Viewing entries tagged
Downtown
I remember when Pete’s Cafe first opened. There was a tower of bottles behind the bar and the whole neighborhood (all 300 people) was there. My friend Raina took me, because back then I was new to DTLA and still needed local guidance.
Over the last many years I’ve had so many wonderful times in the back four-top on the patio (my favorite table). I met one of the few people in DTLA that I’ve dated there (he later decided he was straight and moved to New York). I’ve had meetings and drinks at Pete’s with all sorts of DTLA glitteratti like Hal Bastian, Justin Weiss and Azzi Kashani.
I have to admit, I never got around to trying the whole menu. I stuck to the Hellman burger or the breakfast menu for pretty much every meal. I do remember some awesome braised short ribs and of course the mac n cheese is pretty perfect. If I liked blue cheese I’m sure I would have salivated over the fries that are slathered in it (I know all the rest of my friends did).
The service was always spotty at best, and seemed to change every couple months. I know there have been several head chefs and countless managers, but it’s always been there, with the promise of slightly overpriced but delicious food and good times.
Rumor on the street is that Pete’s Cafe will cease to exist on Wednesday. At least in its curent form. A friend of a friend who works there has already received their walking papers with a bunch of other Pete’s employees. Now, I do have insider info that we’re not loosing the corner eatery at 4th and Main. It’s just going to evolve. Who knows, next week it could look exactly the same. On the other hand, we could see some menu shifting, management shuffling or maybe even a complete rebranding if a new entity takes it over.
Stay tuned!!
There’s more of them in Downtown LA than any other. Chances are, if you live in an affordable loft in Historic Downtown (remember that consistent branding - keep it up people), you live in one of Barry’s buildings. Mr. Barry Shy has the shittiest of shitty reputations in DTLA, and rightfully so. He has been sued by countless numbers of tenants (mostly in his for-sale buildings rather than his rental units), and is generally regarded as an impediment to DTLA retail (word on the street is he just won’t spend anything on ANYTHING).
But what’s it really like to live in one of his buildings as a renter. This is small town living and word gets around. You might be considering sending one of your friends to one of his buildings cause you want them to join the neighborhood, but at an affordable rate. But they’re your homie and you’re not looking to get involved in the drama if they get screwed. So lets bottom line it here.
One - the newer buildings are way better than the older ones. period.
Two - it’s really hard to beat their prices, but don’t trust their price per square foot, they’ve been sued too many times for it to ever be considered accurate
Three - service is not their speciality, don’t expect a building that gets involved, it’s like Southwest with BS buildings, no frills, low prices
Three - The hallways are weird and might smell, no idea why they do in these buildings more than others.. but they do
Four - if you’re young, and chill, and pretty no frills yourself, you probably wont ever meet Mr. Shy or notice anything wrong with your loft, you’ll pay your rent on time and party with your neighbors.
Five - if you’re not down with the above, move on.
For those of you who are new to my column, I’m a long time Historic Downtown resident (that’s what we’re supposed to call it by the way “Historic Downtown” according to the DCBID - repeat it - consistent branding is important people!). Anyway, not to date myself, but I DO remember when there were NO lines in DTLA. That is no longer the case.
It’s not all bad, lines mean that people want to come down here, are willing to wait, and are helping our local economy. However, we are just a small town. If you were in the picket fence version of DTLA, lines and dress codes would seem ridiculous. The goal in small towns is to get the locals in and keep em coming back. Sending away a regular because the shoes they’ve got on are the raggedy Vans that they love does not bode well for repeat business.
There’s got to be a happy medium. Luckily, we’ve already got one. The DTLA Resident Card can help business owners identify locals, and guess what they are already using it! (Shameless self promotion here as my company runs the program) Exchange LA, already has a Locals Line and its FREE before midnight. Next time you’re waiting in line at somewhere super cool in DTLA ask em if they’ve got a Locals Line, maybe they’ll add one!
Now back to the dress codes. Sometimes you just gotta keep the riff raff out. Dress codes are the best way to do this. DTLA owners listen up! A consistent door staff who is empowered get to know the locals, make exceptions to the usual rules, and is above all friendly will carry these clubs the rest of the way to keeping their neighborhood business.