Best Family Friendly Restaurants in Chinatown
15 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Eastside Italian Deli
Family-run since 1929 in LA's original Little Italy, still slinging enormous Italian sandwiches with housemade Maestro sausage from a recipe born inside the market itself.
Notable Picks
8.3
A 1929 holdover from LA's original Little Italy that still builds oversized Italian sandwiches around housemade Maestro sausage—a recipe that started inside the market and never left. The draw is old-line deli craft at counter-service speed and price, landing it squarely in the pre-game Dodger Stadium rotation for anyone who wants a real sandwich without a real wait. Expect a no-frills storefront, street parking that thins out fast at lunch, and portions that make splitting reasonable.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pastrami Sandwich, Spicy Italian Cold Cuts Sub, Italian Meatball Hot Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Family-run since 1929 in LA's original Little Italy, still slinging enormous Italian sandwiches with housemade Maestro sausage from a recipe born inside the market itself.
8.2
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Comfort Food Classics
The 1908 original that put French dip on the map—beef hand-carved to order, rolls dunked in natural jus at the counter, sawdust still on the floor. The communal-table, cafeteria-line format rewards decisive ordering and a willingness to elbow in during peak hours. Go for the double-dipped beef and expect the experience to feel like a working lunch counter that happens to be a monument.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef French Dip Double-Dipped, Lamb French Dip, Pickled Eggs
What Makes it Special: Credited as the birthplace of the French dip sandwich since 1908, with meat hand-carved and rolls dipped in natural roasting juices
#3
Pho 87
8.1
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
A cash-only Chinatown stalwart running the same pho playbook since the 1980s, with brisket and oxtail bowls that draw purists who prioritize broth depth over ambiance. The indoor fish pond and fluorescent-lit dining room signal the no-frills deal—you're here for the soup, not the scene. Works best when you know your order before you sit down and have cash in your pocket.
Must-Try Dishes:
Egg Rolls, Brisket Pho, Oxtail Pho
What Makes it Special: Cash-only Chinatown institution with an indoor fish pond and no-frills authentic Vietnamese pho since the 1980s
#4
Yang Chow
8.1
A Chinatown institution since 1977 that invented slippery shrimp—crispy battered prawns in a garlic-forward sweet-spicy sauce that became an LA staple. The family-style format with lazy susan sharing works well for groups heading to Dodger games or seeking generous Cantonese portions without pretense. Expect a bustling dining room where speed varies but the kitchen delivers on its signatures.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orange Chicken, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Kung Pao Chicken
What Makes it Special: Chinatown institution since 1977, famous for inventing the slippery shrimp and drawing celebrity regulars before Dodger games
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Comfort Food Classics
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Family Friendly Favorites
Compact counter-service dim sum shop that favors speed, comfort, and solid execution over flash. The lineup of steamed dumplings, buns, and pan-fried cakes is dependable, making it a repeat stop for locals running errands in Chinatown. Expect no-frills seating and a quick in-and-out rhythm.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pan-Fried Turnip Cake, Pork Shumai, BBQ Pork Bun
What Makes it Special: Fast, focused dim sum counter with a tight Chinatown neighborhood pull.
Worthy Picks
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Late Night Legends
Family Friendly Favorites
A large-format Cantonese banquet house built around whole Peking duck carved tableside and seafood platters scaled for groups of six or more. The draw is shareable plates at Chinatown prices in a loud, banquet-hall setting where the energy runs high and the tables fill fast. Works best when you commit to the format—bring a crowd, order family-style, and let the kitchen do what it does at volume.
Must-Try Dishes:
Peking Duck, Walnut Shrimp, Orange Chicken
What Makes it Special: Large-format Cantonese banquet house in the heart of Chinatown known for whole Peking duck carved tableside and seafood-forward plates sized for sharing.
7.9
A long-running Cantonese seafood house in Chinatown that draws groups and families with generous portions priced well below what the quality warrants. The dining room runs loud and tight when it fills up, but the free parking lot across Alpine Street and straightforward ordering keep the logistics easy for large-party dinners. It works as a no-fuss, order-heavy table where you stack shared plates and let the volume do the talking.
Must-Try Dishes:
Honey Walnut Shrimp, Pork Chops, Green Beans
What Makes it Special: Long-running Chinatown seafood house known for generous Cantonese-style portions at low prices
#8
El Paseo Inn
7.9
A sprawling open-air Mexican cantina on historic Olvera Street that leans into the full festive experience—tableside guacamole, mariachi on Sundays, and a patio that fills up with multi-generational tables sharing enchiladas and margaritas. Operating since the 1930s, it draws on atmosphere and tradition more than culinary precision, making it the right call when the occasion matters as much as the meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cadillac Margarita, Chicken Enchiladas De Mole, Tableside Guacamole
What Makes it Special: LA's oldest Mexican restaurant, serving on historic Olvera Street since the 1930s with live mariachi and a sprawling open-air patio.
7.9
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
A family-run Cantonese-American kitchen operating since 1977, built on generous-portioned staples like crispy duck, honey walnut shrimp, and beef chow fun that keep multi-generational regulars coming back. The Rush Hour filming location doubles as a no-frills Chinatown anchor where the courtyard patio with paper lanterns is the nicest surprise. Go for a big group order at moderate prices and expect solid comfort food, not a reinvention of the genre.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orange Chicken, Chow Mein, Egg Rolls
What Makes it Special: Old-school Chinatown staple recognized as the Rush Hour filming location, serving Cantonese-American classics since the 1980s
7.8
A sprawling Chinatown banquet hall that still runs traditional cart-service dim sum on Ord Street, where the har gow and siu mai come to your table on rolling carts rather than off a printed order sheet. It draws weekend crowds of regulars who know the move is to go deep on the Cantonese classics—Peking duck for the table, BBQ pork between rounds—at prices that make it easy to over-order without regret. Expect a loud, no-frills dining room where the energy comes from packed tables and fast-moving carts, not decor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Peking Duck, Har Gow, BBQ Pork
What Makes it Special: Old-school Chinatown banquet hall running traditional cart-service dim sum in a sprawling dining room on Ord Street
7.8
An old-school Cantonese seafood house running generous family-style platters out of a big multi-room Chinatown space, with complimentary tea and tapioca pudding closing out every meal. It pulls families and large groups who want garlic lobster and walnut shrimp at prices that let you over-order without regret. Expect a lively, no-frills dining room that rewards arriving early for the small back lot.
Must-Try Dishes:
House Special Garlic Lobster, Spicy Salt Pork Chops, Walnut Shrimp
What Makes it Special: Old-school Cantonese seafood house in Chinatown serving generous family-style platters with complimentary dessert and tea at every meal.
7.7
An Oaxacan-rooted kitchen that grinds its own moles from scratch and builds around traditional preparations like pozole and nopales, steps from Olvera Street in the historic LA Plaza. The setting rewards families and walk-in crowds who want outdoor seating with a direct line to regional Mexican cooking that skips the Tex-Mex shortcuts. Expect casual pacing and a menu that leans heavier on technique than presentation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mole, Nopal, Pozole
What Makes it Special: Oaxacan-rooted kitchen specializing in from-scratch moles and traditional Mexican dishes served steps from Olvera Street in the historic LA Plaza.
7.7
A 60-year-old Chinatown dim sum hall running one of the last traditional cart services in Los Angeles, where plates roll past and you point to eat. The food is reliable Cantonese banquet fare at prices that keep regulars cycling through weekly, though the room shows its age and service runs on a flag-down-your-cart rhythm that rewards initiative over patience.
Must-Try Dishes:
Har Gow, Shumai, Chicken Feet
What Makes it Special: Old-school Chinatown dim sum hall with roaming cart service, a format increasingly rare in Los Angeles
7.7
One of LA Chinatown's remaining cart-service dim sum operations, running a nearly 200-seat banquet hall where dishes roll past your table on steel carts the old-fashioned way. It draws groups and families who want the communal energy of pointing-and-picking from a rotating lineup of steamer baskets at prices that barely register. Expect volume, chaos, and the kind of no-frills efficiency that keeps a decades-old format alive in a neighborhood where most have switched to paper menus.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dim Sum, Shumai, Roast Duck
What Makes it Special: Old-school Chinatown dim sum hall where dishes still arrive on rolling carts pushed table to table.
7.6
Vibes:
Late Night Legends
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
A 33-year Chinatown workhorse running a 138-item Cantonese menu until 1am, anchored by whole Peking duck carved tableside and big-format seafood platters meant for sharing. The draw is late-night access to legitimate Cantonese cooking at budget-friendly prices, though the polarized review spread signals nights where execution doesn't match the menu's ambition. Best approached as a group-order spot where you stick to the roasted meats and lobster and let the volume pricing do the work.
Must-Try Dishes:
Peking Duck, Chow Mein, Lobster
What Makes it Special: Family-run Chinatown institution since 1993, serving a 138-item Cantonese menu until 1am with whole Peking duck carved tableside