Philippe The Original

So as my faithful readers know I am extremely wary of any place that is recommended to me as "Classic LA". This usually translates as "Classically Over-rated". So it was with great trepidation that I stepped into Philippe the Original Restaurant this weekend. I immediately wished I were 25 and drunk and it was 2am. That is what Philippe is perfect for. Cheap eats - French Dip Steak Ums and slaw and cheap beers and plenty of good cheap nasty bar sides. I treated my mother-in-law to a pickled egg and some pickled pig's feet. The pig's feet were only $1.80 which may be cheap or expensive depending on your point of view. Bottom line - I liked the space, hated the crowds and the food was good for what it was but not worth the trip to nowhere which is where it is located.

Philipe French Dip sandwiches are good but they are not all that many say they are. I think the au-jus is a bit too salty and the bread quite flat in flavor. The prices are great for what one gets which makes the visit worth it. The macaroni salad is nice yet very simple as is the custard pudding.
I ordered a lamb sandwich and was not at all impressed, as it tasted greasy.

PROS: Great prices and service
CONS: salty au-jus

I recently went to Phiippes with some co-workers after reading an article about them in the Los Angeles business Journal. I was not dissapointed! $5 bought me a huge french dip sandwich and it was so yummy! The bread was quite fresh. The pie is good as are the pickled eggs. The line structure was a little irritating as alot of people were 'cutting" so i didn't get to order untill 10 after my co-workers got their food, but it was a nice change of pace and theres free parking -- a big plus for downtown.

You can enter in the rear door or front door and walk along the sawdust through the dining area to get to the three or four lines behind the glass counters where the sandwiches are prepared.

There is a decent selection for beer including draft starting at $1.10 as well as wine by the glass for $2.10 or by the carafe. Also on the menu is a beer that has no alcohol, plus domestic and imported beers. The big sellers seemed to be lemonade or iced tea for fifty cents. Also on the menu are colas, diet sodas, milk, tea, coffee or sparkling water.

While waiting in line you can see the various pies they offer for dessert or opt for cheesecake as I did. For children there is ice cream or puddings. During the season of October through June you can order the favorite Baked Apples selling at $1.60.

You have the option of getting sandwiches double dipped. The sandwiches available are beef, pork and ham for $4.15 with the lamb costing $4.45. Your next choice comes with the type of cheese you want, either swiss, american, jack or bleu cheese. I choose Jack for mine. Next time I am going for swiss and lamb double dipped in au jus. For the colder months I may go back and try their beef stew.

Philippe The Original is open from 6 am till 10 pm every day but Thanksgiving and Christmas. The breakfast menu looks tempting and is served from 6 am till 10:30 am. A Ham steak and two eggs goes for $6.50, oatmeal for $1.30, three homemade biscuits for seventy-five cents. A cheese omelet is only $4.05 or their short stack with bacon, sausage or hash for $4.70. I will have to check them out for the breakfast special french toast dipped in cinnamon egg batter!

I do not like the soup selections. The bus person takes your tray. There are tvs and radio playing. Bathrooms are decent. Booths are comfortable. They have wooden ceiling fans sometimes turned on or the A/C is on.

Seating is family style, but I have not seen any highchairs.

PROS: lots of selections, price, casual atmosphere
CONS: no ice for water, would like onions & peppers on sandwich

I always get the turkey sandwich with a bowl of straight chili with a 50 cent glass of homemade lemonade. The lines can be long but they go by quite fast. I have never been there when it was not crowded, the business is great! They also have a candy stand near the front entrance with all kinds of goodies.

PROS: All the food is good!
CONS: Nothing

Service is bad here.

One Saturday I had to wait more than 50 minutes to order my breakfast because our waitress(counter lady ) was too busy making sandwiches.

I would have gladly moved to another line if she had told us that she could not take other orders for a while...

Food is okay but not worth waiting in line for over 30-40 minutes average. I go there because my kids like to walk on saw dust and look at model trains.

I used to live in Los Angeles and for years I came here to eat lunch or grab a snack. This place has some really tasty french dip sandwiches. The meal is kind of greasy but mostly drippy and juicy. The place is always crowded and the line is long but it goes by fast. Make sure to look for a table before ordering because then you'll be carrying your food tray up and down the stairs. If you're in the area you must stop here.

This place has been here for as long as I can remember. I enjoy coming here when I make a rare trip into downtown Los Angeles for an errand. It usually makes the stress of traffic much more bareable and I tend to look forward to the homemade apple pie. Aside from the juicy sandwiches and cheap coffee (tastes cheap too) I love hunting for a "picnic style" table to dine at. Fun and enjoyable.

From the sawdust on the floor to the old-timey uniforms of the waitresses, this place screams nostaligia and comfort. The french dip sandwiches are the best, though I prefer lamb over the beef. The cole slaw id delish, as is the pea soup. Follow it up with a slice of custard pie and you're in heaven. The candy/cigar concession will take you back to another time. The private booths lend a bit of private for those who wish to keep to themselves. I prefer the hussle and bussle of the elongated tables, where patrons sit alongside each other as they munch and break into conversation. The prices are affordable. Coffee is still a dime. Here's where you want to go for a solid meal with some history and without the pretension.

PROS: great cheap french dip sandwiches (to eat in or to go); good deli; great nostalgic feel
CONS: lines can get long, but they do move fast

I would give this place an A+ for originality and style. The food is just not my style. If you enjoy roast beef and super soggy sandwich bread then this is the place for you. If you prefer good quality bread with lots of fresh vegetables inside than this isn't your fit. I think the coffee is super cheap and they've got beautiful slices of pie. Beware of the long lines and limited seating. Best to come off hours and try it out for kicks. A nice treat.

One of the last historic one of the kind Los Angeles resturants. My great grandfather use to bring me here as a boy. Now I bring my son. Same Great prices. Same sawdust on the floors, paper plates and old style location.

You cant visit downtown WITHOUT going here! Its a classic! Frech dip subs, purple eggs and 9 cent cups of coffee! The owners make you feel like friends not customers and the resturant is old, warm and cozy! Take a metro ride into grand central station and there you are!

I went here only twice, but I loved it both times. The sawdust floors and open cafe-style seating really give the place character. The French dip sandwiches are of course the best in town.

I love this place and like to take out of towners and friends there for a more unusual dining experience. A few years ago, I took the jury that I served with there when I was on jury duty at the Criminal Courts Building down the street. It was a unanimous verdict that they loved it. There is sawdust on the floor and bench-style seating. The food is inexpensive, but delicious. They serve dip sandwiches, variety of salads, pie, coffee & lemonade. My favorite meal there is the lamb dip (double dip), macaroni salad, lemonade and a pickle. Even better, the Gold Line has a stop near there so you don't even have to drive and look for parking. I highly recommend Philippe's.

The Original Since 1908 (veritably prehistoric by Los Angeles terms) Philippe's has been all about sawdust on the floor, ceiling fans above, paper plates on your tray and history in the air. Old school all the way. Sit down and wait for a waitress? Getcomfy 'cause it'll be a long wait or get your ass up in line with the rest of us. When you're finally up in front of the server, get yourself one of their famed French Dip sammiches. What the hell's a "French Dip?" Legend has it that back in 1918 while Philippe was preparing a sammich for a cop who was a regular customer, he dropped the sliced french roll into the drippings of a roasting pan. The beat cop liked the results so much he came back the next day with some friends and ordered theirs "dipped" in the meat pan.

Me, I'm partial to a double-dipped lamb sammy ($4.90) with bleu cheese (30 cents - not dressing, the real deal), side of coleslaw (85 cents), kosher dill pickle (75 cents), and a couple lemonades (60 cents each). The other sammic

This place is classic. I think they still serve $0.09 cups of coffee!

This is old LA... an institution near the LA Union Station. You order your sandwich at the counter (roast beef, lamb) and sit at community tables. The food is awesome if you are ready for that french dip type of cuisine.

Go for lunch. Its a dicey neighborhood after dark.

The place with the sawdust on the floor! They've got expertly mass-produced french dip sandwiches with the barest minimum of decor.

PROS: Way casual
CONS: Way crowded

The best french dip sandwiches. Huge crowds during lunch hour. Check out their menu at www.philippes.com

French dip sandwiches.