Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published December 1, 2023 5:00 AM
An Oklahoma burger and golden brown fries from Burger She Wrote on Beverly Boulevard will set you back $9.
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Brian Feinzimer
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Topline:
Looking for Cheap Fast Eats? Mid-City delivers some of the best pizza and burgers to wow your out-of-town guests, not to be outdone by stellar options for crunchy plant-based tacos, fresh-tasting mariscos, and strip mall dim sum. Even better? It's all budget friendly.
Why it matters: The Mid-City neighborhood, known for being home to the Museum Row and Miracle Mile areas, is a great place to take visitors, but it can be daunting to find places to eat. We've put together our selection of stellar bites that can be enjoyed for little cash.
Why now: It's holiday season, and that may mean entertaining lots of out-of-town guests. It's good to have a plan as you hit iconic L.A. hotspots with family and friends in tow. Trust us.
The backstory: Our Cheap Fast Eats series is dedicated to scouting out great, delicious deals all across the L.A. area. We aim to keep the budget at right around $10. So far, we've hit Chinatown, Culver City, DTLA, Gardena, Glendale, Inglewood, Koreatown, Long Beach, Pasadena and Silver Lake. Have a tip for the series? Let us know in the comments section.
If you're looking for ways to entertain your out-of-town guests during the holidays, heading to Museum Row is a no-brainer. But after you’ve all checked out the Urban Light installation at LACMA, the Batmobile at the Petersen Automotive Museum and Dorothy’s ruby slippers at the Academy Museum, you'll probably have worked up an appetite. Where can you take them without breaking the bank?
Luckily for you, Mid-City and the Miracle Mile are home to some of the best pizza and smash burgers in all of L.A., world-class mariscos, and plentiful plant-based options in the form of dim sum and tacos.
As a refresher, every dish featured in our Cheap Fast Eats series costs around $10, give or take. And while these dishes featured can be enjoyed on solo trips, you get more bang for your buck if you go with a group. Enjoy our selections — you deserve it after entertaining your family.
Qi Steam Kitchen
The slurpable Dan Dan noodles and pork belly buns from Qi Steam Kitchen on Olympic Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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The exterior of Qi Steam Kitchen on Olympic Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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Qi Steam Kitchen, a solid choice for some non-San Gabriel Valley Chinese food, is located in a strip mall sandwiched between Olympic and San Vicente boulevards. Inside you can find an array of noodle dishes and dumplings that will please anyone hungry on this side of town.
Some favorites include the BBQ pork belly buns ($9.49), with sizable chunks of pork braised in a housemade BBQ sauce, cucumber, and cilantro on a folded steamed bao bun. Another standout dish that doubles as a vegetarian option is the mushroom and Chinese spinach bao ($9.49), filled with a beautiful heaping of veg with each bite. The bao is light and counteracts the fattiness of the meal.
Alternatively, try the dan dan noodles ($12.99) which hail from Sichuan province, a favorite of ours when it comes to noodles. It's made with a thick noodle that allows for maximum slurpability, drenched in a sesame sauce rich with chili oil, palette-numbing Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise and ground pork, topped off with two slices of bok choy. It marries equal amounts of savory, sweet, and spicy, not to mention delectable textures, making for an excellent bowl of comfort.
Each dish is perfect for sharing with a group of at least two to three people, allowing everyone to try a little bit of everything.
Location: 5966 W Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles Hours: Daily,11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Del Mar Ostioneria
Oysters, and the baja and tamarindo shrimp tacos from Del Mar Ostioneria on La Brea Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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Del Mar Ostioneria on La Brea Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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If you're searching for mariscos in the Mid-City area, Del Mar should be at the top of any list. The stationary food truck, parked in the same parking lot as a massage parlor, a juice bar, and a wedding chapel, tends to blend into the scenery, perhaps due to its tan-colored paint job that camouflages itself among the surrounding buildings. However, if you set your Google map to the proper coordinates, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.
Start with a taco, with selections that include Baja-style fish and shrimp ($10) that come on a hand-made blue corn tortilla piled high with fresh-tasting guacamole, cabbage mixture, and pico de gallo, making for a delightful bite and a light meal.
About this series
Every month, we scout out eateries, stomach-filling burrito joints, and hidden gems, focusing on dishes around $10 -$15. If you want us to try an area, drop us a line at the bottom of the story.
Suppose, though, that you want to wade into the water a bit deeper and are lucky enough to have someone willing to accompany you on this particular mariscos journey. In that case, the aguachiles are an excellent option for sharing. The dish contains wild-caught shrimp, cucumber, lime juice, and chiltepín pepper, providing earthy, smoky flavors and an added coolness with a couple of slices of avocado.
If you want to kick it up a notch even more, it would behoove you to go bivalve — yes, I’m talking oysters. Each oyster ($4 per oyster) is served on the half shell, topped with a palate-cleansing squeeze of lime, and chiltepín. While your best option is to grab a taco, I recommend you go full-on Triton with a couple of your pals and enjoy the the taco, the aguachile and some oysters.
Location: 830 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles Hours: Tuesday though Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.
Burger She Wrote
Burger She Wrote on Beverly Boulevard is an exemplary representation of L.A.'s beloved burger culture.
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Heading over Beverly is where you’ll find perhaps the best punny burger spot name we’ve ever encountered: Burger She Wrote, riffing off Bob’s Burgersor just Murder, She Wrote, depending on your pop culture frame of reference. It's the brainchild of skateboarder legend Don “The Nuge” Nguyen and restaurant veteran Steven Arroyo. When you enter the small order-at-the-counter restaurant, you can almost feel the two personalities fully represented.
The walls are lined with photos of Nguyen’s most significant skateboarding feats, and the simple burger and fries menu symbolizes Arroyo’s prowess in building a concise and straightforward menu. The two burger options include the smash burger ($9), a smashed patty with melted American cheese, mayo, mustard, pickles, and just the right amount of minced white onions. The Oklahoma burger ($9) is similar in execution to its smashed cousin, but the onions are grilled directly into the patty. Both contain the requisite lace-like edges of the burger patty, held up with a King’s Hawaiian bun.
Don’t forget to add their crispylicious fries ($5) with their tasty in-house dipping sauces, making it a cheap and perfect party meal for enjoying on the fly, and an exemplary representation of L.A. burger culture.
Location: 7454 1/2 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 Hours: Open every day, 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
Chicas Tacos at All Seasons Brewing
An order of the chicken wings, a jackfruit taco and crispy taco supreme from Chicas Tacos.
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Pro tip: Chicas Tacos is located inside of All Season Brewing Company on La Brea Boulevard.
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Inside a former Firestone tire repair shop whose interior has been restored to all of its Googie glory is where you’ll find All Season Brewing. Once inside, head towards the back of the bar, where you’ll find a walk-up window for Chicas Tacos. The small regional chain is known for its Mexican-American fare with plenty of vegan options. Start with the jackfruit taco ($4.49), which comes in a soft yellow corn tortilla, with the jackfruit cooked in tangy red containing just a hint of spice, topped with a refreshing dollop of avocado salsa and a couple of halved grape tomatoes for that added bit of texture. Next, try the Crispy Taco Supreme ($4.99), a hard shell taco filled with plant-based ground beef and topped with a grated vegan cheddar cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce (or shrettuce if you will) mixed with slightly spicy vinaigrette, and julienned radish. The delightful crunch from the hard shell of the taco will make you forget that you’re eating a plant-based taco.
If you’re still hungry and looking to try some of the non-vegan options, round out the meal with five of their buffalo wings ($10.48). It’s a perfect accompaniment to wash down to draft beers ($7-$8), making you feel swimmingly good. If timed right during Happy Hour, the beers are two dollars off.
Location: 800 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles Hours: Sunday though Thursday, 3 p.m. to midnight. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Apollonia’s Pizzeria
Some of the best pizza you can find in L.A., and it's sold by the slice at Apollonia's Pizzeria on Wilshire Boulevard.
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Brian Feinzimer
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The busy entryway to Apollonia's Pizzeria on Wilshire Boulevard.
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Apollonia’s Pizzeria, located within a strip mall off Wilshire, is cash only and often has a line outside. It would be wise to budget your time wisely as the wait time for just a couple of slices can reach 20-25 minutes, and there are no seats.
But we'll gladly sacrifice for some of the best pizza in Los Angeles.
Have your pick of thin slices of cheese or pepperoni; if you’re feeling extra famished, the square pieces are the game's name. Everyone working behind the counter the night I visited was Latino, which feels like a point of pride for those with the same shared heritage.Seeing homegrown L.A. talent do their thing within the pizza universe, we’d gladly wait as long as it takes.
As to the pizza itself, the thin crust slice of pepperoni that was charred and cupped, resembling tiny bowls, contained sweet-tasting tomato sauce.
But the square slice ($9) manages to steal the show. The body of the crust with its burnt crispy edges isn’t bready, as other square pies tend to be, but instead is perfectly airy and crusty on the inside. The architecture of the slice itself is a marvel of sorts, allowing for enough structural integrity to bear the weight of the cheese, chunky tomato sauce, and pepperoni. If you’re up to it and willing to pay a little extra, add fresh burrata and Mike’s hot honey for that added oomph.
Location: 5176 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles Hours: Wednesday though Sunday, noon to 2:30 p.m. and 5p.m. to 8 p.m.
Mariana Dale
explores and explains the forces that shape how and what kids learn from kindergarten to high school.
Published July 21, 2026 2:50 PM
The Marshall High School Jazz Band opened the 2026 Los Angeles Unified Opening of Schools event.
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Mariana Dale
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Topline:
Los Angeles Unified students showed improvements on the state’s reading, math and science standardized tests for a third consecutive year.
Why now: Superintendent Andrés Chait announced the preliminary results at the annual opening-of-schools address at East L.A.’s Garfield High School— his first as the district’s leader since the board appointed him to the job in June.
“ These are not just numbers on a page,” Chait said to an audience that included about 1,000 principals, administrators and district supporters. “They are the result of your passion, your persistence, your belief in what students can achieve.”
Why it matters: Student achievement, as measured by test scores, plummeted during the pandemic. Los Angeles Unified’s growth in 2025 outpaced the state as test scores exceeded pre-pandemic levels. This year the percentage of students in all grades who met or exceeded the standard are 39.7% for math, 48.3% for English and 32.1% for science.
It’s unclear how this compares to students statewide because those results have yet to be released.
Read on ... for more information from the address. This story will be updated.
Students within the Los Angeles Unified School District showed improvements on state reading, math and science standardized tests for a third consecutive year, district authorities announced Tuesday.
Superintendent Andrés Chait revealed the preliminary results at the annual opening-of-schools address at East L.A.’s Garfield High School— his first as the district’s leader since the board appointed him to the job in June.
“ These are not just numbers on a page,” Chait said to an audience that included about 1,000 principals, administrators and district supporters. “They are the result of your passion, your persistence, your belief in what students can achieve. These are collective accomplishments.
"They reflect the dedication, skill, and commitment of our entire community,” he said.
Jai Gant-Leau, principal of Eagle Tree Continuation High School, said the “back-to-basics” focus of Chait’s speech was a welcome departure from the tone of recent opening addresses.
“We will continue to rise for the outcomes and expectations for the success of our students. That's the message I got,” Gant-Leau said. “Very different than the others where it was a lot of… bells and whistles.”
This year the percentage of students in all grades who met or exceeded the standard are 39.7% for math, 48.3% for English and 32.1% for science. It’s unclear how this compares to students statewide because those results have yet to be released.
“The decisions will be hard, but we cannot lose sight of what defines us,” Chait said. “We are the system that lifts students to opportunity, turns potential into achievement, creates spaces of belonging, healing, growth.”
Cato Hernández
covers important issues that affect the everyday lives of Southern Californians.
Published July 21, 2026 2:41 PM
The program will focus on homes that survived the Eaton Fire.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Altadena residents with homes that survived the Eaton Fire will soon have a chance at getting their soil cleaned up. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a new remediation program focused on lead contamination.
Didn’t this already happen? The federal government previously remediated properties where homes burned, although that thoroughness has been scrutinized. Helen Chavez Garcia, a spokesperson for Supervisor Kathryn Barger, said the county’s new program will be for properties that are still-standing, to help residents facing insurance obstacles.
What we know: The program will use $3 million of state and county funds for administrative and remediation costs. It will prioritize applicants who live with pregnant women or children under 6 years old. These groups face serious health risks with lead exposure.
What’s next: The program structure is being figured out, but it will be under the L.A. County Development Authority. A cohort of community organizations and researchers are helping design it. That's expected to launch this fall.
Keep up with LAist.
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Lucas Brady Woods
covers the weather and disasters, among other climate and science topics.
Published July 21, 2026 2:37 PM
A beach vendor takes a break under the Santa Monica Pier last week. More heat is in store for Southern California this week and into next.
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Mario Tama
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Getty Images
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Topline:
A heat advisory is in place for much of Southern California from 10 a.m. Wednesday through Monday.
The heat: Temperatures are expected to climb steadily this week. Inland valleys in L.A., Riverside and San Bernardino counties will see highs between the mid-90s and about 105 degrees. Areas closer to the coast, including downtown Los Angeles and most of Orange County, will hit the 90s, while beaches hover mostly in the upper 70s. Humidity also continues to add to the discomfort, making it harder to cool down.
Fire risk: Despite higher-than-normal humidity, a combination of dry brush and wind will also increase the likelihood of fires sparking in some places. The risk will be concentrated in places prone to high winds, including parts of the 5 Freeway corridor in northern L.A. County, especially around the Grapevine, and southern Santa Barbara County.
Beach conditions: Forecasters expect dangerously large waves and strong rip currents to persist through the weekend along the Southern California coast.
Read on … to learn more about what’s driving these uncomfortable conditions.
We hope you’ve gotten used to the hot weather, because it’s going to be here for a while.
The National Weather Service has issued yet another heat advisory for much of Southern California, less than a week after other high-temperature warnings were lifted.
This week’s advisory will be in place from 10 a.m. Wednesday through Monday. Forecasters expect temperatures to climb steadily over the course of Wednesday and Thursday.
The San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and other inland areas in L.A., as well as Riverside and San Bernardino counties, will likely see highs ranging from the mid-90s to about 105 degrees. Areas closer to the coast, including downtown Los Angeles and much of Orange County, will hit the 90s. Beaches will hover mostly in the upper 70s.
Humidity will also add to the discomfort. Even though it’s decreasing slightly, it makes cooling down harder, especially at night.
People who work outdoors or do not have air conditioning are especially at risk from the heat and humidity, along with people over 65, young children and other sensitive populations.
Making sense of heat forecasts
Southern Californians are no strangers to hot weather in the summer, but heat waves are getting hotter, longer and more frequent as the climate changes.
So you should know the words forecasters use to describe these weather events — and the risks they pose.
Heat advisory: Advisories are issued when temperatures are expected to be hot enough to cause discomfort and potentially lead to heat-related illnesses, especially for more vulnerable populations like young children and the elderly.
Extreme heat watch: Watches are essentially forecasts for upcoming periods of extreme heat. Forecasters say heat watches often cover wide areas and will be revised into more focused warnings and advisories as conditions become clearer over time. Watches are a good time to prepare for extreme heat.
Extreme heat warning: Warnings are issued when heat levels are or will likely become extremely dangerous. Under extreme heat warnings, it's a good idea to avoid strenuous outdoor activity, stay hydrated and help loved ones and pets stay cool.
Forecasters are warning that conditions are ripe for fires, driven by a combination of wind and dry vegetation.
Southern California hasn’t seen much rain recently, despite the humidity, leaving plants with little moisture and turning them into the perfect fuel.
“Even though the air feels kind of moist, we're in the time of season where it doesn't matter. The fuels are dry and they're ready to go,” said NWS meteorologist Ryan Kittell.
Kittel said people should take extra care with anything that could create a spark, and residents in fire-prone areas should remain aware of their surroundings in case a fire starts.
The fire risk is likely to be concentrated in a few specific areas that will experience higher winds than others, including parts of the 5 Freeway corridor in northern L.A. County, especially around the Grapevine, and in southern Santa Barbara County.
For most of the region, though, winds should stay fairly mild.
Dangerous beach conditions
Southern Californians also have to contend with some ocean-specific risks this week.
Forecasters expect dangerously large waves and strong rip currents to hit the coastline at a time when the heat may drive more people to the beach. The conditions are expected to persist through the weekend.
If you decide to head to the beach, it’s a good idea to ask a lifeguard for advice on the conditions before entering the water. It’s also recommended to swim only near occupied lifeguard stands, stay off of rock jetties and avoid turning your back to the waves.
South-facing stretches of coastline will bear the brunt of the swell, which is being driven by two tropical storms churning hundreds of miles away in the Pacific Ocean.
“Those two systems generated the winds and the waves locally that are pushing towards us, and so that's creating elevated surf and some stronger currents than normal,” Kittel said.
The swell is not expected to cause significant coastal flooding as high tides remain relatively low.
Free transportation to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area swim beach will be available this week as East LA families continue to seek relief from another heat wave and the aftermath of the Lineage warehouse fire.
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Topline:
Free transportation to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area swim beach will be available this week as East LA families continue to seek relief from another heat wave and the aftermath of the Lineage warehouse fire.
Why now: More than a month after the Lineage Logistics warehouse fire, many residents continue to report persistent odors from rotting food and cleanup efforts. Because of the ongoing air quality concerns and community complaints, Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation has canceled its local aquatic programming.
Free rides begin Wednesday: Los Angeles County is offering complimentary transportation Wednesday through Saturday to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area Swim Beach in Irwindale. Pickup locations are at select Eastside parks.
Read on . . . for more information on the free shuttle services, schedules and more.
Free transportation to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area swim beach will be available this week as East LA families continue to seek relief from another heat wave and the aftermath of the Lineage warehouse fire.
Los Angeles County is offering complimentary transportation Wednesday through Saturday at select Eastside parks so residents can enjoy a day at the lake at no cost.
More than a month after the Lineage Logistics warehouse fire, many residents continue to report persistent odors from rotting food and cleanup efforts. Because of the ongoing air quality concerns and community complaints, Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation has canceled its local aquatic programming.
To ensure families still have access to summer recreational activities, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis directed resources toward providing the “beach bus” program to Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area Swim Beach in Irwindale.
Read below for more information on the free shuttle services, schedules and more.
Pickup locations
Belvedere Aquatic Center
5035 1st St. East Los Angeles, CA 90022
Obregon Park Pool
4021 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90063
Salazar Park Pool
3864 Whittier Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023
City Terrace Park Pool
1126 N. Hazard Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90063
Shuttle dates and times
Wednesday, July 22
Thursday, July 23
Friday, July 24
Saturday, July 25
Morning trip:
Check in at 8:30 a.m.
The bus departs East LA at 9 a.m.
The bus leaves Santa Fe Dam to go back to East LA at 12 p.m.
Afternoon trip:
Check in at 12:30 p.m.
The bus departs East LA at 1 p.m.
The bus leaves Santa Fe Dam to go back to East LA at 4 p.m.
What to know
No registration or proof of address is required, but children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Bring your own food and drinks. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
