Mr. Charlie's
DETAILS:
Location: 612 N. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles CA 90036
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thurs: 11AM to 10PM / Fri & Sat: 11AM to 12AM / Sunday: closed
Parking: Metered parking on Le Brea Ave. Free street parking in surrounding neighborhood. Please observe all posted street parking signs.
Cost: Varies by order. While you can order a la carte, most people elect to get a “Frowny Meal” which includes a not-a-cheeseburger (or not-a-hamburger), 4 “not-chicken” nuggets, fries, and a soft drink which costs $16 before tax ($15 if you get the not-a-hamburger option)
Time Commitment: 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
MISC:
All items are vegan!
While you can order via Doordash, I highly recommend not going with this option since it’ll basically double the cost due to all the service fees. Plus, one of the charming things about ordering from Mr. Charlie’s is actually visiting the location!
Located on the east end of the Melrose district, it’s hard to miss the bright red pseudo-McDonald’s facade of Mr. Charlie’s on La Brea Avenue, although owner Charlie Kim will tell you that there are hardly any similarities (with a wink). A playful and artsy take on the golden arches (or yellow frown in this case), Mr. Charlie’s small but familiar menu is completely plant-based which fits right at home here in Los Angeles. Even better, it’s hard to tell any difference in taste from its more famous counterpart… which is either a good or bad thing depending on your opinion of this particular fast food chain. But its most impressive (and heartfelt) distinction is that it’s staffed by members of the “Dream Center”, an organization that provides housing, jobs, and resources for people transitioning out of homelessness and jail. If you can’t get behind that, you should take your business to Jack in the Box.
RESOURCES:
Mr. Charlie’s website.
