him) you are going to be out of luck to try it.

[PaulF]

For what it's worth, I prefer the homemade potato chips to the fries.

[Servorg]

I typically get those with my burger and then swap some in trade for some of my wife's fries.

[PaulF]

Good plan -- their turkey chili also goes well with those potato chips.

[Servorg]

Went at opening (7:30 AM on Saturday and Sunday but 7 AM during the week) this morning to Ronnie's (me and my Sunday paper) for breakfast. I had never been for breakfast, only dinner, and I had their chorizo bowl http://www.flickr.com/photos/67654173... which I read about on Yelp. A revelation given the type of food I love. Tortillas on the bottom, red potatoes, 2 eggs over medium, sour cream, nice amount of perfectly ripe sliced avocado and a healthy slug of the sort of chorizo I like (the type that makes your taste buds go "wow"). I threw on some salsa and some salt and pepper just to gild the lily.

I loved it and Ronnie's also has very good coffee if you like French Roast type. $8.95, plus the coffee, so $10 and change plus tip. I'll be back for this frequently. Only available for breakfast (I'm assuming during the week as well as on the weekends? - but I'm not certain of that).

[Dommy]

Oh wow! Thanks for the pic! That sounds right up our alley!! :)

[Servorg]

Dommy, it's not on the menu, so just order it and you'll be rewarded... ;-D> I was one of two diners the whole time I was there, but I hear they can get crowded later on. I think they're open until 2 or 3 PM. I just can't understand why they don't offer this at night? I'd get it all the time.

[Servorg]

Another absolutely delicious chorizo bowl this morning at
Ronnie's. I'm going to need a 12 step program if I have any hope of getting over my addiction to this breakfast nirvana. Remember, well done potatoes, but if you want your egg yolks runny you need to make sure you add "over easy" or something to remind the cook that just because he's adding a nice brown crisp to your potatoes you don't want your eggs cooked within an inch of their lives too...

[Servorg]

Pictorial evidence of said bowl: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67654173...

[westsidegal]

my issue with Gloria's is the lack of parking.
can live with it in the summertime, but won't walk alone in the dark for seven blocks.

[TonyC]

Beer & pickles: City Tavern
Brunch: MEET
Happy Hour: Waterloo & City
Place to pretend you're French while writing useless food blogs: L'epicerie

[blueline]

K-Zo for sushi -- but also wonderful Japanese "tapas"

Novocento (on Main Street) for -- simple, like in Italy pasta

Brunello's (on Washington closer to La Cienega) -- like Novocento -- great simple pasta by the family that also owns the underrated Da Pasquale in Beverly HIlls

[Dommy]

L'Epicerie also has a great happy hour! :)

--Dommy!

[aching]

A-Frame, Father's Office, and Akasha (which doesn't get a whole lot of love here, but I think it's enjoyable).

[Will Owen]

Akasha gets love from me. I've never had anything stunning there, but everything has been quite good and the room is a lot calmer than its hard surfaces would suggest. Nice staff, too.

Our favorite while it lasted was Le Saint-Amour. Best skinny fries I've ever had - still both crisp and tender after they'd gotten cold. Lovely duck confit for cheap. Maybe too cheap …

[Dommy]

Yeah, things have changes around here! Lots of great options for lunch and dinner now!

My favorites:

* Jasmine Market: I love their SUPER cheap Veggie Special with fresh Naan

* Yamayada: Great ramen, I am addicted to their mini curry bowl!

* Tara's Himalyan: Their Spicy Okra is one of the best veggie dishes around!

* Mayura: Great curry dishes and dosas!

* La Rocco's Pizza: Go to for Slices

* Tender Greens: Love their chinese chicken salads and their entree specials with Mashed potatoes!

* Metro Cafe: Great breakfast!

* Mateos: Super cheap, HUGE sandwiches (I like their tuna) and of course PALETAS!

* Green Peas: Love their sandwiches on pretzel roll, good deal, especially when you get soup on the side (Skip the Pizzas though!)

* EK Valley: Perhaps the best Mexican food in Screenland right now. LOVE their Clayudas!

* Sazon Latin Fusion: The most PERFECT flan and healthy dishes with latin flavors (Love their enchiladas & soups!)

* Waterloo and City: Perhaps the best fine dining in the city right now, keep an eye out for their specials!

Hope this gets you started!

--Dommy!

[Discokill]

Pretty much what they said but I'd push the boundaries a bit and add Barwachi and the Smart & Final Cemitas truck.

[Dommy]

YES!! The Cemitas Angelica... Their Pollo Milanesa Cemita makes my short list of the last meals on earth...

Also, I forgot to mention the new kid... Copenhagen Bakery! It's just viennoiserie... but I could make a meal out of their sweet/savory pretzels!

--Dommy!