Hamlet's Kitchen

The inspiration

Hamlet's Kitchen is a charcoal-grill operation at the far back of a crowded strip mall off Glendale Avenue, where everything is cooked over real wood coals¹ . Since the late 1990s it has run as a no-frills, family-run Armenian grill, with the meat itself doing all the talking¹ .

Who's behind it

Press coverage also notes that David Chang has praised the place¹ .

What to order

• Beef lula kebab: ground lean beef with just enough spice to wake up the palate without hiding the meat .¹
• Baby pork boneless: juicy chunks of pork collar with chewy burnt ends and a soft, fatty interior, wrapped in lavash .²
• Pork ribs: crispy at the edges, with the fat rendered by the direct heat of the charcoal .^2,1
• Combination lula plate: beef and chicken kebabs with rice, tomato, pepper and lavash, a good first visit order .

What people are saying

Eater calls the charcoal-grilled kebabs excellent, among the best in town³ , and The Infatuation calls Hamlet's a strong contender for the best Armenian grilled meats in Glendale² . Diners keep coming back to the smoke itself, describing the meat as juicy and salty with a deep char you can't fake¹ . The portions come up often too, with plates big enough to share and leftovers the next day¹ .

Why you should try it

If you're staying nearby, this is the kind of neighborhood spot worth seeking out: a walk-up window, plastic chairs under trees, and meat grilled to order over coals^2,1 .