Pijja Palace

Walking into Pijja Palace feels like stepping into someone’s wildly creative fever dream—and that’s meant as the highest compliment. This Silver Lake gem occupies a strip mall space that once housed the legendary Happy Foot/Sad Foot sign, and the new tenants have more than honored that quirky legacy. The dining room buzzes with energy as mid-century modern furniture mingles with a dozen flatscreen TVs broadcasting everything from Formula One to cricket to Lakers games. Soft pastel tables, R&B beats, and framed sports photography create an atmosphere that somehow feels both chaotic and perfectly harmonious.

The menu reads like a sports bar’s greatest hits—wings, sliders, pizzas, fried appetizers—but every dish gets an unexpected Desi twist. The namesake pijjas feature pillowy crusts topped with ingredients like saag and garam masala. The pasta section, however, is where things get truly transcendent. The malai rigatoni delivers comfort food perfection with its clotted cream-enriched tomato sauce, while the tandoori spaghetti brings serious heat with charred chile oil and smoky aromatics. The yellow wings deserve special mention too: crispy chicken or cauliflower glazed in caramelized honey spiked with mustard and horseradish.

Beyond the food, Pijja Palace boasts one of LA’s most whimsical beverage programs. A vintage 1940s soda fountain churns out colorful concoctions like Dr. Patel’s Prescription Sarsaparilla with caramel ice cream and tangy tamarind sodas sweetened with floral Rooh Afza syrup. The cocktail list features creative numbers like a chai whiskey sour made with Darjeeling tea, plus a solid selection of draft beers and natural wines.

Whether you’re catching a game, enjoying a casual date night, or simply need an evening that defies boredom, Pijja Palace delivers. Families pack into booths sharing malted chai soft serve while couples split plates of inventive pasta. Don’t try too hard to categorize this place—just order a pasta per person (plus one for the table), add a pizza and some dosa onion rings, and let the controlled chaos wash over you.