If you like going out and want to be completely surprised at their impromptu closing time, you'll love this place. Went on a Thursday and ordered drinks + food at 7:40pm. Ten minutes later the manger comes and says the restaurant is closing in ten minutes. Wtf? We just ordered food and I've taken two sips of my beer. Why did you let that happen if you planned on closing at 8? Guy lets us sit until 8:25 and practically walks us. A few weeks later I went back with other friends on a Tuesday around 6:30. This time the manager comes at 8:15 and tells us last call. Again, wtf? The place is decent for its location and the seating is nice, but the manager must have a second job or a green light from SC hospitality to close when he's less than 10 people or something. Really disappointing. read more

My girlfriend and I are from Riverside. We came out here for a concert and stopped by before the show. I give this spot a 4 / 5. They don't have much of a selection on brews to choose from. I got red hot wings that smell great and taste pretty good. Nothing dissatisfying! The service was nice as the bartender was quickly able to get us our drinks and order in. Thanks ! read more

See all

The food at the LAB is god awful, like I mean terrible. If the food was good, they'd be packed before games at Galen but no one comes here because the food is always terrible. The ambiance isn't bad, that's probably the only good part about the LAB and there's TVs to watch. But even the wings are bad, I'd recommend eating at a fast food spot down the street on Fig before coming here. If you're going to a game at Galen, just eat on campus or at USC Village, TRUST ME. read more

The Lab Gastropub - BBQ wings - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cool vibe with lots of TVs showing the Rams game. Staff are also very friendly and attentive. The beer on tap was nice and cold. Unfortunately, the food left a lot to be desired. My daughter's chicken sandwich was decent, but my chicken wings were dry like jerky and had a an odd chemical taste. They certainly did not have the spicy flavor I ordered. Also, our sweet potato fries were served at room temperature instead of hot. If you plan on arriving early for a USC basketball game at the Galen Center, come and enjoy a beer, but make sure and eat before arriving. read more

This used to be my favorite spot to eat before a USC basketball game at the neighboring Galen Center. Unfortunately, the restaurant switched to a ridiculous "order from your phone" no waiter-type system. You still have to order overpriced drinks from the bar, which totally ruins the ambiance on a date. Strange "service fees" on the receipt. A sad decline, will not return to this place anymore. read more

The Lab is a chill spot for food and drinks. There is seating both indoors and outdoors with some large couch areas for big groups or small tables for intimate meetings. We ordered the kimchi fries and brussel sprouts for the table. They were tasty and well portioned for sharing. They had a sizable drink menu with cocktails, beers and wines. The closest parking lot charges $4 an hour. There's limited street parking. This place wasn't anything special, but a solid option for happy hour or post-work drinks. read more

The Lab Gastropub - Menu - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The Lab Gastropub is a loud, noisy spot; these facts aren't a secret because of it's proximity to USC. Tip: The venue is directly opposite the USC campus The portion sizes here are very generous, and the food is pretty darn good - put a couple of beers next to some of their food and it tastes even better ;) Prices are fairly reasonable, and the service is prompt and friendly. read more

See all

Came for a happy hour. Left happy. Close proximity to USC made it convenient if you're already close by at the hotel, arena or school event nearby. We had charcuterie catered with roaming small bites including beef sliders, portabello bites, and chicken tenders in addition to the usual bar staples. The outdoor patio great for mingling and restrooms are nice. Paid paid is available in the large structure next to the hotel. read more

The food was surprisingly good. Menu was small and typical bar food but everything tasted great. Service was okay. Had to order online, but had trouble so ordered through the bartender. Confusing since there are no wait staff. Ambiance is sparse. Gets loud when it fills up with people, but good place to hang out before a USC basketball game. read more

Cool spot to go to before or after a USC game . The Galen center is directly next door. Parking lot available across the street. Friendly staff! read more

The Lab Gastropub - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I'm the only one at the bar and 4 workers behind the bar. No one asks me if need something. I gotta ask for help. $16.16 for a beer in a plastic cup!There was some service fee noted on receipt. If you want food you have to order separately on your phone. Probably another service fee. Came to watch the nfl playoff games but the place is dead, staff wants to go home, prices ridiculous, they are playing slow oldies instead of the football broadcast. read more

It is only open on Wednesday and football game days. The happy hour menu is limited. They also have service charge on all items purchased. Overall the bar is an open concept but I would definitely not recommend sitting outside since it is not secured on the closed days. Have seen people "lounging" on the off days. read more

This location is inside the village at USC. It's located on the corner near the target. The prices are just a-little inflated which is understandable given it's actually on the campus. It's super loud which is great since it's a sports bar and very lively in its outside seating. The food itself is good. We enjoyed buffalo wings and a pizza. We both enjoyed both items and had fries on the side. My husband was very impressed with the fries. The lady at the bar who took our to-go order was so incredibly friendly and made the visit memorable because of her great service. We will definitely be going back soon. read more

$16 for a beer?? Just a basic beer (Lagunitas). Served in a plastic cup. And I'm supposed to tip on top...I don't remember it being like this in the past. I have always liked this bar but I don't think I can if it's not happy hour read more

Food mostly cold and slow from order to delivery. Service tries but this business model wants you to do all the work through QR code. Worse their order soft ware can not keep up. Understaffed who is unappreciated on a busy game day. I could say so much more but we are now late for our game. read more

Terrible experience. Came to the Mens Basketball Game. Got charged $39 for two 805 beers. They said "service charge" is included. Beers were $12 each, math was not mathing. I tried to get an explanation about charges and they were all rude and disrespectful. Never coming back ever again. #TRASH read more

The Lab Gastropub - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cafeteria quality and badly understaffed/overpriced. Sad. Skip waiting 45 minutes for burgers/chicken sandwich/fries. Ugh!

My take on this for those thinking good place before USC football game. If you come early you are good. However even ar 3 hours before a game on Friday night it was crowded. All seating was taken and my son and I just got lucky to squeeze in with a group. So for a relaxing time before game...plan to get there like 4 hours before but then you need to keep buying drinks and food. The food was surprisingly good for the chicken and burger sandwiches. Skip the spinach dip. The pita chips were soggy. Tvs for sports environment, not as many as people say there are. Especially if you are outside. read more

The Lab Gastropub - a plate of food - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

A pretty solid bar located RIGHT across the street from USC's campus with a pretty affordable happy hour and hefty portions of food! You order at the bar and can take your number wherever, including the nice outside patio that they have. It's located a convenient walking distance and a great place to grab a drink after class! I got the coco piña daquiri and it was really tasty -- they mix strong drinks so you're getting your money's worth! I also got the mac and cheese, which was a large portion size, and also the perfect amount of spicy. It had breadcrumbs on top and was really great! read more

The Lab Gastropub - Coco piña daiquiri - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

I came here with my friend after a USC basketball game at the Galen Center. I'm sure they get a lot of foot traffic being at such a prime location. The staff was very friendly and I liked the layout of the seating. That lab burger was unreal. I was disappointed with the moscow mule (watery), but that burger was dynamite. My friend got the alligator sausage, which was good, but I'm glad I got the burger. read more

See all

We used to come here before events at the Coliseum and enjoyed the vibe and food. They used to have a burger that was superb and really good service. We came here before a game on 9/7 and it was a big disappointment. First, the didn't open til 4PM so we had to wait to get in. Once we got inside, the TV's didn't work, the QR code wouldn't scan, it was beyond hot inside (I am guessing the AC also didn't work). They only had 3 items on the entire menu (no more burgers) and there was no draft beer. The only beer came from a can and you can order a salad, fries, or wings. What kind of restaurant only has 3 items?!?! You can also order tiny little tacos outside for $5 each. What a joke!!! The was once our go-to place but it has gone way downhill. Not sure what changed but it's no longer worth a visit. read more

Great spot for drinks after work, before a game or concert, or just for a good time. Drinks are great and the pita bread and spinach dip is AMAZING! The best thing about the Lab is Kristian and Steph, hands down!!! My friends and I have been coming here weekly since it re-opened because of how great they are. No matter how busy the Lab is they always provide the best costumer service, fun conversations, and good laughs. We always look forward to the weekly visits with Kristian and Steph! read more

The Lab Gastropub - Great michelada!!! - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I hadn't been here since I graduated, but it feels the same! I came with a small party of 4 on a Sunday morning at 11am (right when they opened) and it wasn't busy at all. Though I definitely hear it gets busy during game days / weekends when there is an event happening. ORDERING & SEATING: You actually order at the counter and then the food comes out to you! There are plenty of large tables - great for groups! Both indoor and outdoor seating available. FOOD: Good ol' bar food with giant portions! They have a good variety of choices on the menu. Brunch/lunch menu is ~$15+ for an entree. Not sure if I would recommend getting the fries (they are a bit messy to eat). We also ordered two waffles with coffee ice cream for dessert (this took a while to come out and the waffles were a little burnt). The fish tacos were great though! read more

We came here for a get-together on a Friday evening, and the place was packed! It was hard to order food/drinks because the line was quite long and it would get a little bit confusing at times as to whether it was the food line or the drink line (it was both). The prices were also on the high end for gastropub food. We got their wings, their fries, and the artichoke pita bread dip. Overall the food is typical gastropub food. There wasn't anything particularly special about the wings or the fries. I loved the fried pita though -- that was really good. The artichoke dip itself was a bit too cheesy/creamy/heavy for me. read more

It was time to get my neck screws adjusted, so The Lab was the obvious choice. The mixology "scientist's" can "create" something and make sure to turn your head around, if you so choose. Conveniently located across from USC (Fight on!) it has a full bar and a series of mixed drinks prepared in their haunt. Additionally, food is available but we'll get to that soon enough. Having been here many times, can say that the drinks are the best part of The Lab. Although it gets crazy crowded, the bar bangs out great mixed drinks and the Ale's and Beers are fresh and brrrr cold. Nice. Sadly, a few things have recently changed service and food wise. On my past photo posts, I raved on how good, delish, and awesome the Pot Pie, Salmon Salad were. It was a disappointment on our last visit. Having ordered several dishes to try(7) the top 2 were Spinach Artichoke w/Parm cheese and the Fish & Chips plate. The other 5 dishes left us feeling disheartened; or plain dissed! Shawarma tacos-cold chewy pita Fish tacos-cold chewy tortilla (is there a theme here) Sriracha BBq wings- tough and hard skin Salmon Salad- Salty beyond and Salmon lacked (please see photos of previous visit to this visit) being very different from last time. Why didn't we tell our server? They no longer have waiters/waitresses(at least not this night) with bartenders taking food orders and runners bringing them out, and running back. That's it. So...will I return? Sure! The drinks are great and that's enough to suffice this drinker! Thanks for reading =) read more

See all

Since becoming a USC student, I have come here a half dozen times over the last few months. I love that it is affordable for a student and yet offers upscale gastropub quality food and drinks, instead of something basic and cheap because of the proximity to a college campus. They have a great range of draft beers for cheap and they always have a cocktail special. The lavender mojito special was only $6 and pretty solid. The food is really good -- better priced, more delicious, and bigger portions than the Radisson hotel lounge next door. I have had the flatbread, wings, burger, waffle fries. Everything is great. They have a nice outdoor patio facing Figueroa that is good for groups. The servers don't really do table service, as you have to order from the walk up bar. The good thing about that is that it keeps things more casual and it's easier to have people pay individually this way than to have to deal with splitting a check later. Also, no more worries about that person that arrives to your gathering an hour later than everyone else. I want to come for happy hour, but the prices are so good normally that I don't feel like I need to. read more

The Lab Gastropub - Burger ($15) with fry upgrade - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Very poor management, but the staff certainly make up for it. We are here an hour and a half before an SC basketball game on Saturday. Having a single (one) person taking orders is absolutely ludicrous. The gentleman was very kind and apologetic for something completely out of his control. We also were missing an item when our food was brought out. However, our exceptional server rectified it right away. Overall decent food, but 5 star service and 1 star management. Not many options for eating and grabbing a drink around here before game time. So, I really hope the manager gets fired/head out of you know where. read more

I haven't been since covid because I moved from this area after graduating USC, but the Lab SLAPS! I've spent many a time here mid class, after class, for networking events, with family, and for celebrations with friends - the Lab offers the perfect spot to come together with people... and I encourage everyone to do so here once that is allowed... Their drinks are strong, delicious, and worth every penny! (Favorite is the classic Moscow mule - can't go wrong) A crowd pleaser for food is the artichoke dip appetizer ... and then of course you can't go wrong with fries hehe Thank you to the Lab for being my go to spot for drinks, snacks, entertainment (used to do weekly trivia nights!), and connecting me with people. I wish you the best during this time read more

The Lab Gastropub - two drinks on a table - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Quick recap: - Food: Good - Portion size: OK - Service: NO Table service; At the counter. SLOW - Environment: Nice. - $: Mid-High - Perks: Open set up to sunbathe More details: Being an SC student, I've been there hundreds of time for happy hour. There is no table service, you have to order at the counter. It takes FOREVER. The staff is not even nice. Food was a bit slow in arriving. The only good thing about this place is that it is accross the street from SC. Overall? These guys are gonna be taken out by the USC Village options that are WAY better. Better customer service, better food, better prices. read more

The Lab Gastropub - Salads & hummus - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

This place is a dope spot. It's right across the street from USC. We went on graduation day for a brew and an appetizer. They have a pretty good selection of draft beers on tap. We shared the spin dip. The spin dip itself was okay, but was makes it SO incredibly different is the soft baked pita chips. Those give this dip LIFEE. Why the knock down of 3 stars? It wasn't crazy out of hand busy, but I guess more than usual because of graduation, so the establishment was using plastic cups only. There are some people who really like their draft beer in a nice cold nice... welpppp, my dad is one of those people. He asked the bartender if he could please have it in a glass pint. Bartender said he had to ask the manager for permission. The manager comes over and says, I can't because we don't have any. Take a look at the photos I posted - the coolers were FULL of them. One guy sitting at the bar asking for a cold pint wasn't gonna kill yaaaa. Aside from decent food, service is everythaaanggg my friends. read more

O stars. The online ordering system didn't work. I waited 20 min at the bar to order when there was only 1 person ahead of me. They food was awful and grossly overpriced. Never going back. read more

The Lab Gastropub is adjacent to the University of Southern California (USC) campus and was opened by USC Hospitality. Boasting a combination of science and fine dining, the clean and sleek restaurant offers traditional American food such as chicken wings, burgers, and mac & cheese. We ordered the duck confit poutin as an appetizer and for my main course, I had the free range turkey meatloaf. I really enjoyed my meal. My friends and I were going to go to dinner around the area and my friend had recommended this place. I went into the place with no expectations and did not read any reviews, but I really trust my friend's judgement when it comes to good quality food. He is a foodie who tends to value the taste over ambience. I tend to take both the taste and ambience into consideration, but the quality of food would be the top element as to whether I like a restaurant or not. In any case, the highlight of my meal had to be the crispy red onions, which had just the perfect texture with the meatloaf. I mean the meatloaf should be the star, but it wasn't lol. The duck confit poutin was just as nice, but needed more duck. I'm all about that protein life. Overall, the dishes were beautifully presented on interesting plates because the plates were essentially flat with no rim. This may present some challenges as the function of the dish wasn't ideal. The look of the plate was cool, but not too practical. All in all, it was a great meal and I was very pleased. 4 stars! read more

The Lab Gastropub - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

I came Friday afternoon for a group lunch (8 in total) around 1 pm. We found a large table to accommodate us very easily and after a few minutes of deliberating ordered enough food to feed a small army. The few specialty drinks that were ordered came right away at the bar where we ordered and the others were delivered to our table a few minutes later with the first of the appetizers. I had the tropical mule and it was very well balanced and I was surprised by how good it was. As far as the appetizers went the brussel sprouts were AMAZING, I was not expecting them to be as mouth watering as they were. The avocado toast was also delicious. The loaded sweet fries, wings, and other fries were all pretty standard. For food: the shawarma tacos were a bit dry and not as good as they sound on the menu, but the green papaya steak salad I had was great!! Everyone else in my party enjoyed their food and even the 2nd cheesesteak that was delivered to our table was consumed no problem. Overall the food was great and the flavors in some of the dishes were surprising but very well done! Service was really prompt, as we didn't have to wait more than 15 minutes before the 6 or so appatizers and the 8 individual meals came out. I'll gladly come again!! read more

The Lab Gastropub - Green papaya steak salad directly in front, followed by avocado toast, shawarma tacos, loaded fries.. you name it we ordered it! - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great place to hang out if you're a student at USC, but the prices here are expensive for what you can get elsewhere. It's understandable since I'm betting their lease and sanctioned status by USC cost them a lot to acquire. My friend and I were told their kitchen was about to close so if we wanted to order food, we had to do it now. I thought this place closes at midnight, but the kitchen is closed at 10pm on Sat-Tues. On Wed-Fri, the kitchen closes at midnight. And their late night happy hour is from 9:30-close, depending on the day. Did you get all that? So we ordered a steak nachos ($17), sculpin ($5), and Guava IPA ($5). The nachos were very disappointing. There were only a few pieces of steak and the cheese was minimal. After eating the top chips, the remaining portion of chips had only small amounts of cheese, which makes for a bland nachos dish. The base price of the nachos is $10 and it costs an additional $4 for chicken or $7 for steak. This steak nachos was definitely not worth the $17 price tag. The beer was good though. read more

The Lab Gastropub - Steak Nachos - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Waited 45 minutes and left cause no one took our order after being seated, all the tables around us were complaining because they had waited an hour for service.... read more

Food is delicious. Presentation is pretty good. I ordered the avocado toast and it was amazing...maybe the best avocado toast I've ever tried. Parking garage is right behind restaurant, but a little pricey. The restaurant is self serve and self seating, not full service. read more

The Lab Gastropub - Avocado toast - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

The Lab reopening was a moment in the pandemic that gave me hope that everything would be okay. When we learned that they'd reopened, we called up our friends and all booked it over. The mix of great food, killer beer selection, good cocktails, great vibes, and amazing bartenders is hard to beat. It would be easy to mistake this for a college bar, but it's so much more. The food is flavorful, shareable, and comes in good portions. The drinks are fantastic. And the environment is always fun. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Tons of tvs. Good music. And a lot of fun. read more

See all

In the three years of getting my Master's at USC, I've parked by and near the Lab, but never had the chance to dine at the Lab. Twice, BF and I tried to make it happen, but both times, they were unexpectedly closed. We felt like I was destined not to be able to go to the Lab. Luckily, we tried again and finally made it after an all day visit to the Pixar and Endeavor Exhibits at the California Science Center. We were seated inside at one of their tables against the wall. I claimed the cushioned booth seat while BF sat in the chair. When it came down to ordering, BF said we had to order the Lab Burger, no questions asked. And so we did. We saw the magical word "Poutine" and ordered that too. The burger ($15) was AMAZING. Every part of it tasted fresh. We took a picture of the burger and sent it to my brother with no context and he instantly recognized it! The burger definitely overshadowed the poutine. The short rib poutine ($13) had thick cut fries, which didn't taste as good. The cheese were in cubes and not fully melted. We enjoyed the poutine from Bun Street a lot more. While there, we sat by the TV that was showing the NCAA March Madness game between South Carolina and Gonzaga. It helped pass the time as we waited for the food -- it didn't take too long though. I think the TVs by the bar were showing other games. There's very limited street parking on Figueroa if you want to try. If not, PS2 (USC's parking structure 2) right behind the Lab has covered parking. Oh yea, their restrooms are a little different. Communal sinks for both guys and gals. You go to separate restrooms for the toilets, but come out to wash your hands. I remember seeing this set up somewhere else but forgot where it was. Definitely don't see this too often in LA. read more

This is the most under staffed bar... I think I have EVER been to. I've been to a lot of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. All over the United States and in different countries. No matter how many dirty glasses that lined the bar or how long anyone had to wait for whatever they ordered. No-one had it worse than poor Patrick, he was the ONLY bartender. Let's just put things into perspective folks, right next-door at the Galen Center, Chris Brown B.O.B and a host of other artists were performing and balling at the 2016 Power106 celebrity basketball game. So what do you think is going to happen when the game lets out at 6:30 PM? And your bar is the closest bar to the event??? In my opinion, it is the managers responsibility to know what events are happening around their bar, restaurant, nightclub. Knowing these things will allow them to provide adequate staffing for events that are happening so close to their venue. They needed at least another busser and a bartender. If wanted to make myself a drink I could have just went home and made myself a drink. Going to a bar, restaurant, nightclub, where you are paying a high premium for a cocktail, You expect to be treated well quickly, with quality service. That did not happen tonight. I don't like to give reviews that are less than stellar, however reviews are not just for people that do things wrong it's also for people to do things well, And tonight Patrick did things the best he could considering the circumstances. Apparently there was really no management on site tonight and that was what made my visit less than stellar. This review is no reflection on all the hard-working people that actually did kick butt while they were there. Being short staffed with zero management was the issue. Got a really cool bar in a really cool spot, management, are you listening? Get it together. Be present. read more

The Lab Gastropub - Drinky time - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

The beau and I were looking for a spot called Cogi but we gave up and stumbled, hungrily into The Lab. Later, I was told it was a food truck. Sooo...Anywho. The environment was top notch. There was a very cool outdoor area and a splendid indoor area. The place was packed with college kids and family members (some sort of campus celebration must have been afoot). Our wait was about ten minutes. This place gets 5 stars because my salmon salad was the best thing that I've had in a very loooooong time. Seriously. The salmon was the most perfectly cooked and seasoned salmon that I have ever had in life. Period. Amen. It was amazing!!!!!! read more

The Lab Gastropub - Perfectly cooked and seasoned salmon!!!!!! - Gastropubs Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all