Más Malo, the sequel to the Silver Lake restaurant, Malo, opened downtown in January. It's available for buyout, with room for 70 on the mezzanine, 120 in the main dining room, and 100 in a downstairs cantina. Set in a historic former jewelry store from 1923, Más Malo’s modern interior design updates the building’s original 1920s look.
Owners Mitchell Frank and Jeff Ellermeyer felt downtown was the right location for the next version of Malo. “We wanted to bring Malo to another area of Los Angeles and offer the same bad-ass food and hip vibe that Malo is known for," Frank said in a release. Ellermeyer added, “We are very populist, as is downtown L.A.; and with Más Malo’s layout and four rooms, we can accommodate all varieties of parties and people.”
Chef Robert Luna’s take on East L.A.-style Chicano food is based on locally sourced ingredients, and Más Malo offers a range of classic and uncommon dishes, hand-crafted cocktails, and an extensive tequila and mezcal collection. Dishes include a variety of of hard- and soft-shell tacos with house-made corn tortillas, with varieties including ground beef and pickle, potato and cheddar, and shrimp and bacon. Más Malo serves organic rice and beans, as well as organic meats when possible. There are more than 300 tequilas and 20 mezcals, and signature cocktails include a spicy cucumber margarita.
Más Malo’s design tries to evoke Mexico City-meets-downtown-L.A., and there are four distinct areas within the space: the large main dining room at street level, with the original domed ceiling and marble floors; a spacious mezzanine and lounge with views of the main dining room; a private tequila tasting room in the jewelry store’s original back vault; and a downstairs cantina with a full bar, hanging wicker chairs, and plush couches.
