Lazy Ox Canteen

I can say with 100% confidence that the dining experience starts with service. At Lazy Ox Canteen, they are clearly riding the wave of all their hype because they feel service is not a priority. We had been looking forward to going to this restaurant for some time & decided it would be the perfect place for my birthday dinner. I booked the reservation for a table of 12 people at 9:30PM. On the day of the dinner, we increased our group to 15 people, which we were told we would have to be pushed back to 10PM. We arrived early in hopes that should tables become available sooner, we would be able to sit. When I checked in with the hostess, I got a lecture from the manager on how they don't have any secret seating areas they can put us & they will seat us when something becomes available. Okay guy, I was just telling you we were here early, that's all! We patiently waited & it became apparent our spot on their patio was not going to appear any time soon. When my husband went to inquire, the hostess was blatantly rude to him & when the manager came by to see what the problem was, she outright denied what she had said. The manager attempted to make nice but refused to deal with his hostess, which clearly she has no respect for him or his establishment or she would not act in a way that would negatively affect the restaurant. Someone needs to explain to these people that this is the HOSPITALITY industry.....she is not some actress or CEO, she's a hostess. When you're spending your hard-earning money on a babysitter & a night out with your friends, the last thing you need is pretentiousness. With Lazy Ox Canteen, don't believe the hype! They could've had mind-blowing food but with terrible service like that, I wouldn't waste my time. After researching more reviews online, it seems this is a common issue for them which has not yet been addressed. more

Plenty of options to please with standard menu items as well as a changing chalkboard menu. The place is a bit hard to find with no real sign to point it out, just look for the place with a small patio and a huge, heavy wood door. Service is nice and the place is always packed so orders can take some time to come out. But while you wait, why not snack on the complimentary roasted corn nuts that bring a culinary blast of nostalgia of ice cream man / liquor store galore? If the baco is on the menu be sure to try it, other favorites of mine include the trotter, chicharon pig ears and lemon ribbon pasta with egg. more

We were all set to be bowled over based on the reviews. But, it was not meant to be. Pros: Unusualycombinations and tastes Cons: Tiny, tiny portions of of food AND drink, more

Great place to catch up with friends or have a meeting. Modern, sophisticated yet very charming and easy atmosphere. Fantastic food and quick service. It really wins points all around! Pros: quick service, great food, relaxed atmosphere Cons: too far from my house! more

Wow. Josef Centeno comes back in a big way! Yes, the baco does make a surprise appearance every few weeks on the chalkboard, but the Lazy Ox is so much more than that. Josef Centeno and Michael Cardenas has teamed up to create a wonderful neighborhood restaurant that really highlights Centeno's skills. Whether it's pig trotter, fried anchovies, or fried chicken, the Lazy Ox challenges you to explore the boundaries of your food comfort zone. Even if you're not in the mood to test your boundaries, you can't go wrong with the beef paleron or Lazy Ox burger, both of which should be included in any ""Best of"" conversations in LA. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no signage, so look for the Sakura Crossing sign on San Pedro. It can be tough to get a table on the weekends, so be prepared to wait. Between the good eats, the great wine and beer selection, and fantastic staff, you really can't go wrong at the Lazy Ox. Pros: Revolving menu, great beer and wine selection. Cons: It can get crowded. You might not get full. more

You can't really call this a fusion restaurant nor a specialty restaurant...if you LOVE food, you just have to come in with an open mind, a hungry belly and get ready to have the most delicious food combinations ever! We had the Lazy Ox Burger (always a safe bet) and the biscuits and gravy on top of collard greens, ham hocks and a poached egg. Sinfully rich and oh so worth it. We're already planning on coming back and trying out their dinner menu and maybe trying out their crispy pig ear appetizer! Food combinations are not for those that are picky, unimaginative or lack a sense of adventure. If that's you, then go to Denny's. Pros: Unique food combinations Cons: No signage to identify the restaurant more

Lazy Ox has been opened less than a month and it's already won the hearts of many because of its star chef, Josef Centanno. I followed this chef from Opus where I fell in love with his creation, the Baco. It is not really a taco and not quite pizza. It's like a mini-flatbread with toppings. So far, I've had the beef and pork one and it's fantastic. I am happy they're going to open for lunch. Little Tokyo needed something different. Pros: happy hour Cons: you want to order more than happy hour more

My wife and I heard about the Lazy OX canteen from a DT neighbor and so we made the first visit on saturday and it was ""packed"" so we sat and the cozy bar and started with a great draft from montreal called ""terrible"" then i moved on to a happy hour beer ""red stripe"" $3.00!!!!...i had two, then we were sad that happy hour ended at 7pm but i switched to a glass 2008 chardonnay from argentina called ""tillia"" that was great and we ordered some appetizer from ""pig trotter"" to ""fried anchovy"" to ""crispy broccoli leaf"" then we shared an entree ""fire roasted sea bream with chimichurri"". My dessert was the ""chocolate pate"" and ""rice pudding with a pineapple infussion"". We made another visit last nite and not only was the food on target with new special on the blackboard but the service was ""very proffessional"" with a charming young server that was very sharp about the wine list. The Lazy Ox is a foodies paradise and it's definitely the best place to dine in downtown for the dollar. This place ""ROCKS"" and i'm happy that it's in my hood! Pros: food and vibe was a pleasant surprise Cons: absolutely none more

we went to this restaurant after just barely it's first week open. the style of this restaurant was tapas / family style eating. but consider it family style eating only because everyone wants a little something from everyones dish! the parings of foods by the chef is purely amazing. this restaurant is blessed to have him. we drove past this place twice because they don't have any signage. don't worry. stop in. take a chance. it's a food orgasm in there, waiting for you. more