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Animal

(Now Closed)

New American Restaurant$$$$

Mid-City West, Los Angeles

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Animal

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LA WeeklyFebruary 27, 2015
Animal gives you yet another reason to dine on beef tendon, veal brains, sweetbreads and pig’s ears after 10pm. The meat-centric restaurant is open until midnight on Fri + Sat and 11pm during the week Read more
EaterDecember 20, 2016
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo made their mark in the late aughts with this over the top dish, packing stewed oxtail and cheddar cheese atop french fries in a minimalist space along Fairfax.
Adrian PhillipsNovember 28, 2016
The sweet breads are not to be missed. If they have a burger special, give that a try as it was incredible. The best plate of the evening had to be the smoked turkey leg with white barbecue sauce.
Connie ChiuSeptember 18, 2016
Unbelievable. Highlights: liver toast, foie gras maple biscuit (get it), pig ear. The oxtail poutine and bone marrow burger were good but overhyped. Still, all around tasty.
Kiwi WangMay 20, 2019
Every single dish was fantastic! Highlights were pork belly sliders, bone marrow, and sweetbreads. Something for both the comfort seekers and adventurous. Limited bar though.
LA WeeklyMarch 18, 2015
The menu is full of combinations that sound discordant (veal tongue w/salmon roe & black mustard?) but you basically can’t go wrong ordering, which is astounding given the range & breadth of the thing Read more
LA WeeklyAugust 4, 2014
The first thing you should know about Animal is that it is practically a shrine to bacon, which appears everywhere on the short, seasonal menu, up to and including a chocolate dessert. Read more
Chefs FeedAugust 18, 2016
The menu changes frequently here, but the poutine made with oxtail gravy and Cheddar is a mainstay. It's a punch in the face in the best way possible. Read more
Global HighlanderNovember 28, 2014
This is a distinctive restaurant with a very unique meat-heavy menu. A great night out. Definitely one of the must-visit restaurants of LA. They also serve beer in comically small beer glasses.
Jen BergJanuary 18, 2015
Dine with a group and get ready to go splitsies on chicken liver toast, hamachi tostada, burrata, b-sprouts, sweetbreads, spare ribs and both/any/all foie gras dishes especially the biscuit gravy.
Adrianne BenzionDecember 17, 2017
Went for brunch to celebrate my bf’s birthday. Chilaquiles and pastrami Ruben Benedict were our highlights. Service was phenomenal. They even surprised us with cake at the end for his birthday.
Martin OngNovember 12, 2018
Lots of delicious small dishes to share. Chicken liver toast and bacon peanut butter bar with salt & pepper ice cream stood out
Men's Health MagAugust 3, 2014
Given the time of year, the seasonal menu may contain any of the following: pig tails, pig ears, veal brains, rabbit legs, bone marrow, lamb neck, sweetbreads, quail, foie gras, and, yes, Spam. Read more
Pocket SunAugust 16, 2014
Distinctive place. Casual setting, great variety of meat. Loved the chicken liver toast, the quail and the crispy duck leg! Definitely worth it. Innovative cooking method mixed with fun ingredients.
Sarah PharesJuly 16, 2015
fantastic. It's a tiny place – and it's very meat-heavy, so expect a hearty meal. They opened a more seafood-centric place called Son of a Gun that's also quite good. (from a friend)
Scott LaineMay 20, 2013
Amazing meal. Amazing staff. Be forewarned the staff will do everything to accommodate you but if your allergic to peanuts, your choices will be limited.
EaterAugust 25, 2017
There may be no more iconic french fry dish in Los Angeles than the oxtail poutine option at Animal. Read more
Tony XerriOctober 28, 2013
If the Pig Tails are on the menu, get it. But always start off with the chicken liver mousse on toast. End the meal with the veal sweetbreads which they flash fry leaving the inside super creamy.
Los Angeles TimesJune 6, 2013
John Shook and Vinny Dotolo have a pretty good sense of what tastes good, be it melted cheese with chorizo or calves' brains with the French curry vadouvan Read more
Cordelia MartinezOctober 5, 2019
You have to try the Hamachi Tostada, the Burger (not on the menu), and the Yam!! Also, get the Tres Leches for desert!
CaseyMarch 28, 2016
Been here 5+ times
Favorites I always order are: chicken liver toast, hamachi tostada, foie gras loco moco, and beef tendon chips. Recently tried the boner burger, it was pretty great.
Will MahonyFebruary 8, 2019
Go with a group of 3 or more. Hamachi tostada, turkey leg, chicken liver toast, poutine, pig ear are all excellent but cheesecake pudding is best item on menu.
Men's Health MagSeptember 16, 2014
Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook's noisy meat hall is a must for adventurous carnivores. If the poutine with oxtail gravy is on the menu when you visit, don't hesitate—just order it.
SopitasJuly 29, 2018
Great for brunch, try the pig’s ear and the turkey leg!
Cyndi BerzowJanuary 24, 2013
Animal = Amazing. The rabbit and shrimp spring rolls, the marrow, pork belly sliders, chicken liver toast, all Ridiculously good.We even went with a kosher friend & she found some salad gems. Enjoy!
Kevin SkobacDecember 9, 2015
A super hyped restaurant that really lived up to it. Of the 13 dishes we tried standouts include: hamachi tostada, foie gras biscuit, and the sirloin carpaccio.
Travel ChannelAugust 26, 2012
Animal is a carnivore-centric restaurant specializing in all those good bits. Tony Bourdain tried marrow bone, chicken hearts, hamachi tostada, coconut sweetbreads, pig tails and crispy rabbit legs.
Alberto SimonFebruary 12, 2017
Oh my! What a gem of a place, nice deco, tasty food and great service. Try the "tamago" scramble!
Sean BesserFebruary 4, 2013
Small place, but has quickly become the must go to place for chefs when they visit LA; they are doing some crazy things with meat there. The bacon chocolate bar for dessert is great!
Los AngelesNovember 12, 2013
The hamachi tostada packs a wallop of flavor with slivers of jalapeño, crunchy peanuts, Thai basil and fried onion. For heartier appetites, there’s a Flintstones-size smoked turkey leg.
Los Angeles TimesAugust 3, 2014
Animal is the kind of restaurant that other chefs dream about, a kitchen that renders its darkest, and happiest, thoughts in smoking, dripping flesh. Read more
Jannica RobertsonNovember 4, 2012
Food was on point. Bring a group to try a little bit of everything - approx. 2 plates per person. Great dishes were Pig ears, burata, yellow tail hamachi, putine with oxtail, and pork ribs.
TylerMarch 25, 2012
Eat the baby rabbit spring rolls, the oxtail poutine, & everything that's snout to tail greatness-not found anywhere but NYC, SF, or the travel channel. Ask for wine pairings&save room for desserts.
Zachary SteinbackJune 20, 2013
If you're an adventurous carnivore there is no better place to get delicious food that will challenge your taste buds and blow your mind. You owe it to yourself to stop in if you're in the area.
Falcon ElizabethJuly 13, 2012
Oh in addition to tandoori octopus, there was this steak (fondue?) dish with truffle sauce which was AMAZING... And the BBQ pork sliders were a must have. This place was SO good!
Masha IovevaSeptember 2, 2019
Every bite was absolutely delicious! We loved the sea scallops, the giant prawns and the tongue!
Food NetworkAugust 17, 2011
Duff Goldman prefers the fresh, local ingredients and the classic American cuisine at Animal on The Best Thing I Ever Ate. We recommend the Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar. Find more tips at FN Local. Read more
KatrinaNovember 20, 2014
The most amazing thing ever was the foie & biscuit. Also pork belly sliders are awesome too.
Maxime ArchambaultJuly 8, 2012
Very Pricey but very good. Meals to share but is you are 3 or more you might have to order more than one dish of the same thing if you want everyone to have a taste. And the house Chardonnay is good.
Paul SmithOctober 29, 2015
Go here!!!! Dinner was amazing!!! Such great flavors. Just be aware there is no sign out front.
Lears FoolOctober 24, 2015
I had the chicken liver toast, the crispy pig ear, the bone marrow, oxtail poutine and the foie gras biscuit. All was delicious.
ReemzApril 2, 2018
Absolutely amazing. Bone marrow,Yams,Oxtail,Hamachi tostada,Veal brain,Tomahawk chop
Rayshawn WilliamsMay 19, 2016
Best poutine and oxtail meat ever! I can eat this dish all day everyday if given the opportunity.
CarolynJune 2, 2014
Order as much as you can. Everything is delicious. Skip the peaches & gnocchi. Go for the tongue, pigs ears, toast, and Caesar salad.
Gloria ChinApril 22, 2013
get the pig ear, bone marrow, hamachi tostada, maple sausage gravy, chicken liver toast, pork belly sandwich, foie gras, bacon chocolate crunch bar!!
Stephanie SzetoDecember 27, 2017
Absolutely terrific and super inexpensive. Highly recommended. This is not a "fancy" restaurant - be prepared for loudness and energy.
Nathan KamMarch 25, 2014
The tendon chips with pho dipping sauce was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten!
Mortgage Capital AssociatesApril 26, 2013
High quality ingredients and an inventive kitchen make for a fantastic experience. You can't go wrong with anything, but the pork belly sandwich is my favorite (at least, this week!).
Chip BeamanAugust 28, 2011
Pork Belly Sliders (best in LA), foie gras, & the ribs are all insanely good. But, I'm tossing in the melted petit basque w/chorizo on grilled bread. A simply wonderful dish, too.
LA WeeklyMarch 18, 2015
If you were to trace our city’s current boom of exciting, highly regarded restaurants garnering national attention, almost all roads would lead back to Animal. Read more

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