Be honest, what’s the absolute worst restaurant experience you’ve had in Los Angeles?
Overhyped, terrible service, food that made you regret every life choice that led you there… spill the details. Name the place (and neighborhood if you want), what went wrong, and whether you’d ever go back.
Looking forward to the horror stories!
Hands down 800 Degrees at LAX. Paid like $22 for a sad, floppy “wood-fired” pizza that tasted like it came out of a microwave. Crust was cardboard, cheese was rubber, and the whole place smelled like regret and jet fuel.
The workers had such an attitude. Should have read the Google reviews. Never again.
LAX and the surrounding areas have some really bad spots.
Worst experience for me was the Umami Burger at LAX (Terminal whatever). 2.6 stars with almost 900 reviews and it still somehow under-delivered. The burger was dry, the “truffle” fries were just regular fries with a faint chemical aftertaste, and they charged airport-premium prices for it. Service was indifferent at best. Felt like a brand that peaked ten years ago and never recovered.
So true, I can add to that list. 
Ever tried Slapfish at LAX? Because nothing says “fresh California seafood” like a $30 lobster roll the size of a golf ball and fish tacos that somehow managed to be both greasy and flavorless at the same time. Bonus points for the automatic 18% service charge on counter service. Truly an experience.
Chipotle Mexican Grill in Century City. I hate to be the one who writes or leaves bad reviews, but this is the worst Chipotle location I’ve ever been to.. Service was super slow and ordering ahead didn’t help. Expect to wait at least 20 minutes. A lot of ingredients were out. The people who work there are rude for no reason. I heard from a couple of people who went there and work in that area, that they found a roach in their food.
Just avoid this location at all costs.
El Pollo Loco in South Gate. I wonder how that one is somehow still open. The chicken was charred in some places and undercooked in others, a true achievement. If you’re looking for the opposite of “fire-grilled perfection,” this is your spot. Service was very rude too. Don’t expect to get a refund. They won’t even fix your chicken.
Drove past a Church’s Chicken in Hyde Park that was hovering around 2.0–2.5 stars and thought “how bad could it be?” Pretty bad. Order was wrong, the chicken tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp since yesterday, and the whole place felt neglected. Lesson learned the expensive way. Not sure if that one is still open.
Wow, that is truly concerning. Looks like some Google reviews mention that too. 
Serving undercooked chicken isn’t acceptable at all. 
Thanks guys, not hungry anymore.
Krispy Rice in North Hollywood was at least the worst fish I had. It’s mostly a delivery/ghost-kitchen operation known for fancy pink packaging and “crispy rice” sushi boxes. Rice is mostly undercooked or mushy. Their fish doesn’t taste fresh at all. One time was enough. Had stomach issues for 2-3 days afterwards. That’s what you get for not checking the reviews.
That’s the problem with bad seafood. It doesn’t just taste bad. Thanks for the warning.