Alyssa & Dave
Recommendations
Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market is an amazing place to get almost any type of food you can dream of and all eat together. It’s a really fun place to see, and has everything from breakfast sandwiches, to kosher deli, to Filipino food, to ice cream, pizza, Korean, anything! There are food bars/stands all packed into one market. We highly recommend you visit here for a fun dining experience. Pro tip: Horse Thief is pretty tasty bbq around the outside, across from Angel's Flight.
Bottega Louie
$$ This place is beautiful and has the best macarons, and desserts. They offer delicious food for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. If you don’t stay for a meal, at least give their macarons a taste. Pro tip: Save room for dessert. Don't sleep on the French Toast though.
Guerrilla Tacos
$$ Guerrilla tacos has been one of Alyssa’s favorites since it was a tiny little taco truck. They offer a large variety of tacos and just recently opened this restaurant. One of Alyssa’s favorites is the sweet potato taco.
Clifton's Republic
$$ Clifton’s is a cool place to see as it has so much history in DTLA and has been around for a long time. It is full of quirky things with a giant fireplace tree in the middle. Cafeteria style food. We would suggest going here more for the ambience rather than quality of food. It’s also a really fun place to get drinks and many themes on each floor of the building. Pro tip: Go up to Pacific Seas, the hidden tiki bar behind the mirror. There's a boat in the middle!
Perch
$$$ Perch is a great place for rooftop views and drinks at night. They also offer a great brunch and play live jazz on Sundays. Pro tip: Make sure you go all the way up to the rooftop bar for the best view!
INKO NITO LA
$$ Ever had robata? This style of Japanese cooking involves a large charcoal grill and tons of flavor. Inko has modern decor and a menu full of shareable fusion bites. Tell them you know Joe, he works for the company! Pro tip: get the shishito peppers! Drinks are great too.
Manna Korean BBQ
$$ A favorite of ours to find some korean bbq in DTLA. It's a fun place to bring a group of people, have food family style, and order drinks. There is also some great karaoke in the same plaza to go enjoy after you've stuffed your mouth. Pro tip: Don't let Bo cook!
71Above
$$$$ 71Above is a place to go to trea yourself. It is a revolving dining experience high above Los Angeles with crazy views. You can go there to enjoy some drinks and lounge in the bar if you do not want to pay for an expensive dinner but are still curious about the views.
SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa
$$$ Sugarfish is one of our favorite places to get the best quality sushi. This restaurant mini-chain is from legendary sushi Chef Kazunori Nozawa. We highly recommend ordering one of the "trust me" options on the menu. This is when the chef chooses what comes out and is based off the freshest of the day. All of their sauces are made from scratch in house! Pro tip: No reservations, so there can be a wait. They do takeout too!
Bavel Restaurants
$$$ Bavel Restaurants has recently been named one of the best places in DTLA to get middle eastern food.It is located in the Arts District, and said to be a great atmosphere. Johnathan Gold loved it so you know its good!
Superfine Pizza
$$ Superfine Pizza is recently new to Los Angeles and said to be one of the new best places to get thin crust New York and Neapolitan styles baked in an electric oven. You can get 18'' pizzas, or pizza by the slice.
Salt & Straw
Salt and Straw originated in Portland and has some of the most unique flavors. We love going and tase testing what’s in season. You can try any flavor before you choose one for your scoop. Alyssa’s favorite is honey lavender, and Dave's is salted malted chocolate chip cookie dough. Pro tip: Try everything, they're cool with that!
Little Damage
Little Damage is a fun place to try charcoal infused ice cream. You may have to wait in line at bit depending on when you go, but who doesn't want to try black ice cream!. The flavor changes a lot so check the website to see what the current flavors are.
85C Bakery Cafe - Downtown Los Angeles
Taiwanese baked goods and a passion for coffee, you can get so many delicious treats here! Grab a tray and peruse the cases for the perfect savory or sweet treat. Head up to the counter and pick a drink to perfectly pair with your food. Pro tip: The salted butter roll is a classic move. Be adventurous, try some taro or guava!
Philz Coffee
A great place to get coffee and tea. Drip coffee is the only type of coffee served here so if you're looking for a latte or espresso, try a different place. This place has a signature coffee mint mojito that comes with fresh mint leaves. In fact, a few of their coffees come with mint leaves. They have every type of roast imaginable. Pro tip: You can have them mix and match any blends on the menu together you'd like. Just ask! The possibilities are endless.
Verve Coffee Roasters
Verve is a great place to go for the atmosphere + coffee. They have a live garden wall on their outdoor part that makes for fun photos, and offer things like lavender infused lattes, and really great nitro cold brew.
Blue Bottle Coffee
Blue Bottle is one of Alyssa's favorite places to get great quality tasting coffee. Originated in Oakland CA, Blue Bottle has finally made its way down to SoCal. Located right next to the Bradbury Building and across the street from the Grand Central Market, you can hut up all three of these things to do in one morning! Grab your coffe, get some eats, and sight see that beautiful historic building. (make sure to go inside)
The Edison
The Edison is a really fun place to go if you are looking to dress up, and have a night out. They offer a fun atmosphere that feels like you have traveled back in time, with burlesque, fun music, and a lot of cocktails to explore. There is is a specific dress code to get in here, so make sure to read up/make a reservation if necessary.
Boomtown Brewery
$ Boomtown holds a special place in our hearts as we were some of its first customers when it opened, and it not only became one of our favorite breweries to get beer, but was the place Dave proposed to Alyssa on her 30th birthday. Boomtown is a fun place to play games, get beer, enjoy great food trucks (check the schedule) and kids and pets are allowed! Pro tip: Water is self-serve from a tap handle next to the bar. Stay hydrated!
Mikkeller DTLA
$$ Mikkeller DTLA is one of our favorite places to grab food and great beer. They even have some great brunch options for Saturday and Sunday mornings. Make sure you try the pink frites! (sea salt + red wine vinegar seasoning). They also operate an attached coffee bar during the day. Pro Tip: Mikkeller boasts some unique beers. Don't be afraid to try something out there!
Arts District Brewing Company
$$ Arts District Brewing is another one of our favorite places to grab a beer, and have some fun. They have some great tater tots, a selection of vintage games, pinball, skee ball, and photo both fun. Pro tip: ADBC also has a full bar, so even non-beer drinkers can get in on the fun.
Angel City Brewery
$ This brewery is housed in the old West Coast home of the John A. Roebling Sons steel company. John A Roebling was a suspension bridge designer (he designed the Brooklyn Bridge!) whose foot got crushed by a ferry and he tried to fix it by pouring water over it, so clearly he died from an infection. ANYWAY, this company was responsible for the steel cables holding up some of the most famous bridges in the US, including the aforementioned Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The warehouse feel gives this space high ceilings and plenty of room for cornhole. While not the best brewery downtown, Angel City still boasts some tasty beers, especially the White Nite Golden Stout, and there are usually food trucks out front. Pro tip: Take the brewery tour, it's free and you might learn something. Also, you usually get some tasters at the end.
Modern Times Dankness Dojo
$$ This San Diego brewery opened this outpost in 2018. They have great IPAs, some stellar sours and a few souts that are world-class. All the food here is vegan, but with a wide-ranging menu. This one also has a coffee bar upfront. Pro Tip: The dojo isn't a big place. Grab a seat at the bar if you can!
The Last Bookstore
The last bookstore is a fun place to visit even if you aren’t looking to purchase a book. If you go upstairs there are fun art book installations to walk through, take fun photos in, or just explore. There is also a cool little shop upstairs with lots of cool trinkets you might find yourself loving. As two book nerds this is one of Dave and Alyssa’s favorite places to stop in downtown. Pro tip: Find the little Army Men glued to the shelves!
Bradbury Building
The Bradbury Building is not only just breathtaking to stand inside of, but also a home to many films that were shot there. From Blade Runner, 500 Days of Summer, The Artist, the list goes on and on.
Griffith Observatory
This isn’t located downtown, but this is one of the best places in LA to visit in our opinion. You've seen it in at least one show or movie! It has views, a museum, food court, telescopes, planetarium, plenty of things to explore. You can go during the day or after the sun goes down. Parking may take a bit and you may have to do some walking, but it’s totally worth it. Pro tip: At night, there are folks that bring their telescopes out onto the front lawn and let people look through!
Escape Room LA
Dave went here with his production team during Inner Workings (they escaped). There are several different themed rooms, each with unique puzzles and stories. This isn't scary, just a game of wits! Pro tip: Dave knows the secrets of the Alchemist
OUE Skyspace LA
OUE Skypsace has everything from a museum, to a bar at the top with 360 degree views. BUT the biggest/newest attraction they are known for is the glass slide you can ride down. The Skyslide is a 45-foot, fully enclosed, all-glass slide landing on the exterior of the iconic US Bank Tower. Ride nearly 1,000 ft. above Downtown LA to experience the city from an entirely new perspective. (Or poop your pants)
GRAMMY Museum L.A. LIVE
The GRAMMY Museum is an interactive, educational museum devoted to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards. The Museum strives to inspire its visitors to learn about musical genres and history through interactive touch-screens, videos, and recording booths. Check out the website for updates on exhibits and events.
Angels Flight
Angels Flight is a landmark (it started in 1901!!) funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. It has two funicular cars, Sinai and Olivet, running in opposite directions on a shared cable on the 298 feet long inclined railway. Even if you don't ride it, its a cool piece of history to see.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and was designed by Frank Gehry. It often times has art installations or cool lights at night to check out. You can also take a guided tour of the inside and gardens and learn about the history of the building.
The Broad
The Broad is a contemporary art museum on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles. The museum offers free general admission to its permanent collection galleries. It is well known for its big ballon animal sculptures, infinity room of mirrors, and giant table and chairs.
Pershing Square
Pershing Square is a small public park in downtown Los Angeles, one square block in size, bounded by 5th Street to the north, 6th Street to the south, Hill Street to the east, and Olive Street to the west. It has great views and is a nice place to sit and relax if there isn't some kind event going on.
Olvera Street
The birthplace of Los Angeles! Often referred to as LA's "First Street" Olvera has shops, art and awesome Mexican food. The civic group Las Angelitas del Pueblo gives free 50 minute tours of the area, Tuesdays through Saturdays at 10 AM, 11 AM, and Noon. Pro tip: Eat something!