Canter's Deli

Canter’s Deli isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a time capsule of a grittier, more colorful Los Angeles. This iconic Fairfax Avenue institution has been serving up Jewish deli classics around the clock for decades, becoming a magnet for everyone from late-night revelers to early-morning regulars. The fluorescent-lit dining room feels unchanged by time, its worn booths and bustling energy offering a glimpse into a side of LA that’s increasingly rare.

The food here won’t win any awards for best pastrami in the city, but that’s almost beside the point. The Corned Beef Reuben is exactly what you need at 2am after a night of dancing, while the Fairfax sandwich solves the eternal corned beef versus pastrami debate by giving you both. The front bakery churns out thick, cakey black and white cookies that disappear quickly on weekends, and the matzo ball soup provides reliable comfort even if it’s not transcendent.

What makes Canter’s truly special is the experience. At any given moment past midnight, you might find yourself eating next to elderly locals nursing coffee, post-club crowds attacking sandwiches with gusto, or a rock band stumbling in after their set at a nearby venue. The attached Kibitz Room bar adds to the chaos with live music and bartenders who seem delightfully out of step with the modern world.

This is a place you visit for the atmosphere, the history, and the simple joy of eating a towering sandwich at an hour when most of the city is asleep. It’s a surviving piece of LA’s counter-culture, messy and imperfect and absolutely worth experiencing.