Comfort Food Restaurants near Whittier, CA

“A Carnivore’s Vegan Experience Yesterday, my husband and I drove my mother in law home to L.A. from visiting with us for the past couple months. Sad to see her go because she is such a big help. Surprisingly, we had no kids in tow which is a rare occasion. We decided to drive around to explore a bit of James’ old stomping grounds. We explored his old neighborhood in La Puente, where he would skateboard, wound through the canyon switchbacks on the way to Whittier, looking at his friends’ houses and commenting how much the area has changed. Whenever we are traveling anywhere, we try to find a non-chain, local place to eat to support the local community but also, who wants to go somewhere new and walk into a chain and be transported to someplace you can go to within a few minutes from home. It defeats the whole purpose of exploring someplace new, at least new to me. We walked down Greenleaf Street in Downtown Whittier looking for a place to eat. We could not get past that it looked like a deserted city street with a few faces of restaurant workers visible from the windows looking out to either see if the crowds would ever come or wondering who in their right mind would be walking the streets mid-day in the 100+ degree heat. I personally think it was the latter, but we were just happy to be out of the 115+ humidity of home, only being 100 was quite nice! In our thirty minute, indecisive wandering, there were many places that peaked our interest for a nice dinner, but not quite for a late lunch before the two hour drive home. As we were standing in the middle of the street (closed to traffics for outdoor dining) we saw a few people go in and out of a place called the Modern Shaman, at least that’s the door that I saw open. (James will tell you it was the Steakhouse next door.) growing weary of my indecisiveness and looking up menus online to see what the food was like, said that we could try “that one” since it must be good because though the streets are empty, people are coming in and out. Now, I knew it was a vegan restaurant and was surprised that My carnivore husband would be willing to try the “fake food”. I jumped at the opportunity and to his surprise, I headed into the vegan restaurant, and he followed. As we were seated, James confessed that he thought we were going into the steakhouse because that was the door that he noticed someone enter. I am not a vegan, nor am I a vegetarian. I am just a person who does not prefer to eat much meat. I am just as happy eating a black bean burger as I am a beef burger and have been known to make dinner sans meat on several occasions so a vegan restaurant is right up my alley. However, looking at my husband from across the table, I could see the distress in his eyes…”no meat?!? How could there be Italian sausage on the menu if there is no meat? It just does not make sense! Do Italians know that they have fake Italian sausage on their menu?” To which I could only respond “thank you, my dear, for entertaining me on this one.” We looked over the menu for at least ten minutes trying to decide what to order. I could not make up my mind because everything looked so good and intriguing. On the other hand, James was still trying to figure out why there was Italian sausage on the menu of there was no meat, and of course, to determine what would be the least horrible thing to order and determined if he didn’t like it, he could just give it to me to eat and we could pick him up a burger someplace else. I finally settled on the oyster mushroom po’boy sandwich with a little help from the server. And when I say “a little help”, it was just that, not too helpful because of the three items I could not decide between she said “oh, that one is good. Oh that one is too, and that one.” We settled on the one she said was the most filling. James settled on the chimichurri ravioli with oyster mushrooms added on, or rather I had them add the mushrooms added on because I knew there was a very likely chance that I would be eating his plate too and I love mushrooms. As we waited for our f“

“Best Bar in Whittier!! Amazing bartenders!!“

“Amazing food and service. Love this place. ❤“

“Good food. Great service. Very understanding and accommodating staff.“

“I’ve only gotten the stock burger which is very good. Hoping perhaps one day I’ll be hungry enough for the max rib“

“Went to Lazy Dog with friends visiting from out of town, our server Tristin was the absolute best! He was nice and funny and gave amazing service. My friend has an allergy and he made sure that it came out right. All the food and drink were delicious!“

“Great place for Cajun creole!!Excellent service by the staff, mainly from Achilles and another lovely lady I did not get a chance to catch her name.I went during the happy hour (3pm-6pm Monday to Friday) so of course I took advantage of the fresh oysters, cup of clam chowder and grilled cheese with pan roast soup.Entree wise, we ordered their traditional house pan roast (with habanero spice level), with a side of deep fried soft shell crab.I honestly think everything must be tried at least once because they had great flavors. The clam chowder is full of seafood flavor with not too much heavy cream.The deep fried soft shell came in 6pcs total (3 pcs cut in half) with the tartar sauce to cut the oil. It was so soft I didn't feel like sharing with my partner.The traditional pan roast with rice was full of proteins, I can't avoid it every time I take a bite. The spice was perfect but if not too intense ( for me) to continue eating.I sat at the bar section to have the best access to alcohol and did not get disappointed. Never had an empty glass and loved the background music.“

“Very good service and the food was delicious“

“The bolo bao ice cream sandwich was the bomb! I had it with ube ice cream. The garlic fries - lots of fresh garlic with a side of bomb lemon aoili and house sauce! The best! Passionfruit green tea was perfect for the hot weather! So cute inside too! It's a smaller space and a one man show. Everything is made fresh so please be patient - it's worth the wait! Great service! It's a hidden gem to the right of BofA in the plaza. — at CrispyandFluffed.“

“Parking: Very easy even on a Saturday/ Sunday brunch day. I would say to come early to check in on their Yelp waitlist in case their place get's especially busy. If you order all these dishes with a group of 4 people, this will fill you up. Banana Latte: Tasted more of the latte than the banana. Gamberry Rose Pasta: Don't play with the spicy level. It's not death spicy but it's a bit like Shin Ramen spicy. Would not recommend this dish for my non tolerant spicy people. Pasta is wonderful though, sauce was like uni cream, there were bits of masago (tiny fish eggs) to add a nice texture, 2-3 regular shrimp and a jumbo shrimp in the dish. Beet Tataki Salad: Would highly recommend for anyone! The beef was cooked so well, medium rare on the inside and the outside sliced edges were really crispy! Salad was refreshingly and dressed well with their vinaigrette, tomato, and shredded cheese. Gambas: Not my favorite dish. The sliced bread was presented in the skillet so bottom portion of the bread was overly greasy. There was too much olive oil at the bottom of the pan than necessary. Toasted whole garlic and olives, I think the only redeemable feature of the dish would be the shrimp.“

“I would rate this restaurant 10/10 , from the great service , yummy hot coffee , BOMB carne su jugo !! This place is it ! I've gone to a few other local restaurants but this place by far is my new favorite! My husband got the Birria with consome and 2 huevos , delicious! Thank you guys we will be returning:)“

“Had to update. Can't even update the STAR reviews if I could I would update them 2 stars I've been coming here since they opened, and at least 2x a week, love their food n service but the prices in last year have gone up by almost $5 each item. That's why I cut back n only go once a month if anything or less. I use to spend at least $60 a week there. Now prices have tripled and just not it anymore. Shouldn't take advantage of price hikes that everyone else is doing like rents, gas, food, etc. Smh“

“Been wanting to try this pie house for some time, finally got the chance to try it last Sunday. Their dumplings and pies are awesome, they taste great and very flavorful. The dumpling skin is thin, the meat is juicy, doesn't have any aftertaste. However, I suggest going there for their dumplings and pies. Their noodles are subpar, it is under flavored, noodles are way too soft, and especially for the beef noodle soup, there are only 3 small pieces of beef in it. With that being said, I will definitely go back for their dumplings and pies.“

“Todo los paninis de chipotle son una delicia !! El personal siempre muy amables !!! Nose cómo se llama la señora que atiende pero es mayor y es muy linda de carácter!“

“These burgers are very good. The food is made to order. From burgers, fries to chicken wings. This place is good. I've had a few different burgers and they don't disappoint. The chili cheese fries are good. They don't have an indoor seating area which is needed. The outdoor seating area is small.“

“Nice place.Handy choice. Love their coffees and teas and the art.“

“I recently visited Lazy Dog with my s/o and bff. We had a fantastic experience, especially during their happy hour. The happy hour menu offers a wonderful variety of options at affordable prices. I ordered a spread of dishes including buffalo cauliflower, crispy deviled eggs, chicken lettuce wraps, Cajun fries, a hamburger, and buffalo nuggets, and everything was delicious. To wash it down, I tried the Jamaican punch drink which tasted refreshingly tropical. Despite the variety of dishes ordered, the wait time was minimal, and the service was friendly and efficient. The restaurant was clean and well-equipped. I would highly recommend Lazy Dog to anyone looking for great food, drinks, and service.“

“he'll mf yea this place is amazing. best tasting chicken sandwiches! real spice if u can handle the heat“

“The friendly team here keeps this place top tier. The decor in here is wonderful and well thought out. The staff here is very welcoming and the owner is here too so he definitely makes sure what you get here is quality and on point. Perfect spot for meetings or some space away from home to get some work/study done.“

“So I'll start off by saying..it should be mentioned that this is INSIDE the Lazy Dog restaurant. If I didn't read deeper into the reviews, I would've been walking through the mall aimlessly trying to find it. Walking into the restaurant, it was packed to the gills, which you can expect for a Friday night. The hostess informed me for quick service to order by the takeout area. The gentleman who took my order was kind and quick to assist me. Since there was going to be a wait, he offered me water, and I accepted. I ordered the Chicken Katsu bowl, which is delicious. It has all the ingredients that are mentioned. I am not one for condiments, but the dressing was pretty good. Whomever created this should definitely update and mention that to enjoy the food you'll have to enter a more than likely packed restaurant to enjoy. Other than that this is a great late night option for food.“

“We hired Asher's BBQ for a school event and they were amazing! The food was delicious, the prices were affordable, and the service was great. I especially like that they do an online ordering service to eliminate time waiting in line. All the families had nothing but great things to say. Would definitely ask them back again.“

“By far one of the most authentic Taiwanese restaurants I've been to. I say this because they've nailed down classic dishes you'd find in Taiwan. The oyster pancake was spot on along with the sauce. Service is pretty fast. Definitely come here for delicious Taiwanese comfort food!“

“Dumplings, beef roll, pan seared pork and corn dumplings, corn chowder, marinated cucumbers. These are my new favorite foods. Service was quick and hospitable, everyone was super helpful, friendly, and efficient. We will definitely be back!“

“Wow! ?The BBQ BEEF RIBS are soooo DELICIOUS ? and the macaroni salad is OMGoodness ? Great Place and great atmosphere ?? The front workers were so polite and enthusiastic smiles and the whole Hawaiian vibe is great energy and joyful! ? I definitely recommend trying it here or any other location and tasting the Ribs and or Chicken and Teriyaki Riblets! “

“Enjoyed some great service from Dan... He gave us some great pointers on what beers to order and introduced us to the beer club which we absolutely love!!! We've been coming here for 4+ years how did we not know about this Gem of a club .. thank you once again Dan !!!“

“Stopped by here, as this used to be my favorite Vietnamese spot, until they sold the business. This Fat Belly Grill appears to be family owned. Friendly staff were very helpful. The menu is a little all over the place, some Mexican food, some Mexican-American food, some Mediterranean food, and some American food.“

“Five stars hands down! My girlfriend was looking for Ganjang Gijang (crab marinated in soy sauce) so we found this place and decided to give it a try. We got here at 6pm and parked in the lot behind the restaurant. When we entered the restaurant I noticed we were the only customers which I thought was a little unsettling. Two ladies were preparing boxes of kimchi in the middle of the restaurant. They were both very friendly and I instantly got the feeling of sitting in the kitchen of a close relative! (my girlfriend is Korean). I went to wash my hands and found the restroom spotlessly clean. A great start. She ordered the crab and I ordered the spicy beef (brisket soup). It was most definitely one of the best spicy brisket soups I have ever had. The spice level was perfect. Not crazy that your mouth would be on fire but with a pretty good kick. The banchan (side dishes) were amazing too. I loved the Korean pancake (jeon). Overall an outstanding experience. More diners started trickling in around 6:30ish. Great service, delicious food, clean place and on top of that polite folks to dine with...what more could one ask for. I love this place and would highly recommend it. Definitely coming back.“

“This place has been here for so long. It definitely stands out among all the Asian restaurants. It’s got that old diner feel inside. My dad and I used to pickup their pot pies by the dozen and just keep them in the freezer. My first time actually dining inside haha. The staff are super nice and welcoming. Nothing beats having one of their fresh pot pies. I had the dinner plate with and extra pot pie…I could’ve done without the extra, but I loved it.“