I've lived in LA for nearly 15 years and have only...

I've lived in LA for nearly 15 years and have only recently been to the zoo. It's so much fun and a great place to bring young kids. The food isn't anything to get excited about, so I'd recommend bringing your own snacks. But the animal exhibits are awesome, especially the elephants, there are multiple locations throughout the park to get an awesome view of them.
I'd recommend getting to the zoo as early as possible before it gets too crowded and hot, a lot of the animals like tigers and lions go into the shade and hide when it starts to get hot. But early in the morning, you'll get a great view of them.