L.A. has so many sushi restaurants that it can be hard to know where to go, especially if you don’t want to empty your wallet. East Japanese Restaurant stands out for its specials, which allows even starving artists to enjoy some fresh fish.

This mid-range sushi place is packed in the beginning of the week, and for good reason. On “Salmon Mondays” and “Tuna Tuesdays” you can get sashimi of the featured fish at $1 and rolls from $2-3.

The dining area’s bent wooden beams give you the feeling of being in an 18th Century fishing boat’s cabin. The crowd tends to be younger than not, probably because East is great for people on a budget.

The low prices make sense when you see the size of the rolls, which are mostly rice. “We only come to East for the specials,” says L.A. resident Parker Davis, “The rest of the time it’s not worth the trip.”

329 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 437-0563

In Los Angeles and looking for a hopping club, or something to do after dinner other than a movie, well here it is.

Los Angeles has thousands of restaurants and can become a little overwhelming, so here is your list of local favorites that will give you some directing on where to eat.

One Life Natural Foods is right off Venice Beach: a lively and colorful area – to say the least - that offers a variety of boutiques, clothing shops, and a diverse social congregation along Muscle Beach and the bike path - mostly used by skateboarders these days. On our last visit, we saw a seminude guy waving two yard-long snakes, and a Hindu fakir about to jump barefoot into a pile of broken glass. Definitely colorful.

One Life opened 25 years ago as a commune, bringing healthy options to the community well before organic was a household name. Continuing that tradition today, they now have a juice bar, deli, organic produce, a variety of vitamins, cosmetics and the exclusive herb room.

The juice bar is what made One Life famous. The blackberry smoothie is a MapBuzz favorite. The fruit blends are all berries and juice, and don’t yogurt as filler, which gives the drink a much richer flavor and lets you taste each ingredient.

Whenever you’re around Venice Beach and feeling thirsty, stop by One Life Natural Foods for one of their famous fresh juices, and a sandwich. An added plus that it’s inexpensive, so you won’t be robbed by beach prices.

www.Mainstreetsm.com

3001 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 392-4501

In the last 60 years, almost everything surrounding this West L.A. burger joint has changed, but Apple Pan has kept the same small brick house it was in when it opened in 1947, and the servers’ red and white paper hats, complemented by white aprons, complete the back-in-time sensation. They’re known for their burgers topped with homemade hickory sauce, but the name comes from the made from scratch apple pies you can smell as you walk in.


The inside of Apple Pan consists of one open room with a “U” shaped counter in the middle, so that everyone has a good look at the cooks that are grilling up in the middle of the “U”. People are usually lining the walls waiting for to-go orders or the slight chance a spot at the bar might open.

Waiting for a place to sit is well worth it, because you get the full classic diner experience. The first difference from the contemporary burger stand is that the fries come out before your burger - like an appetizer - so you can enjoy them while they’re hot. Eating your fries before your sandwich comes out is a good idea, so there are no distractions from the delicious burger staring you down.

Apple Pan brings back all the details that have been lost in the American diner in the last 60 years. Drinks come in a coned paper cup with a steel stand for the drink, and ketchup comes on a side plate, making the ordinary condiment elegant.

Like the recipes, many of the staff members have been the same longer than you have been alive, one server having worked at Apple Pan for more than 50 years. Come in right away if you have never had the luxury of Apple Pan’s hickory stakeburger or their ham and cheese, but like the 1950’s there were no credit cards – cash only.

www.ApplePan.com

10801 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 475-3585

Family Books Inc is great for anyone wanting to tap into the most cutting edge art. This is reflected not only in what is held on the shelves in this hardcover haven, flexing their keyed-in sense of modern art, but also in their clothing made by local artists, posters and videos. It’s full of everything from Kurt Vonnegut to installation art books, and of course music

The space is a long narrow room, with tall ceiling, covered in different framed art and murals on the walls. All sides of this creative center are lined with bookshelves including a center display, jamming in as much content as possible.

Family is strongly involved with the art communities in L.A., N.Y.C. and Chicago, and this is clear when looking at the store’s blog where there is a constant discussion of the current art trends, and shows. FamilyLosAngelles.com is worth your while especially if you can’t make it in.


Family also sells rare independent “zines”, which are like magazines, but without ads and are independently produced on a very small scale – so they’re here one day but gone tomorrow. One such zine contains interviews with members of Wu-Tang Clan talking about math of all things.

Stopping by Family is always a good idea, because you never know what they will have going on. When we were there last we there last there was even a live band!

www.FamilyLosAngeles.com

436 N Fairfax Ave,
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 782-9221

This hole-in-the-wall pizza joint is quick and easy if you’re looking for a fast lunch before hitting the beach, but the food is nothing special to go out of your way for.

The sandwiches come on foot-long artisan bread, and you can get them toasted to bring out the juices of the meat and flavor of the cheese.

The pizza is nothing to write home about; there is not a lot of dough used, making the pizza thin, with not a lot of cheese or sauce. But despite being a little skimpy with the ingredients, the pies are tasty and have a pleasant crisp texture.

Point Pizza nice for a quick meal, especially if you can’t take any more Jack in The Box tacos, but don’t expect the best pizza of your life.

Average Meal: $11

29169 Heathercliff Rd # 104
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 457-2838

You might be skeptical about eating sushi inside of a mall when you’re in L.A., but Kabuki will not disappoint. Kabuki is treat if you’re looking for a modern twist to traditional sushi.

All the fish is incredibly fresh, and that’s why Mapbuzz recommends the sashimi (fish on a chunk of rice) over the  sushi rolls. By eating the sashimi you let the taste and texture of the slabs of catch stand out. Also, some of the topping sauces on the rolls can be a little too Americanized.

Some of the regular’s favorites are the tender octopus, or the Hawaiian bonito, but we recommend the unagi sushi – some of the best eel we’ve ever tried.

The food comes out in an excellent display with a leaf under the sushi creating a beautiful color contrast. The rest of Kabuki is not as elegant. Not a lot of attention goes into décor and atmosphere, but that’s only because the focus is on the cuisine.

Kabuki is the right sushi den for anyone who wants to enjoy fresh fare in a relaxed environment, and not pay an arm and a leg. Seating is always fast, and the staff is extremely friendly.

www.kabukirestaurants.com

9701 Reseda Blvd
Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 886-8266

What started as a hardware company spin-off of skateboard dynasties Chocolate and Girl, has turned into a highly sought-after limited edition clothing company. No longer are just skateboarders wearing Diamond, now even rappers like The Cool Kids are rocking their tees.

Diamond shirts are difficult to get your hands on–especially if you wear the horribly common large size-so what better way to ensure you’ll get your hands on one than going straight to the store? Some of the featured shirts had a woman’s hand holding a large diamond, another incorporates Mighty Mouse flying with a diamond. All shirts use current color schemes and make shirts in teal – a color your don’t see every day.  

The Diamond store is a small elegant boutique, with one rack of shirts on the back wall, a few skateboards stacked, and a mahogany check out station that sits like a giant wooden egg in the middle of the store.

If you’ve been looking for a rare shirt with an urban flare, the Diamond store is perfect. The small selection allows them to rotate regularly, and because it is the official location, not a retailer, they carry editions and colors exclusive to this store.

www.DiamondSupplyco.com

507 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 966-5970

Hip-hop started with the turntable, transforming disco breaks into beats, and spurring an entire culture: fashion, music, literature, and of course the DJ. Turntable Lab somehow manages to fit all these aspects into one store. And if you didn’t know, Turntable Lab is the most respected in the game, originating in N.Y.C.

Here you can pick up that Technique 1200, or the replacement cartridge for your needle. You will also find the latest streetwear shirts, books and zines, on subjects ranging from international street culture to collecting classic video games. They also stock the latest underground hip-hop and electronic LPs and CDs.

The store is all white with a glass checkout counter, and the DJ equipment section feels like a warehouse, because of it simplistic glass displays and discreet black shelves. This minimalist décor allows the merchandise to be the star.

If you can’t make it to the store, the website is just as good, with products from the L.A. and New York City locations. And like the store, the website lets you listen to all the music before you buy it.

www.Turntablelab.com

424 1/2 N Fairfax Ave,
Los Angeles, CA
(323) 782-0173