I just had popped in for a late lunch. The burger was the best of many I've had in downtown. It was cooked exactly as ordered. The fries were excellent as well. The waitress (Jessica on the check) was just fine. She was always visible if I needed and checked on me as appropriate. Very nice person! The ambiance in pleasant. The noise level allows for normal conversation. The big band/swing music in the background wasn't too loud and added a fun touch. read more

Great experience. Service was top notch and the very was very good. Harmony was our server and she did a great job. I took my family here to celebrate my daughter's birthday. I would return. I have one thing that was a little discouraging and that was the failure to disclose the price of the special when the specials were being offered by the server. Two of us ordered the special, an excellent 18oz Tomahawk organic peppered steak, and when the bill was presented I was shocked at the price of $85 per steak. This may be a very fair price, as I do not keep up to date on current steak prices, but it was not what I was expecting and should be mentioned when the specials are being offered. Everything was else was superb. read more

Definite upgrade to Terminal 7. They need to upgrade the wine selection to be more consistent with their brand. They serve the same crappy wines as the cheap places.... read more

Hadn't been there in over 10 years. I remember it being great. Fun ambiance and good comfort food. Stopped in for dinner last night. It was pretty slow, maybe 3 tables were filled. Server took way too long to greet us to take our drink order. It was at least 10-15 minutes. We made due with water and cold corn muffins. Finally she came by and took our entire order. Two glasses of wine and two turkey burgers. another 10-15 minutes before our wine arrived. Food came out about 20 minutes later. The burgers were no longer hot and the fries were cold. The waitress never came back to check on us to see how we were doing. We had to chase her down to get the check. Extremely bad service and very mediocre food. Hate to say it, but I won't be going back. read more

Garbage! Overpriced dog food. The prices are outrageous for what they try to serve you. A simple turkey burger with fries is $19.00. This is the same turkey type meat we feed our dogs. The past dish for $21 was instantly sent back and I ordered nothing for dinner. The noodles could easily be found at Ralphs on sale for $1.88. No flavor at all in the dish. The decor is so drab. If it wasn't for the stripper pole in the middle of the room you would never have known this was a firehouse. There's a reason the fire department gave up this building. Run, fast and don't look back. You people who said anything good about this restaurant obviously don't get out much. read more

We were a party of 13 and we all had the most horrible experience ever! Our server didn't get one meal right and she wasn't attentive to us at all. The restaurant was pretty empty so she didn't have an excuse. The wait to get food was forever and they forgot some meals. When hey finally brought the food out it wasn't right. The burger was pink and the steak was chewy and fatty! They had things on the menu but didn't have it in the restaurant. These signs are a joke! No chicken and waffles and forget about express lunch! read more

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

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Great place to take picky eaters- they have everything from pastas to salads to sandwiches to burgers to jambalaya so there is something for everyone. The service is excellent- attentive without being smothering. The desserts were standout- the lemon meringue pie and sweet potato pie were amazing. read more

Very popular lunch place (used to be a power lunch spot). Gets very loud at lunch. Much different and more quiet at dinner time. The food is good but not more than that. read more

Went here after the LA Auto Show for lunch. I've been here for both lunch and dinner, but it was my husband's first time. I figured he'd like it for the historical value and the hearty American cuisine. I remember liking the food the last few times I came. This time, the quality of the meal was completely overshadowed by the HORRIBLE service. The bartender seemed totally disinterested in having paying customers, and the waitress (J. Haley, according to the receipt) was rude, unpleasant, and completely unhelpful. They both seemed like they hated their jobs and hated anyone who created any more work for them. While we were waiting for the check, I watched the bartender make a drink with whipped cream on it, and he used his fingers to separate the whipped cream from the dispenser, and then licked his fingers at the bar. It was completely gross. Not even the 20% Yelp check-in discount and the all-day happy hour menu ($5 for food and drink items) would make me come back here. I wish we would have gone to Chipotle. Just to mention the food - husband had a club sandwich, which he said was good. There were way too many overcooked french fries on the plate, but a great value if you really like overcooked fries. I had a soup and 1/2 sandwich combo. The corn chowder was great, and the turkey on rye was delicious. Their happy hour menu looked like a good value - $5 house wines, meatloaf sliders, chili fries. Their gourmet burger menu ($18.95 each !!!) seemed pricey and only fit for an expense account. I'd rather go to The Counter. And I'd probably get better service. read more

This place is pure class. It's perfect for its Financial District environment: a cozy yet refined oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Downtown L.A. I have never been disappointed in the four years that I've been frequenting Engine Company. The staff has an austerity about them, but that works very well in this environment. The atmosphere is one of quiet diners, an older business crowd. While not "hip" in any sense of the term, I think it's a great place to take a date if you want some romance, peace, and tranquility. The food is quite good (my personal fave being the best shrimp po' boy I've ever had on the West Coast). I also like the little touches like the fact that their sodas are served in stout glass bottles. read more

Great happy hour and if you like brussel sprouts and bacon, you must try them.

We tried this last week. It's a hidden gem that I never realized was there in all my walks by. We shared the sirloin streak sandwich and spicy chicken. The steak stood out but both were delicious. A huge plate of fries came with each. Large portions all around. A bit prices compared to similar around but Worth the splurge. Service is very slow and inattentive so set your expectations around the food only. read more

Did this for Sunday brunch today - and the five of us were quite disappointedl. The menu is very limited, and considering the restaurant doesn't open till 11:30, they should have more lunch items included as offerings. The one young woman available to serve us was not only the one server but also the bartender, and hostess, so we rarely saw her. She was lovely and very accomodating, but could not make up for the lack of choice on the menu, the poor service (she was not readily available at all) and mediocre food. I had an omelet, which was quite greasy, When asked about the options for toast, the waitress shrugged and said there were no croissants, no English muffins, no wheat toast - only white bread!! The fresh fruit that was served with the omelet looked picked over and unappetizing. So, too summarize: the prices were moderate to high, and for the poor service, lack of choice on the menu, and lack of bread options - crazy for a brunch menu - we will definitely NOT be returning. read more

Good food - classy place. Kinda pricey, but what isnt in the Downtown LA area? The service is good and the menu covers just about everything. Like everything Downtown - it can get noisy and crowded during the lunch rush. read more

This place is TIRED. From the worn out industrial carpeting, to the CFL lighting that gives the whole place the ambiance of a dim operating room. Food is overpriced for what it is. My fried chicken had skin that was burnt. Presentation was more like grade school cafeteria, with the mashed potatoes set on the plate with what looked like an ice cream scooper. Also, lose the paper doilies which line your dessert plates. They are laughable. Take a hint from the successful restaurant next door. read more

Poor service despite a slow evening. Waited forever to be acknowledged by waitress. Entrees arrived seconds after starters. Ambiance is negligable. Not a place to go back to. Food is just okay. read more

The best meal experience in a long time. Our server Julio was probably one of the friendliest and best service us two foodies have ever experienced. He delighted us with a complete history of this fantastic building. The support team was fantastic, worked very well together. Do yourself a favor, do the meatloaf! read more

The food was decent and the atmosphere was great. The service was a little slow but the server was very friendly and helpful. The Shepherds pie was delicious - made with lamb! The Blackened Chicken Sandwich was also delicious and my daughter enjoyed her kids meal. read more

went here for a lunch meeting, over all it was nice. good full bar, kind of small, but lots of seating in the main dining room. the food was good, we all had lunch kind of foods. Burgers, etc. i had the turkey burger and it was good. lots of food for the money. good service for the most part. my only complaint was it kind of smelled funny in there. kind of like wet carpet. weird i know but everyone at my table said the same thing. kind of pricy for lunch, the dinnersare way more money, but the menu selection was good. ill probly go here for dinner to try some things that looked good. but for lunch its kind of pricy. Oh and the desert menu looked good also... read more

"Meh" is right. I went back and forth a few times between giving this place 2 or 3 stars, and as I tallied up the good and the bad, I decided that I could not in good conscience give this place an "A-OK". There just isn't anything special going on here. The decor is pretty nice, but the service was atrocious and the food is mediocre. Sorry to be so blunt Engine Co. but that is just how it is. read more

atmosphere is great..this is an old firehouse building... i came here for a department luncheon..it was great...fries are good... they have great waiters, very knowledgeable and curteous...excellent service...great place for lunch and dinner i recommend giving it a try read more

I had been looking forward to eating here. Although in hindsight, it was probably because I'm such a fan of old firehouses and fire trucks. Seriously. And admittedly, it's probably hard for a vegetarian to eat at a place with a real 'American meat-and-potatoes' kind of menu. All the same, I was disappointed with my meal here. There were four of us in the group, and we came on a Saturday after a matinee at the Ahmanson. For a Saturday night dinner, we were here early, about 5pm. I would have thought that that would mean we might get good service, since the place wasn't all that crowded. Unfortunately or service was slow, and our server was unattentive. Once our food was dropped off, he never came back! No kidding. He brought the bill eventually, but that was it. No checking on how everything was, no drink refills, nothing. Someone in the group ordered a plate of the fries as a side with the meal. When they got to the table they were cold at best, and mushy. We wanted to return the plate, because who wants to eat cold fries. All four of us tried to flag the server down. We told the bus-boy, and still our waiter never came. Eventually we were able to flag down the manager. He promptly brought us a piping hot plate of fries and apologies. Bonus points there. Our waiter only returned to bring us the check, which is really poor service in my book. Plus, the food was just so-so, and my Irish coffee was terrible. read more

Good food. Not amazing, but solid. I had the lamb shank. That was delicious! However, the other menu items (jambalaya, specifically) could be better. For the price, the restaurant could be a bit fancier/upscale. Hard to put my finger on it, but it just lacks the smaller details of a fine-dining establishment. Cocktail I order was pretty weak too. Desserts were very good, though. Check in on Yelp for a discount!! read more

I came here for a birthday party. I immediately loved the building and thought it was gorgeous. The service was really amazing and probably the only standout of the night. I was really excited to try all of the comfort food but when they came out it was just okay. Nothing blew my mind and for the prices it should blow your mind. With all the amazing food places in the area, I doubt I'll return to this establishment for food. Drinks on the other hand....I would never say no to drinks. read more

Ugh. You'd think a slow day would mean good service. Terrible service. Terrible food (meat in the chili tasted like rubber tuba). Mediocre drinks. It was the only place open at 2:30pm, but a mistake. Stricken from the list. read more

O had to update this. The manager had contacted me after my review and called me stupid. I really hope that person is since been fired because that's not how you run a business. Yelp deleted the message. I should have screenshotted it and sent it to corporate. What a ahole. read more

Food was good, pretty dead than what I expected. World prefer free bread without even asking, service was also excellent.

We're there for the dine on La event. The food is a big disappointment. The salad is tasteless with canned fruit in it. The corn soup is not fresh. The burger is just ok. It was so tasteless that we ate very little. read more

I'm giving it 3 starts for their shuttle to/from the Music Center! Since we were the only ones using their shuttle on a Thursday night, we had door to door service in minutes; our car was already at the valet when we returned. Ambiance is neat inside the fire station, but I'd open up the floor plan instead of deep booths...but that's me. Food is ok. Nothing to rave about. Service was ok since we told everyone we have a 7:30 PM show, and they brought out our food in a timely manner. read more

The service here was terrible! We had to flag down our waitress several times just to get any kind of attention. The place wasn't even that packed. Then I witnessed the older gentleman who carried the food out to the tables open mouth cough while carrying 3 plates of food in his hands. That wasn't very reassuring either. The food wasn't bad. I had the chicken fried steak and the gravy was delicious. So my complements to the chef. Way over priced for what we ordered though. Needless to say we won't be returning unless they consider more reasonable prices and better service. I think they'd see some better yelp reviews anyway.... read more

Great service, great food. Took a little while for the food to come but it was worth the wait. Try the American Bird. Turkey Burger. BOMB

came here with my family and everything was delicious. service was great and very friendly! the inside was nicely decorated. I recommend the Short rib fettuccine or the meatloaf. i hope to come back when i'm in the area again. thank you!!! read more

I ate here with a couple friends. We ordered essentially what our waiter recommended. We ordered the Southern-style pan-fried chicken, fried chicken steak, and gumbo. I wished they served the mash potatoes with gravy. The pan-fried chicken was good; but fried food usually tastes good. I like the spinach that came with the entree. The fried chicken steak lacked flavor. The gumbo is decent but I don't have much of a frame of reference when it comes to gumbo. My friend said her Dad makes it better. As for dessert, we tried the creme brulee with fresh berries. I think it should be sweeter. The food is a bit overpriced considering it is comfort food. It has decent flavors, but not spectacular. The bread and butter is good, but how can you possibly mess that up? Engine Co. No. 28 has a nice decor and ambience. I like the history behind the restaurant and to be honest that's what drew me to try this restaurant. My friends and I sat at a booth. Just fyi, according to the waiter, they don't serve happy hour specials at the booth, which I found odd. The service was decent. So overall..it's "A-OK". I heard about the $8 valet parking tab, but my friends and I found parking for $4 on Flower St. read more

Food was good but service was lacking. No hostess to seat us upon arrival. The bartender stepped in after flagging him down. We ordered our drinks then. It took 10 minutes after being seated for our waiter to show up. After 20 minutes we had to re-order our drinks again since they never came. About 45 minutes into the evening our food arrived. We advised them that we would need the shuttle service to the Nokia theater. Just as we paid for our meal the shuttle left with another customer without giving us a heads up. We were late for our event and had to hail a cab since we were already 90 minutes into this adventure. This was our third time here and service has diminished. There will not be a fourth time. read more

I went there for lunch. I had the Cobb Salad. It was good. The service was attentive. The atmosphere gets its inspiration from the space being an old fire station. It was dark inside. There were high ceilings. The servers dressed in all black. It was lunch during the week, so there were a lot of suits. I thought it was cool. I felt grown up. It is downtown so the parking is a drag or else you have to go valet. I parked on Flower, just past 9th. I had to walk a couple of blocks, but the meter was only $4 for 2 hours. read more

This is a great place for a steak and a great glass of Cabernet. Tony Bennett playing in the background, combined with great service is the place for me and my hubby. read more

First time yelp review. Had to sign up just to tell readers how horrible this place is. Terrible service, dry food, soggy lettuce, bad music. What else you ask? Completely over priced. Such a shame for a building that has an amazing history. read more

Went on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 with two associates. Had their Filet Mignon with bleu cheese which I love (the blue cheese) @ $32.00. Overpriced for what you get....but they gotta pay the rent somehow. It came with chunks of potatoes (big deal) and strings of vegetable. Yippee. I could do better at home. Just fair. I can see by the reviews here most everything is just okay. I agree.....just okay. I have eaten here many times before (not my choosing) and just "fair food". Attorney's need to impress their clients and it is close to all the Lawyer's around 7th and Fig. There are so many other places to go and I suggest that. read more

I work DTLA and have wanted to go to this restaurant for years. They seem to have a big lunch crowd. The interior has lots of cool firehouse decor and even a firemen's pole. I talked my wife into going here for her birthday. Making reservations for a party of 10 by phone was easy. They even asked me for my phone number. Upon our arrival to the EC28, the front door was wide open on a near 100 degree day. Once inside, we were told that the air conditioning had not been working for the past two days?????? And all we got was "I'm sorry that it's so hot in here." At first, I wasn't too concerned because I figured that the restaurant would go above and beyond to make their guest comfortable. I was surprised to see that no fans or portable A/C was set up to try to circulate the air. As the family showed up, the temperature inside increased. Our party had two elderly grandparents and two small children, which was my main concern. I was really upset that the restaurant didn't even make an attempt to contact me to tell me that the A/C was broken. If we decided to keep our reservation after knowing this, we definitely would have dressed in more comfortable clothing. Can I just say that everyone was pretty miserable. Engine Co 28, this is not the way to treat paying customers and definitely left a bad impression. The food was mediocre and over priced. I must say that hamburgers were probably the the best dish that was ordered. I had the salmon, which was bland and didn't have any seasoning. My wife had the $18 Fisherman's salad that came with shrimp and iceberg lettuce (cheap). I heard that this place is under new management and has gotten rid of the good servers. Bad idea! If you wanna grab an expensive burger and beer, this might be the place for you. read more

I was searching for a kid friendly establishment downtown LA. We have a 1 year old and a 4 year old and this place popped up. Awesome old firehouse building with excellent food. My wife had the Halibut and I went for the Crab Cakes. Both were outstanding!! The manager Robert took special care of us, knowing we needed to keep the kids happy. He hurried the kids food out and went above and beyond to make our experience nice and FAST!! Thanks Robert. read more