✦ Neighborhood Guide · South LA

Best Restaurants in South LA

The best restaurants in South LA, Los Angeles — 7 ranked picks with ratings, must-try dishes and live table availability.

7 picks

South LA has 7 restaurants worth the trip, and this is the ranked list. Simply Wholesome leads it at 4.7 stars, with Tire Shop Taqueria close behind. Most of this list stays under $40 a head, and the strongest showings are Mexican, Vegetarian and Mexican Seafood. If you only order one thing, make it the smoothies at Simply Wholesome. None of these take online reservations — they are walk-in or phone-only, so go early.

South LA covers a lot of ground for its size — Mexican, Vegetarian and Mexican Seafood are all well represented across the 7 spots we track here, and the neighborhood averages 4.7 stars.

Simply Wholesome

Simply Wholesome

Vegetarian · Caribbean · South LA · $

★★★★½ 4.7

Part health food market, part restaurant, and a Windsor Hills fixture for decades

Must-try: Smoothies, Turkey burger, Veggie patty

📍 4508 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043

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Tire Shop Taqueria

Tire Shop Taqueria

Mexican · Tacos · South LA · $

★★★★½ 4.7

Cash-only tacos off a converted tire shop lot, on hand-pressed corn tortillas

Must-try: Carne asada tacos, Chorizo tacos

📍 4069 Avalon Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011

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Holbox

Mexican Seafood · Yucatecan · Michelin-Starred · South LA · $$

★★★★½ 4.7

LA Times Restaurant of the Year in a food court — Gilberto Cetina Jr.'s Michelin-starred Yucatecan seafood at Mercado La Paloma

Must-try: Ceviche mixto, Kanpachi & uni tostada, Baja fish taco

📍 3655 S Grand Ave, Unit C9, Los Angeles, CA 90007

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Chichen Itza

Mexican · Yucatecan · South LA · $

★★★★½ 4.7

James Beard–recognized Yucatecan cooking inside Mercado La Paloma — a South LA treasure

Must-try: Cochinita pibil taco, Poc chuc, Kibis

📍 3655 S Grand Ave Ste C6, Los Angeles, CA 90007 (Mercado La Paloma)

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27th Street Bakery

27th Street Bakery

Bakery · Cafe · South LA · $

★★★★½ 4.7

A household name on Central Avenue since 1956, built on Louisiana sweet potatoes

Must-try: Sweet potato pie, Peach cobbler, Red velvet cake

📍 2700 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011

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Jim Dandy's Fried Chicken

Jim Dandy's Fried Chicken

Southern · American · South LA · $

★★★★½ 4.7

Counter service behind bulletproof glass, and transcendent fried poultry

Must-try: Fried chicken, Corn fritters

📍 11328 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044

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Hawkins House of Burgers

Hawkins House of Burgers

Burgers · American · South LA · $

★★★★½ 4.6

A Watts institution since 1939, and the burger is genuinely worth the drive

Must-try: The Leaning Tower of Watts, Cheeseburger

📍 11603 Slater St, Los Angeles, CA 90059

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best restaurant in South LA?

Simply Wholesome — 4.7 stars across 3,519 reviews, the highest on this list. Part health food market, part restaurant, and a Windsor Hills fixture for decades.

Do these restaurants take reservations?

None of the 7 on this page take online bookings — they are walk-in or phone-only. Going early, or on a weeknight, is the reliable move.

What should I order?

The smoothies at Simply Wholesome, the carne asada tacos at Tire Shop Taqueria and the ceviche mixto at Holbox. Those are the dishes regulars point to first.

How were these picked?

Ratings and review volume decide the order, but the list itself is drawn from restaurants people actually post about — 6 of the 7 here have a TikTok attached to their card. Every entry is checked as open before it ships.