Usually we can list some of the food items at our winners with the assurance that our readers can stop in and order them. That doesn’t work at Hot’s Kitchen because the menu changes often. They’ll always have tacos and sliders, but what’s between those buns and tortillas depends on the market and the whim of the chef. As a general thing there will be some standard offerings – their versions of a classic bacon or pastrami burger, for instance. There will also be a couple of unusual items, at least one vegetarian offering, and something with flavors that don’t make sense on the page, but do in your mouth. And that’s what Hot’s Kitchen is all about – creative food, served in an energetic environment along with craft beers and appropriate accompaniments. — RF
844 Hermosa Avenue, HB, hotskitchen.com, (310) 318-2939
Runner-up: Hennessey’s
