Dino's Burgers

Dino's Burgers on West Pico Boulevard has been a South Los Angeles institution since the 1950s, a no-frills counter-service operation best known for what is perhaps the most celebrated bargain plate in the city: an enormous flame-broiled half chicken served over seasoned rice with garlic bread, ladled with house-made salsa verde. Despite the name, the chicken plate is the reason people drive across Los Angeles to eat here, not the burgers. The chicken is halved, pressed onto the charcoal flame broiler, and cooked until the skin is crackled and caramelized while the interior stays juicy; the garlic bread absorbs the drippings from the grill and the whole plate is a study in how simple, direct cooking executed with care can produce something extraordinary. Dino's operates as an entirely cash-only, counter-service establishment with minimal interior décor — a few booths, plastic trays, paper napkins — and the food is exactly what Los Angeles's working-class neighborhoods have counted on for generations. Cheeseburgers are also available and well regarded among regulars, but the chicken plate remains the order that has given Dino's its near-legendary status in LA food culture. The restaurant at 2575 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, opens daily at 8 a.m. and is best visited before the lunch rush or on weekday mornings to avoid the longest queues. Cash only, bring exact change if possible.