I have mentioned before that I’m always on the lookout for good late night dining. There seems to be a surprising shortage of it in Los Angeles, a city where I would expect to find it on every other corner. There is a small beacon of hope, however, in this vast, barren landscape of impossibly early restaurant closings - Swinger’s Diner.
Swinger’s is the L.A. version of an Americana diner. It has good food and wonderful hours. It will be open at three AM when you’re done partying and you want something to eat. It will be open early in the morning when you and your friends need an easy breakfast. It’s open when you’re on your lunch break and when you’re trying to find a place to eat dinner at midnight.
The food is incredibly varied, and there’s something on the menu for everybody. You can go with the traditional diner fare and have a big burger, fries, and a slice of apple pie a la mode. If you want something a little more healthy, try a tofu stir fry with a side of sauteed quinoa. There are multiple vegan items, like chocolate chip cookies and a delicious vegan wrap that I always get even though I have nothing against meat. They also have plenty of dishes in between those two extremes - California BLT, jerk chicken salad, etc. - and they serve breakfast all day (try the multigrain banana pancakes!).
Swinger’s is usually pretty low key throughout the day, but if you show up around midnight or so you’ll suddenly find it fairly packed. There’s always good music playing, and the vibe is hipster-cool. The prices are also really reasonable. There’s a Swinger’s in Santa Monica at Lincoln and Broadway and one on Beverly three blocks west of Fairfax, so both sides of town are covered. The next time you find yourself trolling the city in the middle of the night, looking for a place to eat, try Swinger’s. You’ll leave happy.
Swinger’s Diner, open 6:30am - 4:00am daily
0 responses so far ↓
Subscribe to our RSS Feed and leave a comment to enter the commentator of the week competition and win a $20 Amazon.com gift voucher.
Leave a Comment