Downtown's Mac & Cheeza is Comfort Food Brilliance

Take everything you first loved about Pinkberry (“I want kiwi, Fruity Pebbles and Mochi”), add LA’s Kogi-inspired love of waiting in line to grab food to-go, and toss in a recession-sparked indulgence in comfort food, and what do you have? Mac and Cheeza, the newest joint from the culinary masterminds behind Eagle Rock’s exceptional contemporary soul food mecca, Larkin’s.

Continuing their dastardly plan to induce cravings beyond measure or control, chef Larkin Mackey and co-owner Joshua McBride are giving Larkin’s BBQ Shrimp and Fried Chicken a run for its money as Los Angeles’ best reason to shamelessly lick your plate in public. Luckily, Mac and Cheeza is more about take-out and delivery, inviting guests to grab-and-go their Baby Mac, Momma Mac or Daddy Mac compositions, so no one will witness your shame unless you choose to eat at one of the spot’s few thin benches and tiny tables.

With special care for both vegans and the intolerants (gluten and dairy-free diets are well catered to), diners are invited to compose their cheesy opus. Starting with noodles, regular or rice, topped with a cheeza base, either cheese or soy, veggies such as collard greens, black olives, peas, jalapenos, green onions, mushrooms, tomatoes or spinach can be added, along with ground beef, BBQ chicken, hot links, tuna, bacon, ham, chorizo or veggie sausage. Then it’s all topped with either a cheese blend or spicy toasted walnuts and sent down a conveyor belt oven until it’s a bubbling cheesy cauldron that’s not only delicious, but made to order. Who needs a blue box when there’s this new downtown treasure?

Hours:

Monday-Wednesday: 11 am to 11 pm
Thursday-Sunday: 11am-2am

Mac & Cheeza
223 W. 8th Street
L.A., CA 90014