Original Pantry Cafe

01/29/09

Nauseatingly Bad

by siamak

After having heard so much about this place I went there today. Waited in line for 45 minutes. While waiting thought to myself "hey it must be good if there is a line." Boy was I wrong. First it was very difficult to read the menus on the wall because of the table position. Yup, they got no menus other than the faded chalk writings on the wall. I tried the so called country fried steak. My friend got the eggs, french toast, and sausage. I find it hard to come up with a word to properly describe the nauseating material served to us. Nothing was edible. Not even the peas which were stale and overcooked. Other than the horrible horrible food it took us 30 minutes to finally convince someone to give us the check so that we could leave the dive. DON'T GO, DON'T GO, DON'T GO. .

• Pros: None
• Cons: Food, Service, Cleanliness

Old-school diner with steak, chops, all-day-eggs and a side of L.A. history.

by Contributor

In Short
The decor is straight out of a noir novel--bleak lighting, Formica tables, turn-of-the-century photos of downtown, and a high-security cashier's cage. Busy at every hour, ancient waiters cater to an endless stream of ravenous nightcrawlers and lunching City Hall suits. Full steak dinners with a squirt of the cafe's signature sauce--plus all the fixings--are bargain-priced. Hearty breakfasts of omelettes, ham and buckwheat pancakes are also legendary.

08/30/08

the breakfasts are overrated but the steak is not

by catandjim

this is not a restaurant where everything on the menu is good, however if you are looking for an authentic melt-in-your-mouth steak, this is the place. and the atmosphere is certainly of a style that may not appeal to all, but i find it charming and nostalgic with the gruff and elderly waiters, the formica tables and the lack of pretense. stick to steak and potatoes and you won't be disappointed.

• Pros: delicious steak, an iconic establishment
• Cons: don't order anything else off the menu

07/13/08

After all the hype about this place over the years, we expected.....something, like good food!

by bluecattgirl

We wouldn't recommend this place to anybody. After years of hearing what a good place this is to eat, we finally got a chance to try it. What a disappointment! We both ordered breakfasts, and both were lacking a key ingredient in any good food. Flavor! Save yourself the trip and if you must eat at a "diner" go down the street to Denny's! Save yourself from the overpriced, blah-no flavor food!

• Pros: Late night availability.
• Cons: Nasty, flavorless food!

05/24/08

NOT GOOD !

by VicoG2

I waited 45 minutes to get in to a busy restaraunt. The inside was gross, and the worst part the food was disgusting!! I can eat from weird catering trucks, I ate grasshopers when i took a trip to the pyramids, but this food was beyond nasty. It just was not good. the waiter was in a hurry, the food was not done well. I know its busy but man. it was nasty. i had a stomach ache for a while. dont go there do not go there. it is a shame some people say it's a gem in downtown and that it is la history, it's just nasty. I'm from L.A and I'd rather go to a taco stand for an authentic L.A experience!

• Pros: Its in Downtown
• Cons: Food, service, taste, ambience, just everything

04/10/08

LOTS OF FOOD, Quality is below average

by donisland

FOOD- you get a lot of food, so if you are hungry and don't care about good taste/quality - go here. Loads of grease on most foods, the coffee is tasteless. IF you eat here, stick to the salads and soup - they are o.k. SERVICE-they are only o.k. - PARKING- got to pay across the street - only $1.00 which is a good deal around here. Don't use their restroom - filthy. You might want to try Filipe's over on Alameda - better quality food, free parking, you pick up the food up front and take it to your table, food taste is a little better.

• Pros: Fun Place, Lots of Food, $1 parking
• Cons: Food is greasy & not very good, prices are low. Filthy & Smelly Restrooms

03/02/08

Not the late-night selection I hoped for

by simplydarius

The portions here seemed hearty all around, but I wasn't impressed by the variety of dishes. The chalkboard menus weren't offering much meatless, and though the bacon and egg breakfast sounded like it had a lot of what I wanted it was close to $9 when I went in around 9pm; figuring out what about it was going to be $9-good and if it would still be worth it with no meat just didn't happen. Considering that the french toast was my second choice, I came out pretty satisfied; though next time I'm feeling diner food I'll probably try to get to Fred's 62 before the Pantry again.

• Pros: rich, filling food
• Cons: not many veggies on those board-menus

01/14/08

BEST CLAM CHOWDER

by pattycakes1

LONG LINE FOR LUNCH! GREAT CLASSIC PLACE. AS FAR AS SERVICE AND MENU KIND OF CONFUSING. BUT I REALLY ENJOYED THE CLAM CHOWDER. MY SANDWICH NEEDED LOTS OF HELP.

11/29/07

You have to try it

by f150screw

You have to try this joint. The pantry burger is quite delicious and filling. Service is good. Price, however, is a bit steep. If you are at staples center or convention center, you should try it at least once.

• Pros: Food tastes good. Old diner style.
• Cons: Pricey

11/19/07

SOME DISTURBING TURNS

by avoice

People don't come here for the quality of the food, although it isn't bad, just heavy. They come here because they've by have been coming here since they were children. People are not converted to the Pantry, they are born to it. Recently, though, they have changed its menu, making it lighter and more modern, and raising the prices significantly. This is a heresy and I think many people will be offended. I am. Whatever motive inspired these changes, it's misguided. The Pantry is no place for experimentation. The fact that it never changes--until just recently--has been its main draw. The waiters also have become less motivated or something I can not put my finger on. In any event, I see it in decline. It may be a changed management, but whatever the cause I am distressed. I will still come for the breakfast but less often.

• Pros: HISTORICAL VENUE
• Cons: Average food, slightly too expensive,