16 Best Spots For Mashed Potatoes In Los Angeles

Los Angeles is known for having some of the best tacos, burritos, and sushi in the nation, but did you know you can find some mouthwateringly delicious mashed potatoes in LA too? From upscale steakhouses to the best local spots for soul food, LA has some great mashed potato servings to offer its diners, whether made traditionally, with gravy, with lobster, or the unique French-style potato mousseline. 

Potatoes were first mashed by the Incas, for whom they were a food staple. However, after being imported to Europe and banned by the French, who considered potatoes inedible animal feed, they evolved closer to the mashed potatoes we eat today via the cooking of Hannah Glasse, a colonial-era Julia Child. She published a recipe for mashed potatoes in her book, "The Art of Cookery," that added the milk, cream, and butter usually mixed in with the dish today.

Even though this dish is classically served as a side for steaks, pescatarians and vegans can discover great menus in LA that cater to their dietary preferences and still serve an outstanding mashed potato dish.

One of the stars on the Granville menu is the Yukon Russet mashed potatoes, made with a combination (as the name implies) of the classic Yukon Gold and Russet potato varieties. Russet potatoes usually result in a lighter mash, thanks to their high starch content, while mashing Yukon Golds creates a creamy, rich potato dish. Granville prides itself on serving quality, humanely sourced, organic, gourmet food in a warm, stylish environment, making it a great choice for a casual night out.

The combination of both varieties in Granville's mashed potatoes produces a texture and flavor that lands somewhere in between the two strengths, giving it a unique style that you won't easily find elsewhere. There's likely a Granville in your neighborhood, as the restaurant has five locations in the Los Angeles area. Granville locations tend to become a very social hangout spot, and the generous portions for each main and side dish almost mandate sharing, so the bigger the group you go with, the better.

Slightly different from the classic U.S. mashed potatoes we know and love, Bicyclette's French potato mousseline is a much richer, creamier, indulgent concoction. This is due to chefs pushing the potatoes through a ricer, which makes the resulting mix much smoother than the fluffy, chunky mashed potatoes that result from using a spoon or masher. Cooks will then add butter, cream, milk, and a little cheese to pump up the taste of the dish.

A sister spot to famous LA hotspot Republique, Bicyclette merges California ingredients with Parisian culture to create a unique bistro menu and atmosphere. Named one of LA's 101 best restaurants by no less than the LA Times itself, Bicyclette also serves French classics like bouillabaisse, escargots, duck leg confit, and the French-style potato mousseline.

The restaurant uses butter from California's Straus Family Creamery to keep the dish locally sourced and authentic to the area. Order it as a side to one of the many mouthwatering main courses, and make sure to pick something from the bistro's carefully curated cheese and wine selection as well. You can also head upstairs to Manzke, owned by the same chefs, to try an exquisite tasting menu.

A restaurant with a focus on Argentinian steaks and meats needs some great, classic sides. Lala's Argentine Grill serves an exemplary mashed potato dish. In fact, the menu offers three options for this dish: classic mashed potatoes, Lala's mashed potatoes, and champignon mashed potatoes. 

The Lala's potato dish mixes pureed carrots with mashed potatoes to create a mish-mash (no pun intended) of vegetable sides with its own unique flavor. If you want something a little more gourmet and indulgent in your dish, pick the champignon mashed potatoes, which come covered in an earthy-flavored mushroom sauce. For a main dish, order the Costilla steak or the Lomo, one of the most popular and traditional cuts of lean meat in Argentina. 

Vegetarians and pescatarians who want to drop by and try the mashed potato dish out need not worry about the meat-centric menu. The kitchen offers plenty of vegetarian and seafood options, including a tasty Beyond Burger and grilled mahi. Lala's has locations in Downtown LA, Studio City, and Melrose, the latter scheduled to re-open in late 2023.

The organic mashed potatoes served at Urban Plates are some of the most scrumptious potatoes in town. Customers have the choice to order them with or without gravy, and diners with gluten intolerance can rejoice, as the mashed potatoes here are advertised as gluten-free. The cooks at Urban Plate make the mashed potatoes using organic potatoes, milk, cream butter, and a dash of salt and pepper as seasoning. After all, mashed potatoes are usually best when not overwhelmed with unnecessary ingredients or complex seasoning. 

Urban Plates is generally a great budget-friendly and family-friendly dining choice in the LA area, as it serves a variety of healthy food for a wide range of dietary preferences at pretty affordable prices. The chain's website advertises that it offers 13 meals under $13. Along with a simple, healthy, yet delicious kids' menu, Urban Plates also serves several family meals and sides, like chimichurri grass-fed steaks, chicken tenders, and grilled salmon, as well as the aforementioned mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts. With over a dozen locations in the LA area, this makes Urban Plates a great choice for a fun meal out, ordering in, or serving a crowd on game night.

Mashed potatoes as a concept can be versatile; they may be warm comfort food or done in a way to accompany a fine, upscale meal. If you're seeking the latter in place of traditional mashed potatoes, opt for a potato puree as a side at Foxhall Steakhouse. Creamier and smoother than a regular mashed potato dish, much like the potato mousseline, a potato puree is usually pressed through a potato ricer or food processor. Diners who prefer a rich, luxurious potato dish to accompany their premium steak cut will love this menu option.

Though it is a recent addition to the LA dining scene, opened in April of 2023, Foxhall bucks the trend of ultra-modern and luxurious steakhouses in the Beverly Hills area by opting for a vintage, warm, sophisticated feel instead. The owners' philosophy regarding food reflects their philosophy on decor, focusing on simplicity and quality over showiness. The menu aims to showcase as many locally sourced ingredients as possible, as well as USDA Prime beef.

One of the most famous mashed potato dishes in the entire city is undoubtedly the fully loaded crispy mashed potatoes served at JOEY in Downtown Los Angeles. You don't even have to go out of your way to order it, as it comes with most of the major steak dishes on the menu, including the New York Strip, bone-in Prime Ribeye, and JOEY classic steak. What elevates this mashed potato dish is that the mix comes in a type of roll reminiscent of a spring roll. The chefs melt sprinkles of cheese over the rolls, and add bacon bits and cream, creating a uniquely indulgent mashed potato experience for diners.

Besides the mashed potatoes themselves, most diners love the creative dishes served at JOEY as well as the delicious cocktails the expert bartenders mix here. The very friendly staff and service don't hurt either. JOEY features a huge outdoor patio (the largest in the downtown area, according to the website), making it the perfect place to enjoy a meal with friends on a warm Southern California evening.

As you enter Silver Lake on Fountain Avenue, you will come across one of the neighborhood's favorite eateries — The Kitchen. This restaurant has prided itself on becoming a real part of the community since its opening in 2000, with employees that have made their jobs here a beloved career, working at the restaurant almost since its inception. The culinary team at The Kitchen focuses on creating its entire menu from scratch, with all the dressings, sauces, and stocks made in-house. 

While there is a year-round menu, the chefs also like to make some fresh, seasonal specialties once in a while. However, one item that stays consistent is the garlic mashed potato side dish. Not only can customers order it separately as a side, but it's offered as an option on every sandwich order available. Otherwise, you can enjoy it when it comes with Belgian beef stew, buttermilk fried chicken, pan-seared chicken, and meatloaf. 

The decor of The Kitchen reflects the cuisine – warm, straightforward, and inviting. Pull up a chair and indulge in this homemade comfort food with the freshest ingredients around.

If you're looking for big portions and tasty take-home comfort food, look no further than Dinah's Family Restaurant.  This Glendale spot specializes in chicken, shrimp, waffles, mac and cheese, and of course, mashed potatoes, both in individual and family portions. Within those two different choices, you can also tailor the size of your order, ranging from junior boxes to regular boxes to jumbo boxes.

Almost every order comes with at least one side, and a roll with honey, and the mashed potatoes and gravy is one of the more popular ones. Since Dinah's has become popular as a take-out spot for family gatherings, parties, game nights, and other get-togethers, you can order this side dish in individual portions, pint, quart, or even gallon-sized. If you get the individual and half-pint sizes, the gravy does actually come ladled on top of the potatoes, but it has to be ordered separately for the rest of the mashed potato sizes.