Masa of Echo Park

04/22/2008 Posted by krypto69

There is too much garlic in the sauce. Garlic should be a main ingredient in pizza sauce. However, whole cloves are overwhelming. Masa would really benefit from using minced garlic as opposed to whole chunks and cloves. Not everyone is a rabid garlic fan. While the pizza is great, I don't see myself ordering it again anytime soon. It's hard to enjoy the deep dish when you're constantly rummaging through the sauce, thereby dissecting the pizza, just to pick out garlic chunks. If you choose to just eat it blindly, you'll find a chunk of garlic in every bite. Still, this place is as close as Los Angeles gets to deep dish.

Cons: Parking can be an issue

03/08/2008 Posted by ravendreamer

Easy going atmosphere, the staff is friendly if you go there with a regular which is nice. I was really impressed. Then I went with someone who was going there for the first time and my second time and we were ignored alot. We tried the deep dish "chicago" style pizza and were very disappointed. It was NOT chicago style and even there attempt was not even edible. The layering was off, my friend ordered pepperoni and there were 2 pieces...literally of pepperoni (I saw it.) and when we commented about it to the waiter, he told us to dig through it to find the rest. None was found. It was baked incorrectly so half of the crust was burnt underneath but the crust under the toppings was doughy uncooked and soggy. I threw mine away. However, my first experience with breakfast food was pretty good and I am going back today for lunch with a "regular" so I should get good service. Just don't order the pizza! *****UPDATE***** I went to my lunch and ordered the brioche....OMG...that is amazing stuff! We had the most adorable, attentive waiter (I think his name was david but I am not sure. He looks like a stockier version of Christian from project runway on bravo.) They have most definitely redeemed themselves and I look forward to going back again plus I just added an extra star!

Pros: Great service if you are with a regular, Great Breakfast!

Cons: mediocre service if you are not with a regular, Terrible Pizza.

02/12/2008 Posted by MoeTown

Masa serves robust food in generous portions. It's unpretentious and dependable with an atmosphere that is urban and warm. Walking in the door is like getting a big comforting hug. And you just might get a big hug from the friendly servers once they get to know you. Personally, I appreciate the menu which is not a kitchen-sink affair but rather honed to limited offering of salads, pastas, panini and pizzas. I always get the same thing anyway; Nicoise salad. It's flavorful and filling the way you want an entree salad to be. Not overly dressed and with little dollops of pesto and a sprinkle of crispy, roasted garlic chips to finish. Don't fill up on the hot, housemade bread that will show up steaming at your table. YUM!

Pros: Friendly staff, focused menu, an oasis in the middle of the city

Cons: Starch heavy, crowded most nights

02/01/2008 Posted by missemmaline

expect to wait during breakfast lunch or dinner. the food is diner food but not good diner food. it's just bland. the place gets so crowded during weekend brunch and sometimes service takes forever. it's a wee bit over priced, too. on the upside it's a good place to people watch cute hipsters. the wait staff are nice and it's open late so you can go after the bar closes and get some tiny fries.

Pros: nice people, good good, very relaxed

Cons: longer wait for food when crowded

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

12/18/2007 Posted by mysticms

we were so happy to find Masa which was the only really decent place open in that neighborhood. The menu was eclectic and creative. We noticed that the manager or owner wqas very attentive in supervising our server and we appreciated that more than we can say. Good food and well priced. Thanks for the veggie sausage too.

11/01/2007 Posted by fiestascramble

The servers have always been extremely friendly--they often add to the overall dining experience. Masa has a great local feel too, showcasing old photos of Echo Park and works by local artists. Call ahead if you plan on ordering the deep-dish pizza. It takes about an hour to make and bake, but it's well worth it. They also have excellent salads and hot, pressed sandwiches. And, try a local draft beer. I love the Alley Cat Ale.

08/13/2007 Posted by mirisdad

Had a few friends over last weekend to celebrate an anniversary. Decided to order food rather than cook. I had seen this place before but had never gone in. After reading a positive review I decided to give it a try. I have to agree that the staff is super friendly. Even during their hectic lunch hour rush they gladly took time to explain their menu. I went with the lasagna, meatloaf and Masa penne. The meatloaf and lasagna were good. Not great but good. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt being that by the time we served it , it wasn't as hot as it could've been. But the penne was excellent. Everyone raved about it. I'll definitely be coming back.

06/25/2007 Posted by pgoss

Best Chicago Pizza in the city! Being from Chicago I sure missed the pizza...this place is quaint and serves it up right!

Pros: good pizza

Cons: pizza takes an hour...but worth the wait!

05/22/2007 Posted by shopnla

Living around the corner, my fiance and I have been here several times. The decor is adorable- like a french bistro. The fresh bread comes out hot and delicious. All of the food we have ordered has come out perfect, and tasted great. My only minor complaints are, 1: when it is busy the woman who seems to be the owner or manager scurries around very frenzied and yells at the staff, and 2: Why do they not give a lemon with the iced tea??? Why? And a straw would be nice too. I just dont get it!!!

Pros: Great food, charming decor

Cons: no lemon is offered with iced tea, straws not offered with beverages

05/11/2007 Posted by eddiewouldgo

After hearing that the pizza takes an hour to prepare and that the waitstaff is so nice, I called ahead to order two pizzas so we wouldn't have to wait too long. I told the the person on the phone that there would be about 6 of us dining there. When we arrived, our party had grown to 10 people. A woman at the counter asked, "How many of you are there?" We said ten. She replied in a rude manner, " You should have called!" (This was a weekday night and the place was about 30% full - we were not putting them out of there way.) Anyhow, Manny, our waiter, was real cool and was able to accomodate us with no problem. The pizza was amazing! It had the same characteristics of an authentic Chicago-style deep dish! The crust is flaky like Giordano's in Chicago (that's a good thing) and the sauce was rich in flavor, not as bland as other reviewers have stated. Service from our waiter was awesome! The ambience was pretty cool - has a chill Echo Park/Urban feel to it. I will definately come back! The waitstaff was cool with the exception of that one chic's comment, but I guess we all have our bad days. Try the deep dish, it truly is the closest thing in LA to an authentic Chicago style deep dish!

Pros: The best Chicago style deep dish in LA!

Cons: None that I could think of.