4 Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Los Angeles: May 15

Every Friday, our editors compile a trusty list of recommendations to answer the most pressing of questions: “Where should I eat?“ Here are four places to check out this weekend in Los Angeles. And if you need some ideas on where to drink, here’s our list of the hottest places to get cocktails in town.

For a mom-and-pop burger joint seeking community support: Burger Basket in Monrovia

Burger Basket endures as a classic California burger joint that’s been open since the 1960s, currently owned and operated by husband-and-wife duo Phiyapan Pimolasavakun and Vorawat Narkmanee. It’s a spot I’ve known since I was a kid and recently revisited following news of the owners’ being burglarized of their life savings and calls for community support. The food at Burger Basket remains unfussy; as the name suggests, find a menu of burgers, steak sandwiches, hot dogs, and fried fish with sides of fries and onion rings. You can also order Thai tea — a nod to the current owners’ Thai heritage — and specials that include pastrami. Small, independent restaurants in Los Angeles with hand-painted menus and window paintings are few and far between and it’s vital to rally behind them in times of need. 501 W. Duarte Road Building 1/2, Monrovia, CA 91016. — Kat Thompson, audience editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest

For weekend brunch amid an ocean breeze: Marelle at the Sandbourne Santa Monica

Marelle, an all-day restaurant tucked into the sleek Sandbourne hotel in Santa Monica like a creamy millennial-coded fever dream, serves an ocean-facing brunch that delivers on beachside presentation. Grab one of the patio banquettes facing the Pacific and let yourself enjoy the full spectrum of the menu: whipped feta dip with cured olives and blistered tomatoes shouldn’t be missed (have it with crudité plucked from the Santa Monica farmers market that day), nor should reimagined classics such as fried chicken and pancakes with crispy Jidori chicken breast, fluffy buttermilk flapjacks, sweet roasted peppers, ample clarified butter, and maple syrup. A kids’ menu brimming with lunch and breakfast favorites will satisfy the young ones while mom and dad order from a high-octane bloody mary cart that may include toppings such as caviar-stuffed olives, poached shrimp, bacon, and violet-hued pickled quail eggs. 1740 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager

For limited-time birria XLB: Paradise Dynasty in Glendale

There is one surefire way for an international chain to ingratiate itself to Angeleons: collaborate with a beloved local restaurant. So it is little surprise that Instagram recently popped off with reel after reel of the Paradise Dynasty x Burritos La Palma birria xiao long bao. The collaboration dish features birria de res from Burritos La Palma tucked into puffy dumplings that arrive dyed in a camera-ready red-to-white gradient; instead of vinegar and chile oil, it’s served with green chiles and thin salsa roja. The combination is as fun as it sounds: Biting into one effectively blends the brothy burst of xiao long bao with the richness of a birria burrito. Are the original versions of these dishes better? Yes, but it’s a charming diversion that made me excited about Paradise Dynasty’s newish Glendale location, and it inspired a return to Burritos La Palma — meaning this fusion is working exactly as intended. 177 Caruso Avenue, Glendale, CA 91210. — Ben Mesirow, associate travel editor

For all things spicy tuna: Iroha Sushi of Tokyo in Studio City

More than two-decade-old Studio City sushi destination Iroha Sushi of Tokyo remains the stuff of legend — and not just because of that time an angry diner threw a 13-foot python into the dining room. Set right on the Valley’s Sushi Row, Iroha offers a nearly endless menu of specialty rolls, ramen, sushi burgers, and plenty of spicy-tuna topped snacks. Always start with the crispy sushi rice cake crowned with spicy tuna and an order of edamame. Go for the Crunchy Roll next, which comes both filled and topped with a verifiable mountain of spicy tuna (or your choice of other fish) large enough to obscure the rounds below. Iroha endures as everything you want in a neighborhood spot: Minimal waits, generous portions, and enough variety to please even those that just aren’t that into sushi. 12953 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604. — Rebecca Roland, deputy editor, Southern California/Southwest