Mr. Charlie’s in LA serves cheeky, vegan-ized fast food classics—think perfect fries, melty plant-based cheeseburgers, and nostalgic vibe in a bright red box.
"“I love Mr. Charlie's. They make fake Happy Meals. You can get a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, and French fries, and it’s not real [meat]. It comes in a red box with the arches and everything. And I just feel like as a vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free person it's hard, because you miss out on the trashy foods. And trashy foods are the fabric of American life.” " - brant cox
" Dish: Frowny Meal As you might have already guessed, the Frowny Meal from Mr. Charlie’s in Miracle Mile is a vegan spin on the Mcdonald’s Happy Meal. For around $15, you get an impossible burger, four chicken nuggets, and a small order of french fries in a big red box. It’s a perfect lunch option if you’re in the mood for a greasy fast food experience, but we were most impressed by the french fries. These tall, crunchy straws of golden potatoes taste like they’ve been soaked in fatty oil and covered in salt, much like the delicious McDonald's fries we've come to know and love. Be sure to ask for a side of BBQ sauce to go along with your meal—it has the power to take each and every dish at Mr. Charlie from good to great. " - nikko duren, kat hong
"A lopsided fast food burger and box of questionable nuggets is a hangover cure many of us know all too well, but plant-based diners no longer have to be excluded from this narrative. Mr. Charlie’s in Hollywood is here to provide a similar experience with a vegan twist, including the cheeky Frowny Meal with a Duble Duble burger, four nuggets, and perfectly salty fries. " - kat hong, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder
"If you’re familiar with that stretch of La Brea Ave between Trader Joe’s and Pink’s Hot Dogs or the vegan food corner of Tik Tok, you might already know about this counter-service spot. Commonly referred to as the “vegan McDonald’s,” Mr. Charlie’s has taken the global fast food chain’s image and turned it on its head. Instead of a Happy Meal, they serve an “Unhappie Meal.” Rather than the signature smile, they offer red boxes emblazoned with a yellow frown. And instead of $2.49, a meal here costs over $15. You order everything on a touch screen at the counter and since the upstairs seating area is about the size of a dorm room, most people take their food to go. Their small menu of cheeseburgers, nuggets, and french fries are all on par with Mickey D’s—simple and mildly addictive. But ‘good food’ is not the point. You’re really here to experience what feels like a parallel fast food universe or some kind of interactive art installation funded by a vegan tech CEO." - Nikko Duren
"Drivers on La Brea near Melrose have likely spotted a seemingly familiar-looking red and yellow logo for a restaurant — except this isn’t a new McDonald’s. The Los Angeles Times got the scoop on the actual spot, named Mr. Charlie’s, and its questionable style and marketing." - Mona Holmes
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