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Practically every restaurant opening in 2026 is a self-proclaimed neighborhood restaurant. Then there's Little Dom's, the Los Feliz local haunt with nearly two decades of staying power that looks, feels and tastes like a corner trattoria in South Philly or New York’s Little Italy. The old-school red-sauce joint is the type of place you can frequent several days a week without it hurting your body or your wallet. Every time I have a meal here (be it lunch, dinner or brunch), I leave feeling great, like I've had the next best thing to a home-cooked meal (a nonna's, specifically), despite the carbs, and the wine.
The vibe: There's a reason Jon Hamm has been a regular for years. It might have something to do with how oddly reminiscent Little Dom’s feels to the opening scene of Mad Men—sans the suited servers and Lucky Strike cigarette smoke. The crowd is as eclectic as LA gets: Teamsters, could-be-mob-types, hipsters, families, seniors, and Ryan Gosling all under one roof. It’s tough to find an empty seat in the house on any given night at 8pm, and someone somewhere in the restaurant is always talking way too loud about the script they’re writing, yet Little Dom’s never fails to feel cozy and romantic, even with the butcher paper covering the white tablecloths during dinner. Something about the sectioned-off areas, classic red leather booths, and 1930s salvaged wooden bar makes you want to sink deeper into your seat and order another martini. Speaking of…
The drink: Most patrons are knocking back a martini or two (the espresso variety is a nice pick-me-up if you're catching a 10pm show at UCB). But Little Dom's chilled red, a blend of barbera, dolcetto, malbec and sangiovese, is my poison every single time. The chalkboard to the left of the bar has turned up some real gems by the glass. Just ask my former showrunner Phil Augusta Jackson, creator of Grand Crew (the wine-bar hangout comedy inspired by nearby Covell), who's fallen for more than one lambrusco here.
The food: In 2009, Jonathan Gold wrote that the Italian wedding soup "could have come from the first scene of The Godfather." Seventeen years later, there aren't better words to describe the hearty, eggy soup chock-full of Swiss chard and tiny meatballs. It's a lovely start to every meal, or a meal in itself. I'm a creature of habit, and I can't seem to get out of what I’ll call the Little Dom’s Classics Loop. That means different things at different times of day: a focaccia turkey and avocado sandwich with a side of garlicky, lemony fried potatoes for lunch. Arugula salad with Grana Padano, wood-grilled artichoke, impeccable arancini, and proper spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. And wafer-like, crackery pizza crowned with speck and a sunny-side-up egg, followed by absurdly good blueberry-ricotta pancakes, cooked in a cast-iron skillet and fluffy as can be, for brunch. Should you deviate from the classics, the springy zitoni with mustard greens and mushroom bolognese is a meat-free option that delights. So is the celery and parmesan agnolotti with spicy crawfish sauce, a nod to chef Brandon Boudet's New Orleans roots.
Time Out tip: Monday night supper features a different three-course meal every week for $25 a head. Plus an entire bottle of Little Dom’s chilled red for $28. ‘Nuff said.