Want the inside word on Los Angeles's most talked-about local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which eateries have been seeing especially high review volumes this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Los Angeles businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increase their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are extra cool this spring.
Veggie Grill
Having just opened in 2019, this New American spot for salads, sandwiches and more is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp.
Citywide, New American spots saw a median 1.9 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Veggie Grill saw a 94.3 percent increase, maintaining a superior four-star rating throughout.
Located at 523 W. Sixth St. in downtown Los Angeles, Veggie Grill offers a wide health food menu including seasonal options like the bulgogi beef protein bowl, barbecue pulled pork sandwich, asparagus pea soup and more. A kids menu is also available.
SSAL Teriyaki and BBQ
Historic Filipinotown's SSAL Teriyaki and BBQ is also making waves. Open since 2018 at 2532 W. Temple St., the Japanese and barbecue spot has seen a 43.8 percent bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.3 percent for all businesses tagged "Barbeque" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, SSAL Teriyaki and BBQ's review count increased by more than 200 percent.
There's more than one hotspot trending in Los Angeles's barbecue category: Pearl's BBQ has seen a 25 percent increase in reviews.
SSAL Teriyaki and BBQ offers a variety of sushi, barbecue and teriyaki bowls and party trays that serve five to six people. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating tick down from five stars to 4.5 stars.
Ay Papa Que Rico
Sun Valley's Ay Papa Que Rico is the city's buzziest Latin American spot by the numbers.
The Cuban and Latin American spot, which offers barbecue and more, opened at 8204 Sunland Blvd. in 2018. Over the past month, it has increased its new review count by 33.3 percent, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.1 percent for the Yelp category "Latin American."
Ay Papa Que Rico offers entrees featuring chicken, ribs, steak and sausage, in addition to sandwiches, burgers, burritos and quesadillas. The restaurant also offers an extensive list of appetizers, which include plates of caramelized plantains, yuca fries, empanadas and more.
Le Petit Marché
Melrose's Le Petit Marché is currently on the upswing in the French category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "French" on Yelp saw a median 1.6 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, this French spot and cocktail bar increased its by 17.8 percent—and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 160 percent on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 5665 Melrose Ave. since 2018, the French restaurant, gourmet market and bar offers breakfast, lunch and dinner items alongside desserts like the tarte caramel pumpkin seeds and tiramisu.
The cocktail bar features drinks made with natural ingredients, with selections like the Paris rain "coq-tail," made with Uncle Val’s botanical gin, St. Germain, concord, thai basil and champagne.
(View the full menu here.)
Brite Spot
Open since 1949 but redesigned by new owners in 2019, this traditional American spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "American (Traditional)" saw a median 2.1 percent increase in new reviews over the past month, but Brite Spot saw a 38.7 percent increase, with a slight downward trend from a 3.5-star rating a month ago to three stars today.
Located at 1918 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park, Brite Spot offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items. Customer favorites include the fried green tomato Benedict, chicken and waffles, steak and fries and the winter vegetable pot pie. For those with youngsters, a kids menu is also available.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
