I Spent a Week Eating at 5 New LA Restaurants — Here's the Honest Truth

I love food. Maybe a little too much. My fridge is a graveyard of half-used condiments and my Yelp history reads like a confession of someone with a problem. But when five new restaurants opened in Los Angeles within two weeks of each other, I knew I had to do my duty as a professional eater.

Let me clarify: not all of these are brand new. A couple are pop-ups that turned permanent. One is a chef's second location. But they've all been open for less than a month, and the hype trains are already rolling. I visited each one over the past seven days, spending roughly $400 of my own money (and my editor's mercy) to bring you the truth.

Spoiler alert: one of these places is genuinely life-changing. Another is a complete waste of time. Let's start with the bad news.

The Overhyped Letdown: Smash Hit Burger in Silver Lake

I'll rip the bandaid off first. Smash Hit Burger opened on Sunset Boulevard two weeks ago, and the TikTok algorithm has been kind to them. Videos of their "double smash with secret sauce" have millions of views. People are waiting 45 minutes for a burger. I wanted to love it.

I ordered the double smash ($16), a side of truffle fries ($8), and a milkshake ($9). The burger arrived after a 35-minute wait. The patties were thin and crispy at the edges, which is the whole point of a smash burger. The cheese was melted properly. The bun was toasted. Technically, it was fine.

But fine is not worth 35 minutes. The patties had no beefy flavor — they tasted like they were cooked on a griddle that hadn't been seasoned properly. The "secret sauce" was just Thousand Island dressing with a hint of sriracha. The truffle fries were literally just frozen fries with truffle oil drizzled on top. I could taste the oil's synthetic aftertaste.

The milkshake was thick and good, I'll give them that. But a $9 milkshake should be life-changing, not just "good."

Look, I get it. Smash burgers are trendy. But this place coasts on hype and social media presence. The actual product is mediocre. Skip it. Go to Goldburger in Echo Park instead — same price, better taste, shorter wait.

The Surprise Gem: Khao Na by Night in Thai Town

I almost skipped this one because the name is terrible. "Khao Na by Night" sounds like a bad 90s sitcom. But a friend who's a Thai chef told me I had to go. The owner, a woman named Pranee, used to run a street food stall in Bangkok before moving to LA. This is her first brick-and-mortar location, and it opened last Tuesday.

The place is tiny — maybe 20 seats — and the menu has exactly eight items. I ordered the Khao Na Ped (duck on rice, $14) and the Tom Yum Goong (shrimp soup, $12).

The duck was perfection. The skin was crispy, the meat was tender, and the sauce — a dark, savory gravy with star anise and cinnamon — coated every grain of jasmine rice. It was the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes while you chew. I caught myself doing it and didn't care.

The Tom Yum was equally impressive. It was spicy enough to make my nose run but balanced with coconut milk and lime. The shrimp were plump and fresh. I've had Tom Yum at dozens of LA Thai restaurants, and this is in the top three.

Pranee came out to ask how everything was. She told me she wakes up at 5 AM to prep the duck. You can taste the effort. This place is the real deal. Go before the line gets insane.

The Tasting Menu That Changed My Mind: Sora in Arts District

Sora is a Japanese kaiseki restaurant that opened in the Arts District last month. The chef, Kenji Murakami, previously worked at n/naka (two Michelin stars). The tasting menu is $185 per person, not including drinks or tip. I went with a friend, and we splurged on the sake pairing ($85 each). Total for two: over $600. That hurt.

Was it worth it? Unequivocally yes. This was the best meal I've had in Los Angeles this year, and maybe in the top five of my entire life.

The meal had 12 courses. That sounds like a lot, but each one was small and precise. There was a course of Hokkaido uni on a bed of rice that was so fresh it tasted like the ocean. There was a slice of Wagyu that melted on my tongue like butter. There was a clear soup with a single shrimp dumpling that somehow contained more flavor than entire bowls of ramen I've had.

The sake pairing was smart — not just the obvious picks. They served a sparkling sake with the uni course that I've never seen before. I asked the sommelier about it, and she said it's from a small brewery in Akita that only exports 200 bottles a year to the US. That's the kind of detail that makes a meal special.

Is it affordable? No. Is it a splurge? Absolutely. But if you care about food as an art form, Sora is a must-visit.

The Casual Spot That Nails It: Pasta Friend in Highland Park

Pasta Friend opened in a converted garage in Highland Park. The concept is simple: fresh pasta made daily, three rotating sauces, and a salad. That's it. No appetizers, no desserts, no drinks except bottled water and canned Italian sodas. Bowls range from $12 to $15.

I went on a Wednesday at 6 PM and waited 20 minutes for a seat. The place seats maybe 15 people, all at a communal table. The vibe is cozy and unpretentious. The guy making the pasta — his name is Marco, and he's from Bologna — works in an open kitchen where you can see him rolling and cutting fresh noodles.

I ordered the cacio e pepe ($14). It was simple, but simple is hard. The cheese was sharp and salty. The pepper was freshly cracked and assertive without being overwhelming. The pasta itself was perfectly al dente — that slight chewiness you only get from fresh pasta. I finished the bowl in about four minutes.

My friend got the pomodoro ($12), and I stole a bite. The tomato sauce tasted like actual tomatoes — sweet, slightly acidic, with basil leaves torn on top. No sugar added, no weird preservatives. Just good ingredients treated with respect.

This is the kind of place I dream about. Affordable, authentic, and focused. If you live in LA and haven't been, you're missing out.

The Disappointing Trend: Plant Pioneers in West Hollywood

Plant Pioneers is a vegan restaurant that opened on Santa Monica Boulevard. I'm not vegan, but I eat plant-based meals a couple times a week. I was excited to try their "impossible burger" and "chick'n" sandwich, both of which were heavily promoted on Instagram.

The food arrived fast — under 10 minutes — which should have been a red flag. The burger was dry. The patty had a strange texture, almost mealy, and the bun fell apart after two bites. The "chick'n" sandwich was better — the breading was crispy and well-seasoned — but the portion was tiny for $16.

The biggest issue was the service. The staff seemed disinterested. I asked for water twice and never got it. The place was half empty, so it wasn't a rush issue. They just didn't care.

I wanted to like Plant Pioneers. LA needs more good vegan options. But this place feels like it was designed for social media, not for actual eating. The food is fine. The experience is not. I won't be going back.

My Final Rankings

If you're planning a food tour of LA's newest spots, here's my honest list:

1. Sora — Splurge-worthy, unforgettable, a true culinary experience. 2. Khao Na by Night — Affordable, authentic, run by someone who genuinely cares. 3. Pasta Friend — Simple perfection, great value, cozy atmosphere. 4. Plant Pioneers — Mediocre food, bad service, skip it. 5. Smash Hit Burger — Overhyped, underwhelming, not worth the wait.

LA's food scene is always evolving. These five openings tell a story: the best food comes from people who care about the craft, not from marketing teams. Go find the Pranees and Marcos of the world. They're the ones worth your time and money.