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Amalia's Guatemalan Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American
751 N Virgil AveLos Angeles, CA 90029
Neighborhood: Wilshire Center
(323) 644-1515
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
80 reviews for Amalia's Guatemalan Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Seriously, the refried black beans are amazing." In 5 reviews -
"...homey atmosphere, festive live music and speedy friendly..." In 6 reviews -
"try their Plato Amalia you just can't go wrong." In 10 reviews
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79 reviews in English
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Review from Janice T.
Seattle, WA
5/6/2012
Chosen because they open at 8 am on Sundays, Amalia's was a huge hit.
I had the Huevos y plantanos, and my friends had the Amalita's breakfast. Everything was delicious, including the homemade tortillas (they gave the option is tortillas or bread).
The service was also friendly and attentive.
This place starts the "Everytime I'm in LA, I will eat here" list. -
Review from M K.
Lakewood, CA
5/15/2012
Worst Mother's Day Dinner Ever! Or shall I say drinks as our dinner never arrived! I don't know why they have reservations if they do not stick to it!
We arrived at our reservation time only to wait 20-30mins to get seated. People who came in after us with a large party and no reservations were seated before us!
Service: one word- HORRIBLE!
The service here is by far the worst experience we have ever had at any restaurant (American, Asian, Hispanic, etc). It was pretty ridiculous at how many times we asked several waiters, including the owner herself, for how long our food will be, which in the end was never as it was well over an hour and still no success.
To have bad service from the waiter is one thing, but to have an argumentative, non-apologetic owner is worse! What standard is this? Her attitude was uncalled for, especially for customers who have been waiting well over an hour for both food and service!!!!!! She will state that the ticket shows that we were waiting 45mins, but that doesn't include the 20-30min wait for our table. The 10min wait for our waiter, and the other 10min wait for our drinks!
We were all trying to be very patient as this was our first time coming here, it was a Mother's Day celebration and we wanted to treat our mom who is from Guatemala... but our patient only lasted so long. We had seen countless tables, both large and small, eat, drink and leave well before our food was even ready!!!
The owner's attitude was horrible and she even had the audacity to say in Spanish that if we didn't want to wait then we can leave! OMG! Who says that?
What type of service is this? Own up to your mistake of the prolonged cooking time and poor service you provided!!!!!!! She will state that home cooked meals take a longer time, but how is this statement even true when we saw tables, both big and small, seated after us receive their meals? She really needs to go back to school on service and how to treat customers.
The owner should've been more grateful at the fact that she had customers and not have the mentality of she could care less whether the customer stayed or not. She clearly does not understand that eating out is a luxury, especially in an economy where people are trying to save and staying in to eat.
I normally don't write reviews but I had to warn people of the horrible service we received! This is the first and the last time we ever consider this place. -
Review from Steve V.
4/20/2012
Came here on a Sunday afternoon after finding it on Yelp. This is definitely the place to go for authentic Guatemalan food. Our server was Amalia's daughter, who was very helpful. She stressed that everything is made "in house." Quite literally, the restaurant is a former house on a corner with outdoor seating.
I would recommend the Amalia's Appetizer Sampler. It really has something for everyone and gives you a good variety, including their ceviche, which was excellent. For my entree, I had the Amalia's plate, which had beef, pork, chile relleno and chorizo. I would stay away from the chorizo as it was not too tasty. However, the beef and pork were grilled and the flavor and smell were amazing.
the complimentary chips and two salsas were amazing as well, I particularly liked the orange salsa. A quality establishment. -
Review from Guadalupe E.
Los Angeles, CA
5/24/2012
If you wish to feel like you are at home, this is the place to be. I wouldn't mind on waiting for a table. I have done it in the past and the wait is worth it. The perfect place to go for breakfast after Mass on Sundays, just like we do most of them with my family.
The food is authentic delicious Guatemalan food. Excellent service, very friendly all the time. They all already know what I like and how I like it...Mother's day was a very nice experience, of course it was busy, I would not have expected otherwise. I am looking forward on repeating it next year again, or maybe there will be a Father's day Celebration, If so I will be there! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE AMALIA'S STAFF MEMBERS YOU ARE AWESOME!!! ;) Lupita -
Review from R M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/17/2012
Great Mother's Day Dinner, I came to write a great review but I saw MK's comment and I have to disagree with MK from Lakewood, CA and I was there the table next to MK and we had a large party as well and as everyone knows no matter what restaurant you go to on Mother's Day you will have to wait even if you have an reservation and this is common sense because people stay longer.
The service was good for being so busy and we had a great time besides hearing the table next to us complaining about everything, the owner was apologetic and tried to cater to the table and make them happy but no matter what she did MK's table complained and did not wait 5 more minutes for the food to come out when the owner specifically explained that the food is coming out of the kitchen as we speak but I guess that was not good for MK's table and after MK's table complained so much and saying we are leaving the owner nicely said again the food it's on way out the kitchen but if you want to leave I understand and that was all she said.
As soon as MK's table left the food came out and the owner offered the food for us to take home for free and thanks to MK's table I had Guatemalan food for lunch and dinner the next day.
Bottom line we had a great time and would recommend the food and service and I will go back again and try it without some ungrateful person complaining.
P.S. MK just an advise if you don't like to wait I will recommend for you not to go out for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day because everywhere will be packed and you have to wait and most of all you don't ruin other people's good time with your attitude. -
Review from Margarita L.
Granada Hills, Los Angeles, CA
5/15/2012
We were at Amalia's on Saturday, celebrating our Mother's Day weekend. The food was absolutely delicious and fresh. The place was packed, but we were able to get seated and our dishes were out in less than 30 minutes. We were expecting a long wait considering the typical holiday wait. It was all perfect, and I know we will be back next year with our moms!!
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Review from Katherine S.
Los Angeles, CA
My boyfriend and I felt like trying something new for his birthday, so we dropped into Amalia's for lunch. I'm so glad we went here on his birthday!
It just looks like an old house from the front, but the inside has been beautifully redone. It is warm, bright, clean, and homey with a bar on one side that has a flat screen that plays telenovelas (and I'm assuming sports too, sometimes).
Anyway, the food here is amazing! I've never really had Guatemalan food before so we made sure to order new things and settled on the garnachas for appetizer and the hilachas to share. They gave us a basket of freshly fried tortillas chips with a tomato sauce and salsa verde while we waited. All the tortillas here are handmade and super fresh so the fried tortillas were just that much better! The salsa verde tasted bright and spicy. Yum!
The garnachas were delicious! I loved the tangy cabbage salad on the side; the acidity countered the fried food well. I'm really glad my boyfriend and I decided to share the hilachas. The size isn't too intimidating, but it is so hearty, thick, and heavy that unless you just ran a marathon, I don't think you should finish it on your own. But mmm, the hilachas were so good! The shredded meat was so tender and the stew is like the ultimate comfort food. It came with rice and the best (BEST, I say!) re-fried black beans I've ever had. And again, this came with their freshly made tortillas. It's a smidge on the greasier side for me, but I guess that's just the nature of the stew. On a bad day or whenever I'm sick, I'm getting Amalia's hilachas. It's sure to make anyone feel better! -
Review from Alicia F.
Glendale, CA
5/3/2012
I grew up in Guate and my parents live there now so I know what I'm talking about, OK? My sis and I shared enchiladas, which if you're from Guate, you know are nothing like Mexican enchiladas. They were super yummy!
I then had a chile relleno (carne) and my sister and her hubby had the hilachas. Everything was great and tasted authentic. The beans had a slightly burned flavor but they were still super duper savory, the plantains were on point and the tortillas were the bomb. And they had Famosa (Gallo) beer and aside from happy hour, beers are only $3 when certain teams are playing. I will definitely be back when I want home-cooked flavor without the hassle. -
Review from Harry S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/8/2012
An accidental find that really paid dividends. We got there just an hour before closing and the food was surprisingly hearty and just not Mexican which was a great reminder for this gringo. South America is a whole continent and it's good for Imperialists to be reminded that every area in that region has a distinctly different flavor from the isthmus to the North.
Good prices. Good food. Friendly service.
I'd recommend it if you want something different that is somehow so familiar!
3 Noms. Nom Nom Nom
{I was informed Guatemala is part of Central, not South America. Duh. See why I needed to eat at this spot. Sheesh.} -
Review from Lizzy T.
Baldwin Park, CA
5/14/2012
PLEASE DO NOT GO HERE!! Wish I could write a review on their food but it took too long to come out!! I understand it was mothers day weekend...but what I don't understand is how parties that came after us received their food and left meanwhile we were still waiting!! First they took forever seating us even though we made reservations...then our drinks took a long time...then our appetizers...and waiting over 45 min for our food is ridiculous!! Plus the owner's snotty attitude saying in Spanish, "well if they don't want to wait let them leave!" Plus she couldn't even explain herself!!! So please do not go here!! Worst place ever!!!
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Review from Didi V.
Granada Hills, CA
5/17/2012
We have been to Amalia's plenty of times and have always been satisfied with the friendly service and the delicious food. We have never had an issue with the amount of time it takes to get our food. Perhaps because it was Mothers day and they were busy you may have had to wait. If you have ever heard of of good for is worth the wait. TRUST ME IT IS. Maybe if you had been a little more patient you would seen what so many other satisfied customers have experienced. The staffis always courteous and the owner always greets the guest. KEEP UP the good work Amalia's. You are truely an authentic Guatemalen delight
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Review from H J.
Monterey Park, CA
3/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Note that I've never had Guatemalan food before so I can't say it's authentic. However, I can tell you that service was excellent. Food was well prepared and delicious. Too bad I didn't take any picture to post.
It has its own private parking lot so parking is easy. -
Review from REECE T.
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
First time in a Guatemalan restaurant and the food was beyond expectation. I had Hilachas, which is shredded beef with potatoes in a spicy tomato based broth. It was served with home made tortillas, plantains, white rice and refried black beans. The blend of spices was subtle and the dish was excellent. For desert I had Rellenitos which were two deep fried crusty balls of mashed plantains around slightly sweetened black beans, served with Creme on the side. A very interesting and tasty combination.
The drink I ordered was very surprising. I ordered an Atol de Platano which is a hot creamy cinnamon spiced banana drink. After being used to chilled Mexican drinks this was unexpected. It was so good I ordered two. Prices are around $10 - $12 for a main course. The atmosphere was pleasant and the staff friendly and helpful.
Very impressed on my first visit here. -
Review from Sydney M.
Hollywood, CA
4/30/2012
Normally I wouldn't write a review for somewhere I've been once but with Amalia's, I had to write a review immediately. The food was AMAZING! I purchased a great deal from Groupon which brought me there, but I will be going back as often as possible! I ordered takeout pollo en crema and when I brought it home and opened it up, it looked like it had just been served to me on a plate. It was perfection! (See pics) SO much food that I ended up saving half. It tasted very authentic and the vibe in the restaurant was very laid back and homey. I will definitely be back!!
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Review from christine p.
Lake Balboa, CA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Thanks to Jake C. for bringing us here. And a very special thanks to the other Jake C. for paying! I feel like I should be solving mysteries in Chinatown with these two. Instead we eat.
This place is very cute. Like a little house, but not too little. At noon it was already crowded. We sat down and Jake C-1 warned that the service is slow, which is not to say it's bad.
They bring out chips and salsa. Very good. One spicy, one orange and warm.
Plata Amalia has a little bit of everything (carne asada, pork chops, beans, rice, platanos, guacamole). It's also $19. We ordered two things off the lunch menu--chicken soup 6.99 and carne asada 6.99. Maybe 7.99. Great deals!
The re-fried black beans are something special. The chicken soup was chicken soup. I've had better; I've made better. It was flavorful, but I don't like the smell of boiled chicken so that's my problem. The carne asada was perfect, perfectly medium and so flavorful and tender.
The juices are good too; the pina is more melony, but the tamarindo really complemented the saltiness of the food.
If you don't have a lot of time (at least an hour) don't come here. The food is great, but you never want to rush through a meal. -
Review from Jeanette H.
South Gate, CA
Absolutely great Guatemalan food! They offer amazing gourmet food from Guatemala. We tried different dishes, including pupusas, which were all delicious. This place definitely lives up to its hype. FYI, pupusas are not on the regular menu, it's under the kids menu LOL. Must be too low brow for the adults haha. They were super cheesy and tasty :)
Not many places strive to be authentic (usually just cheesy) but this place got it right. It's very homey, serving food in a converter house, and comfy inside.
My only beef with them was that although we got great customer service, and warm, good food, they were very slow about it. They took too long to do anything. The Restaurant was pretty empty so there was no excuse about it. I'm hoping it will be normal next time I go. I also used a Yelp Deal with them. It was easily accepted and paid for much of the meal!
Location was easy to find and they do have private parking in the back of the house. -
Review from Alvin C.
Glendale, CA
4/25/2012
It's one of the greatest authentic home cook guatemalan food I have ever tasted but the parking is limited, small but comfortable . It's delicious , I love the rellenitos, just don't forget to add suger.
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Review from John B.
Santa Clarita, CA
9/13/2011 1 photo
An absolutely incredible meal.
It was presented so beautifully that it looked like art.
The atol de platanos smelled like what Santa Clause must drink when he's in Guatemala.
It was amazing!
I need to go now and lay on the bed with a heating pad on my distended belly and moan happily.Listed in: Fairly Funny
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Review from JESSICA R.
Alhambra, CA
11/27/2011
Refreshing and pseudo-traditional decor. There was seating inside and out...Nice to have an alternative. Baby (infant) ready with a changing station in the women's bathroom and high chairs, makes this place a five star to start.
The cuisine did lack some flavor...I wouldn't recommend the frioles blancos with meat or the Antojitos Amalia.
I do recommend the PLATO AMALIA and the Garnachas.
MARIMBA was requested and viola her wish was granted.
The service was great with friendly hostesses and waitresses. -
Review from Eder P.
9/16/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
I'm Chapin. I've grown up with black beans and platanos fritos all my life. This place got it right.
I came here on a Thursday night and it was empty, but I requested seating outside and it was awesome. I came here with my girlfriend who always talks crap about Guatemalan food (cause she's a common girl with common Mexican tastes, i.e. she wanted Carne Asada)
We order 2 Famosas and she loved it. Roger was our waiter and he was awesome. He brought us some samples of their mimosas and 'Bellini' and both were pretty good. I also tried their 'Madres' drink which was pretty cool too. He explained to us that they can't serve full-on alcohol but theirs is derived from rice but its still alcohol.
We ordered Chucharitos which I guess boils down to tamales. But they were good.
The food came (I really wish I could remember the names) and my GF's plate looked awesome. She really did ask for Carne Asada and Roger suggested the first plate on the menu. It ended up being the $18 choice. It was awesome, but pricey... but still awesome.
I ordered this thing that SOUNDED good but I didn't really like it... which is rare in my case. It basically had a bunch of pork parts in it, but it was in a tomatoe/potato kind of soup. I ended up eating her plate along with mine.
Black beans were awesome!!
This place is kind of cool and quiet. Very romantic. I'm mos def coming back with my parents so they can experience it.
Outside its nice. They have patio heaters and Marimba music playing. It really sets a nice vibe. Inside feels restaurant-y so I recommend eating outside.
It is in a shady neighborhood, but luckily their own parking lot helps out ALOT.
Give this place a shot. Have a Famosa, kick back and relax. -
Review from Freddie F.
Long Beach, CA
8/28/2011
This was the first time that I had tried guatelamlen food and I'm not sure whether I will be back for a second serving. As many other reviewers have stated the chips and the tortillas were very good and probably the highlight of the trip there.
The price of the entrees seemed high and I wouldn't say that I was filled by my purchase which was the carne asada which wasn't very flavorful and tough to chew. The rest of the items on the plate such as the refined beans, which were good, the rice and potatoes seemed better suited for a kids meal than a course that was supposed to fill an adult.
Also, I ordered a diet coke and when I go to a restuarant I figure that they are going to refill the diet coke, after all it probably costs a nickel or a dime to do so. Nope not here. When you order soft drinks here they don't refill.
The service was fine mainly because I was literally the only one in this place and it was in the middle of dinner time.
The area around Amalia's does look shady and they do have parking in the back.
Also, I went there with a Yelp deal and when I gave it to the waiter he said that he didn't know how to process it and had to make some phone calls to take care of it.
Good place to try out using a Yelp deal, but otherwise the prices seemed high and the course thin for what they charge. -
Review from Juana and Jonathan C.
Irvine, CA
7/4/2011
If there is a God, and he happened to come down to Earth....again. He would journey, thousands upon thousands of miles just to come eat at this restaurant.
The Jamaica (hibiscus) itself will amaze you. It's like a splash of water from the gillete commercials.
Everyone in the restaurant is really nice. And everything on the menu is amazing (thus far we have tried: tamales de chipitlin, paches, platanos fritos, carne adobada, chile rellenos, pollo en crema, los taquitos, atol de elote, arroz en leche, and many more things that we can't remember right now.
If you like real Guatemalan food, or even just hispanic food in general, you'll love this place.
P.S. Parking is a plus.
P.P.S. I can't believe people rate this place anything lower than a 5 -
Review from Sloan S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/7/2012 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Food was super yummy!!! Staff was very friendly. I definitely got a family run vibe. I got my food to go, so didn't get to experience the full service. Hopefully I can raise it to 5 stars after I eat in.
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Review from Rebeca M.
Glendale, CA
7/26/2011
seriously, a gem of a place...hands down number one spot for Guatemalan food in my book.
The staff is friendly, the place is clean and the food is out of this world. I will be back as soon as I get a chance...5 stars times two! -
Review from Cole C.
5/23/2011
When I walked into Amalia's, a cute little house turned restaurant, I got the stink eye from one of the female Guatemalan patrons up front, which I find is always a good indication that you're a white girl who's stumbled upon really great, authentic ethnic food.
No stink eye from the waiter... everyone who worked there was very friendly and welcoming. Strangest enchiladas I've ever had-- more like tostadas with beet salad and beef--but very good! Enchilada sauce-type salsa and one of the best meat sampler plates I've ever had. LOVED it! -
Review from Glenn D.
La Puente, CA
11/28/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
I went to Amalia's on a date and I am happy to say that I was able to share my Guatemalan roots with the person I am dating. This is the closest restaurant that brings me back to my childhood days. The staff was very kind, the ambiance was incredible, the food was delicious. We ordered A lot much food. To top of our night we had some flan which turned out to be perfect. I am definitely coming back here again.
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Review from Artin F.
Santa Barbara, CA
6/20/2011
I highly recommend you try this place.
1. Authentic, flavorful, and delicious Guatemalan dishes.
2. Best tamales we've ever tasted.
3. Elegant ambiance.
4. Private parking. -
Review from Jack L.
Irvine, CA
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Very sweet host/waitress, the food was very fresh and tasty.
Their tortilla chips are homemade and you can taste the goodness. Oh and they warn you that one of their salsa's is hot. They ain't lying. -
Review from Stef B.
Los Angeles, CA
5/21/2011
Having been to Guatemala with my partner Maria who was born there, I can say with some authority that I know great Guatemalan food because my partner has a great Guatemalan grandmother (Florinda) who is a great cook.
So, aside from her grandma's breakfast of liquefied beans with cream, rice, platenos, black coffee, and white bread rolls, Amalia's is the best around.
It has taken a bit of a long time to get our food a few times, but it is worth it since going to grandma's house for breakfast in Palin would take about 10 hours (1 to get to LAX, two hours for check in and wait, 4.5 hour flight, an hour and a half to get to the capital to catch a bus that goes to Palin which takes about an hour and 50 minutes, and then the 5 minute walk to her little house from the highway).
My two year old son likes running around the patio eating area too... and no Guatemalan truckers or bus drivers there to run him over. -
Review from Grace M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/13/2011
For four years my boyfriend has been trying to get me to eat black beans. I always refuse because I tried them a few times and always hated the taste and texture. Then one day I went here with professoreric (read his review, it's very thorough!) and he forced me to try the refried beans.
Can you say GAME-CHANGER?! These beans are AMAZING. My highest praise for them is that they're NOT GROSS IN ANY WAY (and as a bean hater this is high praise indeed.) I will even go so far as to say they are DELICIOUS. And the tortillas?! Tortillas are so often nothing but a bland vehicle for meat or sauce. Amalia's tortillas on the other hand - thick and chewy and so so tasty even on their own.
The plantains have been reliably good (other restaurants often cook plantains before they're ready so they end up starchy rather than sweet), and the plantain desert they have, that's stuffed with beans and then fried - it's like a delicious banana doughnut and the beans are so creamy you could almost believe it's chocolate.
The porkchops were GREAT. Chicken soup in yellow sauce was also good. I wasn't as much of a fan of the chorizo, but I think it's only because it paled in comparison to how great the other things were.
The tostadas with avocado/red sauce/beans (your choice I think, just tell the waiter which you want. I forgot to specify one time and ended up with all black bean. not complaining though!) are a great appetizer.
Service has also been reliable, although if you're out on the patio and there's not too many other people there, it's understandably a little bit slower than sitting inside. I went to a birthday party on the patio and it was a great experience on a warm summer night. -
Review from Leslie O.
Van Nuys, CA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Takes me back to Guatamala each and every time. I'm a chapina and sure I've grown up around Guatemalan dishes all my life, but they don't taste as amazing as they do at Amalias. Everything from the breakfasts to a simple chicken soup is AH~mazing. Love coming here on Sunday mornings super hungry and leaving like I need to take a nap.
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Review from Professoreric M.
CA
2/5/2011
Having taken a break from Yelp for quite some time, we finally went somewhere that deserves a review.
Amalia's is a real treat! The best Central American food I have ever had.
Everything is homemade. Tortillas, beans, salsas, bebidas, all of it.
Opened 3 years ago by the matriarch of the family, Amalia, and operated by 2 of her daughters, Susana and Milbet (sorry if I butchered your names, ladies!) the restaurant has been growing steadily mostly based on word of mouth, and might I add, also contributing to the neighborhood by keeping their parcel clean and trying to do what they can to make the block nicer. We met the daughters at an East Hollywood Neighborhood Council committee meeting where they mentioned that their authentic Guatemalan cuisine included a fair number of vegetarian and vegan options. Susana is a vegetarian and her friend, Richard is vegan, so they know what they are doing. These offerings are mostly not on the menu, so ask for them. We were told that soon they would have them added to the menu.
Eager to test the food out, and the promise of quality vegan food that was not typical of all of the other places, we took our pickiest friends, J and W, who are respectively 5 and 3 years old. Their mom, our good friend L, came with us too, of course. We sat on the patio so we could bring our dog. It was a lovely atmosphere of plants and Guatemalan paintings. There was a band setting up and the kids enjoyed watching the 2 marimba players and the band play music to the rest of the patrons when they started as we finished the latter half of our feast.
Any meal starts with homemade chips and a pairing of a sweet tomato salsa (a roasted tomato puree that is well seasoned and mild enough for the biggest spice wuss) and a green salsa that has a kick. We finished it in about 3 minutes.
Then we were given fresh tortillas (these were slightly thick and warm, yum!), which came with Amalia's insanely amazing and addictive refried beans. When I say that these were addictive, I cannot explain what made them so delicious. But the boys and all of us for that matter were fighting over the bowl. Fighting over bean mush. That good. They were a perfect texture and despite being called refried they did not seem oily at all. We were also brought tostadas. 3 crispy tortilla rounds with a black bean sauce and 3 with guacamole. A bowl of rice was introduced for W, the little rice monster. All of this also disappeared quickly.
Next course was a large platter of potato taquitos, which were super crispy but not greasy. It went perfectly with the second bowl of refried beans, which we had promptly ordered after the demise of the first bowl.
I forgot to talk about drinks!
We ordered 2 jamaicas, not overly syrupy and tasted like a flowery iced tea with a hint of cranberry, which is how you want it to taste. JD got a piña, which was squeezed fresh from a ripe pineapple, and had enough water added so that it wasn't too sugary. J got melon, which similarly was not overly saccharine and made from the days melon. They also make from scratch horchata, which is rare in a city that has tons made out of powder. When we go again, w/o the vegans, we will be sure to try some.
Next course was a large plate of roasted and sautéed veggies: mushrooms, onions, peppers, zucchini, and a side of their beet salad, which apparently usually goes on their enchiladas. We ate this with more fresh tortillas. We also received a bowl of maduros, plantains lightly fried to bring out their sweetness and caramelized on the outside.
Right about when we thought we couldn't eat anything more, Susana brought out a stew of eggplant and onions that was somehow both savory and sweet -nicely complex- and great on the rice.
When asked if we wanted dessert we unfortunately had to turn it down since we were full to the point of dangerous. We, JD and I, were fortunate to have had the rellenitas the day we met the sisters, which are plantains shaped into balls and stuffed with sweet black beans. They were also amazing and we regretted, to some degree, having had eaten so much that we couldn't introduce L and the kids to them. Yet another reason to return to soon.
A complaint on the Yelp reviews is that service was slow. I think this is a problem created by times where the restaurant is busy and the family does not have enough help. There is a simple solution to this: if we continue to spread tales of the stellar quality of food which they serve, then more people will experience the cuisine and they will be able to hire more help and this problem will be mitigated. I know that for our table, we are willing to wait since the food was so flavorful and of such high quality.
I must sound like a shill for Amalia's, but for me to decide to write a review of a place after such a long time, it really had to be extraordinary. Trust me, it is worth it. Amalia's is sure to become one of our default places to eat, and what a plus that it is in the neighborhood! -
Review from Ada K.
North Hollywood, CA
4/12/2011
Omg! If I could find a better word to describe this culinary.experience!... Location, ambiance, service and food are all a top rated if you ask me. I took my korean husband and he was very.impressed aswell, I ordered diner : fish fillet with garlic sauce cooked (just perfect and very fresh) this dish comes with rice and a salad. I would definetely come again for that!! I was craving a very guatemalan dessert and Amalias serves the traditional "molletes" which for my surprise tastes just like the ones my grandmother.makes!...
Great ambiance check.. Great service check....great food double check! See you at Amalias! -
Review from Carrie B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/12/2011
I honestly do not understand how someone can say this food is not super-duper tasty. Those beans are amazing! The tortilla are amazing!! And the Carne Adobada was amazing!!
AND THEN great homey atmosphere, festive live music and speedy friendly service.
I'm still full and already dreaming of going back. -
Review from Edison D.
Los Angeles, CA
What an AMAZING find! Thanks to Yelp app once again... Viola! Amalia's popped up!
This place looks very unassuming from the outside. The place looks like a house. It's a mom and pop's kind of establishment which I'm a fan of... So, finding this gem really excited me!
They have a simple "California meets Guatemala style" indoor dining area and an outside "patio style" dining area. Both looks inviting and relaxing. It was hot that day so I stayed in... it was air conditioned and very chill inside.
About the food... I ordered their Chuleta De Puerco. It's a marinated breaded pork chops (2) with beet salad, rice, refried beans, potato wedges, and plantains. A very hearty "home-made" meal for only $12! The meal also included... fresh tortillas, 2 types of delicious salsa, Guatemalan flat bread, and a choice of soup or salad. I chose the soup... Everything tasted GREAT and the presentation was done with Guatemalan PRIDE!
I will be a regular here for sure! Next time, I will order their Sopes De Mariscos. It's their version of Siete Mares. The person next to my table ordered it... It looks sooo very GOOD! I swear I think he ordered it to torture me! Lolz! Oh well, next time...
GRACIAS Amalia! -
Review from Karla C.
Long Beach, CA
11/17/2010
Ehh.
Its okay. Thats it, just okay.
I guess I know what this stuff is supposed to taste like...Im Guatemalan. and this is not what you call "AMAZING"
My bf had the sampler appetizer.
We took it to the dog. I know, bad karma. But hey, dogs have to eat too.
I had the platanos fritos, yeah.. the beans were re-fried one too many times and salty.
blehhh. booooooo!
buy a can of black beans, fry yourself some plantains.
Bam! Tastes a whole lot better let me tell ya.
I will say, the fresh melon juice was mighty tasty... but its melon juice, even I cant mess that up. -
Review from el z.
Manhattan Beach, CA
11/9/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal 1 Check-in Here
What a great find. Thanks yelpers.
Great atmosphere, delicious food, friendly service, at a good price. What else can you ask for. We tried the Plato Amalia and loved it! Enjoy! -
Review from Xochitl F.
Los Angeles, CA
11/19/2011 Purchased a Yelp Deal
Guatemala is a beautiful, lush country south of Mexico, its diverse topography and long history of highly developed polities is reflected in its varied cuisine. Amalia's does a VERY good job of replicating the flavors found in Guatemala's South western region of the country. The dishes listed under TRADITIONAL are the ones I would recommend the most if you're looking to have a taste of the Chapino cuisine. I'll go back many, many times.
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Review from Brian C.
Sherman Oaks, CA
10/17/2011
I can see why LA magazine rated this place the best breakfast in LA! Incredible refried black beans, steak and plantains- just awesome!
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Review from P S.
San Diego, CA
4/24/2011
This is a gem of a restaurant....and I mean a REAL restaurant. Its not a taqueria or a hole in the wall, its a beautiful, warm and cozy restaurant. Not too fancy, but just right for a nice meal thats not overpriced and totally made from scratch. Everything in this place is made fresh and even the chips and salsa are made in house.
We had the breakfast with plantains, beans, eggs and tortillas. They were all super yummy and the tortillas were freshly handmade to order. It doesnt get much better than this on a Sunday morning. We sat on the patio and enjoyed our breakfast, the service was good and the owner came out and greeted us as well. I would highly recommend this place!!
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