Reviews of Chinatown Central Plaza (Tourist Attraction)

Naomi Takara

Nice little plaza that makes you feel like you've walked into a whole new world. Always a fun idea to go during the Summer Nights festival so that you can take the family and friends to celebrate and pop confetti canons.

Bryant Lopez

Overall this will always have a place in my heart, the area is extremely dense with culture, history, food, and entertainment. The locals, if you can find any, are the nicest and warm hearted individuals I have met and are always willing to have a conversation with you. Great place to bring families, you can walk along LA State Park and then head over to the plaza to buy some Chinese/Asian artifacts. Definitely worth a gander!

Jenny Walker

Fantastic experience! Best part of Los Angeles in my opinion. You have not enjoyed L.A. until visiting China Town.

Shani Misir-Najera

I guess it was an off time when we visited. Very pretty and nice courtyard. It was empty and looked like no one went there anymore which was a shame because it's so pretty. A lovely old man painted portraits of my girls for a very reasonable price.

Jenny Wilson - Carreño

Great service, but expect to pay. Stakes served separate from sides. They the lamb ribs, they are served with mash potatoes and broccoli.

Lisa Flumerfelt

It's fun to come to the little shops. The red lanterns that are strung throughout the plaza are beautiful! Go around the corner to Phoenix Bakery and try their baked goods. They are known for their strawberry cake...so good! Also check out Foo chow restaurant across the street. Food is good. Area is just a bit rundown and very mellow during the week.

Francisco Javier Carvajal López

It's less a chinatown and more an area with a bunch of business selling Chinese stuff. Still fun

Bleu Boyér

Truly a one-of-a-kind place and a must-see and visit for locals and out-of-towners alike... It's completely unique, and offers a truly incredible experience that uniquely expresses this places extraordinary history and culture. Whether it's for cuisine, history, sightseeing, photography, famous Hollywood locations, nightlife, or truly, anything else... A definite must-see when in Los Angeles. I highly recommend visiting bamboo Court.

Micah Kaufman Wright

Lots of cool stuff going on, from art installations, to speakeasy style bars, to Chinese food, to Chinatown's number 1 burger spot! Beautiful architecture, a welcoming arch, a statue of Bruce Lee all line the cobbled pedestrian streets.

HayHay Johnson

Hummm well it's not for lingering around type of area. Get your photos and videos an be done. Not exactly what the vibe is for sure but not a good area for family fun. A lot of the homeless, drug and stuff I knew I would see when visiting California but it's not exactly the place to just go hang out for the fun of it.

Kai Poon

One of the best place to buy souvenirs and eat.

Quinn Rollins

Following Google's recommendation, we visited the Chinatown Central Plaza. We should have talked to actual people first. Run down, dirty, and depressing, this is one of the places I hope I never see again. I won't go into details about the public restroom that you need to pay to use, but...imagine the worst.

Silvia Von_James

Phoenix Bakery is my favorite Birthday cakes. Establishment been there for 80 yrs. The best cakes in California

B Yang

it's a cool place to visit. there are some cool stuff you can find for a great price.

ShelleyAnn Garcia

Not really much to experience as we can at the time of closing and mist shops had already closed up. The only bad experience was my sun purchased a beaded bracelet from one of the opened stores and worn it on the way out. We stopped in one store on the way out to the parking lot and we hadn't been in the store long let alone him being near her beads, the lady came up to up and held his had and asked him if he got that there and clearly it was not one of her beads bc he had the huge one and hers in her store were the smaller ones. She left a bad taste in my mouth and a terrible experience . Be careful what you but and bring into other stores bc they keep an eye on you like a hawk..

Elane Anderson

Great experience for our family. All the people very friendly & helpful.

LeeGendary

Wish the parking price would be cheaper for quick visit.

Sam Vincent

Phoenix Bakery is one of the finest with ready-made cakes. Reasonably priced best tasting a pleasure to eat. I have been buying my cakes there for 45 years. Never disappointed. At times there is a line. But they have enough cakes to meet any need. I must to try!

blair jensen

I expected more for some reason. Several souvenir shops, a bakery, guitar shop, and a restaurant. The whole place was kind of run down.

Anna Brown

Its nice to get out of the norm and enjoy the food and visual sights.

Cassidy Gutierrez

Great place to come with friends or by yourself. I love the culture shops and weapon shops they have here, very diverse and inexpensive.

Sergio Castro

Try the full moon resturant. Good good and the price is affordable. For 2 people u spend a $20 bill. What else can u ask for n china town. Its great

Geni Cena

It shows a small glimpse of their rich culture. I love the aesthetics of the architectures and THE FOOD!!!

Amelia Macedo

Went to Chinatown summer nights! Quite the party! Recommend to anyone looking for something to do in the summer.

Yvonne Sauceda

Last time I visited Chinatown was about 35yrs. Let me just say, it hasn't changed it is still beautiful.

Brent Bailey

This is a tourist spot by day and a poppin hot spot for the ones looking for that place to party by night. This is the spot to get your Chinatown trinkets and souvineers, such as your lucky bamboo plants, stiletto combs, insence, kites, swords, ninja stars, and daggers (ones that are dull for display and also ones that fully funtional and are razor sharp! <---Cool!!) If u go to Chinatown, you have to buy some firecrackers. Its a must. Its just something fun and harmless that will catch others by surprise. For example, i would get the pop pops and place them out front of someones front door or on the stairway nearby the stairway, and would just wait for people to walk by. Once they did, and stepped into my trap, bang, snap, and pop is what you heard quickly followed by a scream or yell and then fast footsteps, running away from our home made mine field. On your visit, you will see these tube that vary in size. You have to get a couple of these. They are large sized party poppers that shoot out confetti towards whichever direction you like. I prefer the smaller tubes because the bang is the loudest from them. The big ones use a loaded spring to launch the confetti into the air, compared to the compressed air used by the smaller ones. I mentioned earlier about it being a poppin place. The pop pops are not the only thing that will get things poppin. The three night clubs, open every night is what attracts the young and the young at heart. During the summer, 2 saturdays a month, this place draws in crowds of sexy people. They come for the event called, Chinatown Summer Nights. This is the happening place. The place to be. There are stages set up for the dj/band. Aside from the music thay everyone is grooving to, flashing lights, lasers, and machine produced fog fill the air. Bottom line is GET YOUR BOTTOM OVER HERE and do not miss out on the fun for the whole family...

Alex Rosas

Good food fair price closes late

Patty B

Colorful and fun, great place to visit as a family and cool bars and cafes and art for the grownups. Loving the Chinatown Summer Nights. Get authentic eats at New Dragon Seafood restaurant.

Joel Thames

Always fun & interesting! Attended during the last CicLAvia.

Gloria Meza

Very Nice place, stores, restaurants, people. I LOVE CHINATOW

Amos Wellington

Loved the multicultural dance mix, good trucks, restaurant choices, clubs, shops. DTLA is back!!!

Steven Taylor

Lots of stores in China Town. Good deals

Lorrine

Maybe it was the time of day and the day of the week (Monday around 2pm) but it was pretty lonely which I like don't get me wrong, but it didn't look very lively. At the same time, the shops were open, went into 1 and wanted to buy all sorts of things (hair clips for the most part, very shiny and fancy) they had a lot of Chinese new year stuff (stamps & bracelets) and just a whole bunch of little trinkets. I was really the to check out Burgerlords, but that's another review :).

Roem Delleva

Lots of tropical fruits are available in the sidewalk and at reasonable price. Ilovetheplace.

Elizabeth Obi

Very colorful but be ready to be swept away during heavy traffic events. It gets REALLY crowded.

Edward Duncan

Very focused on chinese luck and Chinese zodiac for tourists.Always a great time here.One of Los Angeles's best locations for fun and history.

Jay Tee

What a sad place! Other than a few people having lunch at the Burgerlords the rest of the retail shops were empty. We entered a couple of the stores but the smell of mothballs was a turnoff. The only nice thing here is the Bruce Lee memorial statue.

Yolanda Delatorre

I live in Chinatown so Chinatown is my favorite place to get almond cookies and of course we all know Phoenix Bakery for their cakes and that's special whipped cream on the cakes is just too good to pass up

lamont horton

A cultural rich friendly place that is a local history and art lesson all roll into one. Don't forget to pick up a kung fu suit from one of the local shops, buy some Woodlock for aching joints and a cake from the Phoenix bakery. If you are a resident or just visiting this is a must stop deatinatio.

JuanB

Good place to park if you intend to walk around China Town $5. All day

Jason

Really amazing spot. tons to see and do. LOTS of restaurants near by to taste wonderful food. I love coming down here to shop or get a bite to eat. Really amazing Los Angeles culture. I used to work in Chinatown and though i hated the commute I loved the community. If you have a chance to come down here, check it out. You can easily spend a good portion of an afternoon here. Lots of people come for the dim sum but they have great shops, furniture and lots to do. Parking is easy. paid lots or metered parking.

derryl mensah

Great place for food drinks and everything general. This is a good place to socialize and eat and drink and walk around. The scenery is really delightful, I came here with a bunch of friends last week for the Fourth of July. We were able to enjoy ourselves, and we were able to see what the lady had to offer. We had exceptional time and we will definitely be back.

Candra Bunn

This is the most scenic part of China Town (in my opinion). Amazing architecture, cool shops and museums. All in a small little square. There are lots nearby for $4 day parking. It's also fun to walk around the streets and check out the little shops and take our restaurants and eat some dumplings or boba smoothies.

Scott Carlin

BEAUTIFUL!!! Was there at midnight... Very few people around. The lights and feel of the plaza was really cool. Great photo spot at night. If it was crowded it daylight it probably would have not felt the same. There are several adjacent plazas that have different suspended lantern lighting that are worth going to for photos

Joe Whiteman

Coming from the east coast, I'm more familiar with Chinatown in DC, which is typically lively and upbeat. Chinatown in LA is a lot smaller, and it was practically a ghost town. There were relatively few shops open in the Central Plaza area and only a small handful of people, but the architecture and decor was cool, as it tends to be in Chinatowns across the US. I probably should've ate somewhere around here but I was short on time.

劉世猷

So many Chinese words written on the wall of shops and also the flag. Making me feel I was stayed in the China then lol. It’s a good place for traveling.

Jayce Pasko

A great place to visit! Filled with interesting architecture, unique small shops, a variety of restaurants, and a festive atmosphere. It was a beautiful day which enhanced the experience. Do not miss the opportunity to spend some time here!

Joyce Nelson

Best food authentic, served hot, cooked to perfection. Servers were courteous and warned about extremely hot serving plates and spices. Which I really appreciated. Food is so good that was a line outside. Make reservations at if you can or you'll have at least a 20-minute wait. Well worth it

Brian Ruiz

Very focused on chinese luck and Chinese zodiac for tourists.

BIG ROV

Chill spot at night to do a shoot , they got the homie Bruce Lee statue, theres a little lounge there at night n yea thats it lol I guess it makes you feel like your in a little town in China pretty good set up

Out Rage 2018

Kool- calm- OG Chinatown. Shops-Cateries Bars and Beautiful Visitors and Locals

tony riegos

Visiting for almost 45 years. Sad part fading away. Can use the gold train. And the Golden Dragon restaurant still the place for eating

Sergio Hernandez

Lovely place to visit... Bruce Lee statue make it more china atmosphere

Glenn Mitchell

By day it shows its age. Come at night if you can. You can buy junk and you can buy quality. It helps to figure this out ahead of time. It also helps to pre plan your driving route and choice of parking lot. It isn't China, but if you wince you can call it good.

Edward Mirzakhanian

Nice place to visit little China there with all products specially herbs.

Simon Kurgan

Lovely place to shop if you don’t completely know what you are looking for!

Polin Law

Lots more than 10 years ago

R P

I love China Town and I love visiting what we call the Buddha Fountain. Though it leaves a thought if wonder in our minds about how when the economy tanked and killed a lot of businesses if China Town will fully recover to be the way it used to be before then bc I thought the Buddha fountain used to have water and its been dried up for quite some time. Other than that though... the area seems to be making a come back with new restaurants and shops, so that's good to see. Hopefully it will return to its full glory again.

The Yoga Chick

A nice tourist destination and a cool place to buy souvenirs. I’d hoped to see a bit more food choices but it was still a good experience. I’m not sure this is necessarily one of the things that you “must” do if you are in LA but if you are already close by, it wouldn’t be bad to walk through and check it out.

Kenneth Serna

It was very nice and cheap the food is excellent I recommend foo chow where part of rush hour was filmed I have been in southern CA for twelve years and this was my first time there and won't be my last

Tania Rodriguez

I love this little plaza it's full of wonder and small curiosities. There are many different stores around and delicious food. Hope to see you around the wishing well c:

Jo Schmo

I didn't really get the appeal of of Chinatown. I'm sure the lights look great at night but otherwise it seemed a bit rundown and past it's prime.

Nyla Indigo

This place is becoming a dump. There are some great food options and cool buildings but there is way too many like weirdos and drug addicts and homeless people walking around there now.

Sophia Loveless

Our Favorite Place to Good... Plus 4 blocks around here too...You can find anything....

Robert Harrison

This used to be such a great place to visit. Now it looks like a slum. Very run down and not much to offer besides some mediocre food and too many gift shops all selling the same garbage.

Cameron Deakin

There was no one here and it was really far away from central LA (where the metro stops are) but its nice to see. Lots of shops werent open on the weekend too

david mata

Awesome... One of Los Angeles's best locations for fun and history. Cool lil night clubs, resturants and shops. Plus special events.

tapia h 677

There's some many things to do and eat you can find all most everything you can imagine

Tim Parks

It was fun and exciting on a Saturday night. Art Galleries, food trucks and favorite restaurants, movies and pop corn, live bands and DJ's from KCRW and dancing, and family friendly too! I had a great hand shaken gun powder iced tea from a small shop called Steep!

Carmen Chan

I'm sure this used to be more populated and better than what it is now. Mostly the elderly people around. Apparently this was where Rush Hour was filmed. There's a Bruce Lee statue there. Definitely nothing compared to NYC Chinatown. Barely any Asian supermarkets or street vendors. They need to fix this place up and bring back the younger Cantonese group back to make it feel more like Chinatown.

Lori Kelman

Quick visit so I didn't see much. Looked interesting and if I had more time I would have spent more time here

Blue Evolution

Aside from a couple of pretty buildings. There isn't much more to do or see...

C. M. Huante

For those of us too broke to travel, Chinatown is a great little getaway. Just be sure to check the times because I noticed that many places were either closed or getting ready to close (we were there from 2-4pm on a Saturday). Also, most of the shops only take CASH, so you'll need to stop by an ATM if you plan to shop.

Saul Oliva

I can't describe this good feeling that am so curious and want to learn more about where there come from and also there culture

Efren Emard

Great place to hangout and walk around.Very focused on chinese luck and Chinese zodiac for tourists.Amazing vibe!

Yesenia Luna

I really love china town. I always go there when i come to Los Angeles ❤️

Ernestine Martinez

There were so many shops that sold clothes,jewelry, and beautiful plants for a very inexpensive price...There's a Bakery called the Phoenix Bakery that sells the most amazing desserts that aren't overly sweet....I will definitely be going back soon.....

Asukacat CD

Great place to visit! Lots of little shops, amazing, ornate temples, very authentic restaurants & eateries!

Irene Mazadiego

Plum Tree Restaurant has always been one of our family's and friends FAVORITE chinese rest. In Chinatown! Have celebrated many special occasions there and will continue to do so as there food is EXCELLENT!

Manuel Cerdhe

The plaza hold many vendors with all kinds of gadgets and curios. Some good eateries and bakeries. The center of the plaza hosted a karaoke machine with DJ. Fun for the whole family at a reasonable price.

Valter Nasufi

Very nice place to visit. There it finds Chinese trdicultural buildings and a thousand-year-old culture of the Chinese people. There is also a Chinese market with many different things. Bruce Lee's statue is a special attraction for all passionate fans of martial arts.

marvin contreras

Best place to shop at right after Santee Alley.

Glenn Coco

Love it here it like you traveled back in time, cute little spot to take photos came here recently was a little disappointed it wasn't kept up. The fountain is my favourite spot as well as the local mom and pop stores. The Bruce Lee statue worth visiting

Dulce Liliana Gaytan

This place was great because they have a lot of people that was very nice and the service was great at the bakery and their tea was yummy

Lupe sanchez

Very cute place to visit try the vegan burgers and the Lord fris

Reenie Franco-Gonzalez

Always a great time here. Especially during Chinatown Summer Nights, most stores stay open late.

UpUpDownDownLeftRightLeftRight BAStart!

Great for shopping but for the love of god dont go when its hot

Raj Rathod

Great place to hangout and walk around. So quiet in night.

Bernice Roanhorse

I was happy to be here but wasn't hopping like I the first time I visited it. It was more ghostly.

Frank Hoffman

Wish I came earlier, it looks like a fun place to hang out and visit shops. Everything was pretty much closed when I arrived around 7pm. Maybe next time. Still got to see the Bruce Lee monument and take great pictures!

Brahm Berry

Gracious shop owners, fair restaurants, open spaces. However, this space has many shop closures, so it isn't as bustling a space as, say, Little Tokyo or the Chinatown of old. Most likely, it won't be what you expected, and you will struggle to spend an entire afternoon in the area. Overall, it's good, but not great, and by no means is it a current Los Angeles must-see.

Brittani Ladehoff

Very rundown, but had some cute restaurants and bakeries.

Mike Paul

Pretty cool spot to walk around enjoying the atmosphere while doing a little shopping and enjoying a good meal.

Perry P

One of the cutest Chinatown's I have been to. The colours were amazing. The architecture. Would go back. It was pretty quiet though.

Jeffrey Nether

Amazing. Loved the interaction. Learned some good food culture's. Can't wait to visit again!

Hell Catt

I liked it here but some of the gift shops were closed down. If they get some new businesses in there it would bring more life to this plaza.

PJ Encarnacion

Chinatown LA is a decent place to go to try asian cuisine, admire the decor and purchase souvenirs. We went during the weekdays and the place looked a bit dead so I would recommend going during the weekend if you would like a more lively crowd or possibly public shows. overall is a good place to visit if you are looking for nice souvenirs and food.

Gabriel Guzman

Need a little cleaning but it was worth the while..

Pauline Swanson

Beautiful place. I have been here with my husband and again with my son. You find everything a culture in a single space, food, crafts, clothing and stores with incredible natural products. I recommend this place!

Lisa Van der Friendzone

It was pretty small with like one or two stores. Seemed pretty run down and not really fun to look at.

Morgan McCarthy

Nowhere near as busy as movies would lead you to believe. Still worth the visit! Lots of touristy shops and really really good food!

subham saha

Small China! I literally was amazed seeing the small shops depicting the Chinese culture. The Saigon plaza is a must-go. The groceries and spices are cheap. Also nearby is Howlin Ray's! Maybe the queue is long but the chicken was spicy! Tried the hot one! The coke was needed!

Pamela Rendon

The people R VERY RUED!!BUT THEY cute thing 4 a very good price so go shopping. .

SaveThe SceneRecords

Pretty cool area! Watch where you eat tho quality in area is not the best. Make sure you go early everything closes before 7

Spider2099

Lots of Weird Fruits but really good

Suz

Fun environment, great upstairs room, lovely bartenders, great DJs and music, spacious dance floors. Club Underground

Bismar M

Good place to gather and enjoy some food

Fernando Vargas

An enchanting area of Los Angeles with shops and great food (affordable) Shops close early however in the summer time we were able to visit during their Summer night Series and it was wonderful with food trucks and Local DJs. A definite must. The shops are also very authentic since everything is made in China (LOL) but they also have arts and crafts stores and local artists shops.

Catherine Milles

I hate to say it's over hyped but yeah, the food is good and the clothes and snacks are cheap which is nice, but it is a little run down, like many parts of LA. One merchant thought I was going to steal, because many probably do? Little Tokyo was more prepared for tourists and shoppers.

Frank MacGyver

I was here for their Chinatown summer nights. Cool music awesome people great atmosphere.

Adriana Luna

Great place to shop and great family restaurants

Juan Benito

This place is awesome to go walk with the family in the night and on the day the food vendors is great...

Silvestre Orellana

Nice atmosphere, attractive colors and styles, same as 40 years back, just more traffic automobile and railroad.

HG Mantenimiento

Nice and iconic place to visit in L.A. with a lot of places to shop , eat and take pictures

Jenny Salinas

Such beautiful place Although people seem to always be in a hurry walking super fast...there is a lot to admire.

Erick Vargas

It looks dead and most shops are closed. Don't waste your time here.

William Booth

Fun place to do street photography.

Shane Ramirez

One of my favorite places to visit any time Im in LA. So much to do and see. So much awesome food spots and culture. If you havent been you need to check it out!

Allen

Not much to visit at night. Still, neon lights and laterns are great for taking pictures.

Surf Kai

This was and will continue to be one of my childhood memories of Asia... Please don't let this little town go away or get ruined by corporate City Hall and the money grubbing politicians selling you smoke up your six piont of contact!!!!! Love you Chinatown Los Angeles!!! I miss Hop Louie's restaurant please bring it back

esteward Fonseca

I love bring at this place. A lot of cool things are around this pace.

L T

Food was very good. A busy place but it doesn't take long getting your food.

Julia Bella

I found so many cute places to buy things

Jacob Reis

Fairly drab and shabby. I wouldn't recommend it. The Chinese food in Glendale and Monterey Park is better.

Mario Rivera

Good place to find really good meat stuffed steamed buns. Great roasted duck too. No high prices.

Ezra Stogar

One of my favorite areas in Los Angeles, great architecture, great food and local merchants are always happy to see new faces and help customers. Went there for Lunar Year parade and it was awesome. I recommend taking the subway, Red Line than Gold Line to avoid traffic and parking issues. Really fun for family and gives people a taste of LA's thriving urban scene.

kevin parekh

One of the oldest malls of the USA and part of the Los Angeles China town. There are many chinese restaurants that are on offer and a few shops which sell trinkets and souveniers. The gates are a good place to take pictures and the plaques give a brief history of the place.

Dave Harris

This place has such huge potential. Shame on LA for letting it become such a poor example of the immigrants it represents. New building all around the area is destroying the original ambiance and design of this unique symbol of hope and the American dream.

J Money

I think there's more history here then I know

Susie Cuevas

Was at the Chinatown Summer Nights Festival tonight and had a very enjoyable time. Also, was happy to experience the different people in attendance, all shapes, colors and races. A true LA experience!!

Alex K

Every year visit this place on Chines Lunar New Year. If you have never been there, you must! Amazing vibe!

A look into beautiful Thailand

Good shops lots of fun to explore, haggle on prices! It's a fun place but the restrooms stink, not ckean.

Ceci Gonzalez

Its ok. I like little tokyo better tho because the shops are cute and the restaurants are all good. Here everything seemed closed and it was 11am. There wasnt much to see. And i get intimidated when sellers are pushing me to buy there stuff. I dont like it.

Bruce Chapin

It was like an ethnic boutique center. It did have some nice decor and statues related to Chinese culture.

Michael Mauro

If you enjoy tourist traps... this is an awesome one.

Alejandra Tadeo

It's nice but needs care

Florian Miousset

This place is pretty cool to post on Instagram. But other than that, it's really not that great. This place is DESERT. It's scary... Don't go here!

A Chin

Not like how it was back in the 60's. Used to be a lot of fun, where families came to visit, eat and for entertainment.

Diego Pelocini

Awsome place, a must see for turists, and the summer nights with the fire works, presentations, and dancing outside is great for all ages.

Bagrat Utegenov

Must visit place for citizens and guests of great Los Angeles!! Authentic atmosphere for everybody. By the way the place is aslo LGBTQ friendly, so feel free to enjoy colourful chinese district. Love this tiny doors of places and restaurants. Great language to learn and sacrifice to.

I Pickett

It was pretty quiet on a weekday afternoon after 6pm with almost all the shops closed up but we got a tasty burger and vegan shake at Burgerlords and watched the other tourists pass thru. And it was good.

Juan Alcantara

Great weekend getaway from the low desert. Easy train ride from San Berdu...

James Macharia

Colourful and historically signigicant downtown location. Loads of restaurant are present to satisfy everyone's appetite.

David Johnston

The Chinatown you have seen in the movies for years. The Resteraunt where Rush hour was made but the area is dirtier than I expected and many of the places are closed early in the day not making an evening of lights in what would be expected I. The Chinatown area of LA

Rod C

Great location. Most places closed during the day. Looks like evening would be lively.

David Lee Ruest

Great place to play pokemon go.

Saifullah Haqq

Beautiful place but not enough cultural activities.

Nova Kat

I enjoyed the shops, but there is a lot of shops and restaurants that have closed permanently unfortunately.