Best 24 Hour Diners In Los Angeles
Mel's Drive-In
8585 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 854-7201
www.melsdrive-in.com
What began as a real drive in eatery in the 1950's has become a staple of L.A. culture and allure ever since. Open 24 hours, this diner is family friendly and a great place to dine on comfort food like burgers, sandwiches and more, as well as shakes, malts, fries and other eats. It's an institution.
Mel's Drive-In
877 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 972-9279
www.pantrycafe.com
Everyone who is a regular at this Los Angeles mainstay half expects to wait in line to get in. That's tradition. So are the brimming plates of fresh fare served in this downtown establishment that only accepts cash as payment for the privilege. Around for nearly a century, the Original Panty is about as American as a restaurant gets, currently owned by LA Mayor Richard Riordan and thriving as always downtown near the Convention Center. Needless to say, a slew of celebrities have been known to dine here, especially so in the late night hours when coleslaw is often served to those who wait for their real order to pop up on the serving counter.
Astro Restaurant
2300 Fletcher Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 663-9241
www.astrofamilyrestaurant.com
Astro is a local Silver Lake hangout where kids drop by after school for a refreshing shake and some crispy fries and where late night partiers sit at stools in the front to fill up on early breakfasts. The booths are popular, too, especially for neighborhood families who want to take a night off from eating in their own homes. The name of the restaurant seems to belie a cosmic theme, much like the googie architecture of this mid-century modern masterpiece, but the moniker is actually the nickname of the owner's daughter who was officially called Maria at birth. The Astro motto: "It if its not good enough to serve to your mother, do not serve to our customers."
Fred 62
1850 Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 667-0062
www.fred62.com
Back in the day prior to 1997, this corner Los Feliz outpost was a good old fashioned coffee shop where locals would gather for breakfast before beginning a busy day. Now that times have changed, so has this once mundane establishment which now is more diner-esque than anything else, ready and willing to serve the masses at any time on any day of any week. In fact, the Fred 62 motto of "eat now, dine later" is definitely an indication that you don't need to devote an entire evening (or morning or afternoon) to check out the flashy fare (up to and including a number of gluten free options as well as the highly touted Mac Daddy and Cheese Balls) served in a retro friendly atmosphere where, on the outdoor patio, dogs are customers, too. Bow wow!
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Brite Spot
1918 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 484-9800
www.britespotdiner.com
If you're looking for a hangover (and who isn't?), you can order one at this Echo Park haunt. Indeed, it's on the menu and consists of scrambled eggs, home fries, habanero pesto, sour cream and a number of other hearty ingredients. Or, perhaps you are in the mood for a made-from-scratch Belgian waffle or French toast disguised as a baguette and conjured up with the tasty additions of bourbon caramel sauce and pecans toasted to perfection? Anything's possible at this bright spot on the East side as far as your dining options are concerned. Bon appetit!
Kitchen24
1608 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 465-2424
www.kitchen24.com
This isn't your typical diner but rather a spiffed up version that looks a lot like a Hollywood movie set. Menu items, like the wakey, wakey eggs and bakey and the delectable turkey pot pie, are both a mouthful and then some. Beyond that, there is an after school special on tap at Kitchen24 while at night, a DJ spins discs to bring back the ambience of the old days when everyone enjoyed a fun place such as this one in which to go and get fueled up for the next event.
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