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The Details:
12114 Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Phone: (310) 398-6326
Mon-Sat 6:30am – 8:30pm
Sun 7am – 8:30pm
Website: www.ruttscafe.com
The Los Angeles Foodie Rating:
The Summary:
If you would rather listen to this review instead of reading it, you can skip directly to the LA Foodie podcast where Rutt’s is the featured restaurant review.
Rutt’s is a great place for breakfast, but they have plenty of lunch specials and dinner choices. So don’t skip Rutt’s just because it’s already past breakfast time. They’re open until 8:30 PM, after all. But if you are there for breakfast, don’t skip the french toast. Any other time of the day, try the Loco Moco, any of the Royales, or the Spam Musubi. I’m not crazy about the shaved ice (it isn’t correctly tempered for a “soft” shave), but if you are looking for something cold, the peach Slushie is awesome.
The Place:
This is one of those “you might drive by it all the time” places, which is weird because the building is so unique. Once you are standing in front of Rutt’s, you wonder to yourself, “Wait… I’ve been passing this place every morning for three years?”
Inside, there is seating for about 30 at tables and a lunch counter with stools. There are usually a couple of plastic tabeles out front, but the prime outdoor seating is inside of the attached “hut” that is off to one side. But really, any seat is a good seat, and the vibe is super casual. The requisite “hang loose” signs and other Hawaiian accouterments abound, but at its core, Rutt’s is a diner.
The Food:
The full menu is LARGE. You might want to study before you actually head over to the restaurant. The menu is pork-heavy and features typical Hawaiian barbecue selections like Kalua pork and BBQ chicken. This is comfort food, and the portions will comfort you into letting your belt out a notch or two.
Rutt’s is well-known as a breakfast joint, and they know the breakfast game well. Eggs are expertly prepared (mmmm, runny yolks), toast is golden brown, and everything that’s supposed to be hot is hot when it arrives. The french toast, made with King’s Hawaiian (or similar) bread and served as gigantic wedges, cannot be missed.
The Service:
The service at Rutt’s is my favorite kind. You are treated like they genuinely care that you are there. The ordering and expediting is efficient, and the servers know a ton about the menu, which is shockingly rare.
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