The Weekend-Only Street Food Market In Chinatown Los Angeles With Live Music That Only Locals Know About

In a city like Los Angeles, where at any given time a seemingly overwhelming number of events are going on, it can be hard to uncover the hidden gems that somehow escape one's notice. When so many shows, festivals, exhibitions, and restaurant openings are all vying for our limited attention, it's all too easy to miss out on the small, weekly neighborhood staples that rely solely on local traffic and don't advertise more broadly. For anyone who is visiting the city and looking for a fun activity away from the tourist crowds — or for LA locals who want to get away from their usual day-off haunts and explore an under-the-radar street food market — we've found the perfect weekend option: DS Night Market.

If you happen to find yourself driving along North Broadway through Chinatown, Los Angeles, on a weekend night, it will be hard not to notice the light, music, and commotion coming from the narrow alleyways illuminated by red Chinese lanterns. Upon closer inspection, the smell of fried chicken, sweet potato, sizzling beef, and spicy curries wafts up as steam rises above grill tops, with happily fed diners tucking into their meals while others dance to music coming from a well-lit mobile stage.

Just outside of Downtown Los Angeles and south of Dodger Stadium is this weekend street food and music event series. The DS Night Market consists of a bunch of street food vendors — mostly serving Thai cuisine but also with sushi and Korean fried chicken on offer — all spread around narrow streets in the vicinity of 932 Mei Ling Way. The market runs every weekend from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. Fridays feature EDM performers, Saturdays see live musicians, and Sunday nights are reserved specially for karaoke.

Strolling the alleys of Chinatown during the weekend DS Night Market, it's hard not to be overwhelmed with the stimuli hitting every one of your senses. With live music or karaoke coming from the central stage and a whole chorus of smells assaulting you as smoke rises from the grills, you would be forgiven for not knowing where to start. You can't miss Pad Pad, a Thai noodle and stir-fry place that serves macaroni pad, pad kee mao, pad see ew, as well as stir-fried glass noodles and deep-fried garlic shrimp. And then there's Fried Me to the Moon, offering up deep-fried favorites like chicken skins, torpedo shrimp, coconut and tempura shrimp, egg rolls, and french fries to boot. If that somehow doesn't satisfy your craving for fried food, be sure to check out this authentic food court in Koreatown that serves up some delicious Korean fried chicken.

One of the most viral sensations at DS Night Market is at Thai Rodeo BBQ, who serves up mouthwatering Thai BBQ cups. Think a plastic draft beer cup but filled to the brim with stir-fried meat (also available is pork cheek and brisket), spices, and sauces, all topped with jalapeños. Other surrounding food stalls have sushi, fried quail egg, and flavored popcorn chicken, meaning there's something for everyone at this under-the-radar street food market. (And be sure to catch the man dressed like the titular pirate captain himself at Jack Sparrow's Drinks.) If your mouth is watering now, and you happen to not be joining us from LA, be sure to check out our list of the best Chinatowns across America.

Assuming one even has any room for dessert, there's a lot on offer at DS Night Market for sensational sweets. Daeng's Desserts is our top recommendation, offering incredible mango sticky rice, as well as an assortment of fried Thai specialties like fried sweet potato balls, fried banana, and even fried taro, the starchy root vegetable that is a common sweet in Thailand, particularly in ice cream or bubble tea.

And last but not least, you can't pass on Mood Crepe. Here you can feast on Asian variations of the classic French dessert, even including crepes served crème brûlée style. And for quite possibly the cutest finding at a street food market, they'll serve up crepes shaped in animals like pigs, sheep, bears, and pandas. Whether it's live music or mouthwatering delicacies you're looking for, DS Night Market is sure to have something that fits your fancy. And for a night cap afterward, a great spot for wine and cocktails (and even non-alcoholic mocktails) is North Broadway's French bar, Cafe Triste. Also be sure to check out LA's Little Tokyo for authentic Japanese food and shops, just south of Chinatown.