Dulan's On Crenshaw
Soul food restaurant · Hyde Park ·
Classic Southern & soul food with generous portions and pie
Classic Southern & soul food with generous portions and pie
"A South Los Angeles soul food mainstay for 33 years, this essential neighborhood restaurant serves classics like smothered pork chops, fried chicken, collard greens, and candied yams. It closed in 2021 for a two-year renovation and reopened in late 2023 with a larger dining room, multiple kitchens, and two patios that have become a hit with families and the Sunday post-church crowd; local organizations even host events on the rear patio. Redevelopment along the Crenshaw Corridor shrank street parking for a clientele that includes many seniors, and high-interest loans for the remodel and a planned parking lot have strained finances, prompting a late-August fundraiser. The response has been robust: visitors have come from Bakersfield, Santa Clarita, and Palmdale, chef Roy Choi stopped by, business is up more than 40 percent, sales have surpassed projections, and three new employees have been hired, with guests even arriving from Russia and Argentina and a party of 100 on the books. The fundraiser remains open with $21,273.34 raised toward a $500,000 goal as loan terms are renegotiated, even as operations expand through heat-and-serve meals at Vallarta Supermarket and a nearby warehouse for future production and training. Owner Gregory Dulan, a 2023 James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur nominee, remains optimistic about the restaurant’s future amid current challenges." - Mona Holmes
"After a two-year transformation, Dulan’s on Crenshaw reopened in January 2024. Owner Greg Dulan still offers his tried-and-true soul food menu but added two outdoor dining spaces to make sure customers can enjoy the smothered pork chops, fried chicken, and candied yams while on the rear patio, or while watching life go by on Crenshaw Boulevard. The patio is covered and lit in the evenings, so the sun is never too harsh even on hot days." - Rebecca Roland
"Dulan’s is an LA soul food institution with three locations across South LA. Our favorite of the bunch is their recently renovated flagship on Crenshaw, which has a dining room ideal for a group lunch or dinner before a show at SoFi. The walls at this casual counter-service spot are lined with framed photos of Joe Biden, Janet Jackson, and various A-listers who’ve dropped by over the years. The true celebrity at Dulan’s is the golden, consistently juicier fried chicken though— a well-seasoned love triangle of salt, pepper, and crunch. A close runner-up is their tender fried pork chops slathered in salty gravy, plus sides of braised greens, candied yams, red beans, and the complimentary cornbread muffins." - garrett snyder, sylvio martins
"Dulan’s is an LA soul food institution with three locations around South LA. Our favorite of the bunch is their recently renovated flagship on Crenshaw, which has a big dining room ideal for a group lunch or dinner before a show at SoFi. The walls at this casual counter-service spot are lined with framed photos of Joe Biden, Janet Jackson, and various A-listers who’ve dropped by over its three decades in business. The true celebrity at Dulan’s, however, is the golden fried chicken. It’s a well-seasoned love triangle of salt, pepper, and crunch, and you won’t find a consistently juicier version anywhere in LA. A close runner-up is their smothered fried pork chops bathed in a black pepper-flecked gravy, plus sides of braised greens, candied yams, red beans, and complimentary cornbread muffins. Sit on the covered sidewalk patio if it’s nice out, or grab a table near the neon sign inside for a little more privacy. Food Rundown Fried Chicken Dulan’s signature fried chicken comes in quarter and half orders, with the latter costing $5 more. Consider this a very easy $5 to spend. Whether you’re a drumstick or thigh person, every piece of Dulan’s chicken is so juicy you’ll have to dab your lips with a napkin after each bite. The breading is on the thinner side, so it’s not too heavy (by fried chicken standards). photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Smothered Pork Chops If you don’t give a you-know-what about your daily sodium intake, indulge in this platter of tender fried pork. The pepper-flecked gravy is clearly salted by someone who values well-seasoned food—you’ll want to lap all of it up with the rice and cornbread that comes with this entree. photo credit: Nicolas Zhou Collard Greens These ain’t just greens. These soupy, wilted, fully-loaded collard greens with minced garlic and chunks of smoked turkey. Candied Yams You need to have a big sweet tooth to appreciate how rich this side is. These yams are definitely candied. Mac & Cheese It’s mac and cheese. The pasta and gooey cheese are glued together, as opposed to being one cohesive thing. It tastes good, though. Corn, Okra, and Tomatoes Sometimes we just wanted soupy, salted vegetables with a meat-and-carb meal to balance things out. This side is just that. Peach Cobbler This dessert gets a big thumbs up for coming out piping hot from the kitchen. It is a flavor bomb of warm spices, though, so if you’re not into cinnamon and allspice, the potpourri essence might be overwhelming." - Sylvio Martins
"This Crenshaw soul-food kitchen’s chef, Greg Dulan, appeared on The Jimmy Kimmel Show alongside Chef Kim Prince to discuss relief work; although the restaurant is located in Crenshaw, the duo has been stationed in Pasadena serving meals with World Central Kitchen." - Rebecca Roland