All I Want for Christmas Is Noodles | Pa Ord Noodle

Good morning, Los Angeles. You’re reading Obsessed LA, your insider guide to what’s actually worth being obsessed with in the city. Each week, we highlight the restaurants, events, and hidden gems that capture LA’s best energy.

It’s Christmas week in LA. This means everyone’s out of office, but the city’s wide open. It’s the best excuse to stop saving spots for “later” and actually go. You don’t have to rush or think about crowds this week. It’s a great time to just walk in, sit down, and take a breath before you have to start using Waze again.

From everyone at Obsessed LA, Happy Holidays. Thanks for reading, being here, and spending a little part of your week with us.

Here’s what’s on our Christmas week rotation.

Pa Ord Noodle is where you go if you want Thai that actually feels like Thai, not some watered-down version of it. It’s a little storefront in the corner of a strip mall on Sunset. It’s nothing fancy, but every single dish here is superb. Especially if you like authentic Thai food. The menu is sprawling. They have pages of dishes like Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Pad Se Ew, boat noodles, and other stir-fried classics that are all solid.

Once your plate comes, it’s immediately clear that this is a real noodle place. Order your Pad Se Ew and watch how the dark soy char coats the broad rice noodles the way it’s meant to, or go for the Pad Thai that’s sweet-savory with a squeeze of lime.

Tables are simple, service is casual, and no one’s trying to sell you a overdone experience. You sit, you eat, and the food comes quickly. When I left, I was still craving the flavors. Before you know it, you’re thinking about what you want next time. It’s one of those places that makes you rethink what “good Thai in LA” actually means. Good luck parking, but Pa Ord is always worth the trip.

Home Restaurant in Los Feliz is just that: Home. You come here because you want to sit down, relax, and get comfortable with your friends. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it all works, and it all feels familiar in a reassuring way.

A friend who lives nearby brought me here for the first time, and I immediately understood why. This is a real-deal brunch spot. Simple food with big portions, and no weird attempts to reinvent anything that doesn’t need it.

We didn’t wait long and the food came right out, so everything was just easy. Jack took care of us and set the tone, being friendly and on top of it. The rest of the team backed him up with super quick service and fun conversations. Plates cleared, things were brought over before we had to ask and there was no friction anywhere. The bathroom was super clean, which is always a great add.

You leave full, relaxed, and confident that you picked the right place. That’s not something you say about every brunch spot, but it applies here. Go home and get comfy.

This is definitely not just a cocktail bar, it’s a whole vibe. You walk in thinking you’re going for a drink and suddenly you’re on a curated tasting journey with stories, spirits, and moments that feel more like an actual experience.

There’s a distillery part where they make their own spirits right there. Then there’s the cocktail side where you try them neat and in original mixes. If I had to describe the vibe, it feels a bit like stepping into a story in a way. Think candlelight, intimate seating, and atmosphere that hits somewhere between jazz night and a secret club.

Most folks go for the scheduled tasting, where you’re given weird little details about the history of what you’re drinking, then cocktails are paired with those spirits. Some versions even end with something warm and sweet (like beignets) on the way out.

There’s no traditional food menu inside, so it’s best to eat beforehand. However, what you do get is this unforgettable, slightly mystical cocktail night that feels like nothing else in LA. Go hear some stories and get buzzed.

Santa Monica
An anything-can-happen comedy show where the performers are, yes, drunk. Improvised scenes, bad decisions, and a crowd that’s fully in on the chaos. Loose, unpredictable, and a great choice if you want a night that doesn’t feel planned.
Tickets →

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Hollywood
A local art market featuring painters, photographers, designers, and makers selling directly. Easy to wander, good people-watching, and a solid daytime move if you want something creative without committing to a museum.
Details →

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Arts District
DIY music in its purest form. Loud, intimate, and unapologetically independent. If you want something raw and very LA.
Details →

Cafe Nido is built for Christmas week. You think you’re just going to pop in for a quick coffee. You’re not. You sit down “for a second.” You pick up a book you had intention of reading and suddenly you’re flipping pages like you’ve got nowhere to be. No one cares how long you’ve been there. It genuinely feels like no one’s rushing you. Especially this week when LA is going to be rainy, Café Nido just lets you exist for a bit. And honestly, that’s rare.

You notice pretty quickly that this isn’t a grab-and-go spot. Nobody’s hovering, nobody’s rushing the line pretending this is a workspace with rules. People are sitting outside for a while. Some are reading. Some are just staring into space with a coffee.

That’s really the whole appeal. The coffee’s solid, and the space is comfortable. What more can you ask for out of a coffee shop with books galore? If you’ve got time to kill and don’t want to kill it scrolling or sitting in your car, this is definitely the move. Sit down and stay. Let the rain do its thing outside. Café Nido gives you permission to chill out a bit, and that’s reason enough to go.

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