Engine Co. No. 28

If you are in downtown Los Angeles and looking for a great place for food and a drink, I highly recommend Engine Company 28. Let's start with the service which was spectacular. We barely had to wait before our drink orders were sitting in front of us. Our bartender was incredibly friendly and attentive and made a great old fashioned and cosmo. The food was top notch and possibly the best I have had after 3 days in downtown LA. We started with an order of the calamari which was incredibly tender. From there we ordered the Ahi Tuna Salad and the Mignon Surf which were both very tasty. The next time our travels bring us to Los Angeles I will definitely be coming back to Engine Company Number 28.

Mussels were surprisingly on par with classic french. Get extra bread to soak up that delicious sauce.

We came to engine company 28 when out door dining finally opened up (today) it was great. Out door seating was totally CDC compliant. They sat us away from others and the heaters kept us nice and warm. The food was great was great as always and our server JULIO made the experience outstanding. He. Gave us great customer service and kept checking on us to ensure our needs were met. You should come. It was nice to get out of the house.

Great bar in the financial district of DTLA. Close to shopping and other venues. Friendly staff, good drinks, and now that they've partnered with centrobbq great food.

OMG so many gluten free choices!!! Had the shrimp risotto delicious and the crispy rice appetizer was the bomb Definitely recommend you try this place!!!

Found this place by chance as looking for somewhere to eat near where we was staying. So a lovely atmosphere inside and so chilled. Loved our booth with the light and could feel the history there. Our server Chad was lovely and so helpful. I had the meatloaf and the hubs had truffle fried chicken. Both amazing and one of the best dinners we've eaten on our Honeymoon so far (2 weeks in). We had to have one of the desserts, hard choice but went for the Lemon Meringue and it was so delicious, couldn't fault it. Drinks were lovely also. Overall we had a fantastic time here and the costs were reasonable (after Vegas and San Francisco and our home town London). Thanks

Amazing. Just amazing food. Awesome atmosphere (original 1900s firehouse floors and ceilings) and awesome staff.

The short rib fettuccine was delicious and my husband enjoyed the meatloaf 😋😋 the blackberry smash was tasty also

Happy hour from about 6 to 10pm daily. Happy hour menu is very readable for the area. It was my first time here and the bartender was very helpful. Got a refresher and ribs. Originally came here to check out the happy hour and Mac and cheese. This building also has a great history.

Love the atmosphere and the great variety of dishes. Very great chefs 10/10 definitely recommend. Not too expensive for fine dining :)

I really enjoyed my filet and shrimp. Friendly and fast service. I'll be back.

One of the best gems of DTLA, this place was great! Jessyca our server did everything and beyond! Food was great, drinks amazing and the beer was cold as it should on a hot LA afternoon!

What do you do with an old Fire station? Of course, turn it into a restaurant! Not the first time I've been to such converted places, but the first in this city. Regardless, my friend remarked that the calamari here was the best he's ever tasted. Honestly, I can't complain. For what we were given, everything tasted great! The main course of Salmon was really good! Plus, the pita and hummus I got was great! So glad we could get an extra plate of pita too, because as much as good as that pita was, I needed a vessel to get that hummus into my stomach, because liking the plate isn't socially acceptable. Food aside, Desiree was the one who took care of us, and she was awesome! Me and my friend were celebrating our birthdays, and she came around with a co-worker, sang us a song, and added a candle to our cakes. That was really sweet of her! Ambience is wonderful! The repurposing of old fire fighting equipment, and parts of pipes for the artwork and the lights was really unique! It shows the owners have a vision and a dream for this place!

Great Place, Amazing Food, Decent Prices... Perfect spot if you're not into noise and want top tier service.

This place has stepped up their game and has really delicious food and stunning service. I highly recommend to take a break and enjoy this city stop for lunch. Covid safe outdoor eating is available and everyone wears masks which I really appreciate. Best of it all, they are affordable too. Check them out!

Have you experienced dining in a fire station? If not, follow me! Highlights of the menu: 1. Brussels sprout & bacon 2. French fries 3. BBQ short ribs & cole slaw 4. Creme brulee strawberry I have never been in a fire station before, not to mention this is dining in a historical fire station in downtown of LA. Very interesting set up!

A unique experience. This is a real fire station, built in 1912. There are remnants of its past here: A poll, the original windows & front entrance. There are some photos on the walls and an info sheet at the bar. There is also a donated firefighters jacket and helmets that you're welcome to pick up and look at. Food was great. They have New York steak, linquini with shrimp, meatloaf, ribs, even gumbo. I had the gumbo and it was excellent. I also had some sort of spicy magarita which was small but excellent! I should have had another. For dessert we had creme brulee and lemon merangue lie. Both were sooo good! Service was pleasant. Atmosphere was very cool. Good diverse selection of customers too. Oh and the ceiling is beautifully restored. :-)

This place is a hidden gem. I love the crab cake appetizer and the steak sandwich. The building is an old fire station from the early days of downtown Los Angeles. You can still see some of the original features. The customer service is very friendly and quick to offer suggestions on the menu. It's definitely a nice charming business casual restaurant that I'd always recommend.

Vinicius Remor

One of the best gems of DTLA, this place was great! Jessyca our server did everything and beyond! Food was great, drinks amazing and the beer was cold as it should on a hot LA afternoon!

龔振勝

What do you do with an old Fire station? Of course, turn it into a restaurant! Not the first time I've been to such converted places, but the first in this city. Regardless, my friend remarked that the calamari here was the best he's ever tasted. Honestly, I can't complain. For what we were given, everything tasted great! The main course of Salmon was really good! Plus, the pita and hummus I got was great! So glad we could get an extra plate of pita too, because as much as good as that pita was, I needed a vessel to get that hummus into my stomach, because liking the plate isn't socially acceptable. Food aside, Desiree was the one who took care of us, and she was awesome! Me and my friend were celebrating our birthdays, and she came around with a co-worker, sang us a song, and added a candle to our cakes. That was really sweet of her! Ambience is wonderful! The repurposing of old fire fighting equipment, and parts of pipes for the artwork and the lights was really unique! It shows the owners have a vision and a dream for this place!

Tyrell Lloyd

This place has stepped up their game and has really delicious food and stunning service. I highly recommend to take a break and enjoy this city stop for lunch. Covid safe outdoor eating is available and everyone wears masks which I really appreciate. Best of it all, they are affordable too. Check them out!

Vee Dinh

Have you experienced dining in a fire station? If not, follow me! Highlights of the menu: 1. Brussels sprout & bacon 2. French fries 3. BBQ short ribs & cole slaw 4. Creme brulee strawberry I have never been in a fire station before, not to mention this is dining in a historical fire station in downtown of LA. Very interesting set up!

Ghost Rider

A unique experience. This is a real fire station, built in 1912. There are remnants of its past here: A poll, the original windows & front entrance. There are some photos on the walls and an info sheet at the bar. There is also a donated firefighters jacket and helmets that you're welcome to pick up and look at. Food was great. They have New York steak, linquini with shrimp, meatloaf, ribs, even gumbo. I had the gumbo and it was excellent. I also had some sort of spicy magarita which was small but excellent! I should have had another. For dessert we had creme brulee and lemon merangue lie. Both were sooo good! Service was pleasant. Atmosphere was very cool. Good diverse selection of customers too. Oh and the ceiling is beautifully restored. :-)

Otto

This place is a hidden gem. I love the crab cake appetizer and the steak sandwich. The building is an old fire station from the early days of downtown Los Angeles. You can still see some of the original features. The customer service is very friendly and quick to offer suggestions on the menu. It's definitely a nice charming business casual restaurant that I'd always recommend.

EJ Russell

Great bar in the financial district of DTLA. Close to shopping and other venues. Friendly staff, good drinks, and now that they've partnered with centrobbq great food.

Amelia Boff

Found this place by chance as looking for somewhere to eat near where we was staying. So a lovely atmosphere inside and so chilled. Loved our booth with the light and could feel the history there. Our server Chad was lovely and so helpful. I had the meatloaf and the hubs had truffle fried chicken. Both amazing and one of the best dinners we've eaten on our Honeymoon so far (2 weeks in). We had to have one of the desserts, hard choice but went for the Lemon Meringue and it was so delicious, couldn't fault it. Drinks were lovely also. Overall we had a fantastic time here and the costs were reasonable (after Vegas and San Francisco and our home town London). Thanks

Since my firm moved offices in May 2024 to the building next door, I come here about once a week for lunch. I've enjoyed everything I've had from the menu. They are making good food in the back - really solid, quality, well-prepared comfort food. The wait staff knows me as a regular and they're sweet if sometimes slow. I might have to wait for warmer weather to go though because it is flipping frigid in their dining room.

This place was great! Needed to get some work done while eating lunch. The server offered a booth with a plug and access to WiFi. Awesome food, staff and atmosphere. Highly recommend and will be back next time I travel to LA

I had a great time eating here with the server Carlos G. who was very attentive and kind. Then, after losing my wallet at the restaurant, I contacted the number online and got ahold of April who has been amazing in communicating with me and getting my wallet back to me! I thought it was lost for good, so I really appreciate her reaching out and getting the wallet back to me in Houston. Amazing service by all - thank you!

Michael Campbell

OMG so many gluten free choices!!! Had the shrimp risotto delicious and the crispy rice appetizer was the bomb Definitely recommend you try this place!!!

Cristina Z

I had a great time eating here with the server Carlos G. who was very attentive and kind. Then, after losing my wallet at the restaurant, I contacted the number online and got ahold of April who has been amazing in communicating with me and getting my wallet back to me! I thought it was lost for good, so I really appreciate her reaching out and getting the wallet back to me in Houston. Amazing service by all - thank you!

I had a great meal here. Portions were generous and the service was great. Best chicken parm I've had in quite some time.

Not my first time. I've grabbed dessert here before because the food is on the higher priced side. Grabbed dinner solo at the bar this visit. Lots of great entrees to choose from. Was there for happy hour and they had some slightly discounted specials in the bar from 3-7pm. When you sit at a bar for dinner, it's often to increase the interaction with the staff or fellow patrons because you are traveling alone and don't want to be ignored or forgotten at a table because you don't have anyone to pass the time with. Well, perhaps I should have gotten a table. Because the bar staff seemed almost intentionally ignoring me. I had to ask for the happy hour menu. Then I had to ask for the dinner menu. I ordered a $28 entree and only saw my server once more the entire meal. They asked to hold my card when I ordered which is kind of tacky for a nice place. But I assume they have had some dine and dashers or people simply left after never seeing their server again. The other server at the bar visited the person beside me five times before I finally asked for my bill after my plate and glass had been empty for fifteen minutes and they had literally been inches away from me but never looked my way even though I was trying to to get their attention. The food was great. If you are with someone and want a slow paced meal in a classy atmosphere, highly recommended. If you are a solo diner expect to be there waiting on service far too long. So bring a book to read or something.

Popped in for a quick bite before a bourbon tasting and instantly fell in love with the history of this early 1900s fire station. One only has to sit at the bar and look up to see the holes where once firefighters would not only slide down poles but also throw down bales of hay to feed the horses that would pull a wagon load of water. More fascinating still is the wall length map secreted behind the mirror facade with electric light bulbs that would illuminate the coordinates of the fires location.

We arrived on a Tuesday about 1pm. Place was almost empty so there should be no reason for slow service. Party of 7. No to big, not to small. Had to get up to ask them to take our order. Had to get up to ask them for refills on drinks. Food arrived quickly and for the most part was delicious. The Mac and cheese with bacon was a hit! The shrimp cocktail was a miss! Overcooked and stringy. We mentioned it to the server and at the end of the meal they comped the cocktail and the drinks and delivered an assortment of desert cakes to the table all on the house! Would I return? Yes. Was it an off day for them? Apparently but they made up for it and this is the reason I'll return. One bad turn is not enough for me to write them off.

Good happy hour spot in downtown. Inside is spacious with a nice retro style. Plenty of tables and booths. Some TVs over the bar to watch a game. Happy hour is 3-7. The food and drink specials are pretty good. Service was good. Friendly staff. There's street meeting parking but you might have to walk a block or two. It's literally just steps from the metro so that might be easier.

The atmosphere is top notch the food is really good. We we're here for Dine LA week and all of the service called out/off and unfortunately, our service was lacking. We were 6 of 8 guests followed by another party of 6. Our server took our order first, brought our salads. While at the other party they got their drinks and bread basket. By this time, two other staff showed up and our main meal was served. I asked for our drinks and our bread basket. Will I/we be back...maybe???

Went in on a weekday around 1, and we were the only ones there. The atmosphere had some charm to it. They had sports playing on a couple of tvs at the bar. Food and drinks were really good, and our server took care of us nicely.

DineLa lunch was great! I had the chicken Parm on linguine and a salad and my friend had impossible burger. But the class of the lunch was a mushroom bisque that was absolutely delicious and I think about it time and time again. The service was excellent and the old decor was very good Indeed and a nice tin roof

Came here for dinner on a Wednesday night - they do half off on any bottle of wine (not bad) and had the buffalo chicken salad and crab cakes. Both were good and portion for the salad was large - absolutely plenty for someone with jetlag. Place is an old fire house and atmosphere looked ok - reminds me of a steak house. Wasn't many people there when we arrive and left. Would recommend

Jeff Cruz

Good happy hour spot in downtown. Inside is spacious with a nice retro style. Plenty of tables and booths. Some TVs over the bar to watch a game. Happy hour is 3-7. The food and drink specials are pretty good. Service was good. Friendly staff. There's street meeting parking but you might have to walk a block or two. It's literally just steps from the metro so that might be easier.

Armando Garcia

The atmosphere is top notch the food is really good. We we're here for Dine LA week and all of the service called out/off and unfortunately, our service was lacking. We were 6 of 8 guests followed by another party of 6. Our server took our order first, brought our salads. While at the other party they got their drinks and bread basket. By this time, two other staff showed up and our main meal was served. I asked for our drinks and our bread basket. Will I/we be back...maybe???

Rob Bown

Went in on a weekday around 1, and we were the only ones there. The atmosphere had some charm to it. They had sports playing on a couple of tvs at the bar. Food and drinks were really good, and our server took care of us nicely.

Jim Sherman

DineLa lunch was great! I had the chicken Parm on linguine and a salad and my friend had impossible burger. But the class of the lunch was a mushroom bisque that was absolutely delicious and I think about it time and time again. The service was excellent and the old decor was very good Indeed and a nice tin roof

Boss

Came here for dinner on a Wednesday night - they do half off on any bottle of wine (not bad) and had the buffalo chicken salad and crab cakes. Both were good and portion for the salad was large - absolutely plenty for someone with jetlag. Place is an old fire house and atmosphere looked ok - reminds me of a steak house. Wasn't many people there when we arrive and left. Would recommend

It is an "okay" option among many in downtown Los Angeles. It was one of the only places that was open so I could have a glass of wine and a snack after the Great Western Food Show. The wings were overpriced and mediocre. The sauce bottled as opposed to being made in house. The ranch dressing was the worst I think I have ever had. The wine was okay, although the actual glasses were horrible. The pour was not generous, which is not the issue. It just is not a functional wine glass. I pray that they do not use these glasses for the Opus One that is listed......😅😂🤣

Very mixed experience. There were only 2 front-of-house employees when we went for dinner, and the bartender was also the only waitress. There must have been 50 people in the place, and while she worked like a Trojan and was very kind and obviously doing her best, the staffing was COMPLETELY inadequate. Honestly, we told her she should consider another job, bc what kind of management puts their people in such a position? The food and cocktails were good, especially the Salty Pear Martini and the Calamari, but it took so long for our turn to come around, we considered leaving several times and just leaving cash on the table.

What I liked: The food was tasty.. everything was cooked just right. Live music is a nice touch and creates a fun atmosphere, even on a Sunday afternoon in DTLA. A lot of historic charm here, solid wood, high ceilings, etc. What I disliked: Our server(s) kept forgetting about us, even though we one of only three tables filled at the time. They were friendly and seemed apologetic after forgetting to bring us water, then forgetting about the drinks we ordered, but it still took away from the experience. I think I’ll try this place again, since it was probably just a bad day.

This place is nestled right in the middle of DTLA- exterior is fairly nondescript. The evening atmosphere was subdued. I almost passed by this placed as I thought it was closed...😬 The food was ok, ordered a burger. Family member got a decent-tasting chicken dish (pictured). There are some pics on the wall of an old firehouse and a vestigial sliding pole. This place's identity is hard to figure out as music playing over the speakers was latin-cuban. Overall 3/5- ok for noon/lunch, but consider other places for dinner.

Was looking forward to this because of the historical aspect and architecture of the old fire station. Did not live up to expectations, though. For a Saturday night, the place was fairly empty and yet it took over an hour to get my meal — a cheeseburger.

Not impressed. Waited a while to get a table even at 1345. Every staff can't wait to get off work. Cream of asparagus is good.

Sean Sokolay

What I liked: The food was tasty.. everything was cooked just right. Live music is a nice touch and creates a fun atmosphere, even on a Sunday afternoon in DTLA. A lot of historic charm here, solid wood, high ceilings, etc. What I disliked: Our server(s) kept forgetting about us, even though we one of only three tables filled at the time. They were friendly and seemed apologetic after forgetting to bring us water, then forgetting about the drinks we ordered, but it still took away from the experience. I think I’ll try this place again, since it was probably just a bad day.

Stephen Nnodim Jr

This place is nestled right in the middle of DTLA- exterior is fairly nondescript. The evening atmosphere was subdued. I almost passed by this placed as I thought it was closed...😬 The food was ok, ordered a burger. Family member got a decent-tasting chicken dish (pictured). There are some pics on the wall of an old firehouse and a vestigial sliding pole. This place's identity is hard to figure out as music playing over the speakers was latin-cuban. Overall 3/5- ok for noon/lunch, but consider other places for dinner.

Jacob Laskowski

Was looking forward to this because of the historical aspect and architecture of the old fire station. Did not live up to expectations, though. For a Saturday night, the place was fairly empty and yet it took over an hour to get my meal — a cheeseburger.

Alex SP (Alex)

Not impressed. Waited a while to get a table even at 1345. Every staff can't wait to get off work. Cream of asparagus is good.

Burger was good and fries were crispy. Service was severely lacking. We were one of the only tables but it still took quite a bit of time to get our food. Had to ask for ketchup and was brought one tiny cup 15 minutes after the food arrived. Drinks weren’t refilled until after we were brought the check.

Lisa Bir

Burger was good and fries were crispy. Service was severely lacking. We were one of the only tables but it still took quite a bit of time to get our food. Had to ask for ketchup and was brought one tiny cup 15 minutes after the food arrived. Drinks weren’t refilled until after we were brought the check.

We were the only party at the restaurant, there were 6 of us including 2 children. The menu items are quite expensive. We ordered classic cheese burgers, an order of meatloaf and a chicken sandwich. My wife states that her chicken sandwich and side salad were excellent. My cheese burger was cold and very greasy, the French fries were shoestring and small and cold with no seasonings. My son-in-laws meatloaf dinner was undercooked. The kids didn't even eat their sandwiches. I was so disappointed in the wait staff and the way the food was cooked. This restaurant was highly recommended but fell so short of the hype. Dissatisfied.

Unfortunately this restaurant has seen better days; management is cutting corners, and needs to do seriously better. No tablecloths revealed shabby tables. Glasses weren’t sparkling, overall just not clean. One staff member was clearly subbing in and meant well but wasn’t competent. The food was poor at best. ‘Broccolini’ turned out to be undercooked broccoli florets, over-seasoned with almost raw garlic. Fries were cold. Grilled salmon was over-cooked and dry. Not acceptable at $30/plate. My companion’s spare ribs were re-heated but not quite hot. Just really unappetizing. I’m giving an extra star because the staff were trying to make it a good experience but yuck, probably never going there again.

So I had visited this place in January. Since the last time I had gone apparently they hired a new chef, who completely changed the menu and got rid of all the delicious comfort food that they were known for. They had some of the best Mac and cheese around and they got rid of it. They don't really have any comfort food on their menu at all anymore. Unless you considered quinoa a comfort food which I don't!! I was really disappointed and I probably won't go back just because the menu was so different. the service still remains good the parking is always a little bit difficult but it's downtown so... During covid they have after seating but it's very limited, and it's literally on the street.