Restaurants

Tucked into an industrial park near the railroad tracks, this ice cream shop and restaurant serves creative burgers — including a peanut butter-topped burger with bacon jam — and homemade ice cream.

Open since 1939, this retro steakhouse serves down-home classics like Chicken Piccata, Stuffed Pork Chops and Lobster Mac & Cheese.

This retro diner excels at comfort classics, including chili, biscuits, pancakes and burgers.

This authentic Greek restaurant specializes in baked goods, hearty entries and beef-stuffed cabbage leaves in lemon sauce that Guy finds delicious.

Set just off the Southern Pacific Railroad in East Bakersfield, this local institution has served served excellent Basque dishes since the 1930s. Guy deemed the Fried Garlic Chicken "outstanding," saying it would be the example if he ever served the dish.

The middle of the desert might not seem like the best place to open a Greek diner, but the Mad Greek Restaurant has been attracting crowds for over 20 years. Chef Larry Dabour uses his grandmother's recipes for specialties like gyros, spanakopita (spinach pie) and shawarma — Guy's favorite.

Situated in L.A.'s original Little Italy, the Eastside Market Italian Deli has been serving Los Angelinos classic Italian dishes since 1929. Take note of the D.A. Special. Guy devoured every last bit of sausage, meatball, roast beef and pastrami on this sandwich of "incomparable deliciousness."

For tostadas with a towering twist and more elevated Mexican classics head to La Tostaderia which is tucked away in Grand Central Market in L.A. The chef was born in Mexico and later went back to culinary school to learn more about flavor profiles and it shows. Guy was impressed by the tender octopus tostada and blown away by the cheesy shrimp burger.

Go sweet and savory at this 1940s-era eclectic diner with California flair. You'll find donuts smothered in bacon, upside-down floor lamps and funky names for dishes, like "Hangover Helper" and "Smac and Cheese."

Fat Sal’s is everything health-conscious LA is not and deliciously so. Guy gets his hands on a Fat Jerry sandwich stacked with cheese steak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bacon, fried eggs and fries. He also indulges in the Meat Luv’rz pizza roll stuffed with beef, pepperoni and sausages. Jeff and Audrey Dunham were in to taste their 13-pound creation: Big Fat Fatty. This mega sandwich features five burger patties, five fried eggs, ribeye, pastrami and bacon topped with a basket of fries, onion rings, chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks. 

Guy called Azla and Nesanet Abegaze “culinary ambassadors,” as they serve a meatless take on traditional Ethiopian cuisine at their restaurant. The mother-daughter team's standouts include the misir wot, a flavorful stew made from red lentils cooked down with onions, tomatoes and pungent spices sourced straight from Ethiopia. “There’s a ton of flavor in that,” Guy declared after dipping into the dish with a piece of injera, the spongy flatbread that’s traditionally used for scooping up food.

Chef Katherine Dabrowski grew up helping her mom in the kitchen and now she is sharing her Polish dishes at Polka. Guy devoured the pierogi done three ways - with meat, sauerkraut and potato. The goulash impressed with its tender meat and gnocchi. For dessert, try the creamy filled crepes.

The house-cured pastrami at The Oinkster redefines slow fast food says owner Andre Guerrero. Guy couldn't agree more. The signature Oinkster pastrami sandwich was best described as "liqua smoka porka flavor," and with homemade ketchup and perfect onion rings, the meal was totally on-point.

This Compton location is closed, but you can still get Bludso's craveworthy 'cue at the Hollywood locale. The joint serves up Texas-style barbecue like the ribs with a side of spicy barbecue sauce that won over Guy Fieri. Owner Kevin Bludso really goes all out at the holidays with deep-fried turkeys injected with a decadent concoction of butter and seasonings, which he refers to as “liquid gold.”

Rudy's is all about creating a welcoming environment where "all walks of life" can feel at home. So far, they haven't failed, with a 20-burger menu and classic breakfast specials. For what Guy might call a hunch-worthy bite, try The Monster Chili Cheeseburger with two patties and scratch-made chili.