User's Guide

Where to Eat and Drink for Dia de los Muertos

Baila en la oscuridad...
Baila en la oscuridad… Photo: Sa@bastien Prescott via Flickr

There’s a Halloween event for almost every taste this weekend, with animal lovers invited to bring their costumed pets to Fat Dog on Fairfax for a pup parade, followed by a haunted house at Lindy & Grundy’s, while shadier spirits can freak out at LACMA’s Dead Man’s Ball on Saturday or head to Dana Hollister’s Dark Carnival at Villains Tavern or Eccentric Circus at The One-Eyed Gypsy. But to keep you from purloining local gravesites of their fruit and candy next week, we have four Dia de Los Muertos recommendations from a handful of local restaurants to soothe your troubled souls as Halloween bleeds into Day of the Dead.

Border Grill Downtown: This Saturday, October 29th, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger will offer two separate two-hour cooking classes, teaching home chefs how to make Dia de los Muertos appropriate dishes and drinks for $75. Starting at 11:00 A.M., then again at 2:00 P.M., the class will be accompanied by a multi-course lunch with cocktails. Reservations at 213-486-5171.

El Carmen: On Wednesday, November 2nd, El Carmen is celebrating Day of the Dead with five-dollar margaritas served by bartenders with traditional Dia de los Muertos calavera face-paintings. Guests are encouraged to come in costume and make reservations (323-852-1552), as it gets crowded in here on the big day. The fun starts at 8:00 P.M. at 8138 West 3rd Street.

Rivera: Through November 7th, chefs John Sedlar and Joseph Panarello will serve an $80 pre-fixe holiday menu with dishes like duck a la orange with red pipian mole; an autumn salad with pine nuts, cotija, and a bacon-jalapeno vinaigrette; pork maize cake with cranberry and habanero chutney; and a tamale of pumpkin and green chile, among others. Reservations at 213-749-1460.

Yxta: On Wednesday, November 2nd, the Downtown Mexican restaurant will offer two-dollar carnitas, al pastor, veggie, and fish tacos, along with five-dollar margaritas and six-dollar rompope martinis throughout the night to the spins of a DJ. 601 South Central Ave. Downtown. 213-622-5540.

• For authentic and fun Dia de los Muertos celebrations around the city, check out these Day of the Dead posts from The Glutster y El Random Hero:

Six Upcoming Day of The Dead Events Happening in Los Angeles & A Post in Remembrance of The 6th Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival in Uptown Whittier [The Glutster]

Ultimate 2011 Dia de los Muertos Event Guide [L.A. Taco]

Where to Eat and Drink for Dia de los Muertos