Chinatown Arts District

If you remember what this section of Chinatown used to be, just a year or so ago, it was very-​very different. It was full of shops that sold similar items to those offered in the main section of Chinatown. That has all changed. Now, there is galleries, art shows, and artists preparing their work. It is a great experience and a must see whenever you are in Chinatown.
Highly Recommended !!!

I love this part of China town, little galleries and importer shops that carry items that truly has some artistic value and shows the great craftsmanship of quality Chinese products. Unlike the cheap knock-off’s that you commonly see in LA’s chinatown, this section will expose you to the finer things you wouldn’t see along Broadway.
Souvenir shops aren’t as prevalent compared to the main Chi-​town artery, venture into the importer shops or simply marvel at some exquisite wood work, furnitures, home décor, the delicate porcelain jars, vases and figurines… they are truly a work of art.
This section is very well tended, clean streets with decorative lanterns of vibrant red and gold, it’s a real contrast to the otherwise old and boring stained beige building walls. Small galleries are also in this area, showcasing modern, contemporary and self expression art. There were a couple shops open when I visited but most were close, not sure if its the sign of the times but it is a shame if they’ve really closed their doors.
See the best of LA Chinatown by foot and make sure those wandering feet takes you to this area, it is an absolute contrast to the bustling College/​Alpine/​Broadway section of LA’s Chi-​town!

Since we’ve been going to Chinatown, we noticed more and more art galleries opening on Chung King Rd. It’s a nice art scene, with great openings, interesting artists, laid back vibe.
If you go to Chinatown, this area should be on your must list of things to check out.
There are great artists, their styles varies, but most of them are very unconventional. A lot of great contemporary art, painting, photography, video art.
They even had their own cool Halloween party open to the public in 2012 which we attended with wine, giant puppets and cool décor.
It’s a subway stop in the heart of Chinatown or a short walk from Union Station. Some street parking and lots of garages around.
Next time you’ll be in Chinatown, give it a shot! It’s a new side of this old part of town that becomes more and more interesting and alive for the LA art scene.

There are quite a few quality art galleries in the Chinatown Arts District (CAD) on the 900 block of Chung King Road. I will venture to say that they are better than those in Gallery Row. The gallery hours here are more predictable than at Gallery Row and you can also come on weekdays and weekends that are not during their own version of Art Walk. This is also a far more pleasant part of town than Gallery Row which is pretty much in and around Skid Row.
This art district is found among some of the really touristy stuff you would expect in Chinatown. Some of my favorite galleries like Happy Lion have closed but other good ones remain. Sadly some of the galleries don’t stay around for too long. One of the cool galleries here has really cool Cuban revolutionary art here. Not that I am into that political movement of course, it’s just that the art is really good. If you would like to go to the CAD but don’t have the time you may be interested in my monthly blog:
Parking, as in all of DTLA is HELL. Expect to pay at least $ 5 per hour unless you are willing to walk a couple of blocks from the nearby residential area by Phở 87. Sadly, if you are hungry you may just have to fall victim to the touristy mediocrity of most Chinatown restaurants. I have yet to find more than a handful of decent restaurant in Chinatown!