Fairfax, Los Angeles · restaurant
The deli and the bar in back operate like two different institutions sharing the same address. Out front, Canter’s runs 24 hours without blinking. Pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, potato pancakes, black-and-white cookies, and fresh rugelach pulled from the bakery case at every hour of the day or night. The magic is consistency: the 2am order lands with the same confidence as the noon one. Behind it all, the Kibitz Room feels like a separate world entirely, a low-lit back bar with live music that skews local, loud, and pleasantly weird.
Golden latke-style pancakes, served with apple sauce or sour cream.
Rich chicken broth with a fluffy handmade matzo ball, served as a full bowl.
Grilled pastrami, Swiss, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on grilled rye. Served with a pickle.