How Baseball Player Kyle Tucker Spends an Off Day in Los Angeles

Los Angeles “is a city of layers,” says Kyle Tucker, a professional baseball right fielder for the L.A. Dodgers. A Tampa, Florida native, Tucker landed in the City of Angels and has enjoyed getting to know his new hometown by eating and shopping his way across the city—especially around Dodger Stadium.

“L.A. is complex in the best way,” he says. “Every neighborhood has a different feel. The food is great, and the sunshine is hard to beat.” Check out Tucker’s recommendations for how to spend an Off Day in Los Angeles, from tasting some of the city’s best Mexican food to watching a game at his new home stadium.

Where to Eat

You’ll find a burger that reminds you of home (no matter where you’re from) at Amboy Quality Meats; get yours topped with the secret house sauce.

When Tucker is dining out on an Off Day, he looks for simple but flavorful meals that are easy to enjoy on the go, like burgers, quesadillas and churros.

Amboy Quality Meats
Opens overlayChinatown

“No matter where you’re from, a cheeseburger always feels like home,” says Tucker. When he’s in L.A., he heads to this Filipino American restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Sauces can make or break a burger, and Tucker says the team at Amboy are sauce experts, offering options like truffle and garlic aiolis and a secret tangy house sauce.

El Compadre
Opens overlayEcho Park

In a city that offers some of the country’s best Mexican food, it can be difficult to pick a frontrunner. But El Compadre is a local favorite that’s been around since 1975, so you can count on its menu of quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos and literal flaming margaritas, “You get why it’s one of those places people keep coming back to,” says Tucker.

Philippe The Original
Opens overlayChinatown

Grab a French dip sandwich ahead of your next Dodgers game at Philippe’s.

This 118-year-old institution also claims to be the birthplace of the French dip sandwich, which is exactly what Tucker recommends ordering when you visit. “[That’s] the move: carved to order and double-dipped if you want it simple, messy and exactly how it should be.”

Ototo
Opens overlayEcho Park

You’ll find this tiny sake bar tucked next door to its sister restaurant, Tsubaki. Once inside, you can peruse a tightly curated menu of yakisoba, sashimi, karaage and other seasonal favorites. The restaurant also has an extensive sake list, earning it a top spot on Tucker’s list of places to kick off (or extend) a night out. “You think you’re just stopping in for a quick bite,” Tucker says, “but it turns into more. That’s the kind of place it is.”

Churro Truck
Echo Park

Finding a churro truck is at the top of Tucker’s to-do list when he’s out and about in L.A.

After moving to L.A., Tucker learned about an Angeleno rite of passage: getting a churro from a food truck on the street. “You walk up, order,” he says, “and a minute later they’re in your hand, hot sugar still falling off, crisp on the outside, [and] soft in the middle.” You’ll find churro trucks all over the city, but if you’re looking to catch one ahead of your next Dodgers game, head to Echo Park.

What to Do

You’ll find plenty of Tucker’s favorite places to eat and activities in L.A.’s vibrant Chinatown.

When he has free time, Tucker enjoys getting to know L.A. while shopping, going to concerts and, of course, visiting Dodger Stadium.

Dodger Stadium
Elysian Park

One of Tucker’s biggest Off Day recommendations for locals and visitors is watching a game at Dodger Stadium. “It’s all about the game,” he says. “You understand pretty quickly it’s not just another field.”

Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Hills

“I kept hearing about this spot as soon as I got to L.A.,” says Tucker. But seeing artists in concert at the Hollywood Bowl is just part of the outdoor venues' appeal. “It’s not really about a view,” he says about the surrounding canyon. “It’s the atmosphere.”

Bodega
Downtown Los Angeles

When he’s looking to shop, Tucker heads to Bodega in Downtown L.A. for a unique experience that’s part retail, part art gallery.

Tucker heads straight to Bodega, a designer boutique offering both big- and small-name brands, in Downtown L.A., when he’s looking to add new, unexpected pieces to his wardrobe. “The mix is tight,” he says. “Streetwear, sneakers, design pieces, brands you know next to ones you don’t yet.”

Stein Diamonds
Downtown Los Angeles

Thanks to expert, personalized service, you’ll find it easy to navigate the showroom at this family-owned jeweler. “It’s less about trends and more about understanding what lasts,” says Tucker. “You’re not just browsing, you’re learning a little as you go, talking through pieces and figuring out what actually fits.”

KITH
West Hollywood

For streetwear, sneakers and other accessories, Tucker enjoys shopping at KITH.

“KITH is always a favorite of mine whenever I get a chance to stop by,” Tucker says of the popular streetwear store. When he visits, he likes to peruse the curated mix of sneakers, hoodies and accessories always rotating through the shop.

Where to Stay

The colorful design and unique rooms at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel are some of Tucker’s favorite property features.

You’ll find plenty of hotels across the city’s more than 100 neighborhoods, but Tucker’s two favorites are in Downtown L.A., offering easy access to Dodger Stadium and the city’s most popular sights. Both properties place you above the city, overlooking its skyline, with rooftop pools and restaurants.

Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel
Downtown Los Angeles

The Proper Hotel might be in the center of Downtown Los Angeles, but its colorful, global-inspired design immediately transports its guests into an entirely new world. “The building’s got history,” Tucker says of the restored 1920s Renaissance Revival building. “But the way it’s put together now feels new, warmer, more lived in. It’s easy to spend time there.”

The hotel’s rooms feature textured linens, dark marble tables, rattan sconces, and Moroccan-inspired bathrooms lined with hundreds of hand-glazed tiles. Two suites feature unexpected elements from the building’s past: in one, a restored basketball court, and in the other, an indoor pool. “The food is as world-class as the rooms,” Tucker adds. This includes Cabrillo, which serves breakfast during the day and cocktails and wine at night; Cara Cara, a rooftop bar serving California-inspired fare like fish tacos and pistachio-crusted salmon; and Dahlia, a tea room and lounge.

InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown
Downtown Los Angeles

You’ll find the InterContinental’s Los Angeles outpost tucked in the Wilshire Grand Center, the tallest building on the West Coast. “It’s a different way to experience L.A.: not moving through it, but looking out over it,” Tucker says of the property. Inside, rooms span 35 floors and feature simple, sleek design, spa-inspired bathrooms and L.A. skyline views. Grab a table at La Boucherie, the hotel’s steakhouse, which boasts a menu of wagyu, prime short rib, ribeye and more, and Spire 73, the tallest open-air bar in the Western Hemisphere. The bar is perfect for sunset-spotting while enjoying burgers, elote and tableside s'mores service.