Father's Office

The second Father's Office is undeniably pleasant, a gastronomically inclined bar fitted into the eastern flank of the old Helms Bakery building, crowded with people who know the difference between a lager and a double IPA, flat screens discreetly flashing football scores in the corners, and long, lacquered-wood picnic tables stretching into the distance on the heated, vaguely nautical patio outside. You could spend a long Friday afternoon here, snacking on Spanish cheeses, glistening Spanish anchovies cured on the premises and dusted with lemon zest, and cumin-crusted skewers of lamb, which collapse in your mouth like a sigh. Chef-owner Sang Yoon is more or less the Los Angeles equivalent of David Chang, whose Ko in New York City sells out each day's seating in less time than it takes to crack an egg, and Yoon could probably get away with serving his goat-cheese gratinée in telephone booths if he felt like it. As at the Santa Monica original, no reservations are taken, even if you happen to be Barack Obama or Paul Bocuse; no minors are allowed, and when you get to the restaurant, you may well spend the better part of an hour waiting outside on line. Creator of the most-imitated Los Angeles dish since Nancy Silverton reinvented an obscure Piedmontese dessert called panna cotta, Yoon is the baron of the new-style cheeseburger: dry-aged beef cooked exceptionally rare, dressed with onions cooked down to the sweetness of maple syrup, Gruyère and Maytag blue cheeses, smoky bacon, arugula and a tomato compote, all on a French roll. Is it worth the battle for a seat? The more Unibroue you drink, the easier the combat becomes. See full review.

• Cuisine(s): American, Bistro, California, Contemporary

  Hours: Sun 12pm-0am, Mon-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 12pm-2am

  Price: $$

• Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa, American Express

  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining

  Serving: Dinner, Late Night, Lunch

• Alcohol: Beer/Wine

  Reservations: Not Accepted

  Parking: Lot Available, Street