Los Angeles, CA.

Pantry Cafe The Original

The Open View

For three star American, try Original Pantry Cafe in Los Angeles. Check out this affordable place in the Downtown area. It's known for its diner style. It's been awarded the Best of Late-night Dining and Best of Cheap Eats awards. When you step inside the restaurant, you'll notice a family atmosphere. This place features breakfast and brunch. This place is open late.

Expert Reviews of Pantry Cafe The Original

Citysearch | Old-school diner with steak, chops, all-day-eggs and a side of L.A. history.

The decor is straight out of a noir novel--bleak lighting, Formica tables, turn-of-the-century photos of downtown and a high-security cashier's cage. Busy at every hour, ancient waiters cater to an endless...
citysearch.com - expert review - 02/28/2006
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Frommer's

An L.A. institution in a city that thrives on change, this bastion of blue-collar cooking has been serving huge portions of comfort food around the clock since 1924. In fact, there isn't even a key to the...
frommers.com - expert review
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TripAdvisor

this diner is noisy and crowded. the food needs salt ( i usually don't need to salt my food), but tastes.....
tripadvisor.com - expert review
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wGuides.com

this is the kind of place your grandparents lovedand probably still go to. owned by ex-mayor richard riordan, it is open 24 hours a day and has not closed since 1924. the doors don't even have locks!
wguides.com - expert review
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Epinions

decent food at bargain prices...
epinions.com - expert review
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Epinions

owned by the current mayor of los angles richard riordian this cafeteria-diner characteristic eatery, feels like it still is being run back when it was built in 1924...
epinions.com - expert review
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AOL CityGuide

richard riordan's downtown diner...
cityguide.aol.com - expert review
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Wcities

this is the kind of place your grandparents loved-and probably still go to. owned by ex-mayor richard riordan, it is open 24 hours a day and has not closed since 1924. the doors don't even have locks!
wcities.com - expert review
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Yahoo! Travel

As a U.S.Marine the generous portions and low prices were very attractive.Weekends found me at the Figueroa Hotel down the street and at Bibo's Rathskellar across the street for German polka
travel.yahoo.com - expert review
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Gayot

former mayor richard riordan is the proud owner of this downtown landmark. those who swear by this place love the charbroiled steaks, oversized pork and lamb chops and daily specials like macaroni and cheese,...
gayot.com - expert review
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User Reviews of Pantry Cafe The Original

Yelp.com Review - by Oanh N.

3 of 5 stars. I was expecting some corn bread and fried chicken but there was none! The dishes came out rather quickly. Good macNcheese but fries were soggy, burgers made on toast, ribs and potatoes with gravy,…
yelp.com - user review - 05/27/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Jason L.

2 of 5 stars. I never understood what the hype was about this place. I went here a few times because of people who have heard of it.... blah blah. The food is like whatevers. Actually its kinda bad. Service is…
yelp.com - user review - 05/24/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Franda L.

5 of 5 stars. I LOVES IT. The portions are huge and the food is pretty greasy, but what do you expect? It's breakfast food. The place has never closed, there are no doors on the locks. Funny there's a Denny's right…
yelp.com - user review - 05/14/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Victor D.

3 of 5 stars. Someone told me to eat here....I listened... I ordered a BBQ pork sandwich, which was decent, but whats up with this coleslaw deal....who has coleslaw as an appetizer?
yelp.com - user review - 05/11/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Wesley W.

5 of 5 stars. Here's another eatery that I've been coming to all my life. I'm there every weekend for breakfast. Why? Because it's comfort food. I wake up early, pick up the parents and drive them here. We…
yelp.com - user review - 05/09/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Peter L.

3 of 5 stars. I've actually never really thought the food here was that amazing. My omelets tend to be undercooked so the cheese is never completely melted. How freaking hard is it to put ham, cheese, and eggs…
yelp.com - user review - 05/06/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Scott K.

5 of 5 stars. This is hands down my favorite breakfast spot in LA. No it's not gourmet or anything like that (well for some it might be), it's just no nonsense, always consistent, and everything on the breakfast…
yelp.com - user review - 05/05/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Karen P.

5 of 5 stars. I can't imagine anyone would not like this place... I have been there, under odd circumstances, lol, and it's always been great.
yelp.com - user review - 04/29/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by tiffany s.

3 of 5 stars. I came here in the middle of the week at lunch and it was a zoo. Guess tht tells you its good but I thought it was alright. I think it would have been better if it wasnt so crowded but it was…
yelp.com - user review - 04/25/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Shawn E.

4 of 5 stars. I hate eating breakfast at restaurants because the risk of seeing a baby eating a pancake is so high. But I assumed that risk this morning. And now I remember the other reason I hate eating breakfast…
yelp.com - user review - 04/24/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by yve l.

4 of 5 stars. Been going there forever, yes it is a long wait. Original diner food Let me tell you what to order
yelp.com - user review - 04/20/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Foo F.

5 of 5 stars. THE ORDER: Sausage & cheese omelet
yelp.com - user review - 04/19/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Yakov K.

4 of 5 stars. Good old fashioned, unpretentious, stick to your ribs, diner dining at its best! I have been eating here since I was 12 and hope to keep on eating here until I ear my last meal. They are excellent…
yelp.com - user review - 04/19/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Liza L.

4 of 5 stars. worked in the bldg on the same corner as The Pantry, so i can tell you that #1 they serve huge portions. i ordered pancakes for breakfast once and went down to pick them up and they were enormous.…
yelp.com - user review - 04/08/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Deven F.

3 of 5 stars. Way fast service, attentive waiters, great breakfast and easy parking. Dinner isnt so good. Both the beef sandwich and spaghetti are nasty.
yelp.com - user review - 04/01/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Jessyca L.

3 of 5 stars. Alright I saw this place on television and many of my friends said this place is a go to spot in LA.. and since I have been living here...all my life I should at least go and see what is up with it.…
yelp.com - user review - 03/30/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by melinda j.

4 of 5 stars. A quaint slice of Americana with its down-home goodness and anachronistic decor, this is the place to go when it's the middle of the night, you're in downtown LA, and you need some decent grub fast.…
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Mike K.

5 of 5 stars. The best food you can get. You want a ham and cheese omellette with hash browns and sourdough toast. Or maybe a chicken fried steak. Or maybe beef cutlets. 2 front doors right next to each other.…
yelp.com - user review - 03/24/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by tracey j.

1 of 5 stars. food was horrible...and not cheap! our ham & cheese omlettes were so salty, they were inedible. at $9.50 per omlette, you'd think they'd use good cheese...but, no, it was drenched in processed…
yelp.com - user review - 03/23/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by April S.

5 of 5 stars. Okay. I admit there are some technical drawbacks to the Pantry (which obviously haven't diminished my opinion of the place) and I will start by getting them out of the way before I move on to how I…
yelp.com - user review - 03/18/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Ford P.

4 of 5 stars. Simply walking into this place makes me feel at home. As a native New Yorker, this place reeks the NYC diner feel. The cashier behind a metal grate - that you pay when you leave. The semi-grimeyness…
yelp.com - user review - 03/16/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Linda K.

4 of 5 stars. i finally got to try this place out and we went here for lunch time. we had to wait a little bit since a lot of people were eating before the ncaa game at the staples center. but i love the dish…
yelp.com - user review - 03/15/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Marisol C.

5 of 5 stars. I found out about the Pantry in the Underground Guide to LA, and when I happened to be in the neighborhood (by myself) one night, I decided to drop by. It looked like something straight out of a…
yelp.com - user review - 03/08/2008
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Not the late-night selectiong I hoped for

The portions here seemed hearty all around, but I wasn't impressed by the variety of dishes. The chalkboard menus weren't offering much meatless, and though the bacon and egg breakfast sounded like it had a...
citysearch.com - user review - 03/02/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Matt P.

2 of 5 stars. Don't get it, don't get it, don't get it. I don't get it. I can see going to the pantry between 2:30 and 5:30 AM, when you're so drunk that you can't even taste what you're eating in the first place,…
yelp.com - user review - 03/01/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Marianne S.

4 of 5 stars. Thaaaaanks.... for the mem'rieeeees.... I lived in L.A. for 17 years and went to The Pantry countless times over that period. When I was in college, it was a place for late-night tummy-growling…
yelp.com - user review - 02/27/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Jon M.

4 of 5 stars. Who knew that a pan-fried T-Bone Steak could taste so damn good? I love these juicy pan-fried steaks. Yes, it is a little Denny's or IHOP style but who cares. This place may not be one of your…
yelp.com - user review - 02/27/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Shane M.

2 of 5 stars. The food is marginal and not worth the wait. I've been here twice and neither time was I impressed. The service was good though and everyone should go at least once, since the Pantry is an L.A.…
yelp.com - user review - 02/26/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Erica U.

4 of 5 stars. Great place for dinner; forget going for breakfast. Huge portions, good sourdough bread also. Don't let the line outside intimidate you - it's worth the wait!
yelp.com - user review - 02/25/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by charcoal d.

4 of 5 stars. I would give the pantry 5 stars but sometimes the service is hit or miss. Go late (or very early in the morning) and you'll get the waiter with the dark hair and mustache, he rocks! The food is…
yelp.com - user review - 02/20/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Richard S.

5 of 5 stars. The Pantry is one of my personal reference points, not just for dining in LA, but for a pretty big chunk of my inner life. What I mean is that this place has been around for so long, and managed to…
yelp.com - user review - 02/20/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Caroline Y.

3 of 5 stars. Okay...this place is not all that. I prefer IHOP or Denny's breakfast food over this place. We had the ham and cheese omelette and french toast. Uh...what's so great about it? I just don't get it. It…
yelp.com - user review - 02/19/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Christina Y.

5 of 5 stars. I absolutely adore Pantry! I was surprised when I first started coming here regularly that none of my friends knew about it. The food is delicious! I always order the ham & egg omelette, and it comes…
yelp.com - user review - 02/15/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by June C.

4 of 5 stars. I was debating between 3 or 4 stars and went with 4. I've been here couple of times and the portions are big....I really like the steak & eggs here. It feels like the years been turn back two…
yelp.com - user review - 02/13/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Alison T.

4 of 5 stars. We were seated quickly and served bread almost immediately. An entire loaf of sourdough, I was happy. I was also cautious, so as not to fill myself up. The Original Pantry Cafe is just good grub, fast…
yelp.com - user review - 02/12/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by stephen l.

4 of 5 stars. I'm noticing that LA is a lot different than San Diego in that you can walk/use transit to get around here. While I didn't use any public transpo (because I don't do that) I did walk a lot. In fact,…
yelp.com - user review - 02/11/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Nick Y.

5 of 5 stars. One of America's best restaurants Any foodies who is worth a damn owe it to themselves to try this place at least 10 times.
yelp.com - user review - 02/08/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Vanessa D.

4 of 5 stars. I enjoy bacon and coffee. I also like eggs every now and then. Toast, too. I like this place because the service is fast, the food is always what you want, and the people are friendly. Breakfast reigns…
yelp.com - user review - 02/08/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Nicole P.

5 of 5 stars. Nothing, I repeat nothing, can compare to a Pantry breakfast on a Saturday or Sunday morning (if you beat the crowd) after a late and/or great night. I'll even go so far as to say the Pantry is a…
yelp.com - user review - 02/08/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Robert C. Y.

4 of 5 stars. I live in Manhattan. I haven't been to this place since the 70s when I was in LA for business. I found this place on my second business trip there and ate there 4 times that week alone. I was in LA…
yelp.com - user review - 02/06/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Virginia K.

5 of 5 stars. This is an LA Original!! I have only came for breakfast but everything looks good. HUGE portions, Great service, there's always a crowd, decent prices! Delicious buttered Sourdough toast ( no one…
yelp.com - user review - 02/05/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Chris N.

3 of 5 stars. It was the Wifey's birthday and I had gotten out of work late. Shame on me, I had nothing for her but a gift, no dinner plans or a cake. It was too late for dinner and we didn't know where to get…
yelp.com - user review - 01/30/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by jason k.

3 of 5 stars. I love the old and original diner style atmosphere, but the steaks are too dried~ I really like this place, but I just don't like their steaks. I had the NY steak (Medium well), but they gave me a…
yelp.com - user review - 01/27/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Christina L.

4 of 5 stars. I heart breakfast. I heart Pantry. I heart times 100 their coleslaw, it has real cream. I heart their genuine buttermilk pancakes. I heart their warm peach cobbler. I heart times ten their waiter…
yelp.com - user review - 01/24/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Victoria C.

4 of 5 stars. This place was completely different than what I imagined. With it's name, I guess I expected brown wood walls and cute little pies. The inside in plain and loud. But that was the only negative…
yelp.com - user review - 01/20/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Amy C.

4 of 5 stars. If you're on a diet, Go Away. As if LA doesn't have enough grumpy anorexic starving coked out transplants from Michigan attempting to break into the entertainment industry who complain all the damn…
yelp.com - user review - 01/19/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Louis N.

5 of 5 stars. Good food, nice atmosphere. I don't know what it is but I love this atmosphere. I really like the ambiance after midnight. I like this place late at nights; slow nights or jumping nights, doesn't…
yelp.com - user review - 01/19/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by William C.

3 of 5 stars. 3.5 stars. This is a L.A. landmark (http://www.pantrycafe.com/faq.html), but it's also very much hyped-up, perhaps beyond reasonable expectations. The food is diner fare at best, but the portions are…
yelp.com - user review - 01/19/2008
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BEST CLAM CHOWDER

LONG LINE FOR LUNCH! GREAT CLASSIC PLACE. AS FAR AS SERVICE AND MENU KIND OF CONFUSING. BUT I REALLY ENJOYED THE CLAM CHOWDER. MY SANDWICH NEEDED LOTS OF HELP.
citysearch.com - user review - 01/14/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Jose B.

5 of 5 stars. I absolutely heart the breakfast. pancakes,sourdough bread, and coloeslaw.hhmmm hmmm.. been coming here since my early teens . Brings back memories..Love it!
yelp.com - user review - 01/14/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Sarah C.

3 of 5 stars. I wasn't impressed.
yelp.com - user review - 01/09/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Eiline Y.

5 of 5 stars. late night. kinda hungry, but not for a meal. stopped by this corner on the way back home.
yelp.com - user review - 01/08/2008
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Yelp.com Review - by Brian F.

3 of 5 stars. I was drawn here when I drove by Friday the 28th and saw the very large line wrapped around the building in the morning. While I'm not sure what the line was about I assume it was for the Hot cakes.…
yelp.com - user review - 12/29/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Hannah L.

3 of 5 stars. The coleslaw is amazing. However, I paid ~$11 for a philly cheesesteak sandwich. I expected it to be oozing with steak and cheese, but the best part of the sandwich was the bread. Um, that's not what…
yelp.com - user review - 12/25/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Rosa C.

5 of 5 stars. I love this place! There's nothing like a night of drinking and nooky then waking up to go to the pantry for breakfast at 12:30pm. They serve breakfast until 3pm. There may be a line most Sunday…
yelp.com - user review - 12/22/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Mei Mei J.

2 of 5 stars. This place is overrated. Its just another old diner in LA. Yes it has history. I do like the "famous" coleslaw. But nothing that great in the menu.
yelp.com - user review - 12/19/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by french toast t.

2 of 5 stars. effing overrated. this place is RIGHT next to my office.. we went here for lunch and i couldnt figure out what the hell all the hype was about. there were mysterious black specks in my sidesalad..…
yelp.com - user review - 12/12/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Katie H.

5 of 5 stars. I have one word for all of you people: COLESLAW!! Pantry coleslaw for the win, for serious kids. It was hella good. Without the coleslaw, I would give this place 3.75 stars. Overall, you really can't…
yelp.com - user review - 12/12/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Glenn M.

5 of 5 stars. I love the T-bone steak here. The ham and cheese omelette might be the best omelette I've ever had. Toasted or plain, the bread is great. I'll eat some with just butter, or with jelly. It's worth it…
yelp.com - user review - 12/09/2007
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You have to try it

You have to try this joint. The pantry burger is quite delicious and filling. Service is good. Price, however, is a bit steep. If you are at staples center or convention center, you should try it at least...
citysearch.com - user review - 11/29/2007
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I'm sooooo full!!!!

I ate here once so far, HUGE portions--enough for three people, had County Steak-two large slabs, about a can of green beens (bland), lots of mashed potatoes and gravy, and a medium sized loaf of fresh...
menupages.com - user review - 11/26/2007
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Terrible Burgers

My husband and I went there for lunch on 11/19/07. Although this is a fine "historic restaurant must-see", and I enjoyed it for its atmosphere and clients, the burgers were truly awful. The $10.95 "Club Burger" is preceded by a plate of finely-shredded cabbage in a light creamy dressing which drenches the cabbage but does nothing else to flavor it. A plate of bread and butter also arrives at the table. The burger itself is a large patty of beef, mixed perhaps with some onion, and maybe breadcrumbs or rice to extend it. It's oddly-flavored. Once grilled, a slice of cheese is melted on top of the meat, and then the burger is put between two slices of bread. The meat juices quickly soak the bread, and except for the odd, oniony flavor of the meat, there is not much else to taste. No fresh lettuce, tomato, or relish. The fries that accompanied this "burger" were clearly the victim of first overcooking, and then of sitting for a long time under a heat lamp. They were dry and flavorless. Perhaps this place does best as a "breakfast only" place. It's hard to mess up bacon and eggs, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here for that meal. I'm sure the people who "love" this place are sincere, but honestly, as a cook myself and as someone who enjoys great ingredients and well-prepared food (whether it's "comfort" food or something new and different), I have to give the burgers and fries here a double thumbs-down. Who can't make a good burger these days?
openlist - user review - 11/22/2007

SOME DISTURBING TURNS

People don't come here for the quality of the food, although it isn't bad, just heavy. They come here because they've by have been coming here since they were children. People are not converted to the Pantry,...
citysearch.com - user review - 11/19/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Jon O.

3 of 5 stars. I remember going here at 3 am pretty regualrly after a long night bartending years ago........breakfast is probly the way to go, nuthin better than a side of their slaw followed by some over easy…
yelp.com - user review - 11/19/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by A K.

3 of 5 stars. I give it three stars because they have parking. The bread is good, ( not 'Frisco good, but acceptable sourdough good) the food consistently
yelp.com - user review - 11/18/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Linda L.

3 of 5 stars. I've only times I've ever had breakfast here is on a weekday, I would never, ever, EVER stand in line for this place. Don't go on a weekend!! That being said, the sourdough toast alone is reason to…
yelp.com - user review - 11/13/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Cheryl N.

3 of 5 stars. Who cares if the food is greasy and bad for you! This place is not for the diet cautious. You leave the restaurant feeling fat and happy. Their sourdough toast and pancakes are my fav. The waiters…
yelp.com - user review - 11/11/2007
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The dirtier the better

This place is a landmark. They make some great burgers at this place. It's old, it's dirty, and it's awesome.
kudzu.com - user review - 11/08/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Teresa W.

2 of 5 stars. I'd much rather go to denny's or IHOP. being open 24 hours is awesome, the rest blows. i understand it's historic, and "charming" but I don't get the rest. The food is large in quantity, and low in…
yelp.com - user review - 10/28/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Harry M.

5 of 5 stars. what to order? Filet mignon for lunch or dinner.
yelp.com - user review - 10/22/2007
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Great After Hours Stop

This is my pick as an after hour club stop. After the dance club closes and you feel like stopping somewhere to get something to eat.........this is it. It's totally 50's style with the same type of tables and...
citysearch.com - user review - 10/18/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Triana R.

5 of 5 stars. I don't care what anyone says, the pantry is the place to be anytime of the day. Maybe it is because I've been coming here every now and then for..pretty much my entire short little life, but I love…
yelp.com - user review - 10/16/2007
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Yelp.com Review - by Jeremy Y.

4 of 5 stars. I heard bad things about health code violations about this place from a friend but it had an "A" when I went so I thought what the hell! It's an LA institution since before the Depression era and its…
yelp.com - user review - 10/13/2007
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Yelp.com Review