A standout eatery in Mid-City, Harold & Belle's brings a taste of the Big Easy to L.A. with its monstrous portions of soul-comforting favorites. This former-pool-hall-turned-elegant-dining-establishment offers a predominately Creole menu along with a medley of Southern favorites with a touch of sophistication and a flair of fun. Appease a po-boy hankering, or dive in to a large fried seafood platter that would make any native Louisianan proud, as the band jazzes things up on the weekends. Though nearly 2,000 miles from New Orleans, authentic renditions of spicy gumbo, hearty jambalaya and étouffée traverse the distance and keep the good times rollin' at this Mid-City neighborhood favorite. Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner daily.
Where the Locals Eat rating
Best Cajun/Creole
Top 100 Restaurant, Los Angeles
"A class act in a working class neighborhood, Harold & Belle's has been serving down-home Southern cooking to the affluent African-American community for three decades. ... The understated, elegant ambiance is certainly part of the draw, but the food – well, let's just say it offers more comfort than your favorite easy chair, and there's plenty of it."
—Best Places Southern California
"At Harold & Belle's, the quality of the Creole food is as impressive as the gargantuan quantities."
—Los Angeles Times
"We highly recommend Harold & Belle's, an old-line Creole restaurant down by USC, where the smoked sausage is delicious, the fried seafood is formidable, the crawfish étouffée is really worth checking out, and the oyster po' boys are fine."
—Los Angeles Weekly
How others rate Harold & Belle's
Zagat 2009
24 food rating (very good to excellent)
Gayot
14 (of 20, good)