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CLOSED: Pure Luck
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10
Closed
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Vegan
Casual vegan restaurant in Los Angeles, on the eastern end of Melrose Avenue near Los Feliz. Features a small menu that includes tasty jackfruit carnitas tacos, avocado tostadas, platanos tacos, sweet potato fries, and french press organic coffee. Also has a large selection of southern California microbrews on tap and cocktails. Order at the counter, and food is brought to the table. Parking in the back or on the street. This restaurant sometimes has phone issues. Note that the baja fish tacos have been reported to be non-vegan - please ask.
Reported closed to HappyCow.
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707 N Heliotrope St (at Melrose Ave), Los Angeles, California, USA, 90029
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Last update on 06 Jun 2011 by Guest
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Added by westcornersville on 08 Oct 2007
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15 Reviews
First Review by westcornersville
shortpunam
Points +133
Still remember - Edit
It's been years since Pure Luck is closed. I still remember how good it was. Miss you.
Read moreJulienneSlice
The first to offer jackfruit on a menu in LA. Still remember the bbq jackfruit sandwich. So good!
Read moreGuest
Sera83
Points +54
My Favorite Spot in LA hand down - Edit
I love Pure Luck! if you just want good faux Mexica food, good music, GREAT beer awesome prices, and a chill environment pure luck is the bomb. I've been going to pure luck for about 3 years now. Living in LA there's a whole world of vegan places you can eat at but pure luck wins. The service at pure luck is the best, I was even sad to see go one of my favorite waitresses Sofia, who made us tamales on her last day. As for the food i've had everything on the menu and my favorites are The Pesto tofu sandwich, they have this creamy delicious pesto sauce. The BBQ sandwich is also bomb if u like BBQ it comes with vegenaise, and the glassglow salad which is really more like a remix on chillie fries, you can eat that all on its own.
Read morethen the carnitas TORTA absolutely delicious layers of jackfruit carnitas with pinto beans in a torta bread with the works, this is what everyone should order on their first visit with one of their beers, as they have a selection of beer on tap thats really excellent. This is where i discovered my favorite beer Ale Smith Speedway which is a San Diego brewery
ALSO i get everything with avocado even todds BBQ cuz avocado just makes the world a better place.
TEAM PURE LUCK!
Pros: amazing food!, amazing beer!, amazing service/prices !
Guest
MrsVeganPizza
Points +276
Jackfruit, wow! - Edit
I have been to Pure Luck twice now, and both times the food was mmmm, mmmm! I got Todd's BBQ sandwich, Kristen's Carnita Wrap. Both were absolutely amazingly delicious. They were unlike anything I've ever tasted, and I have tried a lot of vegan restaurants. They use Jackfruit in both of these items, and it is just so unique and delicious, I don't know how they do it. For the sides, I got deep fried pickles, and potato pals (which were not on the menu but can be asked for), and both were unique and tasty. The prices were pretty reasonable too. Just as a side note, I saw vegan actress Ginnifer Goodwin in there one day too. Also, there is free parking in the back of the restaurant, and if you go to Scoops Ice Cream right across the street, they have several tasty soy vegan ice cream options to choose from.
Read morePros: Unique ingrediets, Jackfruit, Free Parking in Back, VeganIce Cream options nearby at Scoops
Cons: Unkept bathrooms
Guest
Colinski
Points +110
Amazing what you can do with a jackfruit - Edit
I love love love the jackfruit "pulled pork" and "carnitas"! Might not be a high protein meat substitute but it's delicious. Also, sweet potato fries! The chickpea salad, akin to a chicken or tuna salad, is also magnificent. Also, gets extra points for being across from an ice cream shop with vegan ice cream (Scoops)!
Read morePros: Delicious food, Somewhere you can take omnivores
Cons: A little cramped, May get ignored by uber hip wait staff
Guest
pgnlvr22b
Points +113
Jackfruit what a concept - Edit
My Mom & Stepdad took me here for my birthday today, a vegan mexican restaurant is a rare find. My Mom & I split the Taco Combo with rice and pinto beans,and the BBQ sandwich. The combo was not worth the price, if not for the hot sauce it would not have tasted like anything. On a brighter note the BBQ Sandwich was incredible, filled with bbq jackfruit, pickles, onions and vegan mayo on a toasted sourdough roll, I could just eat the bread and be happy it was that good. The sweet potato fries that came with it looked burnt and were soggy no clue how that happens, would not get them again. My stepdad had the super burrito wrap, he enjoyed it very much, we tasted it and it was yummy. we also had the fried pickles and the avacado, chips and salsa, both were tasty but very small portions for the price and they bulked the sweet potato fries and fried pickles with a bed of cabbage under them, you thought at first glance that it wasn't the ripoff it turned out to be...the taste stars of the meal were the fried pickles and bbq sandwich. unfortunatly the greatest part of the visit is when it was over and we headed across the street to scoops for some vegan icecream
Read morePros: Jackfruit, BBQ Sandwich, Across the street from Scoops
Cons: Small Portions, expensive, Location
Guest
onlyahuman
Points +214
Vegan Pub food - Edit
Pure Luck has an amazing garbanzo bean sandwich. I was there in October 2009 and had gotten the deep fried pickles (you need vegan junk food every now and then). in January 2010 they had greatly reduced the amount of food that you get but the price was the same. They did at least warn me when I ordered that the serving size was reduced. Nicely located across from a place that has vegan ice cream!
Read morePros: great food
Cons: small, expensive
Guest
SonjaCPA
Points +5270
Pub grub and beer - Edit
We crave Pure Luck for the yummy pub grub type food with beer. Tasty! I love anything with jackfruit, but especially the pulled pork sandwich. My boyfriend likes the garbanzo sandwich. The fries (sweet potato and rosemary) are terrific with the sauce. But the fried dill pickles! Oh my! Half order of that with half order of potato pals - fried yumminess with beer. Makes me feel so bad (and good!). Did I mention the beer? ;-p The place has no real sign except "UCK", so I usually tell people it's across from Scoops. Because completing the gluttony at Scoops is a must! Although we are known to do just a Scoops run by itself. My BF is a massive soy ice cream fanatic.
Read morePros: pulled pork, fried pickles, beer
Cons: bldg needs a new sign
Guest
Hugo
Points +53
Delicious and hearty Vegan fare! - Edit
If you're into grubbing a really tasty cooked Vegan meal you should stop by this place. I tried the pulled pork bar-b-q sandwich that came with sweet potato french fries, their fried pickles, and a fish taco. Everything was delicious! They have their own parking lot in the back. And they are not too far from the 101 freeway. Another nice thing is that they close at midnight. So if you've just got out of a show, movie, or concert somewhere and you're hungry for some delicious Vegan food, you can always drop by Pure Luck. Also, even though I'm not a beer drinker, I was astonished by how many different types of beers they offered on their menu. Unfortunately I live in Ventura ( a good hour's drive away in good traffic ). But if I am in the area, I would definitely go back to try the other options on Pure Luck's menu. I'd also encourage anybody (Vegan, Vegetarian, or anybody else) to try this place out. Pure Luck has my vote!
Read morePros: Delicious food, Close to 101 freeway, Vegan
Cons: Dingy restrooms
Guest
alyssa
Points +111
Horray for the Jackfruit! - Edit
I had been wanting to try this place for over a month now, just for the jackfruit, truth be told. My BF and I finally made it over there last night and we came hungry. We found parking on the next street over and got one of the last tables for two available. Our waitress was very friendly and helped my BF choose the perfect micro brew to go with our rosemary fries appetiser (big enough for a meal really). I ordered the bottomless oolong iced tea ($2.00!) and waited mere moments before our fries came out hot and tasty with their amazing aioli sauce. I have no idea what the sauce was made with, except just the right amount of garlic, but we didn't care. We ate every last fry. Next came my jackfruit tacos with a side of caesar salad and his pesto gnocchi with a side of spinach salad. I was so excited about the jackfruit that I tasted a piece of it first, by itself. Wow! Very meaty and spiced just right! I loved the tamatillo sauce and the corn tortillas were the perfect thickness to hold in all the the jackfruity goodness. I liked that they wraped each taco with 2 tortillas, just in case. It's such a bummer when tacos break open halfway through your meal. The caesar salad was very good as well, although I could have done without the red onion slices on top. My BF said that it was the best vegan caesar dressing he'd ever had, very "cheesy" tasting. His gnocchi was tender and the pesto was creamy and had the perfect pesto flavor -- not to much of any one ingredient -- very important. He liked his spinach salad, but thought that it could have used more balsamic dressing. We both decided that we loved the college atmosphere of the place and it sparked some lively conversation about our college days. I'm also happy to report that Pure Luck was clean and we personally witnessed several tables being wiped during our visit. And the ladies room was acceptable and well-stocked. :) We'll be back for more soon. Jackfruit burritos with sweet potato fries...mmm...
Read morePros: tasty, friendly, cheap
Cons: parking
Guest
condekedar
Points +9561
Wonderful little place! - Edit
What a great little joint. We had to wait 25 minutes for a table (make reservations beforehand), but the food and service here were excellent. The kitchen is open until 11 p.m., which was nice considering the vast, time-consuming drives one has to make to get anywhere in LA.
Read moreThe food took a little bit too long to arrive, but we passed the time with great cocktails and unusual, organic microbrews.
I was impressed with my rustic-roll "torta" that had "carnitas" made of spiced jackfruit (what a clever idea! I wish more Mexican joints would offer jackfruit or TVP as substitutes for meat). The "fish" tacos and carnitas tacos were also light, fresh and flavorful, and served in an authentic Mexican way: no cheese; no excessive salsas; no filler ingredients like avocado or beans. Just lettuce, tomatoes and carnitas/soy fish. My friend enjoyed his wrap, too.
The interior decor is decidedly independent and refreshing when most restaurants look similar these days. This is a good place to take a date.
My only complaints: there were no desserts (they're trying to add some to the menu); seating is highly limited; and the location is a bit shady, though there is parking available (including a small lot in the back) and lots of young people walking around, so it must be fairly safe.
Pros: Excellent food, Service, Open late
Cons: Location?, No desserts, Long wait for food and table
gr8vegan
Dessert is across the street at Scoops! You're missing out on half the adventure!
Read moreGuest
gr8vegan
Points +2357
SUCH A COOOOOOOLLLLLLLL PLACE!!!! DO NOT MISS! - Edit
I finally had the opportunity to enjoy the food here. SPRING ROLLS WERE PHENOM! I had the Jack Fruit BBQ Burrito with Sweet Potatos fries in it!!! haha! It was so GOOD, but next time I go I'm finding someone to split it with me! I must say the staff is so cool, nice, friendly, relaxed! You'll have to pinch yourself to believe you are still in LA. Good food definitely makes people nice & happy. I love the atmosphere. You grab a menu at the front counter and place your order and then have a seat! I was a little confused at the onset on how the flow went because it seems like a waitress type establishment. Parking is in back. There's also a pub feel to the place with beers on tap. To top off your meal walk across the street and check out the vegan selection at Scoops. I think that's pretty much the standard mode of operation Pure Luck -> Scoops = Heaven and vegan gluttony.
Read morePros: Jackfruit, Spring Rolls, awesome staff
Cons: large portions
Guest
Miss Chris
Points +35
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it! - Edit
I checked vegan restaurants on Yelp before going to LA for a couple days. LA is my home town and even though I lived there as a vegetarian, now I'm vegan, and I wanted to check out some new places.
Read moreWe walked into Pure Luck on a Saturday afternoon when no one else was there. A red-haired gal was talking on the phone and looked up to ask us if we'd ever been there before. When we told her no, she got excited and invited us to have a seat while she explained she was on the phone with the cops. Apparently, some guy kept parking his car in their spot. I think Patty took care of it though because, damnit, she's from Detroit and she wasn't gonna take his crap.
So, anyway, we're sittin' there looking at the menu which said they were open at 6 for dinner. We wondered if that's why no one was there and if they were just being nice letting us come in and eat anyway. It turned out they'd only been doing lunch for a week and we'd gotten some old menus. Having super-cute, super-friendly Patty all to ourselves while we figured out the menu and the beers was great. I asked what she'd eat if it was her one and only time to try Pure Luck's offerings. Without hesitation she said the Pulled Pork sandwich. I'd read about it on Yelp, so I was prepared. I ordered it and then watched in shocked disbelief as my boyfriend orderd the same thing (he knows better, but I gave in). She also recommended the potato pals, which we agreed we should have because how can you not order something called a potato pal? We were disappointed that we wouldn't get to try the fried pickles, so she said she'd bring us some. She also told us what beers to get and she was right. Apparently, their beer is from a small local brewer in Pasadena.
The potato pals were first out and they were as delightful as their name suggests. Next was a plate of fried pickles with BBQ sauce. What a taste treat! We loved them. And then the pulled pork came. What a beautiful sandwich. The pork is made from jackfruit. In 18 years of eating fake meat, I'd never heard of jackfruit. It was genius. We loved it all, but we loved Patty the most. She told us about Scoops across the street for fresh vegan ice cream. She also bought our beers and our pickles. We LOVE her!
Outside, we met a couple who turned out to be Diana and Eric from Happy Cow. They told us about Flore which we tried for dinner that night. They also told us what not to bother with and they asked us to write some reviews when we got home. We love Happy Cow!
Pros: Very Unique vegan food, Patty! & Good Beer, Cheap
Cons: None, Scoops across street is a plus
Guest
Mimi710
Points +640
This place is awesome! - Edit
Cheap vegan food, just a step up from fast food and delicious. What LA has been needing for awhile. A vegan restaurant in the cheap range of things. I went here one day for dinner and then went back the next day for lunch. It's across the street from Scoops which is a place that makes its own ice cream daily and always has four vegan flavors. That place is cheap too. Near LACC. I definetly recommend this place! Try the rosemary or sweet pototo french fries. The spring rolls are also good.
Read morePros: cheap, yummy, across the street from Scoops
Cons: ketchup not organic
Guest
Chia
Points +3635
Yummy Tacos - Edit
A friend and I found this place on HappyCow and came here for lunch in October 2007. From the outside, the building looks a bit strange and uneasy because of the metal bars on all the windows. But that's due to the neighborhood circumstance... Inside was another story - small and quaint with easy going vibes from a friendly staff staff. Most of the customers were hipsters maybe in their 20s-30s.
Read moreThe menu was interesting with a couple dozen choices all together. Jackfruit is used as the "meat" in the tacos and a pulled "pork" sandwich. We tried the tacos with the jackfruit carnitas, the spring rolls, and sweet potato fries. Tacos were yummy, and the jackfruit was tasty and easy to chew (unlike TVP that most veggie restaurants use as imitation meat). The sweet potato fries were also tasty but very filling. The spring rolls had nice flavor but the lavash wrap gave it a slightly bitter taste (I wonder if they could use a different wrapper). And the house lemonade was excellent.
All in all, we were satified with the food and service. Looking forward to returning for a BBQ sandwich with jackfruit.
Pros: good vibes, good food, good prices
Cons: loud music
Guest
westcornersville
Points +659
Neat little place - Edit
This used to be a Korean restaurant--but now it's a vegan restaurant with the emphasis on Mexican dishes. The jackfruit carnitas tacos are really good (and green jackfruit has kind of a meaty consistency). The portion sizes could be a little larger though. Nice ambiance with a friendly staff.
Read morePros: good food, friendly staff, good atmosphere
Cons: portions a bit small
Guest
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