The only reason this has 1 Star is the building. The ceiling and general building concept is great, but that's where the decency stops. Had a reservation, arrived early. Seated right away, but then sat and sat and sat.... for 20 minutes. No drink orders. No wait staff ANYWHERE to be found, including the hostess that had originally seated us! The table next to ours had received a bottle of wine, and had finished it before searching at least three times after we were seated for a server (without any to be found). Menu looked decent, but overpriced for the options listed. Couldn't tell for sure, because no one else in the restaurant had food. Left after 25 minutes to have a great experience at another establishment. read more

***DO NOT DINE AT ENGINE CO NO 28*** This is my 2nd and LAST time dining at Engine Co No 28. We decided to come here for a farewell/celebration luncheon for our favorite boss but the experience was less than stellar - it was actually horrible and the original server was offensive/rude. As soon as we sat down, we noticed that she seemed a bit off and smelled as if she might have been drinking. We tried to place the order and was met with an attitude from her and her questioning our orders. The food came out and although it wasn't terrible, it wasn't very good especially for that price. I will say that the Meatloaf tasted more like pot roast (from Denny's for double the price) and the Caesar salad was pretty bad - a homemade from the bag salad would've been better. She was just as rude to her other tables so we certainly didn't feel like the only group who was appalled. She went missing for a very long time so either things we ordered in addition never arrived or arrived much later after another staff member had to jump in. Towards the end of our meal, she was nowhere to be found and we were told she was sent home so another server had to close us out. Not only was the ordering and first part of our dining experience less than desirable, she managed to make the ending just as disastrous by putting half of our order on another table and half of theirs onto ours thus causing us to spend much longer sorting this out. Sadly, this is establishment is so poorly run that nobody from management even came over to check on us, offer an explanation or an apology, etc. Neither myself nor my friends/coworkers/family will ever be dining here again. read more

so full! Go for lunch- the crowd is only there for one hour, then you can sit all afternoon and be bosterous! We had the pasta - it was fabulous- could have shared it. And the chocolate cake is worth the calories. Go for your birthday! read more

Engine Co No 28 - Special birthday cake. - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I had a great burger here and thought that the overall experience was really cool. Great service. I came by right before closing time, and instead of shooing me away, the staff made me feel welcome and encouraged me to have a seat and grab some food which I really appreciated. Nice casual dinner spot for sure, sometimes even with live music! read more

We came in on a Sunday evening for happy hour--we ordered the House White Wine (Chardonnay), wagyu sliders, short rib tacos, Beyond Meat tacos, and fries. Everything was delicious and we got a great meal for great value. I also appreciated how friendly the waitress and service was! Definitely going to be our new go-to Sunday spot. read more

Wonderful staff that made us feel super safe. Chad, our server, was incredible and made sure that we had a good meal. I loved all the food and the outdoor seating was superb. read more

Was here with my coworkers for dineLA. Food was great and Chad is the best server. Nice outdoor patio. Will definitely come back. read more

Engine Co No 28 - dineLA 2021 - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

CHAD IS THAT MAN! best service!! GO CHAD! We love the food and service so much. He was so accommodating and the drinks were great!

Came here a couple times during lunch time and never experienced any wait times or lack of servers then again it wasn't busy enough. I love that this place used to be an actual fire station, so you will see the structure and pictures of what used to be. They offer your bread for the table while you wait (my fav part to ANY restaurant). They menu items all seem appetizing but the one that caught my eye was the chicken mushroom plate with veggies. It was more than enough that you will be taking some home. I really enjoyed this place and would like to come here at dinner time and try more menu options. read more

Engine Company Number 28 is a great-looking place. It's kind of kool how the bar goes almost the whole length of the space. Went to a party here with a friend once, so it was more like a happy hour event with small bites. Mixed and mingled. There were a few nice people. Oddballs were present as well. It was a quasi-artsy-documentary film industry-ish crowd. There's the guy who wants to invite you to continue partying with them somewhere else. There's another who wants to know if you can help fund their next project. Like anyone has hundreds of thousands of dollars to throw around these days. Little samples of stuff like mac and cheese were average, if that. Just not memorable. Drinks were fine.. standard. Tables, unrelated to the event we attended, were filled with other people at dinner. Plus une etoile pour: ambiance, interior design and architecture. It's a very attractive restaurant. They did a nice job converting the old fire-house and retaining the theme. Can't say I would make a special trip to Engine Co. No. 28, but it might be alright for a happy hour drink. So many (probably) tastier DTLA options, though. read more

My wife and I have been coming to the Co. for a while. We enjoy a few hours here every month and will always be back again and again. Do yourself a favor and check out this old school spot in the heart of downtown. read more

Kobe beef burger, fries & coke Nick H joined me for a quick bite and I picked this place. This is one of those downtown power lunch places with decent food and $$$ price tags. I was happy with my kobe beef burger (wagyu kobe burger with smoked gouda). The meat was so tasty..it was more like steak burger for me. Not sure if I liked my fries. Probably not because I don't like fries. I remember I liked its service. I wanted to sit @ a specific booth and my wish was granted. Not a fan of the price though for $18.95. 3.5 stars!! Engine Co No 28's kobe burger is yummylicious!! read more

Engine Co No 28 - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

So last weekend my buddy Rich G says hey UCLA-USC game, wanna go? Seriously I say, Isn't UCLA gonna get their ass kicked? He responds with an enthusiastic,"hey they have a shot at it" and " I already have the tix". Plus...."We can hit Engine Company before the game!" Alright, if Engine Company is our pregame spot AND he is driving AND he is picking up the tickets, then who cares if UCLA sucks this year. Needless to say Engine Company ended up being far more entertaining then the actual game. We scored some cheap parking nearby and sure enough Engine Company had their shuttle running last Saturday to the Coliseum, sweet! This allowed us to partake of some great HH grub at the bar that included Meatloaf Sliders, Chicken Taco's, Spinach Artichoke dip and their killer fresh Kettle style potato chips, 5 stars for each. Very cool bartender and staff too. The best part is we saved nearly $50 bucks on parking at the Coliseum and since the game was a blow out we beat the traffic back to DTLA for our next stop the Library Bar. I felt bad for my buddy but at least we beat the crowds so he could down a couple of Vodka drinks to forget about that USC beatdown given to the Bruins. read more

This is an amazing restaurant in the middle of DTLA. We had a little office party here and ordered the burgers - damn good choice! I had the Firecracker burger which was spicy and very juicy. It was messy to the point where I really didn't care anymore about how foolish I looked cause it was really that good. My coworker ordered the Heart Attack burger which was twice as high as mine. I'm sure it was just as good as it looked. I really enjoyed the experience and wished that I could have stayed back at the bar but we had to go back to work. read more

See all

Let's see am I in Georgetown? Beantown? The Big Apple? The city by the bay? No, nope, na and not really....but....Engine Company 28 could be in any one of those cities and feel right at home. This place is awesome for it's food, it's vibe, it's service and even it's convenient valet parking right at the doorstep. Noise level, eh, a bit loud but who expects great acoustics from a converted fire house? We actually came to park here and walk down to the LA art walk and quickly decided to just park ourselves at the bar when we found out they now have HH all night ( food that is) at the bar. Let's see... food trucks OR really good food for 5 bucks a plate? This was a no brainier. They great you at the bar with these thick cut, twice fried basket of potato chips that are a meal unto themselves. Crispy with a slight chew, perfectly seasoned and hot, hot hot AND they are gratis, yes! http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Fy71pENHo8QeE39MO55ZDw&select=YDCNW-r5sp1lBXkB3TYcVg So what kind of food do you get for $5 at HH when it really isn't HH? Carne Asada tacos-not sure how they did it but these things are sooo good. The carne is really lean and seasoned and cooked to perfection. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Fy71pENHo8QeE39MO55ZDw&select=4jfUlP__4yt5W6EqVP9Bug Gourmet Chii cheese fries-shoestring fries cooked to perfection and topped with their amazing chili. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Fy71pENHo8QeE39MO55ZDw&select=CLhiXZYpCi9nD3fAgmUBLg Meatloaf Sliders with horseradish sauce on brioche buns-incredible but a bit light on the meatloaf. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Fy71pENHo8QeE39MO55ZDw&select=aoqD1765z43QcMb5XDeClw There incredible chili with sopapillas ( not on HH but insanely good) http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Fy71pENHo8QeE39MO55ZDw&select=djEtbOBvx-H1pXUeR4DStg This is not haute cuisine so don't expect a fine dining experience, it is american comfort food done right in a great setting right in downtown LA. read more

See all

Stopped here with my bf on a Saturday night. Happy hour is to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. I thought that was cool. I ordered the Manhattan, which was the bartender's special for $5. We ordered the cobb salad with salmon for $29. The salad was good and the salmon was juicy and cooked to perfection. We also ordered the meatloaf slider for $5. It was also decent. The service, however, left much to be desired. Our bartender also waited on tables, which made it challenging for him to take care for us. The food took at least 40 minutes. We probably will not return. read more

See all

3.5 Stars! I ate here awhile back. I ordered the Kobe Burger cooked medium. They swapped out the fries for additional fresh tomatoes for me. The service was great. Overall, I would rate my burger 3.5 and 4 stars for great service. AOK and almost a full on fan. read more

I love restaurants that are hidden, off the beaten path, hard to find, and secretive. Engine Co. No. 28 is none of those things. However, if you didn't already know about this restaurant, you'd never know it even was a restaurant. It's located in the heart of the Downtown LA hustle and bustle even though, I'm sure, it goes largely unrecognized because it's location is an old fire house situated amongst the skyscrapers. First off, let's get one thing straight -- Downtown is basically impossible to park in without spending around $10. You could drive around for hours waiting to find a meter, or just suck it up and pull up to the valet stand. We walked in around 6pm on a Thursday night and the place was packed. It was loud and had a fun vibe to it. It's got the immediate appearance of a fine dining steakhouse of some sort with the dark wood panels and large wine rack behind the bar. However, after a couple minutes you realize it's a lot more casual. The look easily reminds you that you're in an old fire station. The ceilings are high, the floor plan is a long rectangle, and the sliding pole is still in the back too! The menu has a large selection of salads, sandwiches, steaks, fish, pastas, as well as "firehouse favorites". The main reason I added this restaurant to my to-try list was because of the menu. The dishes are traditional dishes that would have been made by firefighters in the old days of this station but are now made with a more modern twist. I finally landed on the full order of the Alaskan catch (beer battered cod fillet, steak fries, tartar, and cocktail sauce). The full order came with two huge cod fillets as compared to the small order that has only one. The fish was perfectly flaky and the battered exterior had a nice crunch without being too tough. The fries we great too and the tartar sauce was delicious! Like I said before, Engine Co. No. 28 isn't hidden, nor is it hard to find; it's right there on Figueroa. However, it's decor, storefront, and history offer a unique experience that can't be found anywhere else in this great city. For those reasons alone, I consider Engine Co. No. 28 a true hidden gem! read more

Engine Co No 28 - Alaskan catch (beer battered cod fillet, steak fries, tartar, and cocktail sauce). - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I really hate to do this, but our experience was borderline awful. I used to go to Engine Co fairly regularly for business lunches when I worked over on Figueroa (10 years ago.) I specifically remember loving their chili and their steak sandwich. I never experienced then what I did recently. I haven't been there in a loooong time, but they popped into my head on Sunday as a new spot to try for a weekend brunch. It was April Fools' Day. Maybe the entire experience was a joke or a just a seriously off day in the kitchen. I hope so for their sake. I had: Green Eggs and Ham - scrambled eggs with ham and pesto. Companion had: Eggs Benedict w/ crabcake Eggs Benedict (which was nearly $20) was passable, but one of the most mediocre versions we've had. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good. One egg was over-poached and didn't run at all. Crabcakes seemed like a decent frozen version; lots of filler. His tomatoes on the side were unripe/green. He's like me - rarely sends something back. It fell well below expectation but he opted to just eat it because he was starved. Green Eggs & Ham - it was so completely awful I had to send it back. First, no ham anywhere on the plate. Second, they gave me potatoes when I said I didn't want them. Third, the fresh sliced tomatoes were warm because they plate the food on scalding hot plates. Yummy tomato = mushy and wam. Last but not least, the eggs were AWFUL. They weren't just cooked hard, they looked like an overdone omelet chopped up into bits and then absolutely drowned in pesto. Like 2-3 eggs plus a small ladleful of pesto. I rarely ever send food back. This went. The upside? Staff were very polite and replaced it quickly, and the second version was a vast improvement. The downside? It took between 5 and 10 minutes just to flag my server down to send it back, so I had plenty of time to sit and stare at food and not eat, while my companion felt bad and tried to feed me some of his mediocre benedict. My Pineapple Mimosa was decent; his Bloody Mary was below average. There seemed to be a real disconnect between the quality of the ingredients and their pricing. I think that everything on our plate could've come from Costco. Nothing seemed freshly prepared except the free biscuits (crab cake seemed like a frozen one, pesto seemed like something from a tube/jar, breakfast potatoes were soggy and pretty bland, etc.) We left saying we could've walked 5 blocks fewer and had a far better breakfast at the Nickel Diner for at least $20 less. The worst was yet to come: Both of us became ill from our meal. Our digestive systems experienced some significant discomfort several hours after our meal. One of us was up half the night. (We each only ate one other meal that day, and did not eat together or consume the same food, so I'm sure what the culprit was.) The two stars are for okay ambiance, okay service, yummy biscuits and my memories. I usually give places second chances, but with bad food...I don't know if I'll ever go back again. read more

I wanted to try something new. It also had to be in walking distance from the boyfriend's place. I looked through the Restaurant Week list of places in Downtown and this place had some good reviews here on Yelp, so I settled for this one. It was a bit stuffy and warm inside, so we opted to sit outside by the front window (there are only 2 tables outside). Unfortunately, we did mention to the hostess that we would like to look at the Restaurant Week menu. I think they immediately judged us upon that. I do believe that it's a good way of trying to new restaurants whether or not you can afford it otherwise. You would also think that the restaurant would try to do their utmost to please you in the hope of you returning and would make a menu that features their best dishes. We were sitting outside for a good 10 minutes without anyone even coming to see us. We had to wave through the window several times by the time a waiter having just taken the order from a table that was sat 5 minutes after us came out and took our order, but he seemed hurried and made sure we understood that that he had no time to waste taking our order. We dared to ask a couple of questions about the Restaurant Week menu, but he wasn't happy to answer them. We ordered the tomato bisque and the portobello and porcini raviolis for appetizer. I could taste that the tomato bisque was made with a canned tomato product and not cooked from fresh tomatoes, but it's not a biggie. The mushroom ravioli with the tarragon cream sauce was actually pretty good. For entrees we ordered the 16 oz. rib eye steak with baked potato and the basa filet with mascarpone polenta. Both dishes came out not looking any better than a dish would look at any Denny's. The basa was breaded even though the description did not say a word about it being breaded. I really thought that the idea of participating in the Restaurant Week program was to feature your dishes at a discounted price (although at $44 it wasn't much of a discount at all) and to attract customers to come back and spend money on full price menu items. Well, evidently not at this place. Not only both dishes looked like something that would be served at a Denny's, but they also tasted like that. Nothing special, nothing exciting. The desserts (creme brulee and peanut butter banana cupcake) were OK, but again nothing special. I ordered a decaf latte with dessert. We were halfway through desserts when I got it, but I did not get a spoon or any sweetener with it. I didn't want to wait another 5 minutes for those, so I didn't bother asking for them and just drank it unsweetened. We did order two glasses of wine (not the cheapest either) and we ended up ordering another round, so overall we paid over $150 for a mediocre meal. So don't tell me that for that kind of money I had to be treated like a second-class citizen simply because we ordered the prix fixe menu and not stuff from the full, overpriced menu. Verdict: Engine Co. No. 28. failed to impress me and thus making me want to go back. read more

Engine Co No 28 - They have their own shuttle bus to pick you up from nearby hotels. - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

This restaurant has been in Downtown for a while and I finally had a chance to try it for dinner one night. Engine Co No.28 is build within a renovated fire station with high ceilings and copper ceiling painted over. You can see the openings in the deck where there used to be a pole for firemen to drop down from. Not as nice as the restaurant, Edendale, in Silver Lake which has outdoor seating for two patio areas and was also a fire station in years past. The menu consist of hearty American food from meat loaf, to steaks, to chicken dishes. I ordered roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes and green beans in a lemon butter sauce. The dish was so so. Chicken was a bit on the dry side. Potatoes and green beans were on the bland. This dish was lacking some sauce. A side of gravy would of been better. For $23, I'd expect something a bit more special. Honestly, I could get this dish at any diner or even get it at Ralph's at their deli section. My friend's bone in pork chop didn't look that special either for $26. The waitress also forgot our onion loaf which we had to mentioned by the time we were served our food. Service was okay for an empty weekday night. read more

$20 for bottomless flat mimosas and crappy bloody marys. We had to keep asking for refills and definitely did not get $20 worth of booze. The bloody marys were horrid and made with Seagrams. This place needs to step up their brunch game. read more

Engine Co No 28 - Spicy bloody mary. - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

I went to Engine Co. No. 28 (gosh what a long name) for a surprise birthday party. We were seated in a little private area upstairs. It was nice and cozy, but it was a little stuffy and hot upstairs. There was a huge fan that was blowing on my face the whole entire time... but I guess it was better than being too hot. I thought the service was just a bit off since our waiter seemed a bit shy. However, I think he did a great job serving 15 people all by himself. Food was a bit overpriced but I guess the portion kind of made up for it. I ordered a small plate since I was almost going over my caloric intake for the day... but the portion was still pretty decent. I got the Rosemary skewered salmon over balsamic rice and green beans. The rice was too salty but the salmon and green beans were cooked perfectly. It wasn't the best restaurant, but I had a great time chatting and laughing with my friends :) read more

I came here with co-workers on a rainy evening. I wish we knew in advance that they offer a COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLE in and around the DTLA area to take guests to/from the restaurant! Their shuttle service begins at 5:30pm, I believe. The restaurant itself is an interesting idea... a re-purposed firehouse. They tried to accent the firehouse theme with fire helmets hung on hooks near the entrance, a pole going from the ceiling to floor in the back of the restaurant, and old timey firehouse photos (from other places) to give you a sense of what it may have looked like back in the day. As we walked in, I kind of tilted my head to the side and said to my boss, "hmmm... we don't have to stay here if you would rather go somewhere else." I'm not sure exactly what made me feel a bit off about the ambiance... perhaps it was a bit stark and dated... perhaps it was the tall bar area that took up a wall and seemed out of place with the rest. But we were meeting others there who were on their way, so we sat down at one of the few booths that sit a larger group (seats 5). Most booths seat 2 or 4. Where they picked up points were service and food. They run the restaurant well, with prompt and attentive service. Food portions were ginormous... My co-worker laughed when his salad (which was a huge mound almost overflowing from his plate) was presented and jokingly said... "Umm.. I ordered the large salad." The calamari appetizers were excellent... and they make great dipping sauces (cocktail sauce was perfect). Prices were in the high 20, low 30 dollar ranges, with a few odd items around 17-22 dollars. I ordered a grilled steak sandwich which was flavorful and super tasty. Large chucks of meat fell out and I even had pieces to eat separately. Meat was tender and a nice reddish pink medium. The fries were not your average fries... Thin shoestring strands were crispy on the outside, but soft and moist inside. Great texture. I was really disappointed that they no longer offer their check in discount of 20% (even though it is still showing on Yelp), but overall... the meal made up for the lack of initial frills. It was also really fun to have a private shuttle take me back to work and my co-workers to their hotel. It's those kinds of extra touches that make a difference. read more

Food is great! Try the mini margaritas! Live music was great! Julio took good care of us as well!

Engine engine number 9... 28... Visited this place while my mom was in town. I wanted to try something new (gasp) in a place that was quiet and clean... yelp brought us here. I love the atmosphere of this place. It has so much character and charm. I can't remember what breakfast dish I had but my server forgot my bread... server wasnt sure if my dish came with bread... dude... its just bread. Though I might not look like I NEED anymore carbs in my belly... I really need it with my BACON. The owner/cook? was chatting it up next to us and asked me... "was there suppose to be bread? Oh well, I'll get you whatever you want!" Wish I heard that more often.... and yes, the dish was suppose to come with bread... it was on the menu lol read more

See all

Los Angeles has so many amazing places to eat. And when Dine LA week comes around I get sooooo excited. I get to eat places that I usually wouldn't be able to afford and find out about places I never new existed. How Engine Co. #28 has slipped my foodie list I'll never know. I'm all about ambience and having dinner in an original Downtown Los Angeles Fire House makes me happy. So.... on to the food. We had the dine LA dinner and tried to cover as many of the dishes as possible: Appetizers: 1. Panko Crusted Mac & Cheese Balls - blue cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, Cheetos and bacon encased in a panko crust. -These sound heavenly right? And I'm sure they would of been if they would of come out warm. Don't get me wrong, they were still good. But temperature and texture are so important in food. The lack of warmth made these fall a little flat for me. 2. Pumpkin Soup - Hearty blend of pumpkin spices and bourbon with a dollop of cream -Also sounds amazing. And lord knows I will eat / drink / inhale anything that has bourbon in it. But once again this fell a little flat for me. It tasted good but there was something missing from it. It needed some heat (spice) or something to it. I couldn't put my finger on the ingredient but you were aware that it wasn't there. Still a very good soup though. Entree 1. Shepherd's Pie - Onions, carrots, peas, parmesan potato crust with friend pickles -Yum, yum. Yum yum. This made me happy. I am of course a comfort food kind of girl though and this hit home. Parmesan potato crust is the WORD! Nuf said. OOOOH and forgive my Snookie moment - FRIED PICKLES!!! HELLS YEAH. 2. Top Sirloin with Marsala Mushroom Reduction, Engine Co. Mashed Potato's and seasonal vegtables -Got my steak cooked medium and it was yummy. Nothing to make you want to kiss the cook, but cooked well and the Marsala sauce was good. The Mashed Potato's were definitely the star filled with cheese, chives and bacon. Or as I like to call it.... the trifecta. Veggies were just steamed Broccoli. But I love me some Broccoli so I was okay with that. Desert - Yum desert 1. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie - OMG! Loved it. Basically a sweet potato pie with a pecan pie topping. Fresh Whipped Cream sprinkled with powdered sugar. 2. Apple rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream - I am a huge fan of Bread Pudding and this was good. Didn't make my eyes roll back in my head in sinful delight, but it was good. 3. Double Chocolate Cake - Please refer to review of Bread Pudding. Wine flowed all night and we even found out that if you sit in the bar area, house wines only cost you $5 for the night. That also makes me happy. All in all this place is cool. I would love to come back and try the chili that everybody raves about. My only bad experience while there was this ass who completely shoulder checked me and then didn't have the courtesy to say her was sorry. I may go back just so that I can fake a trip and spill red wine all over his shirt. Asshole. I hate LA men sometimes. Blah! read more

See all

Service was fantastic! Food was amazing! Definitely Beats any chain steakhouse. Very cool old architecture including old school fire poles. Very romantic table settings and surreal date night. Definitely will be back! Thank you! read more

Ate here for Valantines day and it was nice to be able to get reservations on the day of since most other restuarants in Los Angeles were booked. The service was a bit slow, when were arrived a bit early they sugested we have a drink at the bar till our table was ready which is fine but then they forgot about us, which would have been a bigger problem had the waiter not told us he wouldn't charge us for the drink at the bar. The food was quite good, I had a steak sandwich which was cooked just as I like and my girlfriend had a shepards pie which was also quite good. I did enjoy the reuse of a firehouse and would definately eat there again. read more

I went yesterday and the service was amazing. The food and drinks were good! The place is an actual fire house that was remodeled into a restaurant, I definitely recommend this place! read more

This review is for the Happy Hour. My bf and I went here yesterday after a long day of work, thinking we will grab some beer and quick bites to eat. The two IPAs came out right away. We ordered food when the beer came out: chicken tacos and meatloaf sliders. We waited patiently for about 30min with no sign of food. The waiter finally came by to check on us and said that he doesn't understand why the food is taking this long. Another 10 min went by, he looked over at us from the bar and brought us two more IPAs without asking if we wanted something while waiting. Our glasses were still half full and were not ready for another beer! But he's trying to be nice so we say thank you. He said he asked the manager about our food and that it will come. Another 10min, and we are getting really pissed off because people sitting at non happy hour tables are getting their burgers. When we were about to flag down our waiter, he finally reemerges with our food. We were so disappointed (see pictures attached). We were waiting for those? My bf finally had to go talk to the manager, which also took another 5 min of waiting because no worker would give him attention. Finally, our waiter brings the manager, Jack. He immediately says they have a big order (where? We saw less than 10 tables occupied) and that the kitchen is busy. My bf continues to explain that we waited an hour for 2 tiny HH dishes. To that, Jack says that the restaurant business is hard and that we should try to understand. Are you kidding me? We live near DTLA and are avid HH patrons to the many many bars and lounges downtown. If he can't keep up with the demand, he is in the wrong business! To make the matter worse, Jack returns a few minutes after this talk with another plate of the same meatloaf sliders we ordered. Wait a minute... wrong move! He just negated everything he said about the busy kitchen by bringing us an HH menu that was not ordered within minutes! Where did those come from? I didn't see any new HH tables! I thought the kitchen was so backed up that we should have been more understanding that the sliders took an hour. Why did these ones take less than 5 min? Do they make the HH sliders in batches? Jack delivered all this demeanor and speech with such condescence that we were almost ashamed of sitting in the HH section asking for a decent delivery of service and food in a timely manner. Safe to say, I will never come back here and when my friends ask me for advice on DTLA bars, not only will this place not make it to the recommendation list, I will actually warn people about this place. The food after all that wait was barely edible at best so we left more than half behind (I had to eat something to prevent from falling over) and got tacos at a taco truck to fill our growling bellies. read more

Engine Co No 28 - So soggy and unappetizing. Got this after an hour of wait at happy hour. - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

After spending too much money eating at Patina's with the teens, we decided to try this place after another opera. Kids wanted comfort food and after reading it was a former fire station, I thought this would be something different. I had made reservations for the 4 of us on a Sunday evening. When we arrived, they had valet parking. When we walked-in, they immediately seated us. It was pretty empty for a Sunday evening and quiet, which was a nice change. Server was very friendly and attentive. Dad had a beer, Mom had a glass of house wine & teens had their sodas. The menu? Comfort food. So I figured there would be no complaints from the teens this time. Wedge: Standard Chicken Pot Pie: Good Southern Style Pan-fried Chicken: Good. The special was Turkey that night; it was average. Overall, a pleasant experience. read more

Tasty, fresh food! Good happy hour selections. Good pricing for a LA establishment. Ambience is pleasant with jazz music in the background. See photo of pan fried chicken, spinach and mashed potatoes. read more

Engine Co No 28 - Pan fried chicken, spinach & mashed potatoes. $18 - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

2 1/2 Stars (rounded down) This could get long if I type/yap like I usually do, so I'll put it in outline format to save us all some time Good - FIREHOUSE CHILI ($9.95/cup) - ONE OF THE BEST cups of CHILI that I've EVER had!!! - chunks of angus beef instead of regular ground beef - Sopapillas on the side (makes it unique vs. the usual crackers) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=YS80mcVN9WFWXnYVZ2FpFw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=R9hc6-1AaWiKPzG7qGRqnw - Bread & Butter - the bread was warm and fresh http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=ucsjZpkJlz6FPmrSvfZcjw - Server and Manager were both very cool Bad - Slow to get seated - had to track someone down after standing around for a few minutes - Parking - I know, it's DTLA and parking is a headache in most places - At least there's a valet in the front ($10 b4 4p, $8 after) - Took about 8 minutes to get my car back to me - South of Figueroa Burger ($18.95) - Chef decided to ignore the menu and make this his own style - No jalapenos, cheddar instead of jack, and added a few strips of bacon - The "jalapeno jelly" that I asked for on the side after learning my lesson at Fronk's (see review) came on the burger....and tasted more like Thanksgiving cranberry sauce than anything remotely jalapeno (felt like I was getting a cavity just biting into it) - The burger was huge and could have had potential if it was made like the menu asked - I took two bites and was done......and it takes a lot for me to leave food unfinished (especially a burger) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=69fs6BQzN6RibO05Q7Qw0Q http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=bQZKsHqg156eZnaizBXuBA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=vcOYOsnNIB5oK0XhyevbiA - As cool as she was, the server should know the order and food good enough that she can see when the order is wrong before bringing it out, especially when she only has 2 tables Misc - This place is actually a lot fancier/nicer than I expected it to be - Coleslaw and Fries were both ok - Manager did take the burger off my bill, but it wasn't what I ordered, so that's just common sense - Sopapillas - even though they were a creative touch, they were also just ok http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ejfEY1V3g3x3Q-8gbDlHaA?select=TT7s8IAUZfMPRsxVMgv_Hw I'll be back here for sure, AT LEAST for their CHILI read more

See all

The food is okay I was so hungry I devoured the lobster pasta but I truly enjoyed their live jazz music band they had going on . I would definitely go just to listen to the awesome band. read more

My rib eye was dry when I ordered it medium. It was basically well done! The service was bad and valet was horrible. I will not be returning here read more

Engine Co No 28 - Rib eye w/ veggies and blue cheese mash potatoes - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

"Chili in chilly weather..." It's all about the meaty and hearty chili here at Engine Company. All my co-workers like it and it's so filling that we don't end up eating any food. They make it with real steak cubes and no beans. Served with fried bread, extra green onions, and cheese, it's great. Pair with an extra cold brewsky! (--If it's after work. I obviously don't drink in the middle of the day) About reservations: I always recommend reservations here. It doesn't matter how many times the host has seen our group but she still acts like we're losers. Coat Hooks: The "Suits" like it that there are coat hangers for our suit jackets. read more

Seriously, stick to their signature comfort food dishes. That or whatever the friendly owner Robert recommends to you. Exhibit one: myself. Robert recommended either the meatloaf or the chicken friend steak. Being a crab cake lover, I went with crab cakes. They were not good. I can't even say what's missing. Not enough crab and too much filling? I think that was it. Also I don't remember celery being a main crab cake ingredient. The dish came with two five inch pieces and I ended up takin one to go. Exhibit two: my coworkers. A few decided to go all out and got the meatloaf, the gumbo, and the chicken fried steak, respectively. I tried a bite of the chicken, covered in gravy, and it was pretty damn good. All of them literally polished off their plates. Exhibit three: dessert time. Robert recommended the banana cream pie and the lemon meringue pie. Having learned my lesson, I ordered one of each to share. I had my heart set on the berry shortcake before, but by now I fully trust in robert's recommendations. And the pies were UHMAZING. I especially enjoyed the banana cream pie, which had just the perfect balance of whipped cream, banana cream, bananas, and crust, all topped with white chocolate shavings. It was fair competition for the banan tart I had at bottega's and probably double the portion and 2/3 the price. Morale of the story? signature dishes are signature for a reason, and TRUST. One of my coworkers said Engine co used to serve an awesome chicken pot pie. Hope they put it back on the menu! read more

See all

I've been wanting to try out Engine Co. No. 28 for awhile now. It's right in my neighborhood of dtla, and it was an actual old firehouse!! how awesome is that! they still have the original ceilings and a brass pole that i'm sure some hot firemen used to shimmy down. they put in the huge glass doors to replicate the bronze ones that used to be there. it's a great old space, with big leather booths for lots of privacy. intimate and just a hint of fanciness. food was decent comfort food. a little pricy, but it was tasty. I had the pork chop and it was cooked perfectly so the juices stayed in the meat. the CHAR on that sucker was crispy and divine. candied apples and cabbage accompanied and paired with the meat very well. and, it reheated so perfectly. beet salad was also very good. drizzled in honey (i am stealing this trick) and a citrus vinagrette over arrugula with shavings of manchego. I mean, so good. the honey is just the perfect hint of sweetness to bring out the beets. finally, the mac and cheese! don't miss this!! crushed cheetoes on top, with bacon. not too cheezy, noodles perfect. i'm eating it 2 days later as i write this review, and i STILL think it's one of the best mac-n-cheese's i've ever had. definitely would come back, and i hear they have a pretty good happy hour! also, famous fried chicken? and brunch:? and a shuttle to the USC Colliseum or Ahmanson?? oh whaaaa.... love it. Thanks for making DTLA liveable and walkable, urban and awesome! read more

Engine Co No 28 - Pork chop nice and juicy - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Truly good good and attentive service is what make this place a favorite of my bosses and coworkers. Me personally - only been a handful of times but they frequent Engine Co. up to twice a week! Their menu is loaded with comfort foods, pretty much everything I've tried has had a great "homecooked" taste and feel. They have done a great job playing up the firehouse theme. Selections from the "favorites" portion of the menu: fried chicken, meatloaf and cold meatloaf sandwich, tend to be the highest praised after sharing ensues among our large party. Great for business lunches - I don't think there is any way the consistently good food and service here could let you down. read more