Restaurants That Will Make You Skip The Inflight Meal
After a long day of getting to the airport, waiting for your plane, boarding, flying, deplaning and waiting to claim your luggage (which always seems to come out second to last) you and the family are finally in Los Angeles. You have resisted buying the airplane meals, ate a couple of bags of complimentary peanuts, had the snack from your carry on and are now ready for a real meal with the kids.
Here is a list of good family friendly restaurants that are close to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). We would recommend these restaurants even if they were not in close proximity to LAX, as they all have good food and kid-friendly atmospheres. All of the restaurants are listed by the approximate distance from the front of the LAX airport.
Places To Eat Near LAX Airport
In N Out (0.6 miles)
It’s hard to think of a hamburger in Southern California without thinking about In-N-Out Burger. They serve up America’s comfort food in a fun and simple way. The menu is not full of variations of specialty burgers, but that is not a bad thing here. In-N-Out keeps their menu really simple with a Hamburger, Cheeseburger, their famous Double-Double burger, fries, shakes and drinks. That might not sound like much, but each item that they have on their menu, they do it right. They start with a old-fashioned toasted bun, real American cheese that clings to the 100% American beef patty and finishes it off with tomatoes, lettuce, onion and their famous spread. Add an order of their awesome hand-cut french fries and their 100% real ice cream shakes. YUM! You can also get familiar with their not on the menu, “secret menu” to get your burger in a less than traditional In-N-Out version. To make things better, In-N-Out doesn’t freeze or pre-package their food and you can taste the freshness of their ingredients. Visit In-N-Out’s Website for more information.
See the location and get directions to In-N-Out Burger on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Wacky Wok (0.7 miles)
Wacky Wok is located in Westchester and offers New York Style Chinese cuisine offering dozens of Chinese food menu items. Their Cantonese style dishes are quite authentic and totally flavorful. Although you can dine here for dinner, I usually try and order off of their lunch menu because before 5pm their specials start at $6.50. It’s a total bargain for the quality food that they offer. The lunch selection usually includes an entree and sides like steamed rice or salad. My personal favorite is the Kung Pao chicken which is full of flavor and has a kick of spice. You won’t be disappointed. If your kids are sharing your dishes with you, you can ask for no spice for their spicy dishes. Another favorite of our family is the Wacky Wok Chicken (a.k.a. General Tso’s Chicken) which is deep fried chicken chunks glazed in a spicy brown sauce with steamed broccoli. They offer the traditional selections of beef, chicken, pork, seafood and vegetable dishes. You can dine in or if you are in a hurry, you can call ahead and they’ll have it ready for you as carry out. Visit Wacky Wok’s website for more on their menu selections.
See the location and get directions to Wacky Wok on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. (0.9 miles)
If you are looking for a good breakfast, or even lunch, stop by The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company. You might have heard that its the New York water that makes N.Y. bagels the best in the country. The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. has a water system that recreates the taste and flavor of Brooklyn water and uses that same water to make its tasty bagels. I am a huge bagel fanatic and am real picky when it comes to the bagels I buy. I can say that these bagels are in the top 5 bagels in Los Angeles. These bagels are not the fancy schmancy bagels they have across L.A., they are the traditional bagels you grew up with. The bagels have a thin and light crunchy skin and a soft doughy inside. I recommend the garlic, onion, everything and sesame bagels. You can eat these bagels with one of their spreads or have them make you a 3-egg breakfast sandwich. They also make really good bagel sandwiches if its a bit late for a breakfast sandwich. Check out the Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. website for more information and their menu.
See the location and get directions to The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Flame Broiler (0.9 miles)
If you are looking for a healthy alternative to fast food, Flame Broiler might be what you are looking for. This chain of restaurants are an Americanized Korean style restaurant that serves delicious chicken, beef and short rib plates and bowls. The healthy twist on their food is that Flame Broiler does this without frying and has no skin, trans-fat, dairy, high fructose corn syrup or added MSG. Our family loves their chicken bowls which are prepared to order and comes with your choice of white or brown rice, vegetables and green onions. You can top it off with their tasty teriyaki sauce, their magic sauce or Sriracha if you need that spicy boost. The also have a beef and chicken plate of a half and half bowl if you want a little variety. If you are looking for something quick, healthy and tasty, stop by for a bowl or plate. Visit the Flame Broiler website for more information and their menu.
See the location and get directions to Flame Broiler on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Truxton’s American Bistro (1.1 miles)
Truxton’s offers classic American and ethnic dishes done with a twist. The restaurant has a very nice, comfortable and upscale atmosphere yet is still casual without being pretentious. They offer breakfast on the weekends and lunch and dinner every day. The menu is pretty large, but each dish is unique, delicious and uses quality ingredients. Truxton’s has good kids meals which consist of a choice of one kid entree, a choice of fruit, fries, carrot sticks or side salad and a kids drink. The adults can choose from a variety of dishes from burgers and pastas to sandwiches and gourmet salads. My favorite is the Gilly burger which has applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, Tillamook cheddar cheese and topped with crispy onions and spicy 1001 dressing. My wife and daughter both love the Ancho Honey Glazed Shrimp appetizer plate which is sizable enough for them as an entree. Other notables from their menu are the Truxton’s Monkey Bread appetizer, Original 11 Spice Brisket Plate, Wagyu Beef Sliders and our favorite dessert, the Bistro Cookie For Two. See our full Truxton’s American Bistro review or our photo gallery of their tasty food.
See the location and get directions to Truxton’s on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Alejo’s Presto Trattoria (2.2 miles)
If you are in the mood for a nice traditional sit down Italian meal, Alejo’s will fit the bill. The restaurant is casual, comfortable and has good service. The kind of restaurant you would have a small family gathering or a night out without the kids. The first thing, and my favorite thing, that happens as you are seated is that they welcome you there with a basket of their signature bread and a cup of oil with minced garlic for dipping. This is hands down the best bread and oil combo served free of any restaurant I have been to. I could just eat the bread and garlic oil till I am full, so I have to make a conscious effort to stop eating before my entree arrives. That doesn’t mean that their food is any slouch either. They serve delicious pasta, chicken and seafood dishes, but we have yet to try the pizzas or calzones. The pasta dishes are freshly made, flavorful and you get a nice big portion, bordering on huge. The chicken dishes come with your choice of pasta (which fills half of the plate) and is almost too much for one person. My favorite dish is the Chicken Piccatta with Linguine al Olio pasta. To my knowledge, they don’t have kids meals, but our daughter shares our meals and we have never left hungry. Visit Alejo’s Presto Trattoria website for more information and their menu selections.
See the location and get directions to Alejo’s Presto Trattoria on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
The Habit Burger Grill (2.8 miles)
The Habit Burger Grill is another burger restaurant that believes on using fresh (not frozen) patties and vegetables fresh cut daily to give their hamburgers the freshest taste possible. But what makes The Habit’s burgers really great is that they are char-grilled over an open flame. They offer 5 varieties of their Charburger, with my favorite being the BBQ Bacon Charburger. They also offer charbroiled sandwiches which are as good as their burgers. Don’t forget to add a side of their deliciously crispy onion rings and tasty real ice cream shakes. For the under 10 crowd their kids meals come with a choice of a Charburger, a grilled cheese sandwich or chicken nuggets, a side dish choice of fries, apple slices or applesauce and a soft drink, apple juice or milk. This is definitely a great place to stop for a burger with the family. Visit The Habit Burger Grill’s website for more information and menu choices.
See the location and get directions to The Habit Burger Grill on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries (2.8 miles)
The last burger place on our list, but definitely not the least. Five Guys Burgers and Fries also subscribes to the no freezers and fresh ground beef rule as well. What sets Five Guys apart from the other burger places is the free toppings you can add on to their grilled burgers for free. According to Five Guys website, there are over 250,00 ways to order a burger with options like grilled onions, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, BBQ sauce and many more. You start off by picking which burger you want with choices like cheeseburger and bacon burger, then you tell them what topping you want added to the burger. Please note that their little burgers are not little, it just means that its one patty instead of a double patty. They have great fries that are cooked in pure, no cholesterol, peanut oil and gives you the option to add Cajun spice which is our family’s choice. Their menu is rounded out with hot dog and sandwich choices as well. While you wait for your order, grab a scoop of their free in-shell peanuts that they have at the pick up counter. Five Guys Burgers and Fries makes a great burger and gives you the option of customizing it to your tastes.
See the location and get directions to Five Guys Burgers and Fries on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Malibu Fish Grill (2.8 miles)
“Eat Great. Feel great. Every day.” is Malibu Fish Grill’s slogan and they sure do live up to it. It delivers on its promise to provide its customers with fresh seafood in a fast casual atmosphere where people can actually afford to eat it everyday. Their menu selections consist of fresh fish daily, a 100 percent trans fat free menu with no MSG, no high fructose corn syrup, hormone free chicken, natural grain fed beef and locally sourced fresh fruit and produce. It really does not get better than this for a reasonable price. My wife’s favorite is actually off of their appetizer menu. She loves their Crispy Shrimp dish which consists of hand battered and flash fried jumbo shrimp served with an apricot dipping glaze that is just yummy! I like their fish plates with your choice of fish which can be seasoned four different ways of your choice and two side orders. I usually get their salmon plate with sides of brown rice and their tasty grilled vegetables. They also have a great priced kids meal which consists of one kid entree, one side and a drink all for just $5.00. The food is really fresh and tasty, so if seafood is your family’s thing, stop by for a great meal. For more information and menu selections, visit Malibu Fish Grill’s website.
See the location and get directions to Malibu Fish Grill on our Places to Eat Near LAX Map at the bottom of this article.
Union Pizza Company (3.5 miles)
The farthest restaurant from LAX of the eateries listed on our top 10 is well worth the drive if you are looking for a great pizza pie. Union Pizza Company is located in Manhattan Beach in a nice strip of shops and restaurants. They offer both Chicago Deep Dish and N.Y. Thin crust pizzas along with pasta, sandwiches and salads. The reason we would drive down to this pizza place is for the Chicago Deep Dish pizza which is one of the best pies in Los Angeles. This deep dish pizza pie has an amazing thick crust that is a flaky golden brown and filled with five natural cheeses, tomato chunks and sauce and your choice of your favorite toppings. This pizza pie is so tasty with the cheese and tomatoes that we often don’t add any toppings. See our full Union Pizza Company review or our photo gallery of their pizzas.
See our Best Family Restaurants in Los Angeles article for more great kid friendly restaurants to dine at with the family for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
Places to Eat Near LAX Map
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 |   8343 Lincoln Blvd, Westchester, Los Angeles, CA 90045 |
 | 460 N Sepulveda Blvd, El Segundo, CA 90245 |
| 9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 |
 | 400 N Sepulveda Blvd, El Segundo, CA 90245 |
 | 8730 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 |
| 311 N Sepulveda Blvd, El Segundo, CA 90245 |
 | 8736 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 |
 | 8611 Truxton Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90045 |
 | 1570 Rosecrans Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA |
 | 8919 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 |
What is one of your favorite places to eat near LAX airport that we didn’t mention? Leave us your favorite restaurant in the comments section or shoot us an email.
Featured LAX Image Courtesy of charmedoneX | We were provided a complimentary meal at Truxton’s and Union Pizza Company for the purpose of covering it on our blog. Regardless, we would only recommend places, activities or services that we would use/visit personally and that we believe will be good for our readers.
