Philippe the Original, Los Angeles

i have been going here for 39 years. and as a kid i loved the cold glass of lemonade. and the pickles. and the old ladys who served the food. i came back to bring my hubby the only thing thats diff is th sandwich is small now but love the mustard opens ur sinus.born and raised in LOS ANGELES MY HOME SWEET HOME

The sandwiches are to die for. My personal preference is the lamb, double-dipped. The meats are slow roasted--always moist and flavorful. Sometimes I put their homemade mustard on and sometimes I have it Au natural. The potato salad (my personal favorite side dish) is some of the best I've ever had. The atmosphere is--who cares? The lines are sometimes very long, but it's all part of the experience. It's also worth noting that there is an additional parking lot across the street for those heavy-load days.

Words just cant describe the aura of this place, and the great taste,...I lived in SoCal from 72, to 75,..and this place is a favorite spot, with fond memories,..I'd like to make a Special trip back out west,..just to go to Philippe's again !

I you're in downtown LA, and have never tried this place, it's as everyone here has said; it's great. Their lamb, roast beef, pork french dip sandwiches are an institution. My father went there as a kid and it's always been just like the descriptions here.

I love this place! I have been coming here with my family since I was a little kid. If I get to choose where I spend my birthday this is where I will go. I love to share this place with out of town friends as this place is what Los Angeles is all about. I have even had the opportunity to eat breakfast here, yum yum. I always order a French Dip Beef Sandwich and I have them double dip it. The mustard is so tasty and you can even take some home! Pickled eggs are another favorite of mine. I enjoy the decorations. There is a picture of a Santa Fe diesel locomotive that busted out of the train station hanging near the front door. The train display is a real treat too. Check out the circus and baseball memorabilia that decorate the place. The phone booths have doors and seats for privacy. This is one restaurant that everyone should go to when they visit Los Angeles.

The perfect spot in Downtown LA for breakfast! Open right at 6:00A, this place is not one for the touristas, but for the locals .. .. A renowned spot for those coming/going to Dodger games, Santa Anita/Hollywood Park racetracks, watch the spectrum of Los Angeles pass in front of ya .. .. Sawdust on the floor, wooden booths, community tables all bring back visions of LA in the 60's and 70's .. .. Great French Dip sandwiches, but breakfast is also terrific .. .. Omelettes are great, but try to get your BISCUITS! fresh, home-made and mouth-watering .. .. AND 10 CENTS FOR A CUP OF COFFEE!!

After reading all the great reviews about Philippes on this site, I decided to give it a try. We had tickets to a Dodger game which also seems to add to the history in many peoples minds. Walking in, the decor was just what I expected from an old LA establishment, order at the counter and sit at communal tables, rustic all-the-way. Next question is what to order. Of course you can't go to Philippe's without ordering the famed french dip sandwich. Since it was me and my wife we decide also to try the lamb sandwich. Our food was very disappointing. The beef on the sandwich was dry and tasteless. While the lamb had better flavor and was moist the portions of meat on both sandwiches was skimpy. I also had a side of cole slaw which was OK, but could not be compared to the slaw you get at the Pantry. The so called fresh lemonade was ordinary. With all of the great food in LA and even within one block at Olvero street and China town, I can not see going there again. The history just didn't carry the experience for me. I would rather have had an overpriced Dodger Dog at the game.