"Locol is back after a years-long hiatus and serving soul food hits from chefs Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson. Snag a seat among the sea of Watts locals and dig into $8 burgers, $3 foldies, and barbecue brisket, tofu, or fried chicken sandwiches for $10 each. Dessert brings a springy 7-Up cake. While Locol has had plenty of media coverage in the past, this version seems to be one that has resonated the most with the neighborhood." - Matthew Kang
"Hadley Tomicki (Co-Founder, L.A. TACO) applauds the leadership’s community focus, writing, "It’s inspiring to watch Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson continue to focus on community outreach through cooking and the restaurant business, including reopening [the restaurant] as a nonprofit, and announcing plans to expand on this work with the opening of [a new location] on West Third Street in 2025." Matthew Kang (Lead Editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest) also reflected on the pivot: "I really enjoyed seeing the turn that [the restaurant] took to reopen as a community-focused nonprofit, though I wonder if even those efforts will stick unless people gravitate toward it." - Eater Staff
"Chefs Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson have revived their Watts restaurant Locol with a new menu that includes an affordable cheeseburger. Costing only $8, the cheeseburger is served on a brioche bun and topped with cheese, pickles, and a special house sauce." - Rebecca Roland
"The chefs from Alta Adams have reopened Locol in Watts as a casual soul food spot that also operates as a non-profit providing vocational training. The menu resembles a fast-casual version of what you’ll find at Alta (one of our favorite restaurants in South LA), with dishes like braised oxtails, BBQ tofu, and collard greens. A few items from the original Locol menu, like bean and cheese “foldies," have stuck around, too." - sylvio martins
"A recently reopened, community-minded Watts restaurant co-owned by chefs Daniel Patterson and Keith Corbin, Locol serves as an entry point for the Alta Community vocational program where community members receive on-the-job training to jumpstart careers in hospitality; Patterson and Corbin have positioned Locol as the first step in a progression that can lead staff to Alta and ultimately to fine-dining execution at Jaca." - Rebecca Roland