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I came upon Brite Spot at 3am on an early Saturday morning, and my experience was incredible. I would highly recommend the place to any late-night munchers, especially if you're a vegetarian or vegan.
It's often difficult to find late night grub of the veggie variety, but Brite Spot was quite a change from the norm. First, we arrived and although the place was crowded for 3am, we were seated right away and our orders were taken very quickly. We got our food in under 10 minutes, which was amazing. Our server was Bob, who was just great.
We ordered the breakfast burrito (with rice) and the veggie melt (with vegan potato salad). Every bit of the meal was mouth-watering. I don't know how they made the veggie-melt, but it was better than the real thing. It was so cheesy and delicious! And the vegan potato salad... I don't know how they did it. It was so creamy and amazing - and vegan! The breakfast burrito was gigantic, and oh so tasty. I also liked the rice that came with it, but it was pretty standard as far as rice goes. When we got our 2 meals, I didn't believe that we could make a dent in them, but we cleaned both plates!
I also noticed on their wall that they have vegetarian and vegan options for basically whatever meat you would like replaced. Wonderful! I almost never make it over to the eastside, but next time I do - I'm coming back.
Not so brite.
We walked over there this Sunday looking forward to trying this place. Liked the place inside.. the menu looked rad having all the veggie options, etc. but the food, portions and service fell way flat of the prices. I left disappointed.
I got the veggie melt. You would think for the price it would come with salad and fries but I had to pick one or the other. I got the salad, which the waitress didn't bring until WITH the sandwich.. The tiny sandwich looked lonely on the large plate with no fries or coleslaw or anything that a pattymelt/tunamelt meal would normally come with anywhere else. the BF's meatloaf was sad too. He said he would much rather drive to one of our old favs in Burbank than walk over to the brite spot again.
I can see the appeal of an open late right near to the echo after a night of concert & drinking appeal, but meh otherwise.
I really wanted this place to be awesome. oh well.
This place is fucking disgusting.
From their shitty appetizers to their shitty entrees, no matter what you order, everything tastes the same.
I have been to the bright spot a number of times and each time is a little different. As the area gentrifies, the brite spot seems to pick up a little more hipness.
This time I noticed that you not only can you get veggie options for a great many of the items on the menu but you can get agave syrup for your ice tea!
I stopped in early one Saturday for a late lunch to find the place nearly empty. The tables were not bussed, and there was one feisty overworked server named Mary zooming around covering the whole restaurant. I watched as she went from table to table cheerily covering the floor and explaining that she was the only person on.
I ordered the Ruben Sandwich, and for $10.50 the menu described it as piled high and oozing with cheese...I was stoked.
What I got was two pieces of sodden grease soaked rye bread, a single layer of tough thickly sliced boiled in bag corned beef, all smothered with oily grease laden cheese and a tasteless kraut.
There was a side of premade frozen shoestring fries that were doused with season salt and three sad pickle chips. I was horrified, this was not the 10.50 sandwich I was promised. I was just about to complain when Mary returned with condiments, napkins and an apology for having took so long.
The long and the short of this place is, the brite spot seems to be a place to have breakfast and to eat after enjoying a concert at the Echo. It is no longer the place where you can expect a reasonably priced dinner or lunch of any kind of quality. There is little pride in their food and unfortunately it shows. I will not return to the bright spot, even if it becomes the hippest place in LA.
I heart the Brite Spot! My parental units and I usually hit the B.S. on a Sunday morning around 10am; just before the crowd gets there, and all the parking spots are taken in front.
Coffee is bottomless.
The pork Chorizo is the best! I'm not a rice eater, so I get double beans instead. Right on.
I had the Cobb Salad the last time I was there, yes for breakfast, and I devoured the entire bowl. The chicken was hot, the bacon was crispy, and the ranch was perfectly on the side.
The desserts by Darby in the glass case look magnificent! We're always too full to try them, but might be a great idea just to hit the B.S. for dessert one day and try them all!
Holla!
My husband and I went to the Brite Spot today for lunch, and everything totally sucked! I will NEVER go there again. Never.
- The water tasted like it came from an old dishwasher.
- The french fries were dry as all get out.
- My husband's fish for his fish and chips was greasy and bland.
- My turkeyburger had a decidedly fleshy taste that did not warrant more than two bites.
- My Sprite soda was flat and also tasted like it was made with that old dishwasher water.
- The waitress was slow.
- And the overall vibe of the place is just dark and depressing.
Oh, and to add insult to injury, the bill was rather high considering the low quality yuckiness that we had to endure.
For me, there was nothing "brite" about this spot at all. I'd give them negative stars if it were possible.
This place has been around for 60 years and though I've lived in Echo Park for half that time, I had not tried the Brite Spot until today. I was nursing a serious Benadryl hang-over and needed some grub to get me going.
I actually found an open parking spot out front! Too bad that was the end of the excitement. I dug the cool sparkly red booth seats. But, I really don't get the clown paintings. Clowns are creepy. Clowns don't belong in Echo Park.
They have some early bird specials for $6.95 (available until 11 am). I ordered the one with eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. Massively greasy all around. I think it even outdoes Denny's. With so many other, better options nearby I will not be coming back.
I've frequented the Brite Spot on occasion over the last four years and it's pretty consistent: convenient late hours, easy-to-find street parking, tasty food (eggs benedict, lox & cream cheese bagels, mmm). I love the red sparkly vinyl booths and the place is perfect for people watching. It does have incredibly slow service and while they may lament to us that they only have one waiter or one cook on, you'd think they'd figure out how to manage the shifts by now. But I guess if you're already out at 2:30 am, what are you in a hurry for? The prices are standard for LA, but a bit high given that service can be so inattentive.
I certainly have enjoyed some of my experiences here, but now realizing how many other diner food and brunch options there are in the area I'm more keen on trying those out.
I've been going here for the past couple of years and noticed it morph from your typical diner to a hip restaurant. I like the 60s ambience. The red slick velvet chairs. The fact that they have a mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Noticed today that the menu is new and has less dishes than before. It used to be like multiple pages. But what kind of dining expectations do we usually have if we're going to eat at a diner?
Had the sweet potato fries with the California veggie omelet. The fries were cooked perfectly. My last visit they were overcooked. The omelet was excellent. I agree the pricing here is somewhat on the steep end. But to me the convenience of the location, decent food, and the friendliness of the staff keeps me coming back.
This place has a great looking menu but the food is bleh.....
I want to like this place but its just gross. I have been here a couple times and every time it was not so great.
I hadn't been to Brite Spot before, but I'm a fan now. Yeah, it's a diner, but I dig that, and their tofu scramble was terrific - I loved the variety of veggies. And the desserts looked amazing - I'll have to try one for sure next time.
I know others have complained about bad service and bland food, but aside from a burrito mix-up we would have never known about if they hadn't told us, it was a pretty good experience and the food was tasty. Better service than I've had at Fred 62 on occasion, even.
open till really late which is great in a city where last call is at 1:30am.
my burger was just fine and their coleslaw was pretty good.
$2.50 for endless coffee.
service was decent and our food got to out table in less than 15 minutes and we were a party of 8.
The chocolate blueberry waffles are AMAZING. They were SO good, I would definitely come back to this place for those waffles.
I thought the whole environment was really nice too. I went for breakfast, and it was just a nice place to sit down and eat and chill.
The waiters were very nice too, which I really liked.
The only thing I DIDN'T like was the O'Brian potatoes--those were like, TOO greasy / flavorful for my taste. I like it when they're more crisp and not so mushy, but that's how I thought it tasted.
Oh and another thing--I did order the 'Chocolate Strawberry Waffles' which was on the menu, but then they came out with the chocolate blueberry ones without telling me until they brought it out. Honestly, I didn't mind since they ended up being really good, but I just wanted to give a heads up to others cause that could happen again.
Oh and the wait actually took a while--I thought it took a little longer than other restaurants, but I really thought those waffles were worth it.
Otherwise, it is kind of expensive and parking can be a drag depending on whether it's busy or not, but I liked it a lot :)
The Brite Spot is what it is. It has changed a lot over the years, most notably the prices....but it's still one of my favorite places in the city to grab a bite to eat. You don't have to wait, unless it's Sunday morning, you don't have to dress a certain way, and you don't have to worry that you're going to order something that you're not going to like.
All of the dishes are made with a side of ol' fashioned love, and especially if the old lady in the pink shirt is your server, you'll feel like you're getting a home cooked meal. Portions are large, but if you have room for a dessert afterward then please do as they're all delicious.
It's open late too, so when you spill out of the Echo in search of a pancake, its your place of choice.
Yuck. Only been at this dump once.
The only thing worse than the bland, overpriced food and terrible service is the pretentious crowd. Seriously, can't these pseudo-intellectual hipster types keep their conversations down? Not everyone wants to listen to their dumbass, wide-eyed views on politics and equality.... Please, STFU or keep it down and let others try to look for the sunny side of paying a considerable buck for an overpriced pile of crap....
The Brite Spot rocks when you have a crazy schedule and find yourself starving for something other than IHOP or Burger King at 11:30pm on a Monday night. I always order the same thing now....The Vegeterian Chilly....Deeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious...Did I mention I am not a vegeterian!! It is so good I sometimes find myself thinking about it in the middle of the day.....Like right now....Before I fell in love with the Bowl of Chilly however I did explore the menu and was partial to the Turkey burger and sweet potato fries. Brite Spot, I like you! Check it out Ey.
As much as it pains me to admit this....I had never been to the Brite Spot until recently. I know. I know.....how can one grow up in LA....especially the East side and not at least venture in before now? What can I say...I am a bad person.
After a night of drinking, dancing, and debauchery what better way to end the night then to continue the alliteration with a delectable diner?
The food hit the spot...it was the correct amount of heaviness that soaks up the weariness of the night and gets you ready to deal with the coming sun. Since we were catching a meal pretty late not all the choices were available but the kitchen was considerate enough to accommodate us (fresh gravy, new coffee, etc). What made this first visit into, what will be, the first of many was the staff. It's Thursday night (well, actually Friday morning)....it's late (well, actually early)...they have been busy for hours with a steady stream of late night revelers, hipsters, and the occasional drunktard....and still they had a smile and great attitude. If you see Leah, you treat her well....I am going to marry that woman.
It is just what you need after a night out and about....because as much as I love both noodles and tacos, they can get old after awhile. Brite Spot offers some variety to your late night fare. I need to go back....if for nothing else but to try that pie that I saw....it looked absolutely diabolical.
Oh my goodness! How we have not been here before, I do not know!
So hip from the western style bar stools and creepy-good artwork. The diner booths had sparkly red vinyl seat covers! The food was gorgeous and the service excellent! I had the California Benedict with hashbrowns and a half press of the El Salvador coffee! The best part is they serve breakfast all the time and its open til 4am! And on the East side! Its our new favorite place!
I haven't been here in years, since there were roaches crawling up the walls. My friend said they fumigated the place and is under new management. I refuse to give them my business. I used to come here all the time. I had a vegetarian philly cheesesteak and there was a piece of real meat in the sandwich. Then, my friend said she saw a roach the week before. After we got done eating, we saw a roach on the wall. I told the cashier and he wasn't surprised. He said he would give me 10% off. I will never come here again!
221 reviews of Brite Spot and nearly 1/4th of them mention the word "h*pster". I don't have the time to research whether or not all these mentions are pejorative or if they're comments on the frequency of the word like mine, but whatever. This is located in Echo Park, 20 to 30-somethings who are somewhat "artsy" sometimes eat here, the word will therefore get bandied about ad infinitum.
This is just a very basic old-school diner with decent-to-very good service, hearty food (including many vegetarian options), and a location convenient to nights out at music venues or bars. It's not going to astonish you, unless you're seriously drunk or high, but it will satisfy your appetite. It certainly worked for me after the L.A. Craft Beer Fest. Yes, I was drunk.
This is one greasy one-night stand I will not regret. Yes, it was 2AM. Yes, I had imbibed a beverage or two. Yes, there was butter and cheese and grease involved. And pie. Let's not forget the pie.
Brite Spot had twinkled beckoningly at me all through my whirlwind weekend in LA. I fought off her flirtatious stare as long as I could, but come Saturday night, I could fight it no longer. We met in a greasy embrace that could only be described as guiltily delicious.
The grilled ham and cheese, while I don't remember why/when/how I ordered it, was fantastic. I remember my dining companion moaning in ecstasy. It might have been a "When Harry Met Sally" moment, it was that shameless. Was it worth $10? Well, considering this is a diner trying to be divey in LA, sure, I guess that is the correct price.
The blackberry and rhubarb pie gets props for its excellent "a la mode" serving. Our server piled high the ice cream and Cool Whip. We might have screamed in anticipation. Was it worth $7? Eh. The rhubarb was the slightest bit chewy, I must say. It had not been simmered to its correct, disintegrating texture.
Still. Our server served us well, the food was greasy and good, and let's talk about the wonderful wood paneling and sparkly red vinyl seats. I mean, it's an old diner in a fine spot. What more could two young ladies want as they stumble drunkenly home but a warm haven for their rumbling bellies and bleary eyes?
Brite Spot, oh Brite Spot.
Where are the tuna melts of yesteryear? Whither the perfect crunchy golden crust, the delicate fries kissed with seasoned salt, the albacore crisp-grilled yet moist within?
Oh, where has gone your abundant menu, so graced with choices varied and tempting? Where is the veggie meatloaf, once so redolent of hearty mushrooom? What of the salmon benedict, so pink beneath its cloak of hollandaise?
For now your fries are hardened shards, your cheese unmelted slabs, your sandwiches lop-sided heaps. Your salad dressing stings of ferment, your club sandwich is crumbly and dry. Your burgers, once plump and juicy, now taste greasy and over-fried.
Once you were a secret, a hidden lover eager to please. Then, a favorite, bustling with hipsters in skinny jeans. But now you are a faded courtesan, long of tooth and broad of beam, good only for the latest nights when other girls are long adream.
Brite Spot, oh Brite Spot, where are the tuna melts of yesteryear?
I used to come to this restaurant a few years back and their food was really good, i dont know what happened but i went recently and yuck the food changed and the service changed as well, the plus side is the place looks nice
Well, I went here to meet up with some friends, I had a grilled cheese and those famous "Sweet Potato Fries". Ok, let them cool down, I know your hungry, but you can let them cool down a bit. They didn't burn my tounge. :) Very tastey. The Grilled cheese seemed really great, the bread is pretty greased up though, but still a good eat.
Service was pretty cool, free refills on Ice T! :D
The cupckaes and desserts do look mighty tastey, but sadly didn' thave enough time to try anything.
Ok something weird I noticed, are these people "cityists?" or only want locals....cuz I saw on their thing they close at midnight.........and the buy boy told me as soon as I was getting near the door "Oh we're closed" then I was liek "Um, I'm meeting people here, they are right there!" so he let me in.
then noticed more people being let in....
so I dunno.
Just thought it was pretty lame of them.
The food is good, and I'd eat there again if there is a reason to be near that area again. :)
Brite Spot has become nothing more than a last refuge after a night of drinking. It's plain and simple, the food isn't great, especially in regards to the prices. I can understand the opportunity to finish off the night in this post-bar congregating hole but I have personally become more unwilling to continue my late nights here. The place is becoming less and less appreciable.
The employees are the only things worth tolerating here; they are kind.
dear brite spot,
as if you weren't revolting enough, what is up with the giant yellow light up star you have nailed over the front door. it's like passover blood. don't worry, i will continue to pass over your restaurant.
with any luck it will crash down and maim a patron. anyone who likes this restaurant should donate their brain to medical research. right now. while they are still alive.
it was not just rat infestation that got this place closed down by the health department. the sign… Read more »
The Bright Spot is a mellow little place to enjoy some good diner food. It's lived in, they're open until 4am, and the crowd is pure Hipster. I like Dupar's better though, which is actually open 24 hours, but Bright Spot is great for post-concert or post-drinking binge num nums. FYI - They get mad when your friend drags you sliding across their u-shaped counter, so avoid if you don't like drunk-tanks.
I've had good experiences at Brite Spot, and I've had not so good experiences at Brite Spot. Will I go back? Absolutely. They are open close to 24 hours, offer a ton of vegetarian and vegan options, and are conveniently located next to the Echo. Yeah, it's a diner not a fancy restaurant, and the service isn't great. Get over it. At 3 am it's hard to find anything better than this.
I hate going to IHOPS or Dennys on Sunday morning cause you have to be there super early to get good service and a good meal.
That is why I decided just for this Sunday I try something different.
The Brite Spot is small but very friendly. I kid you not, it took less than 2 minutes to sit us. As soon as we sat down we met our waitress. The thing I liked about this place is that everyone looks out for each other. We didn't have just one waitress, but 3 waitress attending our needs....well our food needs at least.
The Food was prompt and everything that was being passed through our eyes looked good. There were times where I wanted to change my order.
The food was warm, not hot where you have to wait for it to cool off. It was just right. It filled the hell out of me, and as much as my fat ass wanted more, I just couldn't. Now there is one little draw back and that is parking. They have a small parking lot so sometimes it gets full quickly, so you need to park in the street.
But on Sundays that is where it gets really bad. There is church service so a lot of the street parking is taken, so be ready to walk about 2 to 3 blocks to get there.
$5.50 for a milkshake? That better be one f'in good milkshake.
It was, but that's besides the point.
It's a diner, plain and simple. I like them because they have a whole page of vegetarian items, and throughout the rest of the menu they denote veggie items.
I love diners, but I don't love diners that break my wallet wide open and suck the life out of it.
3.5 really.
I like it, I really do. The food can so-so sometimes and other times it's great. The service is good and I like the area.
the decor is tacky, reminiscent of the middle of the night diners my parents would stop off at during our many road trips as kids. it is chilly, it is dark, but the ambiance of what a diner should feel, smell and look like is certainly there.
you are greeted with the old school dessert presentation that as a child my brother and i would press our faces and hands against as our mother scolded us with a disapproving look, but we didn't care.
the service was above and beyond amazing. and, i can say amazing because we are an obnoxious bunch, especially after midnight! we learned about agave nectar from the host, enjoyed the vegan selection for our dear vegan friend, but most of all, the immediate response from the busboy after numerous spills on the table (i admit, it was me and i was sober!). we left full and satiated, yet starving to return.
the only downfall is the parking situation, but you will be more frustrated about how long it takes to get in and order a great meal than the quest for parking.
these people get my approval pretty much solely for carrying vegan options. otherwise they're a standard overpriced hipster-themed diner full of drunks and people who could use a shave.
the pie looked pretty good, though sadly i am not able to taste it.
i hear the bowtie pasta was delicious albeit spicy, and the rest of the food just as expected.
that said, at 3 in the morning a girl with food allergies is pretty much in love with any eatery that offers her a bagel with tofu creamcheese (and a side of bacon.)
Gross. I wanted to like the Brite Spot, I really did. After eating there a few times and even ordering food to go. I can not look past their "cool" lack of caring for service, presentation, taste and food quality. Lets just say a cockroach on our table and a burger that tasted like....get ready for it...vommit were the straws that broke the camels back. I will never return- you can dress it up in a big yellow star but its still the same slop that hipsters who don't know any better tend to frequent.
There should be a law against hipsters waiting tables, as it runs contrary to their aloof, I'm-just-too-important-to-care-about-anyone-but-my self attitude.
I used to live down the street from this place and still couldn't bring myself to go here. The only times I ever set foot in this place were when I was drunk, and god knows the mistakes we all make when under the influence.
The food is okay, the service is bad, and the place was shut down for having a cockroach infestation! If that doesn't scream keep away, I don't know what does. Not to mention (again) that the place is crawling with icky icky hipsters. That smell. If the dirty nasty food isn't enough to keep you away, the clientele certainly will.
So yeah, I still love this place. What makes it better is reading the reviews from people that hate it-that makes me love it even more because I know they won't be hanging out there.
I'd give it five stars if A.) it were somewhere on the interstate between here and the middle of nowhere and B.) it were a little cheaper. But since it is located in LA it has to lose at least a star and since it's a little pricier than a diner should be so I have to leave it at three stars.
The music selection totally helps out the fact that like any good joint the food they bring you may be slightly different than what is on the menu-I have always enjoyed my orders though. And let me say that any hipster vibe from the waiters is way way outweighed by the occasional sighting of the VERY elderly waitress who I noticed yesterday cutting a large red strawberry cake with cream cheese icing, starting with a sour look that slowly turned into one of the biggest grandma grins of total bliss I've ever seen.
This is the first place I ate after moving to the area. An honest-to-goodness diner in Los Angeles. Whooda thunk? I knew this would be my regular spot the second I entered. The Dandy Warhols were playing on the stereo. Good place to chill and people-watch. Service is a bit slow, but the food is great. I think how a restaurant prepares it's bacon determines whether the rest of its breakfast menu fares. If it's limp and greasy then you can bet the rest of the staples will be lacking. The Brite Spot does it right. Thick and crispy. Mmmmm.... bacon....
I've been purposefully avoiding this place for the past 6 months as i couldn't get past the fact that they had a B rating, however my love of dive dinners (holla Delores!) won out, and to my surprise the B has now turned to an A.
I'm not vegetarian but the amount of veg options made it impossible for me to justify odering something of a former living nature. I got the tofu scramble and it was quite yummy. They used morning star sausage patties (which may somehow end up being the death of me, i love them so much) and scrambled it up with mushrooms , squash, and of course tofu. I was being extra good that morning so i opted out of the potatoes and cheese that were also to accompany it.
I feel like this place is on a major upswing. The food was fresh our waitress super nice, and you cant beat that casual diner feel. so inviting.
Goddamn, this place used to be a gem!
my previous review still stands strong, and I'm gonna say it all again...
The name SHIT SPOT would better sum up this place!
The name SHIT spot would better sum up this place.
I hadn't been there in about three years, and I've always only come for breakfast. There must be new owners, because the staff is different, the stuff hanging on the walls are unfamiliar, and the menu has changed.
I would come here after swim practice at Echo Park Deep in the mornings, but hadn't been by for a while when Echo closed for renovations. Now that it has reopened, I found an opportunity to go back.
It wasn't crowded - something I first attributed to the poor economy. There was only one server on the floor which was a stretch for the 8 tables there. Breakfast service needs to be quick, but we had to wait quite a while before we could order. The service was friendly and he was obviously trying hard to get everyone done in a quick and orderly way.
The menu is completely done in one monospace (fixed-width) font in two colors (black with green being veggie). No hierarchy in its presentation of information. It is terribly difficult to read.
We ordered the 'whatever' and the 'tofu scramble' which are similar dishes that mixes different ingredients together with scrambled eggs and cheese. The portion was generous, but the overall seasoning was just plain salt.
They seem to be trying to do your typical breakfast along with bringing some contemporary takes. The menu can be complicated - the whole make your own omelette option makes it too difficult figure out how much it is going to cost. Sometimes too many options can be a bad thing in a menu.
The desserts, which I did not order, but were nicely displayed in a glass case looked fantastic.
Overall the restaurant is not great, but not bad either.
Long Beach, CA
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Silver Lake
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: Personal Chefs
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Category: American (New)
Long Beach, CA
Category: Mexican
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