If you are reading this, it means you read my previous Blog and you want more awesome recommendations from your friendly neighborhood “DTLA Concierge;” Well, you are in luck because the new Little Tokyo Metro Sation is finally open, and I will share with you some of My favorite spots in the Downtown Arts District.
Little Tokyo Metro Station Revamped
Some background: The Little Tokyo Metro station had been shut down back in October of 2020 and was moved across the street from The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. This was done to connect the A & E lines across Los Angeles. Now, you can hop on the A line and ride it all the way to Long Beach, or you can hop off anywhere between the Little Tokyo and Pico station, get On the E line, and ride it all the way to Santa Monica! Leaving you just up the street from the Pier. That is one of my favorite things to do on Thursdays after work; I take my dog Delilah with me, and we walk for hours up and down the beach. On the way back, the E line takes you to East Los Angeles & the A line takes you to Azusa.
I also ride the metro daily on my way to work and back. Before I had to take 2 different lines and there were more delays; Now, I get to and from work much faster because it is all one rail Line! That is another reason I decided to check it out and explore a bit more on the other side of the track. Within a few minutes, I was exiting the train and taking in the murals that decorated the entire walls. There are also some beautiful tile murals/decorations in certain spots.
Culinary Gems Around Little Tokyo
One thing I noticed before the station reopened was that the city now has “Metro Ambassadors.” Their job is to help people navigate the Metro lines across the city safely & make them feel welcome. You can find these Metro Ambassadors all over the city in various Metro Stations. When you exit the station, the first spot I would recommend checking out, if you have not already, LOQUI TACOS (like “low-key”) on Traction Avenue. I cannot recall if I have written about them or mentioned them before, but Loqui Tacos is this hole-in-the-wall type of place hidden in the middle of the arts district. These are elevated tacos full of genuine flavor. I mean, you can really taste the freshness of all their food, especially their chips with guacamole & fresh lemonade. And no, this is nothing like Chipotle, Chipotle WISHES.
Now that you have finished your tacos, you are probably craving something sweet, a tasty little treat if you will. For dessert, you are going to take a nice short stroll around the block to E 3rd St., where Salt & Straw is the place to be. I have only gone a couple of times, but Salt & Straw has new and interesting flavors every month! Personally, I’m not that adventurous when it comes to ice cream, I like to stick with classics like chocolate or something simple so I can add crunchy toppings like pecans and almonds; whatever you like, however you like it, Salt & Straw has something for everyone!
Gaming and Drinks at EightyTwoLA
If your sugar high hasn’t worn off and you don’t want to go home just yet, might I recommend EightyTwoLA; A very laidback Barcade hidden in the middle of the arts district. Here you can find all kinds of people from LA just hanging out, enjoying tasty drinks, and relaxing with some of the best retro games you can have in an arcade! You can buy tokens for the games at the bar while you order drinks; My go-to drink is the Moscow mule. Even if you’re dead inside or games just aren’t your thing, I can guarantee that you’ll find something awesome to play, especially if you like Pinball! Every few weeks or months, EightyTwoLA hosts a Pinball Tournament where you face off against complete strangers to see who’s the Pinball Champ! You can find the 82 Barcade in the corner of E. 3rd St. & E. 4th Pl.
The last thing I would recommend is grabbing some dinner in Little Tokyo, there are plenty of options to choose from or if you want something light, check out one of their cafes and get something to go!
Whatever you make of your day, let us know how it was on your next visit to Los Angeles Self Storage!
Loqui Tacos
803 Traction Ave #150
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-376-4200
EightyTwo LA
707 E 4th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90013
eightytwo.la