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Gutter Cafe in Highland Park

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anyone been here? how is it for coffee shop food? any comments appreciated. also, does anyone know its hours or have a telephone number or exact hours for it? it's supposedly inside a bowling alley. thanks.

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  1. it's actually in a converted bowling alley. the lanes have been taken over for stage and seating. the place is called Mr. T Bowl and hosts punk shows on the weekends and possibly during the weeknights. there's also a bar inside, which caters mostly to retired neighborhood regulars. it is, to say the least, a strange and interesting mix of people.

    the cafe serves good food. it's definitely worth a visit. mostly sandwiches and soup. there's always dessert, but i've found this hit or miss (the bread pudding is a hit). the fries are somewhere between chips and fries and are full of garlic. get the fries. everything is made from scratch, and made to order.

    i'm guessing on the hours here, but it's something like

    lunch noon-2pm daily
    dinner 6-midnight daily

    go for the atmosphere, go for the fries. go for a good sandwich.

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    1. I went for breakfast last Sunday, so it's open for breakfast at least on weekends. Very fun, interesting place with good food -- I had spicy turkey chili ladled over a mountain of hash browns and scrambled eggs. My friend had humungous pancakes that spilled over the edge of the plate -- a little chewy for my tastes but good. The two sisters who run the place are nice and chatty.

      I'll tell ya, though, it's a bit scary eating breakfast separated only by a screen from a bunch of 50 years olds who look 80 hoisting drinks down at 9 in the morning. Yikes! Certainly an experience, though.

      It's right on Figueroa just south of Avenue 57. Just enter Mr T's Bowl, even though it looks like you're going into an abandoned buidling. You're in the right place!