By Shivam Goyal
As most USC students know, there are plenty of places to eat around the school area. Ethnic cuisine, fast food, and even some awesome dessert places are all located within a mile of our beautiful campus. However, USC students also have another great asset on hand – Downtown LA, where several fun restaurant atmospheres exist and are perfect for when you want to try something new. I spent last summer trying to discover new eateries in downtown so that I’d have new food choices during the school year. I found out that downtown has a multitude of cuisines for all different people, whether they are looking for something fast, formal, or even unique!
Wokcano (800 W. 7th Street) is a Japanese sushi and noodle restaurant located about 7-minutes away from the USC Campus (when driving). They provide premium sushi for a low cost, as well as an affordable happy hour. I would describe the environment as casual and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for small portions of Asian cuisine on any given night. I tried the Pad Thai and it was one of the best noodle dishes I’ve had since coming to USC.
Another excellent choice, for those of you looking for a quick meal or drink, is Sixth Street Tavern (630 W. 6th Street). It is a small bar with excellent appetizers and a relatively affordable happy hour menu. This restaurant caters primarily American dishes, with a few ethnic options mixed in as well. I have tried the Grilled Cheese at Sixth Street and I will definitely be going back for more!
One last suggestion for all of you is Bottega Louie (700 S Grand Ave). This is a loft style restaurant with a bar and pastry counter up front and floor to ceiling glass windows all the way around. The food is excellent and has mid-range prices, but really, you go for the atmosphere.
Featured image by Jenny Huey on Flickr
Shivam is a USC graduate who majored in Accounting and Business Administration. Originally from Vancouver, B.C, he loves the outdoors, whether it’s a bike ride, going to the beach, or anything else that involves physical activity. He is also an avid sports fan and goes to Clippers and Kings games in his free time.