The Dining & Drinking Guide to Highland Park

Following the original stand in Chinatown, Burgerlords have expanded their burger empire to a window at The Hi Hat. They’re open for dinner seven days per week, toting one of the most trim menus around. At the center, of course, is their burger -- a dressed down version with only the best ingredients but at a very reasonable price.

Cafe Birdie is a newcomer to the neighborhood, but it’s already a popular kid on the block thanks to its warm ambiance, seasonal food menu and eclectic craft cocktail menu. Art Deco finishes put the polish on exposed wood and concrete with a colorful mix of tile and wallpaper. The menu is mostly small plates and meant for sharing, perfect for a great time out with family and friends.

Known as one of the best donut shops in Los Angeles, Highland Park is all the better for having Donut Friend on York Boulevard. Donuts are made to-order, with signature varieties, limited edition versions, and all around entertaining punny band names to match each impeccably delicious fried circle of dough.

It’s not often when the tenure of a restaurant reaches - let alone exceeds - 20 years, but the family-run El Huarache Azteca qualifies as one of those Highland Park gems. They’re open from breakfast through dinner, with huevos dishes and chilaquiles (dried tortilla strips in tomato sauce and cheese), antojitos (street food), fajitas and enchiladas. But you’d be remiss if someone in your party didn’t get the house specialty: the huarache is a tasty dish made with a fried masa dough base and topped with salsa, meat, cheese, and other ingredients.

ETA is a new bar that evokes a New York cocktail den thanks to its long and narrow setup and low ceilings in the back. There are a dozen signature cocktails with an inventive bent on the menu at any time. The wines tend to be obscure, and the beers are tasty - hailing locally and from afar. For aural energy, the bar employs a soundtrack played from its old stack of vinyl and a rotating lineup of live jazz bands. It’s the perfect place for either a first stop or to end a day of exploring Highland Park.

Located just off Figueroa on Avenue 56, Good Girl Dinette has brought delightful Vietnamese flavors to Highland Park since 2009. Chef/owner Diep Tran takes a neighborhood diner approach to her Southeast Asian heritage, using only the best ingredients to create unique twists on Vietnamese classics. Whether lunch, dinner or weekend brunch, a meal at the Dinette is evocative of home.

Hidden on the opposite side of Cafe Birdie is the tiny craft cocktail bar, Good Housekeeping. It’s been open just a few months, but it’s the perfect place to enjoy an intimate drink with a friend or two. Wood planks comprise the ceiling while brick ensconce the one-room bar. It’s a no-nonsense vibe for those who don’t like small talk.

The Greyhound Bar & Grill is a no-nonsense sports bar with an English bent where you can go to catch the game on the projector screen, grab a Bloody Mary or beer and meet up with friends. Get the English Breakfast, fish & chips, or wings by the pound, complete with an endless number of sauces for your dipping pleasure. They have a killer daily happy hour from 4-7 p.m. with $4.50 draft beers and well drinks as well as $3 off any glass of wine half off the price of a bottle.

The home of Highland Park Brewery is The Hermosillo, a neighborhood beer bar with its craft selections projected onto a wall and its wine offerings written on the chalkboard. The bar food is also up to snuff, providing proper tasty bites such as fried pickles, shishito peppers and polenta bites. Everything is reasonably priced, making it one of York Boulevard’s neighborhood favorites.

This recently refurbished bowling alley has been raised to another level, with not one but two cocktail bars in the main area where there are eight lanes with beautiful, exposed pin changers. Vintage pennants adorn the right wall beside the bowling lanes, and bowlers wait for their turn while sitting back in distressed, brown leather couches. Of course, this wouldn’t be complete without a front seating and dining area, a craft cocktail program and a wood-burning oven to cook the pizzas on their menu. Fortunately, Highland Park Bowl has all that and more.

This new hot spot on York Boulevard serves up delicious breakfast until 3 p.m. daily (except Mondays) in a yellow Craftsman home with a delightful brick patio. Choose from classic breakfast dishes, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, salads, pastas and rice bowls. Generous portions, a bustling atmosphere and friendly service are all capped off with a variety of Four Barrel coffee brews available.

The menu alone at Kitchen Mouse is reason for gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan diners to rejoice. The creatively flavorful weekday breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner options include toasts, pancakes, tacos, bowls, sandwiches, and more. Eggs are also on the menu as a welcome exception (plus the organic milk in the coffee menu) to the otherwise vegan restaurant. With a play area inside, the cozy restaurant is also family- and kid-friendly.

Homestyle Mexican is the specialty at La Fuente Restaurant, with friendly, attentive service and generous portions. Their salsas are first rate and a pleasure to dress your chilaquiles, tacos, burritos, enchiladas and more. Go as early as 8 a.m. for breakfast, or as late as 8 p.m. for dinner. Cash only.

Part of the 1933 Group, the bar known as La Cuevita ("Little Cave") is a campy little spot that puts tequila and mezcal front and center. It comes complete with an impressive daily happy hour from 5-9 p.m. and $5 drinks. Tacos are free on Tuesdays after 10 p.m., and specials on spirits are featured every day. The vibe inside La Cuevita is laid back, making for a great place for a casual encounter.

La Estrella Taco Truck at York and Avenue 54 is a Highland Park landmark, known for flavorful asada and al pastor meats housed in double tortilla tacos. You won’t find chicken tacos here, either. Their salsas pop, and with each taco priced less than $1.50, you can always eat like a king.

This fantastic Italian restaurant by Chef Andre Guerrero, a native of Northeast L.A., is great for dinner and weekend brunch. Though the pastas reign supreme, there are plenty of other delicious must-gets like meatballs (also available in a sub), a wide variety of pizzas, salads and other vegetable dishes, and main dishes like the pork chop and short ribs. The price points are reasonable and the atmosphere is relaxed but chic, making Maximiliano a great destination to drop-in for a bite to eat.

Tacos and burritos are just two of the items on the huge menu at Metro Balderas, an authentic, non-descript joint with a brightly hued interior. The restaurant is named after a busy subway stop in Mexico City. Also on order are pambazo tortas, huaraches, sopes, gorditas, quesadillas and more. Pork enthusiasts and adventure seekers can get cuts of mixed pork for maximum bovine tastiness. Metro Balderas is real gem -- with a parking lot in the back, to boot.

Next to My Taco is The Offbeat, a mod ‘60s lounge complete with live DJ and music themes changing nightly (check their Facebook page for updates). As a result, the crowd is refreshingly eclectic, bolstered by a solid happy hour Monday through Saturday from 5-8 pm, when beer and well drinks are just $5 and selected cocktails are $7. For extra conviviality, go on Thursdays, where they hand out free tacos.

Imbibe on great drinks at Sonny’s Hideaway, a dimly lit but warm and welcoming craft cocktail bar that also serves fantastic food. There's a happy hour Tuesday through Saturday from 4-7 pm with $6 classic cocktails, $4 beer, $7 wine and $5 food, and also a liquid late night happy hour Tuesday through Thursday. Drop by on Tuesdays for creative Tiki drinks that will put some whimsy into your mid-week.

This outpost of this specialty coffee company is a little off the beaten path on Monte Vista Street. The company roasts its own beans and bakes its own pastries at their bakery, located in Lynwood. Beautiful Mexican tile lines the wall, creating a warm vibe for your caffeine fix. Try their specialty drinks and pastries, such as the horchata latte and tres leches muffin.

A seemingly nondescript liquor store is located beneath two vintage neon signs on the corner of Figueroa and Hayes. Look for the famous "Coldest Beer In Town" sign and step inside Tinfoil Liquor & Grocery - you’re in for a surprise if you ask the cashier if they carry birthday candles. There’s a deli behind an "Employees Only" door, serving quarter-, half- and whole sandwiches like roast beef with yuzu kosho dressing, corned beef with Swiss cheese, and roasted eggplant with olive tapenade, roasted peppers and feta cheese. Salad options include chopped kale, macaroni, or beet.