TJ and I were ten minutes into our walk to The Black Sheep in Downtown LA and we were lost. Not just a little lost, more like we don’t have a Thomas Guide in 1994 lost. I thought I had GPS’d my way into this gastropub, but clearly I didn’t do a good enough job. With hunger pressing deep, TJ asked a local for directions. Turns out, we were right next to the space and couldn’t see it since it was below street level. That was the unique aspect about The Black Sheep, it’s not as visible from all angles since it sits slightly out of sight. I was already intrigued.

Once we got inside, TJ and I grabbed a seat in their large booths and soaked up the dim lighting. The place is small and comfortable, dark and dimly light. The shadowy atmosphere makes it feel like you’re away from the busyness and fast pace of the city surrounding it.

After building up an appetite searching for the pub, TJ and I got straight to ordering. I got the Black Sheep Burger ($8) with the Carne Asada Tots ($7). TJ, on the other hand, went the easy route and got the Bratwurst ($4) and Garlic Parmesan Fries ($4).

I really didn’t dive into these because they were more on the simpler side of the menu and I was hungry for something a bit different. TJ’s brat was served on a French baguette with grilled onions, bell peppers, and mayonnaise. The fries were covered with oozing Parmesan cheese and sprinkled with garlic and parsley. Sounds good right? From the look on his face, each bite of the brat and grab of the fries asserted that it was in fact good. Now it was my turn.

My burger, named after the bar, topped a burger patty with arugula, gouda cheese, bacon, onions and smeared with garlic aioli. From first look, the burger was stacked and thick! Biting into it, the medium rare beef oozed with juices that were quickly picked up by the cheese and complimented by the bacon. The only disadvantage was the burger was saltier than I would have expected. I can only hope that this was the case with my burger and not normal seasoning with every plate that comes out of the kitchen.

In between burger bites I dove into the carne asada tots. My tots were actually a recommendation and although I had little expectation for them, I still wanted to give them an honest try. I don’t think much of tater tots because they remind me of cafeteria food. Something the lunch lady put on your plastic tray before handing you a boxed juiced. However, the tots at The Black Sheep were nothing like that! They were topped with carne asada, onions, tomato slices, and sour cream. In fact, there was so much of it all that the tots could easily pass for a meal and not a side. They were full of flavor and looked incredibly messy that they turned out to be unexpected and delicious surprise. I absolutely loved them!

It may have taken a while for us to get into The Black Sheep, but once we found it, the search became well worth it. The environment and (some) of the food was something we needed after such a hunt. Even better, it was something that we are looking forward to do again. And now that we know exactly where it is, there won’t be any delay involved.

Follow Them.
Address: 126 E 6th St Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: (213) 689-5022
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday – 6:00pm to 12:00am, Friday and Saturday – 6:00pm to 1:00pm, Sunday – 6:00pm to 12:00am, and Closed Mondays
Social: Instagram