{"id":201368,"date":"2026-03-03T00:59:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T00:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/201368\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T00:59:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T00:59:11","slug":"the-bob-baker-puppeteer-guide-to-eating-in-los-angeles-l-a-taco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/201368\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bob Baker Puppeteer Guide to Eating In Los Angeles ~ L.A. TACO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been an L.A. institution since 1963, when it first opened inside a scrappy scenic shop near Downtown. It\u2019s the kind of place that feels stitched into the city\u2019s creative underbelly. In 2009, it was officially designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, cementing what locals already knew: this wasn\u2019t just a theater, it was part of the fabric.<\/p>\n

Bob Baker passed away in 2014 at 90, but his spirit still floats through the rafters of its theater, which has since relocated to Highland Park, where a glowing neon marquee\u2013white, red, yellow, and blue\u2013beams like something out of a timeless storybook.<\/p>\n

Push open the doors, and you\u2019re met with a kaleidoscope of color: velvet curtains, hand-painted sets, and hundreds of lovingly crafted marionettes. It\u2019s retro without being ironic. It\u2019s earnest. Joyful.<\/p>\n

I met the staff in the theater\u2019s ice cream parlor to talk about their favorite puppets and, of course, their go-to L.A. restaurants. One by one, they told me about the East L.A. mom-and-pop spots their parents took them to, the cash-only spots they hit before a Saturday matinee, and the neighborhood bakeries that taste like home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pull almost anyone who grew up in Los Angeles aside, and they\u2019ll have a Bob Baker story from a kindergarten field trip, sitting cross-legged up front, craning necks toward the stage lights. The hush before the curtain rises. Now those same kids bring their own children. Few places manage that kind of generational magic. Fewer still survive long enough to become ritual.<\/p>\n

The current show, \u201cHooray L.A.,\u201d is a love letter to the city,\u00a0 equal parts whimsical and winking. Fish swim through a glittering L.A. River. Cars stack into traffic jams. Landmarks shimmer and sway. It captures the strange poetry of this place: chaotic, tender, sun-soaked, and stubbornly imaginative.<\/p>\n

Bob Baker Marionette Theater loves Los Angeles. And Los Angeles, in return, keeps showing up for Bob Baker Marionette Theater.<\/p>\n

As its website puts it: \u201cWe look forward to another 60 years (at least!) of puppetry joy in L.A. and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

May the strings never tangle.<\/p>\n

\"aProject Manager Adrian and the Bob Baker Marimba Player puppet. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.ADRIAN, PROJECT MANAGER<\/p>\n

Adrian loves the Marimba Player puppet, \u201cidentified by his career, like so many of us,\u201d they joke.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I’m gonna rep the LBC. My favorite restaurant is this Peruvian place called Ajii<\/a>,” Adrian says. “It’s incredible. I am a big fan of their ceviche, specifically their classic one; they are all flavorful and unique. I’m Peruvian, and I’m pretty picky, I’d say, with my places. Their lomito saltado is always my litmus test for whether a place is good, and theirs is really perfect. They have the Peruvian beer there, not a lot of places carry that. So it’s just an excellent experience all around. The owner is such a sweetheart. She has been our server a lot of the time, too. They’re just like a really incredible business.\u201d<\/p>\n

2308 E. 7th St. Long Beach, CA 90804<\/p>\n

\"aPuppeteer Dahlia and Wiggles the Fish, a puppet at Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.DAHLIA, PUPPETEER<\/p>\n

Dahlia lights up while talking about Wiggles the Fish, a newer puppet, sparkly, sweet, and a little bit magical.<\/p>\n

Her L.A. comfort food? Porto\u2019s<\/a>. Porto’s has been a Los Angeles staple since 1976, when the owner, Rosa, opened her first official storefront, Porto\u2019s Bakery, on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, which closed a few years later in 1982 due to having such high demand, which is what made them expand to their Glendale location.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever I pick up my mom from the airport, we stop at the one in Burbank. Spicy torta milanesa, potato balls to go, guava cheese, always,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

During the pandemic, stuck in Texas, her family shipped take-and-bake Porto\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really was a little taste of L.A. in Texas,\u201d Dahlia recalls.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3614 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505<\/p>\n

\"aBirdie, who works front of house at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, alongside the birthday cake puppet. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.BIRDIE, FRONT OF HOUSE<\/p>\n

Birdie\u2019s favorite puppet is the glittering birthday cake\u2014\u201ca princess, glam, celebratory.\u201d One of the most notable puppets that comes out at the end of a show to wish guests a happy birthday, give them a gift, and take a photo.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Their go-to meal matches the drama: crispy zaab chicken with garlic rice and a big broth from Heng Heng Chicken Rice<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m convinced it\u2019s medicinal at this point,\u201d Birdie laughs. \u201cBecause of this broth, I\u2019m going to live to be 110.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

4354 Fountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029<\/p>\n

\"aBenny, a front of house worker at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, with the “Teddy Bear Riding on Car Number Four.” Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.BENNY, FRONT OF HOUSE<\/p>\n

Benny\u2019s favorite puppet is the Teddy Bear Riding on Car Number 4.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s his God-given name,\u201d he jokes.<\/p>\n

At Quarter Sheets<\/a>, Benny doesn\u2019t hesitate to name a favorite.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPrincess cake,\u201d he says. \u201c But honestly, anything Hannah [Ziskin] makes. And if I\u2019m there . . . I\u2019m getting a whole pie. The Sicilian corner is one of my all-time favorites.\u201d \u200b\u200b<\/p>\n

Quarter Sheets opened their official spot in Echo Park in January 2022, though before that, real ones knew it as a little pop-up out of their house in Glendale, which then started the Detroit (ish) style pizza revolution in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

1305 Portia St. Los Angeles, CA 90026<\/p>\n

\"aDaisy, a Bob Baker Marionette Theater puppeteer, and Happy Birthday Dog. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.DAISY, PRODUCTION MANAGER & PUPPETEER<\/p>\n

Daisy\u2019s favorite puppet is Happy Birthday Dog, a celebratory, loyal, always-ready-for-a-party dog. Her restaurant pick carries that same sense of occasion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLa Parrilla<\/a> in East Los Angeles,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve been going there my whole life. Family dinners, grown-up dates, it\u2019s just the best.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

La Parrilla offers a vibrant, celebratory Mexican dining experience that captivates both locals and visitors alike and has been serving the Boyle Heights community for almost 50 years.<\/p>\n

2126 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90033<\/p>\n

\"aJoie, the volunteer coordinator at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, posing with the P-22 puppet. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.JOIE, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR<\/p>\n

Joie\u2019s favorite puppet is the late P-22, L.A.\u2019s beloved mountain lion who resided in Griffith Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI even have the P-22 library card,\u201d she says, confirming that the love of P-22 doesn\u2019t just stop with the puppet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Little Izakaya<\/a>, \u201cthe sauces can\u2019t be beat,\u201d she says. \u201cI get a lot of things. But right now? The seabream.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Little Izakaya and its sister restaurants have been a valley staple since they swung the doors of their first restaurant, Sushi Katsu-ya, in 1997. Little Izakaya is the laid-back, chill little sibling of the group, where you can still have the upscale experience without having to get all dressed up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

4517 Sepulveda Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403<\/p>\n

\"aRay, a front of house worker at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, and the black cat puppet. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.RAY, FRONT OF HOUSE<\/p>\n

Ray loves the black cat puppet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a glamor girl. She\u2019s a doll\u2014and doll representation is important,\u201d Ray says. \u201cAs a Cubana from Miami, Caf\u00e9 Tropical <\/a>tastes like home. Breakfast burrito with all the additions, guava cheese to go, cold brew in hand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a community staple,\u201d Ray says, noting its AA meetings and partnerships with Feed the Streets. In L.A., restaurants double as lifelines.<\/p>\n

2900 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026<\/p>\n

\"aBrisa, a puppeteer at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, and Huunot the Bear. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.BRISA, PUPPETEER<\/p>\n

Brisa Sisk loves Huunot the Bear, who represents the L.A. River and honors Tongva culture.<\/p>\n

At Delia\u2019s<\/a>, she orders sopes piled high with carne asada and \u201ceverything on top.\u201d The masa base soaks up salsa until it\u2019s almost custardy at the center. It\u2019s affordable, family-run, and steps away from the theater\u2019s Highland Park home.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fresh,\u201d Brisa says. \u201cAnd it feels like community.\u201d<\/p>\n

5530 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042<\/p>\n

\"aJen, a puppeteer and graphic designer at Bob Baker Marionette Theater, controls the money cats. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.JEN, PUPPETEER AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER<\/p>\n

Jen\u2019s favorite puppets are the lucky money cats, who wear top hats, carry canes, and wear vests.<\/p>\n

Her Los Angeles staple is O Banh Mi<\/a> for shredded lemongrass chicken on bread that\u2019s \u201csoft and fresh and crispy.\u201d The menu highlights Vietnamese cuisine with sandwiches, curries, and salads. Each sandwich features fresh vegetables, pickled toppings, and other flavorful fillings. \u201cThis spot has real mom-and-pop energy, it\u2019s the kind of place you almost don\u2019t want to tell people about because you want to keep it all to yourself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

3119 Hyperion Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027<\/p>\n

\"aSophie, a Bob Baker Marionette Theater puppeteer, holding Emery the Onion. Photo by Lauren Bethke for L.A. TACO.SOPHIE, PUPPETEER<\/p>\n

Sophie\u2019s favorite puppet is Emery the Onion, one of the oldest in the collection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can really see Bob Baker\u2019s original vision in him,\u201d Sophie says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her mornings begin at Valerie<\/a>. A coffee shop that has been in Echo Park since 2013 and is known for its pastries and unique market offerings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHuge shoutout to Jerry,\u201d Sophie says. \u201cThat\u2019s who I want my coffee from, always.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy close second is Quarter Sheets, though,\u201d she says. For appetizers and dessert. People know the pizza is great but I think they sleep on the apps.\u201d<\/p>\n

1665 Echo Park Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been an L.A. institution since 1963, when it first opened inside a scrappy…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":201369,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[48,52,51,47,50,49],"class_list":{"0":"post-201368","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-la","9":"tag-la-headlines","10":"tag-la-news","11":"tag-los-angeles","12":"tag-los-angeles-headlines","13":"tag-los-angeles-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201368\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=201368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=201368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}