Richard Antablian

I tried Howlin' Ray's for lunch and got the chicken sando with waffles and tenders in medium spice. It was fantastic with butter melting in my mouth, comeback sauce, and the coleslaw bringing out sweetness—one of the best waffles with chicken I've had. I'd rate it a perfect 10.0, hands down one of the best fried chicken sandwiches ever.

I truly believe the best burger in LA is found here at Moo's Craft Barbecue. The smokiness of the brisket trimmings in the Thick Burger is incredible, and even their fries are better than most dedicated burger joints.

I tried the Texas Red Hot Link, pork ribs, and brisket at Bludso's BBQ, and the pork ribs were by far the best—less fatty, less dry, super juicy, and tender after 14 hours of smoking. The cornbread with honey butter was the best $3 I've spent, and the potato salad was incredibly creamy and one of the most underrated sides I've had. This has got to be the best BBQ I've had in LA with its robust wood, smoke, and spice flavors.

I tried Villa's Tacos for lunch and got the VS trio with papas con chorizo, black bean con pollo, and ranchera asada on handmade blue corn tortillas—the cheese crust was out of this world. I also had the cucumber agua fresca, which was served in an interesting way, and didn't even need the salsas. Despite the line, it was worth the wait—lunch score 10 out of 10.