Original Pantry Cafe ~ 877 S. Figueroa St. Downtown L.A., CA 90017 ~ (213) 972-9279
My grandfather is currently 99-years old, with all his mental faculties intact and I guarantee the man never ate raw foods, sushi, or wheat grass in his life. As nice as he is, he'd probably choke you if you tried to take him to Urth Cafe. A grad from New York's Slavic L.E.S., he grew up on kielbasa, pierogi, and blood sausage, and continued on the path of meat n' taters-World War I foods stuff you can still find today at Original Pantry, which has been serving pork chops, sausages, and steaks in Downtown since 1924.
Said steaks and chops here aren't all frou-frou'd up "American Cuisine" with blueberry reductions and cauliflower foam, but rather kind of look like they've been through a battle with your car tires. In fact, few really come here for the food, so much as for sustenance, ambiance, and a look back to Downtown's olden times.