California Grill

"California Grill, located in Virgil Village, is known for its Salvadoran cuisine, particularly the made-to-order pupusas. The interior offers a respite from the busy street outside. Customers can enjoy their meal while sipping on an ice-cold Coca-Cola and watching soccer reruns. Address: 800 Virgil Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029." - Eater Staff

"This Salvadoran spot is a favorite amongst Virgil Village locals for its made-to-order pupusas and generous hunks of crispy chicharron, served with yucca. The revueltas pupusa — made with masa and stuffed with pork, refried beans, and cheese — is a must-try, but the chewy rice dough version is a worthy order as well. To complete the meal, add in an order of plantains and an agua fresca. The pupusas may take some time to come out since they are cooked to order, but it’s well worth the wait." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff

"Community spot serving pupusas and chicharron with curtido and spicy salsa. Pupusas are $2.50, making it an affordable option." - Eater Staff

"We’re not sure exactly when California Grill opened, but we do know for certain that it was around long before Virgil Avenue became a hotbed for trendy brunch spots and tasting menu restaurants. Surrounded by string lights and a fortress of cacti that are probably taller than you are, this corner spot is hard to miss. The casual Salvadoran place is usually full of regulars who treat it like a weeknight clubhouse. But even if it’s your first time, the woman behind the counter will treat you like she’s known you all your life. And you’ll reliably find some piping hot pupusas coming out of the open kitchen 7 days a week. Order a few pupusas revueltas the next time you’re in the mood to fill up on cheesy pork and refried beans. Make sure you get an extra bag of fresh curtido to top things off—the mild cabbage adds crunch to every bite. On weekends, you can also pick up an order of fresh Salvadoran-style quesadillas, which are cakey, baked with sweet cheese, and topped with sesame seeds." - Nikko Duren

"Let’s get one thing out of the way: Bar Restaurant, the mostly-French spot on Sunset in Silver Lake, is pretty weird. We love it, but if you told us you didn’t, we’d sort of get it—the name is silly, the interior looks like an art co-op on acid, and the menu reads like it was made by Mad Libs . But we’re going to try and change your mind, because those (admittedly) bizarre aspects are what make this one of the most interesting restaurants to open in LA in recent memory—and one of the best. Photos by Jakob Layman For starters, there are some surprising combinations on the menu. But the most inventive dishes here are also, generally, the best. Their version of moules frites comes with curly fries—just, like, grocery store curly fries. But that’s not a knock: The high/low combination of seasoned lunchroom fries, sweet mussels, and bright Dijon cream sauce is near-perfect. The same goes for the frisée salad, served over what’s essentially a homemade tater tot—it's unique, fun, and doesn't take itself too seriously. Even when the dishes aren’t entirely perfect, they’re still pretty great. There’s probably too much going on with the NY strip steak (we don’t really need the acidic tomato Bordelaise sauce), but we’re not going to complain, because this is an absolutely massive, well-cooked 16 oz. loin. Stepping through the front door feels like entering an art exhibit that’s six weeks from opening, with largely empty walls broken up by the occasional human-sized sculpture of a woman’s head smoking a cigarette (from California artist Ruby Neri). Yet Bar Restaurant also has a huge, plant-covered patio (with its very own wine cart), a fun bar filled with people you want to be friends with, and a lively dining room that also offers a bit of privacy, thanks to small walls that separate the tables. You could bring your parents here to confront them with your 23andMe results without worrying about ruining the date at the table next to you. When it comes down to it, any reasons you might not like this place are purely superficial: Maybe you hate the name, or the weird smoking head, or the fact that they serve mussels with curly fries. Forget about all that, and just focus on the fantastic and creative food being served here. Everyone deserves to get a little weird sometimes. " - Brett Keating