This place is just a GOAT. For a downtown Asian fast/diner spot, they have the vibes, food, and speed right. Their food isn't expensive and they make great deals to make the working downtown folks have the chance to eat their food, and that's so darn rare. Esp during the pandemic and people lost their jobs who couldn't afford to lose their jobs, they made $6 lunch specials of delicious lunchbox food! And to this day, they're down to serve the community. Poster child perfection of an LA downtown hustle people-over-profit biz. Oh and when you order to go, you don't even have to ask, they add chili oil on the side where places DEMAND - tacky $1 fee for a tiny serving! (If you go to place that does that- write them off. That's tacky as hell & don't deserve your business if they can't appreciate the right of Asian culture to have chili oil on the side. It's like charging a dollar for a salt packet!) read more

Was honestly a bit disappointed. Ordered the basic omelet and it was quite overdone, however, the potatoes were delicious. Also had a chance to try the chashu and it felt very reminiscent of jerky. Great if you like jerky. The service was absolutely spectacular and efficient. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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When we walked in, we were greeted by the female at the register. I think her name is Marley. She was very nice. She explained the menu and that if we were first time customers, she went more in depth with the menu and customer favorites. She was very helpful and courteous. The ambience is not too extravagant, but not boring either. There is bottom area seating separated with six steps and top seating area as well. All tables faced the storefront, which all windows look out to the downtown LA Street. The food I ordered was the spicy pork chop plate, which comes with, two eggs, and your choice of rice. I chose fried rice. The pork chops themselves are not spicy. It's the jalapeños they put on top. I wasn't expecting them to be as hot as I'm used to. But they were scorching hot and that first bite with the jalapeño was extremely hot. LOL. Overall, the pork chops are crispy on the outside and still juicy on the inside, which is amazing and their pork chops are seasoned just right. Very flavorful. I ordered my eggs over easy, and they came out perfect. It does come with toast, but I chose not to get toast today. I paid $ 21.33 well worth the money!!! My friend ordered the sweet-and-sour shrimp plate which comes with the same items as my pork chop plate. Just the entrée is different. I was able to sample his sweet-and-sour shrimp and it was very delicious. The batter had a great flavor and it was just enough batter to cover the shrimp. It was awesome. I will definitely return for either breakfast lunch or dinner. Any time I'm in the LA area. This is just my opinion you will have to go there and try it for yourself. Well worth it!!!!!! read more

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I fell in love with Uncle John's during the pandemic when they really made affordable food for people who lost their jobs and needed to eat.. and 6 years later they are still making affordable delicious food. Personally I don't think there's a bad/wrong dish at this place. It also travels well for take out/delivery. And I wish I can give a 6th star for the complimentary chili oil they send you off with where overpriced Asian places like woon or sticky rice charge a dollar for. read more

The food is unbelievable. We got the steak and eggs and the spicy pork chops. The fried rice is unbelievable the Hong Kong French toast is unreal. Vietnamese coffee I could have 12. I will recommend this to everyone. I know on top of the service being wonderful and kind and checking in and the vibes inside were immaculate. Come here, please. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Eggs (2) (Any Style) with Spicy Pork Chops HONG KONG FRENCH TOAST (SIDE) - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Review Update 2025 Many years later and I'm still a fan of Uncle John's! Their famous fried pork chops are exactly how I remember them -- crispy, flavorful, and pure comfort food goodness (as they should be, since that's their claim to fame lol) oh and that seasoning and sliced serrano's! great compliment as always! I haven't dined in for a while, but UberEats has been my saving grace -- the food still arrives hot, delicious, and just as satisfying. Uncle John's has always been my go-to for that perfect Chinese-American comfort mix: fried rice, pork chops, and of course, those eggs that somehow make everything taste even better! Consistency is key, and Uncle John's proves why it's still a classic favorite after all these years. Whether dine-in or delivery, they never miss. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Spicy Pork Chops - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Food is great, it's a little dive eatery that sits next to a bar and hotel across from the freehand hotel Los Angeles on 8th st. I have tried the fried chicken and the breakfast dishes and all I can say is out standing the prices is far read more

every thing on the menu super recommended all the staff are super kool people and the food must' also try the spicy pork chops. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Steak and eggs - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is still holding it down. Used to be down the street but glad it's here! Parking can be tricky. Street if you are lucky! But I usually park off Hill right before 8th. There is a lot you can pay a kiosk! Love the spicy fried pork chops !! Get is soo many ways. I love the fried rice with my pork chops! The soup is spot on! read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Pork chops!!! - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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First time at Uncle John's and we were not disappointed! The host was amazing, helpful, and fast, answering all of our questions. The spicy pork chop, steak, and Hong Kong french toast (to die for!) were all delicious, and the portions were big. The cafe has a good vibe with nice music and a city view. We will definitely be coming back. Suggestion: Park a few blocks away and walk, it adds to the downtown LA vibe! read more

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Amazing. I would definitely revisit this place again. The workers were extremely nice and the steak and eggs were delicious. This is MY worth it winner! read more

The restaurant is inconspicuous and who knew they serviced breakfast because I thought it was a Chinese restaurant. I visited the cafe while visiting my son during the Labor Day weekend. My son recommended I try the peanut butter French toast! OMG it was so good, however the portion is slot so we shared it. The service was good and fast. The restaurant is extremely causal and typical decor. The neighborhood isn't the best however it's safe enough. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Menu - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The service is great, everyones i so friendly every time i go in. The food is not bad but isnt the greatest chinese fusion fast food type. The place is cute, theres a home feel to it. I do really like the way their fries are not seasoned with extra stuff, just a lil salt. read more

Shoutout to Shirley who recommended Uncle John's Sweet & Spicy Chicken! It was delicious and juicy just the way I like my chicken and the atmosphere is pretty cool too! I live nearby so this place is going to be a new favorite to go to! read more

Ambiance: the restaurant is located in downtown, with two layers of seating area Service: very friendly staff, one work in the front as cashier and server, and another one in the kitchen, you place the order at the counter and staff will bring food to your table Food: their menu have classic breakfast items and fusion style food SPICY PORK CHOPS - **** lightly battered fried pork chops topped with serrano peppers, their signature dish, the pork chop is bit dry but very crispy, recommend Price: moderate portions and reasonable prices, expect $20 per person for a quick bite read more

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Everything made to order- like "I see the steam" made to order. That alone is a rare feat in modern restaurant cooking. Opted for the To-Go box because of portions and time- but there is tons of comfortable indoor seating and plated meals for a 'take your time and talk' lunch vibe. Not too formal, and not too casual- very very local feel- which is nice on a Saturday afternoon. Food was delicious- Crispy wings, tender pork chop, unorthodox brunch side items (yes- Fried Rice!), and a perfectly balanced Vietnamese Iced Coffee (not too sweet, just strong enough). Service was absolutely lovely, patient, and professional. Gentleman at the register was really terrific and brightened my day. Located on the thoroughly gentrified and policed stretch of Downtown (IYKYK)- parking is ample and secure. While I don't make it to DTLA often, as a Valley girl- again- IYKYK...this is on my list of "stop if I'm in the area." read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - 2 Eggs with Spicy Chicken Wings - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I last visited Uncle John's Cafe when they were at the Stillwell, and now they're at the Bristol, which is a couple of blocks away. As with all things, prices have gone up. I would still go for the pork chops and I've tried other stuff, too. It's worth visiting, and I usually see a handful of people there, probably locals. read more

Definitely a nice blend of American and Chinese food. Liked the fact of the fried rice, teriyaki chicken, and eggs. You can't be mad at the Chicken Rolls as well. I will definitely be back for more options on the menu. Staff was great and food was delivered in a timely fashion. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - The still shot of 2 Eggs with Teriyaki Chicken - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Uncle John's Cafe is one of those hidden gems in DTLA that keeps you coming back. The place has a classic diner feel, but the food has a unique Asian-American twist that really sets it apart. I ordered the spicy pork chops with eggs and fried rice and it was incredible. The pork chops were crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked, and the fried rice was packed with flavor. Portions are generous, and the prices are very reasonable for downtown. Service was also great. The staff were friendly, attentive, and the food came out quickly even when the place was busy. It's the kind of spot where you can tell they've been doing things right for years. If you're in the area and want a solid breakfast or brunch with big portions and bold flavors, Uncle John's Cafe is definitely worth checking out. read more

Love this place everyone is amazing and goes over and beyond I would always recommend this location to everyone read more

We can here for brunch. It's a cute little place. The service was a 10/10! Everyone was so sweet and accommodating! The food was okay for us. Steak was a little tough and the fried rice just tasted like packet rice. The omelette was good but the hash browns were like mashed and then pan fried. The eggs and ham were cooked perfectly. The hong kong french toast tasted like a nicely fried doughnut with peanut butter in between, which I personally wasn't a fan of (if you love peanut butter, this is for you) I would try to give this place another go, maybe not for breakfast and I would come back because of how nice the staff was too. read more

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I found Uncle John's on DoorDash and ordered their famous spicy pork chops with fried rice and a side of egg rolls. The pork chops were tasty, perfectly seasoned, but a bit overcooked. The fried rice only had soy sauce and green onion. It would have been nice to have some egg and a little veg in it. The egg rolls, however, were great! I always heard about NYC-style egg rolls, but never found them. These were large, lightly battered and deep fried. I think these were NYC style? Anyway, I loved them! I would give Uncle John 3.5 stars for this delivery, and definitely give it another try. read more

What a gem in DTLA! Uncle John's Cafe was such a lovely discovery. It's a sweet, medium-sized spot with an open kitchen that gives it a welcoming, casual vibe. From the moment we walked in, Akira greeted our group of 12 with warmth and a big smile. She was incredibly helpful--quickly putting together tables for us and making sure our orders were taken efficiently. The food? Fresh and fast. Honestly, I was shocked how quickly everything came out, especially with such a big group. Perfect for a quick lunch break, even with a dozen people. I had the spicy pork chops (highly recommend!) with fried rice--super flavorful, great portion size, and definitely hit the spot. Everyone at our table left full and happy. Can't wait to come back! read more

I was pleasantly surprised! Walked in to check out the menu and saw that they sell Vietnamese food, being a skeptic since it was not originally a Vietnamese restaurant I ordered the pho and I was surprised how good it was. It was loaded with beef and noodles and they gave me pleanty of herbs and bean sprouts. I would recommend this place to anyone that is skeptical, try it out you will be surprised! read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Pho - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Service was amazing! The food partitions are huge and the restaurant is super clean. I would come back here again

Love when I see a good team just crushing their service. From Akira to the bus boy having his head on a pivot to see who needs refills. This shows good leadership. The food... Jk the food was amazing!!! read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Having a business lunch just noticing impeccable service from the @Uncle John's - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We had decided to stop by for dinner solely because of a YouTube video (I don't condone relying just on a video to convince one to dine at a certain establishment, but here we are). It operates on an order/pay at the counter, find your own table, where they eventually bring the food to your table. We ordered: Scrambled eggs with steak, fried rice Shrimp XO Chow Fun With XO, you expect there to be a bit of spice or a zing, but I was a bit disappointed that this dish ended up tasting like a toned down pad see ew. While everyone has a specific way of their eggs done, I would recommend veering away from scrambled because the portion size looked small, the steak tasted like something made at home, and the fried rice lacked variety and resembled soy sauce tossed in rice. They seem to run a tight ship with one person at the register taking orders and dropping off dishes with one cook in the back. There is a certain charm to Uncle John's, but other than nothing really worth coming back for.. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Rediscover DTLA's oldest diner: Uncle John's. With its new look and layout, it welcomes all with its amazing menu of American Diner Classics to Chinese American favorites and newly added Vietnamese dishes. My sons and I had an amazing time. That Hong Kong Battered French Toast stuffed with peanut butter and then drizzled with maple syrup was heavenly! What did we grub on at 8:30am? Classic Cheeseburger & Fries HK Battered French Toast Stuffed w/ Peanut Butter Sunnyside Eggs, Bacon & Sausage X.O. Combination Chow Fun Noodles Spicy Fried Pork Chops & Fried Rice Crispy Pork Spring Rolls Hot Chocolate Vietnamese Iced Coffee I highly recommend @unclejohnsdtla where there will always be something for everyone! Picky eaters, this spot will be your favorite! The service is prompt and friendly! Just love them! Visual Review: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9LdOFsyYRn/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== read more

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Stumbled upon this restaurant while looking for a breakfast place before my jury duty in the downtown area. The restaurant was clean and had a cute decor. It's an American/chinese restaurant so rice is available if you crave rice for breakfast. We ordered bacon eggs and rice and it came with toast... price was reasonable for being downtown LA. A pretty good breakfast.. customer service was even better!! read more

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What a unique restaurant! They serve breakfast food like pancakes and eggs, but what they're really good at is their Asian food. I came in for a Saturday lunch and they were busy as one would expect. We had to wait a bit to order and get seated--nevertheless, the service was great. I spicy pork lunch (4.5/5) is really good. The spicy pork itself isn't spicy, it just comes with jalapeños. The chicken fried rice (5/5) was amaziiiing. I liked it more than the pork! Serving size was great as well. The viet coffee (3.5/5) was good but not strong enough imo. Still gave me the caffeine kick I needed though. Overall this place is a MUST. Price is good, service is good, and food is great :) read more

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I had the steak and eggs with a side of fried rice, plus an extra order of spicy pork chops. The pork chop was tender, well-seasoned, and satisfying. But the combo of steak, eggs, and fried rice was the ultimate comfort meal--warm, filling, and just what you want on a gloomy day. At $17, the steak and eggs is such a good deal, especially with fried rice on the side. It's the kind of no-frills, feel-good meal that makes you want to come back read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - STEAK AND EGGS - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Went in with my bf and a friend for brunch. My bf and I each got a Vietnamese iced coffee, which was delicious and very caffeinated! I also got a banh mi. I was surprised it came out after the items my bf and our friend ordered, even though theirs both required cooking and mine did not. But it was fine because they were very busy and still able to take good care of us, bringing water and checking on us. The space is fairly comfortable for a place with counter ordering. The banh mi looked huge but the bread was mostly air so it compacted down as I ate it. And I needed something to absorb all that caffeine so I managed to eat the whole thing! read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Banh mi - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Okay, Uncle John's Cafe? Slayed. I had the house fried rice and the slippery shrimp and honestly, I wasn't ready. The textures? Immaculate. The flavors? Giving main character energy. That shrimp was crispy in all the right ways, with a sticky-sweet-savory glaze that had me fully ignoring whoever was talking to me. And the fried rice? Smoky, perfectly seasoned, not a drop of grease--just vibes. But the real gag? The service. Friendly doesn't even cover it--they were so sweet, they brought over sauce suggestions like they knew I needed a little extra drama on the plate. And they were right. You can feel when food is made by people who love what they do. The joy is in every bite. No wonder they've been around for over 60 years--places like this deserve to last forever. Downtown LA, keep your overpriced tapas. I'll be at Uncle John's living my best lunch life. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - Inside signage - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I went here for a weekday lunch with my coworker. i have not been since they moved. The attendant recognized me? She is great. I ordered my usual steak and eggs, getting touch with my south american roots. This place is busy and not that large even with outdoor seating. This used to be the Cassells location. The attendant and chatted abour it. We had difference of opinion on their food, i still maintain they had better burger than the goofy instagram darling across the street. We both agreed on the great pies tho. I was prompty served. My coworkers took a bit longer. The eggs were done like asked with a runny yolk. The steak is a thin cut. It was cooked to the perscribed medium rare and simply seasoned with salt and pepper. The potaos were done nicely. I was glad I returned read more

Tried uncle john's through mealpal. It's the best closest option for having office at 6th and hill. The service and food are superb! Generous serving size. The staff has the best customer service approach. What can you for?! read more

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Service is great. Food is great! Good place for breakfast or lunch. Always able to get in and out quick for lunch/breakfast

Great food at a great price! I came here for some breakfast and I was not disappointed. The fried rice was cooked very well with lots of wok hei! Definitely my favorite part of the meal. I think they were in the process of moving the restaurant elsewhere so the seating was a little strange. However, it was clean enough and I was happy. The place is cash only but they take Venmo and other pay apps. read more

Uncle John’s Cafe - American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've been missing out all these years! Uncle John's is like a mashup of all the Asian and American comfort foods. It's like the 2nd gen immigrant kids actually learned from their parents how to cook this food and then they added all the tasty American bfast goodies. The meal that sold me is that Saturday lunch special with the quail eggs... Holy moly! So good and tasty and rich! I still think about it! We went on another Saturday and it took every ounce in my body to order something I havent tried yet. I got the pork chop egg w rice and hubs got a side of egg rolls. The meals were delicious and authentic! The nuoc mam is also very good... Bright and not too salty. Overall Uncle Johns has super tasty food that reminds me of home. The people are also super friendly and have great recommendations. read more

Nice to have some asian food in DTLA, I'm from the south so I appreciate some fusion if you want to call it that, its basically Chinese food that also serves American breakfast, which basically means you can't go wrong! Definitely a comfort food vibe, the people are great feels super local, portions are more than enough, you will leave full! We got honey wings, kungpao chicken, noodles, rice and some savory pancake side that was pretty good. probably try something different next time read more

I've been going to Uncle Johns since before they moved to this location, my go to is the spicy pork chops with fried rice. I normally visit during the week at lunchtime and it's very busy but this time I went on a Saturday and luckily we found parking right out front and it was not busy inside so we were able to order and sit down right away. The service is always good. They don't have a lot of staff working in the front, but the staff is always attentive. They have a lot of tables and chairs for you to dine in as well as a couple of tables outside. They also offer to go and you can call ahead if you're pressed for time. read more