Escala

Atmosphere is wonderful! The music flow is great. Artwork and old-​school turn tables all over the place, including the ceiling. Beautiful chandelier above the bar! Happy hour everyday from 4pm-​7pm, and «Nappy Hour» Sunday thru Thursday from 11pm-​1am. Great service, great food! The street corn and loaded yucca fries to die for, and both available for happy hour! If you make it for brunch, try their version of chicken and waffles. Very memorable!
Al is the best server there! He gave us all of the drinks that we could order during happy hour, and how to be very creative with our Well Drinks and keep them within the $ 5 range! Safe to say, he knows his sh*t :)

Ok where to start… I will first give you the reasons why I took off stars for this place.
1. We came from brunch and ordered their (rib-​eye) steak and eggs for 2 ($ 26) and the ribeye came in TWO separate pieces. When does rib eye ever come in two pieces?!? One piece was a large bone with barely any meat on it which took up half the plate. The second was an extremely fatty chunk which was much smaller and had little to no meat as well. I guess we expected too much for a $ 26 brunch item? The meat was well below par and not worth $ 26. Eggs/​beans/​rice were okay. Minus 1 star.
2. We also ordered chicken and waffles with syrup on the side. It came with plenty of syrup all over and they failed on that request. 10 minutes later, our dish came out the way we ordered. Minus 1 star.
3. Our water glasses never arrived until after our food came. Keep in mind that was 15 minutes after we showed up. From the moment we wanted the bill to pay/​vacate, that whole process took more than 15 minutes. Yes there was only one server and one «helper» working this somewhat bustling Saturday brunch shift but that was unacceptable. We also asked for a second plate to help split our meal. Never came. Minus 1 star.
The goods…
The vibe and atmosphere are quite nice. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Ktown and all the windows were wide open. Sunshine and breeze filled the artistically decorated hipster venue. This would be an excellent happy hour/​evening drinking spot that I would like to come back for. They offered bottomless mimosas which I was ready for ($ 15.50) but ALL parties must participate to make it happen. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The server/​bartender was very friendly and the location is fantastic (corner of 6^th & Kenmore) which connects with the hidden courtyard where Quarters, Toe Bang, etc. are. The chicken waffles dish was pleasantly delicious aside from waiting for remaking the order correctly and a bit too much breading on the chicken.
I would come back for drinking and atmosphere only. I think I’ll pass on the food for now.

We did Escala’s Saturday morning brunch today and it was great in every way possible. First, we arrived at 11:30am and were seated right away with no wait. For a brunch of this quality in LA, that’s pretty much a miracle.
We ordered a carafe of their mango-​chili mimosas and a we each ordered the pork belly chilaquiles and both were delicious. We appreciated the well-​executed mix of Latin American cuisine with a Korean/​Angeleno twist.
Service was good, restaurant was beautiful, and Chapman Plaza has free parking.
If you ever have friends or family visiting from out of town and want to show them a really great LA spot, bring them to Escala.

My date and I chose this place because we wanted to have a tapas night and the allure of a Korean/​Columbian fusion was very intriguing.
Food:
K-​Panada: The STAR of the night. This was exactly what I was expecting when I first heard of this fusion concept. It’s a classic style empanada with kimchi and chorizo fried rice with a kimchi aioli dipping sauce. It was crunchy. It was flavorful. The ingredients went very well together. No complaints with this and would definitely come back for just a plateful of these.
Unfortunately they might’ve gave us the wrong dipping sauce as it was green and tasted nothing like kimchi or aioli. But the empanada was that good that we were able to overlook this oversight.
Fritos Bandido: Probably the low light of our meal. It comes with roasted chili Mac n cheese, housemade Fritos, cilantro crema. It wasn’t awful, but it felt the least Columbian or Korean. The sauce was a tad watery for my liking as well, as I’m used to a more creamier mac and cheese. I would not get this again.
Bandeja: Columbian chicharron, kbbq short ribs, Filipino longaniza, plantains, coconut rice, avocado, and a sunny side egg. If you’re new to Korean or Columbian food, this would be a nice sampler plate to get in order to get a feel for the cuisine. You get a little bit of the most popular dishes from each country, such as the short ribs from Korea and the Chicharron from Columbia.
Loaded Arepas Pork: Pork Belly w/​saffron aioli. THIS WAS AMAZING. I’m a huge fan of pork belly and this was just delightful. It was soft and crispy and was seasoned really well. The mini salad that they put on top was pretty good as well. I could see myself getting this again as well.
Price:
Not too bad if I do say myself. All of the above came out of less than $ 40 with tip.
Location/​Parking:
In the prime location of K-​Town, you’re going to have a difficult time finding parking on the weekdays and even more so on the weekends. Just be aware of that.
Service:
Not bad. Attentive and quick to be served and sat. Food came out quickly. They were a bit slow on the water refills, but I drink a lot of water.
Ambiance:
We went on a weeknight so the music wasn’t too bad, but it might’ve just been a hair too loud. I found myself having to lean in to hear her better. But maybe that’s their intent, haha.
Overall a good dining experience and I’d return for another date night.

This place is great! I wholeheartedly approve and highly recommend! Everything was unique and interesting, so many different flavors and tastes, it was truly a smörgåsbord of deliciousness! And, Korean Colombian?! How unique is that!
We got to try many things, thanks in part to having a large enough group. We ordered the street corn, the fritos bandidos (loaded mac ‘n cheese type dish), chorizo clams, ceviche, K-​town rice con pollo, and the braised oxtail. The street corn was very delectable, creamy, guilty-​pleasury. The fritos bandidos had thin crispy pieces of, I believe, tortilla chips, which made for a great textural contrast. The macaroni itself was creamy and indulgent too. The chorizo clams were delicious! It comes in this hearty red bisque, with generous chunks of chorizo scattered throughout. Dip a piece of the side toast in the bisque, and it makes for a savory, flavorful party in your mouth! The clams were nice and big, too. Score! The ceviche may have been my favorite dish, and I’m not generally a ceviche fan either! It also comes with some big pieces of chips (again, great textural contrast!), a good vehicle for delivering the ceviche into your eagerly awaiting mouth. The ceviche itself was just so wonderful — fat, juicy pieces of shrimp and fish, the welcoming crunch of the corn, and I believe there was also some creamy avocado pieces, and a hint of lime to bring it all together. It was a fantastic dish, where each element complemented the other. My favorite dish of the night. The other two dishes we ordered, the K-​town rice and the oxtail, were heavy, hearty dishes, arriving on your table in a huge portion, and helping to fill you up after all the other «lighter» appetizery dishes mentioned earlier. The rice and oxtail were tasty, but definitely not the stars of the night. That award goes to the ceviche.
There aren’t that many vegetarian options on the menu, so vegetarian folk beware; however, there are a couple veggie things available still, in case you do come with some omnivore friends. My vegetarian friend ordered a veggie arepa, which was super loaded, piled high with a giant mushroom, cheese, and various other veggies. She seemed to enjoy it.
They also have a nice happy hour menu, with cheap eats. Another person ordered a slider off that menu as a side, and I’m assuming he liked it enough, because he proceeded to order a second one! Happy hour is also until 7pm, which is nice.
In all, everything we ordered was done very well, there was not a single thing I didn’t like. I walked away from this meal feeling like every single thing we ordered was interesting and tasty in its own right, and it made for a very varied, complete meal, which is always a very refreshing feeling. Nothing felt redundant. Everything had its rightful place on the table and was welcome.
Oh, and to top it all off, it was such an affordable meal, which felt like the icing on top of the cake! This entire meal, which left my tummy completely full and satisfied, came out to only about $ 15 person, including tip. Wow, just wow!
I will definitely, most definitely be back!

Would have been a 4 except my party was not allowed to get bottomless mimosas as I was not drinking. Overall the food was tasty (more comments below) but on a day when there are a total of 3 parties it made no sense to me that my brunch partner was not allowed to drink her bottomless mimosas just because I was the DD. it is LA! Do they want only clients who can walk to establishment or are willing to drive buzzed?
We split the fried chicken waffles and the pork belly chilaquiles. The fried chicken was more breading than chicken and a bit dry. The waffles were great, however, and the panela syrup was awesome. If I wasn’t so annoyed at the restaurant I would return just for that syrup.
The chilaquiles had a green spicy sauce (jalapeño or Serrano, not sure). The tortillas were a little too crispy but not too much. The pork belly itself was great.
My brunch partner said her passion fruit mimosa was nothing too exciting so in the end it worked out we didn’t pay extra for the bottomless option.

I highly recommend Escala to all of my friends. I’ve been here about 4 times and I have yet to be disappointed. The food is original and delicious. The ambiance of the place is very cool and there’s always great music playing.
Both the Happy Hour and brunch menu are excellent! It has open windows and outside seating so you can see all of the action in Koreatown.
I had an opportunity to meet the owner who is a great guy and does all the art at the restaurant. VERY COOL! Just thinking about their food is making me hungry.

Came here for dinner with my mom. I came here before for lunch and was hesitant on trying the dinner. Everything was amazing from the service to the portions. First, we ordered the spicy kale salad with shrimp. The sauce was incredibly spicy but it fit just right. Then we had the yucca fries and it was so different but still tasty. My mom ordered the oxtail with plantains and coconut rice and it was delicious. She said the meat was very tender and flavorful. I had the mushroom apareas (spell check this please) and it was sooo tasty. Everything was great and we sat by the window and enjoyed the night.

I really wanted to like this place more than I did. The vibe was strange for the theme — weird music (not Latin or Korean), strange disc lighting, and mismatched furniture. It just didn’t make sense to me.
We were there during happy hour, so mainly ordered off of that menu but did order the Ktown fried rice, which I also wanted to like due to the coconut, but it was too sweet. The empanadas were pretty good and the street corn (coming from someone not that into corn) was insanely delicious, a must order. I could not believe that they didn’t have tostones on the menu (fried plantains). I mean, as a Colombian restaurant that’s pretty much a travesty.
I would go back but probably only for happy hour and to give it a second chance. Not sure how much would change but I want to like this spot.

Es-​ca-​la.
Es. Esteemed brunch place according to many reviewers. I say it’s overrated. Service started out good and then progressively got slower as time passed. We had to flag down our waiter for water refills (and then he only filled up the cups of half of our table? What?) and for our check, and then for him to pick up our paid bill…
Ca. Carne. Meat. Saturday brunch menu offers no vegetarian options at all. Even the Huevos Benedictos (eggs benedict) were served with slices of grilled (?) ham beneath the poached eggs. Hollondaise sauce was tasteless. The potatoes were good, though. Friend loved the chicken and waffles (coconut flavor). Nice juxtaposition of sweet and savory. Other friend enjoyed his Loco moco mix dish, which was a sunny side up egg, spam, and curry over rice, essentially.
La. Land of libations. Their drinks/​alcohol menu is more extensive than their food menu. Haha. Friend said that the Bloody Mary here is good. I saw a couple other groups had bottomless or pitchers of mimosas. So, I guess it’s more of a place for drinks than food?

Good food, vibe, and people.
Parking:
Horrible. Valet if you can. Street parking is horrendous as this establishment (any many others) is within walking distance to residential apartments. So street parking is essentially off limits. Remember to get validation if you valet.
Ambiance:
Nice and hip, kind of loud. Good place for a date if you’re tired of the usual candle-​light dinner. I like how the restaurant is pretty much one with the street. We got a table outside and enjoyed the scenery that is K-​town, Los Angeles.
Food:
If you come with a party of 4, I would get the Picada platter like we did. It’s basically a sampler of different tapas that they offer — grilled corn, chicken wings, sausage, roasted potatoes, pork belly, kbbq short ribs. Everything was good — I’d highly recommend this if you’re willing to share. Plus, you’ll get to try a little bit of everything.
Order a drink from their cocktail list. I forgot what I ordered, but they’re all fancy shmancy. We go out to eat and drink because we can’t make it ourselves, right?
Overall, aside from the parking situation, I was satisfied with the experience. The drinks were unique and the food was fine dining-​like. So grab a drink, get a table, and enjoy the company and view.

This place is pretty awesome for dinner on a Saturday night. Very loud and noisy with music and TV on. We sat near the open wall, so it was nice to get the feeling of being outdoors while actually sitting inside.
I guess this place serves Colombian food with a Korean influence. I had the El Coco Loco cocktail, which was nice and creamy from the coconut cream, tangy from the lime zest, a bit sweet from the pineapple infused Bacardi Silver Rum, and pretty strong from the Altos Blanco Tequila.
Also tried a beef empanada, which was tasty but a bit too salty for my liking. The dough was nice and crispy, and the filling was generously filled with ground carne asada, potato, and Colombian spices.
I shared the K-​Town rice con pollo and the oxtail dishes with my friends, and both dishes were really yummy. The K-​Town rice probably wouldn’t have been my initial choice because I don’t particularly like kimchi, but the kimchi didn’t overpower the dish. It had a slightly spicy kick from the spicy tomato sauce and generous amounts of shredded chicken.
The oxtail was a bit sweet and kind of weird because I’ve only had it plain in soup with my mother, so while it was tasty, it was strange to eat it that way for me. Almost like a braised barbecued oxtail.
I also tried the beef ribs, and those were fall-​off-​the-​bone tender with a nice, slightly sweet flavor.
Very generous portions of food, so we were able to share two entrees among 3 girls.

A few of my Foodie friends and I got to try some of their dishes, and WOW!!! It’s an Asian-​Columbian fusion Gastropub, all with a cool vibe.
First up came the beef empanadas, flavorful, hot, crisp, and served with 2 dipping sauces.
Then the Ceviche came next… OMG! This has to be my favorite! Loaded with Tilapia & Shrimp, Roasted Corn, Asian Pear, Avocado, and Ají.
Finally, the K-​Town Rice Con Pollo. Fusion of Korean Kimchi Bokkeumbap + Colombian Arroz Con Pollo: Kimchi & Coconut Fried Rice w Peas, Shredded Chicken, Spicy Tomato Sauce, and a Sunny Egg. This is a dish you just want to keep eating!
We all had the El Jefe cocktail. Jalapeño infused Aguardiente, Grilled Pineapple Juice, Panella, and Lime; a perfect pairing for our meal.
I can’t wait to come back to try more Asian-​Columbian inspired dishes!

The first words out of my mouth when I entered this place was, «Oh, I remember this place having waitress’ dressed as school girls before». To which my Mrs. laughed and said, «that’s the FIRST thing you remember about this place»?
Well, that was what it was BEFORE it was Escala, but let’s move on, shall we.
This is in the small plaza where Toe Bang and other really busy (popular places as there were wall to wall people when we got there) and people can park their car at valet.
You walk in and the it’s somewhat dark (like the old place), and they play old school hip hop and rnb (at least the night we went).
We ordered the following:
Perro Sucio; Colombian Style Street Hot Dog: Longaniza Sausage Wrapped in Empanada Crust Bun /​Pineapple Glaze Slaw /​Saffron Aioli /​Spicy Ketchup /​Topped w Crispy String Chips; it was good, but the Empanada crust bun was too rigid to be considered a bun and once that was broken through, it was like hitting the main beam of a building, the rest of the dog collapsed into a tasty, but big pile of destruction
We also shared:
PIcada; Colombian Chicharron /​Korean BBQ Short Ribs /​Longaniza /​Colombian Spiced Wings /​Sweet Plantain /​Grilled Onion & Pineapple /​Fried Papa Criolla /​Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes /​Arepas; Arepas were OK, but a bit on the dry side. I just expected more from it. The Chicarron, ribs, Longaniza, and wings were flavored well, but it felt like the rest of the ingredients were filler.
Overall, good service and food, just don’t expect to get full unless you’re willing to drop a lot as even with the what we ordered, I didn’t feel satisfied.

From Roy Choi to the legend across the street, OG Chino! This dude is a mastermind. He too has a wicked approach to food and how it’s prepared. Luckily I got to speak with him and get to know a little about his background! He’s Korean but was raised in Columbia so the way he wanted his food was a fusion of both backgrounds. He’s a music producer as well so music and the arts is huge to him and the way he lives his life. Just like his style in music, his food is also creative and full of energy.
Props to the executive chef Chris Oh who is brings his technique and skill set to the table with dishes that are hard to match. He aims to stick with a fusion mix of both worlds bringing a modern twist into traditional Latin dishes. Him and OG Chino make a dynamite pair.
I got to try an arrangement of dishes with my sister yesterday for lunch and boy was it off the chain! We started with the highly popular Carne empanada and the K Panda empanada. The outer shell/​layer is like no other. It has a nice golden crispy texture without the messy crumbs/​flakes. Both empanadas are meaty and full of flavor.
Next is the loaded yucca fries which are thick wedge cut yucca fries that have an ‘airy’ bite. They topped the fries with fresh pico de gallo, Oaxaca cheese and marinade pulled pork. The next item is the street corn. This light appetizer is probably my top two because it’s juicy, freshly grilled, smothered with melted cotîja and crema. The ceviche was fresh to the max! the chunks of fresh white tilapia meat and shrimp were juicy and thick, the juices from the lime stood out along with the blends of Asian pear, roasted corn, avocado, and ají. At last we have the sliders. Both are baby sized fists with medium rare burger meat and buttery buns to compliment them. The meat has this latin spice to them which gave a nice traditional flavor to them.
Escala is a true gem to K-​town and there’s nothing like it around. The design of the place is unique with lots of musical influence behind it. The lamps are horns of an old school record player, a fountain in the middle of the restaurant, neon blue/​green lights on the walls, art pictures all over, etc. It definitely is a unique restaurant with an A+ food status. I’m forever grateful to have met a legend whose been doing it for these LA streets for the longest. I’ll always come back for more! Thanks OG Chino!

I’ve been sitting on this review because it hurts my heart to give it 3 stars. I walked in convinced I’d be giving it 5 stars. The place is just so cool! It has these wide open windows so you feel like you’re dining outdoors, each corner is uniquely decorated (graffiti artwork, colorful lights, a water fountain, and more!) There’s something to discover every where you look! Plus the story is really cool. The owner is Korean, lived in Columbia for a while, then moved to East LA and created this fusion of all his experiences. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much where the positives end.
Service (disappointing):
The place was almost empty, yet our waitress was very inattentive. We had to flag down another waiter to get our check and forget about ordering another drink. The owner was dining with a group of friends at a table behind us. We had a loooong dinner (over 2 hours) and not once did he get up to greet his patrons. Maybe this is just me, but I think business owners should be engaged with their business and their clients. Especially when it’s a new business! Good service goes a long long way in my book.
Food (disappointing):
Fritos Mac and Queso (³⁄₅ stars): Basically a creamy pasta (not mac and cheese) more like Alfredo but with less flavor and watery sauce. It’s topped with a few fritos (which then the dish was named after). We liked it well enough when we were starving and it was the first dish we tried, but after trying it again later in the night, we were reminded by its complete lack of flavor.
Chicken Tamales (²⁄₅ stars): Not sure where the fusion was here, which would have been fine if they were good tamales, but again, bland and flavorless.
Mushroom Arepa (¹⁄₅ stars): We each took one bite and left these behind. The portobello mushroom was overcooked and tasted so tough and leathery. The maize was too doughy and had a strange aftertaste. Overall, fail.
K-​Town Rice Con Pollo (⁵⁄₅ stars): The star of our meal! Here is where the Korean-​Colombian fusion really shone through and there was actual flavor to the dish! If you go here, definitely get this!
Drinks (awesome):
This is the area Escala excelled in! I got the passion fruit moscow mule and my friend got the La Muneca which also had passion fruit. Mine was light and refreshing and my friend’s was sweet. We both got what we were looking for and both were delicious!
Overall, would I go back? Probably not, but maybe maybe for brunch if I’m in the area. Give it one more try.
Would I recommend it? Yes but only for drinks! The ambiance is so fun and the drinks are awesome. Just eat somewhere else.

Excelente restaurante cada vez q voy a los Angeles no puedo dejar de ir, la atención es super hasta el propio dueño te trata como de la familia y la comida ni q decir es como ir al cielo, combinar comida colombiana con korenana fue la perfecta combinación. Adora la bandeja paisa y el arroz con pollo la picada es maravillosa si van artos. 100% recomendado. El. lugar es super acogedor, tienen q ir.

First of all I love Colombian and Korean food and the fact that it’s a little bit of both is just amazing.
I came with a group of friends on Sunday evening for dinner. I called in to make reservations just in case they would be busy but when we arrived wait wasn’t bad at all.
Food that we ordered were chicken tamales so bomb, arepas also bomb, street corn also bomb, k-​town fried rice more bombness. Geez everything is really good. The type of food is tapas style but if you’re looking for the big dishes make sure you get the last plates from the menu because those are much bigger.
You can try to find street parking but if no luck you can get valet on the backside for $ 3.
Enjoy!!!

This is another great place I’ve visited b/​c of MUNCHIES. I’m in LOVE with Escala’s atmosphere. Very chill, hip, & trendy. I love how you can easily view the streets of LA with the giant open «walls» (if this makes any sense!). The dim lighting at night gives it a cozy touch. While, the fountain adds a fancy look to the place. Some nights, there’s a live DJ too! Did I mention there’s a bar? :)
I got the macaroni & cheese, pork empanadas, and beef ribs. Each dish was RICH in flavor, beautifully plated, and delicious! Kudos to the chef. I will definitely come back to try their entire menu haha… and to eat the mac & cheese AGAIN. SO GOOD!
Service was okay. Our server looked like he hated his job lol. It was a slow night, so he didn’t pay much attention to us near the end (we had to flag him down a bit). Oh wells… I’d still come back! Brunch anyone?

We met up with some friends on a Sunday afternoon. It is a super busy little plaza in Koreatown. We were quickly greeted and asked for drinks. We ordered drinks and appetizers. They had happy hour happening on a weekend! Burger slider, chicken tamal, and corn (3 per order) were all $ 3 each. They were all good. The waiter did forget a few of our drinks but it wasnt a big deal.
I also ordered an arepa de puerco, it was delicious. A couple of my friends ordered the «picada». It had all sorts of items on a long wooded plate. It included platanos, chicharron, sausage, chicken wings, potatoes, a whole lot of yummy items.
Also, this spot is a funky fusion between Colombian amd Korean food. The décor is all over the place with some hip hop type art and music going on. They also serve all kinds beer/​drinks with a full bar. Take a look at my pics!

We had dinner at Quarters kbbq and wanted to go somewhere to relax, have drinks, and talk. My aunt heard about Escala same owners as Seoul Sausage Company and a Columbian/​Korean fusion place) so we decided to give it a try.
We got here around 7:30 pm and there were plenty of seating (though when we left, tables were getting a bit scarce). The décor makes you feel like you are in a restaurant in Columbia, there is even a water fountain in the middle.
We got a few drinks and a ceviche. The ceviche was ok. It was more creamier and less acidic than what I am used to but very fresh, nonetheless.
There are 2 tv’s so it seems like a good place to come to watch sporting events. I will be back to give the other menu items a try.

Muy mala la comida, los frijoles son de lata, la carne demasiado quemada y el café apesta. No hay nada de Colombia.