LAReview
Included In
We don’t need to remind anyone how dark the news is these days. Which is why when some actual good news happens unexpectedly, it can feel a bit surreal—like at the start of 2022 when Here’s Looking At You reopened after being closed (seemingly permanently) for the past two years. After an extended hiatus, it’s a minor miracle that this genre-bending Koreatown restaurant not only has the lights back on, but is operating at the top of its game once again. Whether you were an old HLAY regular or have never heard of the place, we recommend getting there ASAP.
The most important thing to know about this iteration of HLAY is that it’s picked up right where the original left off—a buzzy neighborhood spot with great cocktails and creative food you’ll be thinking about all week. It’s still located at the corner of 6th and S. Oxford and the interior is decorated with the same random art photography and long gray window curtains that wouldn’t look out of place at the LAX Ramada. Diners without reservations line up nightly waiting for the doors to open at 6pm. By 6:30pm, the bar is packed with regulars drinking delicious tiki-inspired cocktails, and tables are filled with friends all trying to decide if they should order the chicken liver mousse and spicy frog legs like always or try something new.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
HLAY pulls influence from Los Angeles in two ways, drawing from the different cultures that inhabit it—Mexican, Peruvian, Thai, Vietnamese, etc.—but also staying rooted in California produce and ingredients. The result of those two perspectives coming together is a menu of truly distinctive dishes, ones which feel like they could only exist at HLAY.
There's the sweet-salty steak tartare seasoned with red chili and tamari, shishito peppers dusted in preserved dried plums, and summer tomatoes topped with bagna cauda and crispy lap xuong. HLAY’s dishes mostly arrive as smaller shared plates, but don’t think for a second you’re in for a night of dainty two-bite sideshows. This is hearty food, packed with bold flavors and sauces that make every dish—no matter how big the actual portion is—feel substantial.
There’s a nice mix of old favorites and new standouts on HLAY’s current menu—the crispy duck confit is another must—but you probably shouldn’t get too attached to anything here. Dishes get swapped out often, but the good news is they almost always reappear down the road. And that’s why HLAY has become such a singular LA dining experience. It’s a place that puts emphasis on familiarity and community—a major reason why regulars pop in nightly—and yet, also continues to push its own creative envelope. You might come here to fulfill a months-long craving for an old dish, but you’ll walk out mostly thinking about all the new dishes you tried—and how soon down the road you’ll be reappearing to eat them again.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Uni Panna Cotta
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Scallops
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Frog Legs
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Steak Tartare
photo credit: Jakob Layman
Chicken Liver
photo credit: Jakob Layman