Los Angeles’s restaurants continue to face difficult headwinds, starting in 2020 with the onset of a global pandemic and exacerbating with the Hollywood labor strikes in 2023, which led to an industry-wide slowdown that’s continued into 2026. From the lingering effects of the Hollywood strikes to rising costs (labor, rent, ingredients, etc.), many factors continue to strain restaurant owners operating on razor-thin margins. Los Angeles restaurants also continue to struggle with the impact of the 2025 fires, including slow business and devastating property loss, as well as the ongoing effects of ICE enforcement. Here are notable restaurant closures for the beginning of 2026. For more closure news, read our past closure coverage.
Katsu Sando San Gabriel — Japanese sandwich destination Katsu Sando will shutter its San Gabriel location on March 1. The Chinatown location remains open with its honey walnut shrimp katsu, egg salad sando, and a menchi katsu burger.
KnowRealityPie — Eagle Rock pie shop KnowRealityPie permanently closed in mid-February. Founded by Tracy Ann DeVore and Kelly Deco in 2014, the pie shop went on to win KCRW’s Pie Contest 11 times, and gained a cult-following for flavors like banana rum dulce de leche and salted caramel mango guava rum.
MidEast Tacos — Mini Kabob chef Armen Martirosyan’s MidEast Tacos temporarily closed its Silver Lake and Glendale takeout-only location. Mini Kabob remains open in Glendale and at Thousand Oaks’ multi-restaurant concept, Neighborly.