Restaurant 28+ Review

Unique ambiance, with great food, not too expensive.

Nice place near subway, but closes early especially if it's a quiet night. Haven't eaten there but I've heard food is decent. Beer selection is small but OK.

The last time I was at ECo28 was over 10 years ago and at that time, this was a place to power lunch or have a nice dinner after work. Fast forward 10 years and this is what you get when the financial and accounting firms leave DTLA - a business struggling to find its new identity in the new DTLA.

What brought me in their door was their $35 pre-fix DineLA dinner. On paper, the offerings seemed pretty good. But, as my dishes started to come out, I came to the realization that there was no thought on their execution. It was like someone said - let's throw all of these things together, if they are good separately, then together they will be great.

An example of this is their short-rib appetizer, which I chose. I thought I was going to get an adequate portion commensurate to my entree that was to follow. Instead, I got a full plate of short ribs enough to have satisfied me for the night. I am not complaining about the portion, gosh no; I just wish they had not lathered them with your run of the mill BBQ sauce, and it was cold at that. Had they just braised them, and served them with their homemade cold slaw - that would have been perfect.

My entree, the fillet mignon with shrimp was overkill (see picture). The meat alone was OK as were the shrimp; but I'm no sure both potatoes and vegetables were necessary (one or the other would have been fine). Yet, the overkill was all of this yumminess sat in a pool of a balsamic reduction. A couple of balsamic reduction lines at the bottom of the plate would have been perfect. Seriously, I ordered the surf n' turf not soup.

All in all, ECo28 is outdated, both the interior and its menu need a makeover. I hope they do get it together, its a beautiful building and a good concept

This place is hard to find, but once you find it you'll be glad. Cool place that used to be afire house with great food and very helpful staff. Good food selection and drinks during happy hour.

Good food, but ridiculously slow service. Half empty on a Wednesday night it took 40 minutes to get a salad for my daughter and a shepherds pie for myself. Oh and the shuttle service to the Ahmanson doesn't run anymore. 6:30 reservation we almost missed an 8pm curtain.

Good food! We came here before going to the theater. They took care of us quickly.

Will make sure to try Engine Co. No. 28 other restaurants. One of our top restaurants we have eaten at.

I walked in on an early Sunday evening. The wait staff were exceptional. I had the house greens and southern chicken dinner. Asking with dessert and a drink, around 40. I will definitely return.

Lunch was delicious and the lemon meringue was perfect

Food was mediocre at best. The carpeted floors were sticky and just NASTY. Two stars only because the service was good.

I used to love this place... whoever made all the changes in the last year is going to run this place to the ground. Servers are still trying to be as great as they can be. The tender has been here a while and is still great.. happy hour menu has been cut in half and altered. If the last time you were here was over a year ago, you may not like it anymore.

From looking at the happy hour schedule, this place is in happy hour literally all the time. The only question that came to mind was when this place wasn't serving happy hour specials. I don't care if it's a ploy or not, I just like the idea of happy hour all the time. Walking about 2 blocks from home, I wasn't too worried about the parking situation here but this is downtown, so it already sucks. For those wondering, yes they still have the fireman pole, but the top is blocked off, so there ain't gonna be sliding down for a fast exit. Once the pizzazz wears out about dining in a former fire station, you may start to wonder where your food is. It take a bit long, and your server might be out there taking orders or even behind the bar mixing drinks. Our server was still super kool though, but the slow service and food prep makes a hungry stomach growl.

-=-Happy Hour Food-=- So we sampled a bit from the HH menu. Pulled Pork Silders and Mac + Cheese were our picks. I probably wouldn't get the Mac and cheese unless you were feeding your 10 year old. It didn't bring anything special at all to the table despite the added bacon and blue cheese. Edible yes, but don't expect miracles. Pulled pork sliders, I could recommend atleast for being not dry. I would have sampled more, but decided to also get a burger from the dinner menu.

-=-Dead Hippy Burger-=- The highlights here are bacon, avocado and poached egg. Everything good, and literally no way to mess this up. I dug it, but with the other dining options literally around the corner, I probably wouldn't head to Engine Co No 28 for the burgers alone. Other tempting menu items started dabbing into the $$$ range, but if the burger doesn't exactly fit, then I'll leave that territory to the other explorers.

Verdict: Come and sample off the Happy Hour menu, but don't be in a hurry.

Food and service was great. Awesome American comfort food. Highly suggest everyone to go.

Over priced for two peronis really 2 and that cost 30 with tip never again and you tell me you giving happy hour price wrong. Good luck

I had a great meal here. Portions were generous and the service was great. Best chicken parm I've had in quite some time.

Nice cozy place, good food and good atmosphere. I can say that; one of the best Turkish cousine I had in U.S.

Pretty poor experience, restaurant was dead on a Sunday morning and service was still slow and poor. The kitchen got our order wrong and I waited another ten minutes for my meal while the rest of my party ate. Prices ok, atmosphere feels authentic.

A little pricey, but very nice atmosphere, good service and beautiful decor

Julio was our Server. Dinner and dessert was delicious. Looking forward to our next visit. Thank you for a wonderful evening!

Ingrid provided excellent service, food was great service made it better!

this is a great place to eat but there is always a line at lunch and reservations are a must

Unique location in an old firehouse. . Includes a fireman's pole . Old feel. Food was tasty. Great service.

Way too expensive. You're paying for downtown location I guess. Mediocre burgers and the desserts tasted like they came off the expired rack at the grocery store.

Best kept secret on a Saturdayor Sunday if you want a quiet place that has incredible food. It's in downtown so it doesn't get crowded unless Staples Center has something going on. Great staff. Try NY steak. They put a light gravy on which you think might be weird but man it's good.

OMG what a cute place. The floors are original brick flooring. They even have the pole they slid down when the bells would ring.

They also have some firemen hats and jackets toi can put on and take a few pics. The staff was very polite and knowledgeable of the history of the building.

The food assortment was very wide. So many things that seemed really good, but I could only eat one meal. I ordered the chicken parmesan. It was delicious! Very delicious!!!

Overall, this was a very good place and I was glad I got to experience it. Not only ianthenfood good, but it is in a very historical building.

Excellent location for delicious American food. Very tasty. Mood here is similar to Fresno's scene.

Ever since attorney Mark Geragos bought Engine Co., the place has gone downhill. I ate lunch there today and sat in a booth with leather seats that were cracked with tape over the cracks. The menus were faded. The chairs need refinishing. The food was Ok, but the dining was offset by the decor and run-down nature of the place. After eating there ever since it opened (and was owed by insurance exec Peter Mullin) almost 25 years ago, this is the last time for me. So, Mark, fix it up or sell it to someone who will properly maintain it.

great home style food. although the menu could use some refreshing

YUM! Good food. Pleasant staff. Casual outdoor dining available.

Comfort food in a beautiful old firehouse with stamped metal ceilings.

The cold meatloaf sandwhich was a bit disappointing. A thin round of meatloaf in the center of square white toast, with lettuce and thousand island. Basically amounted to half a lettuce sandwhich. Beer was fine, best selection I found in this part of the airport.

Great place to go at happy hour. Went here for the first time with some friends and had a great experience. The food was very good and reasonably priced, and the service was friendly and efficient.

Meatloaf is awesome. I eat here every time I come to LA.

Great Early Wed Night Dinner. Quiet. Our server Chad was very attentive and highly professional. Ambience is historical and fun. We sat in high back booths (my hubs and I) and enjoyed a tasty dinner. Our drinks never ran dry and food was timely and satisfying. I would recommend.

Turkey burger and fries were fabulous. Very very limited white wine options.

We were the only patrons the on Sunday for Sunday brunch. The service was excellent, of course. I really liked the design and atmosphere of the place and the brunch was delicious! You cannot go wrong! I gave it 4 starts because it was very cold inside!

Very large portions. Nice looking and tasting food. Quiet and nice ambience. A little expensive and nice. American fare.

My preferred place for quality American food. Great hospitality. Next time I'll be back with my friends. Prices were appropriate. Food is similar to a place in San Francisco I liked.

An overpriced disappointment that failed to deliver in all but one way. A restaurant should serve food at a reasonable speed. Great job! You did one thing right. There use it sucked. Our entrees were like a bad tasting better looking version of you could find at any run of the mill restaurant.

The food was very good but the service was even better. They were very pleasant and personable. The food was yummy. I had the meatloaf.... it was a little dense but good, the veggies and mashed potatoes were absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked

Great place for happy hour. Had two apps and a beer for less than 20. Unique atmosphere as it's hosed in an old Fire House. Would definitely go back! Great place to watch a game too.

My husband and I met his mother and our teen daughter here Friday before Mother's Day for lunch. We've eaten here many times for dinner and special occassions. This day was very strange. First the waiter actually struck his nose in my daughters ice tea to try and determine if it was passon tea or not. He could not understand why we wanted a fresh glass. Food was great as always.

We had both cars valet parked. When our cars were returned, we headed to San Diego. We stopped to park in downtown SD and needed to feed the parking meter. We immediately noticed the majority of my parking change was gone out of my door console. About 6 bucks in silver dollars and quarters. Now I know the ticket says "not responsible for lost valuables", but my respect for this place tumbled after that. Later I asked my daughter if she noticed anything amiss in her car, and she mentioned her change had been disturbed also. I don't want to make wild allegations about this, but when you can't even trust a valet at a nice place like this not to swipe your parking change, then why am I trusting them with my keys?

Some of the best recipe are here, that's why people come here.

This place has always been a favorite of mine whenever I'm in down town Los Angeles. The restaurant is inside one of the old city fire stations (hence the name). The food is excellent. My favorite is the firehouse chili. This is chili taken to a whole other level! They also have a fantastic bar and overall great service.

If you are coming by car, there is valet service out front (not sure what time it starts), and in the alley behind the restaurant is a parking structure. No validation is provided for that parking, but it is convenient.

Happy hour from about 6 to 10pm daily.

Happy hour menu is very readable for the area.

It was my first time here and the bartender was very helpful.

Got a refresher and ribs.

Originally came here to check out the happy hour and Mac and cheese.

This building also has a great history.

Bartender didn't even want to serve us. Happy hours changed. Was supposed to be till closing, now till 8 or 9. Call in advance to check happy hour times.

We went here and order abi tuna mixed greens in grilled sandwiches, we thought that it would be great but it was not up to the mark, I am giving 2 stars because service here is nice one...

Excellent lunch with fast service. Really enjoyed the special. Atmosphere is fun.

Great spot for happy hour! Great small bites and drink selection for happy hour. I would recommend Engine Co No 28 for any group size for happy hour.

Sliders and chicken tacos are the best!

Awesome decor, easy for conversation, food & service terrific

Ok so we made a reservation on open table for 2 for 7:45pm on a Saturday. Due to traffic we were delayed by about 10-15 mins. When we arrived the millennial hostess asked if we had a reservation and we replied yes we did , 10 seconds later another couple walked in the door and she basically pushed us aside and asked them if they had a reservation and they replied the same.... the hostess then proceeded to seat this new couple ahead of us in the last remaining booth. After another 5 minute wait she put us up at the bar in a high top. We asked to speak to a manager who listened to us and seated us at a recently cleared booth and gave us a free drink and appetizer for our aggravation and then waited on us to ensure our dinner was free of any further issues. Thanks to Julio our night was awesome. Our hostess coulda ruined our night out...Thank you Julio for understanding how to deal with customers. The rest of the meal was fantastic. I would come back here again and recommend this place mainly because they have a manager who gets it!

A tasty meal, excellent service, full bar with inventive cocktails, and a really nice space.

I came here for lunch during Dine LA week, so my opinion on the food is based solely on that selection...it was mediocre at best (pictures uploaded). Things I like about this place, the historical value (converted fire house) and the friendly service. The location is great for me since its just a few short blocks from where I work and I was able to walk there; otherwise, I would imagine the lack of parking would be frustrating. I do hear good things about the Happy Hour, which is the only reason why I would return to this restaurant.

Pretty good burger. Super Duper Burger. Hmmm if I were to rate this place, I would say it is better than In-N-Out for sure, and similar to Shake Shack, but maybe a little bit better. I really enjoyed my burger here while I was visiting - maybe it was because I was extremely hungry during that time, but I remember it tasting amazing. When I visit, I will go back again!

Engine Co. No. 28

Loved this place. All the food was great. I had a wonderful steak, but others had the famous fried chicken and said it was great. I plan to return next time I am in LA

The food is really good and the service is great!! Luis the bartender is awesome!

Great food, could use a larger beer selection, but I'm a bit of a beer snob.

First time here and I am happy. I had a Korean Soul taco plus some Watts water . Gosh it was good. I will be back to try more dishes. Chef GH and Peacock are running things in the kitchen. Drive thur and enjoy!

I absolutely love this place. I've been here twice already and can't wait to go back. The hummus is delicious. I can't get enough of the borek and the specialty drinks sneak up on you. Definitely give this place a shot if you're looking for a reasonably priced dinner- it's great for groups.

We went for brunch and the bartender didn't know how to make drinks, we ordered a side waffle but she charged us for an entree version. Staff seems limited in knowledge and the food wasn't good enough to save the short falls of the restaurant as a whole. Listen to these other reviews and don't come here. They need a new owner, new staff, and/or new menu.

Food was excellent, service was really slow for them having absolutely no business there may have been 7-10 people in there total.

Good cocktails but underwhelming food. Service was slow but the waiter was nice.

This spot simply knows how to satisfy their customers. Regularly with a friendly mindset. The food is affordably priced, constantly delightful and clean.

Food was more than adequate, service was very good

I like the physical space, not crazy about the food. Not worth the $$$ when comparing to other great restaurants in the area.

The meatloaf was kind of weird. the mashed potatoes and vegetables were ok.

Quite an Exquisite experience,ultimately the best!!

Tasty food and pleasant service. Of everything, we particularly enjoyed the eggplant salad with bread. I would definitely recommend this place for a moderately-priced Turkish meal.

Big place .old fire station made into restaurant. Great prices nice and clean

Fantastic selection of wine! Kind and friendly service.