Best French Fries Restaurants in Downtown LA (90012)
7 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: May 2026
Our Top Pick
Howlin' Ray's
Nashville hot chicken with six heat levels up to Carolina Reaper intensity
Notable Picks
8.4
Nashville hot chicken executed by a chef who trained under Thomas Keller and Gordon Ramsay—seven heat levels from mild to Carolina Reaper territory. The chicken arrives with perfectly crisp skin and juicy interior; heat calibration here runs hotter than competitors at equivalent tiers. Staff hospitality stands out in a counter-service format, with genuine warmth that regulars cite as part of the draw.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sando, Chicken on the Bone, Jojo-Style Sando
What Makes it Special: Nashville hot chicken with six heat levels up to Carolina Reaper intensity
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Comfort Food Classics
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
A butcher-shop-turned-burger-counter in Far East Plaza that dry-ages its own beef and runs custom sesame buns from Breadbar. The short menu signals confidence—this is a one-thing-done-right operation where the beef sourcing does the talking. Go solo or with one other person; the space is tight and the format is built for efficiency, not lingering.
Must-Try Dishes:
DH Burger, Truffle Burger, Classic Double
What Makes it Special: Part butcher shop, part burger counter in Chinatown's Far East Plaza, built on dry-aged beef and custom sesame buns baked by local bakery Breadbar.
Worthy Picks
#3
Bungraze
7.9
A beef tallow smash burger counter built on cook method over gimmick—the patties get a hard sear in rendered fat that produces a lacy, crisp edge most burger spots skip entirely. The rotating loaded fry menu keeps repeat visits interesting, and the compact Little Tokyo footprint means you're eating standing or grabbing a nearby bench. It works best as a focused, one-item mission where the burger does all the talking.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Tallow Smash Burger, Curry Fries, BBQ Burger
What Makes it Special: Smash burgers cooked in beef tallow with a rotating lineup of loaded fry options that draw lines down Central Ave
Berlin-style döner kebabs built on halal-certified meat slow-roasted on a vertical broiler, wrapped tight with house sauces that locals describe as addictive. The board-game-stocked dining room and dog-friendly patio give it a late-night hangout identity that most counter-service Mediterranean spots lack. Nearly two decades and five LA locations later, Spitz still draws repeat visits for the same reason it started—oversized wraps at neighborhood prices.
Must-Try Dishes:
Döner Wrap, Gyro, Mediterranean Bowl
What Makes it Special: Berlin-style döner kebabs served late-night in a board-game-stocked Arts District hangout
7.8
A pirate-ship-themed dive bar on 2nd Street in Downtown LA that doubles as a nightly live music venue covering folk, punk, and everything between—with a scratch-made pub kitchen that takes the food more seriously than most music bars bother to. The beer-battered fish and the burger hold up as actual meals, not afterthoughts to the drink menu. Best suited for nights when you want to eat real food, catch a band you haven't heard of, and not care what time it is.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Beer Battered Fish Taco, Redwood Burger
What Makes it Special: Pirate-ship dive bar in DTLA with scratch-made pub fare and nightly live bands across genres from folk to punk rock
#6
La Sorted's
7.8
A sourdough-forward pizzeria built around bubble-crusted pies and Italian-American sandwiches, leaning hard into its Dodger Stadium proximity with wall-to-wall memorabilia and game-day energy in a tight 30-seat room. It works best as a pre-game or late-night group stop where the sports bar atmosphere and shareable format match the occasion.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mortadella Sandwich, Mamba Pizza, Wings
What Makes it Special: LA-style pizzeria with bubble-crusted sourdough pies, wall-to-wall Dodgers memorabilia, and late-night hours steps from the stadium.
#7
Katsu Sando
7.8
A focused Japanese sandwich counter that builds around panko-breaded katsu on milk bread, with unexpected detours into fruit sandos and walnut shrimp that signal a kitchen thinking beyond the obvious. The tight menu and quick-turn format make it a reliable lunch stop for the Little Tokyo corridor, where the draw is precision on a narrow concept rather than range.
Must-Try Dishes:
Menchi Katsu, Chicken Katsu Sando, Fruit Sando
What Makes it Special: Japanese sandwich counter in Little Tokyo turning out crisp, panko-breaded katsu sandos and unexpected items like fruit sandos and walnut shrimp on milk bread