LAReview
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Kuya Lord
Included In
Among the many fast-casual restaurants in LA, Kuya Lord seems like another great spot to put in your rotation. You could easily stop in for a quick chicken rice bowl and be out the door in under eight minutes. And while we’re not going to deter you from doing that, you should also plan to stop and stay awhile—there’s a lot more going on at this Filipino restaurant in East Hollywood than meets the eye.
Because while Kuya Lord does have the efficiency of a counter service restaurant, it also offers incredible food, and the soothing, personal atmosphere of a family-run restaurant.
LA Guide
LA's Best New Restaurants Of 2022
Kuya Lord originally started as a pop-up. The chef sold takeout trays out of his private residence during the pandemic, a time when DMing strangers and showing up at their house for dinner wasn’t out of the ordinary. These days, it’s operating out of a tiny cafe space at the corner of Melrose and Western, but the food is just as spectacular as when we named it one of our most memorable meals of 2020. With a front counter, some scattered tables, and news clippings framed on the wall, the space is straightforward, but not without warmth. The chef periodically comes out of the kitchen to hang with the diners, sharing stories about growing up in Lecena, Quazon, or explaining how the noodle special reminds him of a specific moment from his childhood in the Philippines. This alone transforms the space from a sparse dining room into a place of comfort, like you’re eating at a friend’s house who happens to own a cash register.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
As for the menu, it’s essentially broken down into two sections: individual rice bowls and “Kuya Trays,” large shareable platters that come with garlic rice, pancit, and salad. From there, you choose a protein, which could be anything from wood-smoked chicken, prawns drenched in garlic sauce, to grilled tofu and mushrooms. Each protein is also available a la carte, which gives you a route to trying a bunch of different items without having to order six rice bowls. At dinner, look out for the specials, a small set of changing dishes like beef soup, or a version of pancit made with thin noodles instead of the thick ones on the regular menu. Got all that? It can be a little tricky to parse, so give yourself a minute to soak it all in—and become comfortable with the fact that, whether you’re alone or with friends, you’re definitely going to order too much food.
Our usual pick is the tray with sweet sausage and short rib. At $43, it might not seem priced for a casual lunch, but it’s also built to feed 2-3 grown adults. And believe us, it does. Other proteins like the crunchy, fatty lucenachon and smoky yellowtail collar are so good, we prefer to order them separately just so we can appreciate the flavors on their own. And you know we’re not leaving without a mini calamansi pie at the end. All of which is to say: if it’s your first trip to Kuya Lord, bring family and friends. There’s simply too much delicious stuff to try and flavors to explore all alone. From there, hone in on your favorites, and use return trips for quick solo lunches and weeknight dinners. And yes, we predict there will be many of those in your future.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Kuya Tray
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Lucenachon
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Prawns
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Hiramasa Collar
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Laing Vol-Au-Vent
photo credit: Jakob Layman