Restaurant Guide
Best Restaurants Near USC
The best restaurants near USC for students — real picks within walking distance or a short ride of campus, organized by taste, price, and occasion. From USC Village to Mercado La Paloma and DTLA.
Get a pick that fits your taste →USC sits in one of the densest, most interesting food neighborhoods in Los Angeles — but a lot of students never venture past USC Village and the nearest chains. That's a mistake. Within a few minutes' walk or a short ride you've got a Michelin-starred seafood counter, one of the city's great Yucatecan kitchens, decades-old soul food, and the best tacos around.
These picks are organized the way Picki thinks about food — by taste, price, and the occasion they're actually good for. Whether you're feeding yourself between classes, studying for an afternoon, or showing your parents the neighborhood, there's a right answer here.
1. Chichen Itza
$$Yucatecan Mexican
Best for: A real meal worth bringing your parents to — 5 minutes from campus
Vibe: Counter-order spot inside Mercado La Paloma, casual but seriously good
Inside Mercado La Paloma, a few minutes from campus, Chichen Itza serves some of the best Yucatecan food in Los Angeles. The cochinita pibil — slow-roasted pork in achiote and sour orange — is the order, in a torta or on a plate with black beans and rice. It's affordable, deeply flavorful, and a genuine introduction to regional Mexican cooking that most students walk past for years without trying.
Who would like it: Anyone who wants real, regional Mexican food a short walk from campus without spending much. Great for a parents-in-town lunch.
Who should skip it: Anyone after table service or a sit-down restaurant atmosphere — it's a counter-order food-hall stall.
2. Holbox
$$$Mexican Seafood
Best for: A special meal — Michelin-recognized seafood, still walkable from campus
Vibe: Tiny seafood counter inside Mercado La Paloma, unassuming, exceptional
Holbox shares the Mercado La Paloma food hall with Chichen Itza and has earned a Michelin star for its Mexican seafood. The aguachile, ceviche, and seafood tostadas are pristine — the kind of food you wouldn't expect to find at a counter five minutes from a college campus. It's pricier than your average student meal, but it's a destination restaurant hiding in plain sight near USC.
Who would like it: Seafood lovers and anyone wanting to eat somewhere genuinely acclaimed without leaving the neighborhood. A treat-yourself meal.
Who should skip it: Budget weeknight diners and anyone who doesn't eat seafood — the menu is almost entirely raw and cooked fish.
3. Dulan's Soul Food
$$Soul Food
Best for: A big, comforting plate — a South LA institution worth the short ride
Vibe: Cafeteria-style soul food, generous, no-frills, deeply local
Dulan's has been serving South LA for decades, and the cafeteria-line format makes it easy: point at fried chicken, smothered pork chops, mac and cheese, candied yams, and collard greens, and walk out with a tray of comfort food for not much money. It's a short ride from campus and a real piece of the neighborhood's food culture — the kind of place that's been feeding the community since long before you got here.
Who would like it: Anyone craving a hearty, soulful meal and wanting to eat somewhere with genuine local history.
Who should skip it: Light eaters or anyone after a quick salad — this is rich, generous, indulgent food.
4. Guisados
$Tacos
Best for: The best tacos near campus — braised, homestyle, on fresh tortillas
Vibe: Order-at-the-counter taqueria, fast, bright, consistently excellent
Guisados specializes in guisados — homestyle braises like cochinita pibil, chicken tinga, and chiles toreados — served on thick, fresh-pressed tortillas. The sampler plate lets you try six kinds, which is the move on a first visit. It's affordable, genuinely great, and a major step up from the taco chains. The DTLA location is an easy ride from campus.
Who would like it: Taco lovers who want homestyle braises rather than the standard carne asada lineup. The sampler is perfect for the indecisive.
Who should skip it: Anyone who wants a sit-down meal with full service — it's a fast, counter-order taqueria.
5. Highly Likely
$$Cafe / Brunch
Best for: Studying, brunch, or a laptop afternoon — the neighborhood's best cafe
Vibe: Bright, plant-filled, laptop-friendly West Adams cafe with real food
On Jefferson in West Adams, Highly Likely is the cafe USC students actually use to get work done. Good coffee, breakfast sandwiches and brunch plates that are better than they need to be, and enough space and outlets to camp out for a few hours. It's the rare spot that's equally good for a productive solo morning or a weekend catch-up over a real meal.
Who would like it: Students who want a comfortable place to study with food and coffee that's a cut above the campus options.
Who should skip it: Anyone after a fast in-and-out bite — it's a place to settle in, not rush.
6. Honeybird
$$Fried Chicken
Best for: A quick, satisfying meal right in USC Village
Vibe: Fast-casual fried chicken, on-campus convenient
Right in USC Village, Honeybird does fried chicken and tenders that are a reliable step above fast food. It's convenient enough for a between-class meal and good enough that you won't feel like you settled. The chicken sandwich and the tender plate with sides are the dependable orders when you don't want to leave campus but want something genuinely satisfying.
Who would like it: Students who want a quick, tasty meal without leaving USC Village. Reliable comfort food on campus.
Who should skip it: Anyone looking for a destination meal — this is convenient and good, not a special trip.
Frequently asked
- What are the best restaurants near USC?
- Standouts close to campus include Chichen Itza and Holbox inside Mercado La Paloma, Guisados for tacos, and Dulan's for soul food. We rank them by taste, price, and occasion rather than by a single star average.
- Where should I take my parents to eat near USC?
- For a sit-down meal that impresses without a long drive, the Mercado La Paloma spots (especially Michelin-recognized Holbox) and DTLA options are the move. Each pick in this guide notes who it's best for.
- Are there good restaurants within walking distance of USC?
- Yes — several picks here are within walking distance of campus or USC Village, with the rest a short ride away in South LA, Koreatown, or DTLA.
Browse by taste
More guides
Best Cheap Eats Near UCLA
The best cheap eats near UCLA — real student-budget picks in Westwood Village and Sawtelle. Maximum flavor per dollar, from iconic ice cream sandwiches to Persian sandwiches and noodles.
Best Cheap Eats Near USC
The best cheap eats near USC — real student-budget picks within walking distance or a short ride of campus. Maximum flavor per dollar, organized by taste and occasion.
Best Late Night Food in LA for Students
The best late night food in Los Angeles for USC and UCLA students — where to eat after midnight near both campuses, from 24-hour Koreatown tofu houses to Westwood burgers and noodles.
Best Restaurants Near UCLA
The best restaurants near UCLA for students — real picks in Westwood Village, Sawtelle Japantown, and the Persian corridor on Westwood Blvd. Organized by taste, price, and occasion.