Fantastic Cafe is a small chain of quick service restaurants in Southern California. I happened across the Fantastic Cafe location on Gaffey, just north of Channel Street. It's in an industrial area, with the 110 Freeway to the east, and adjacent to equipment rental and machine shops.
Upon entering Fantastic Cafe, there is an order counter with a large menu board. They have everything from breakfast to Mexican food, to sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and complete dinners. I ordered a pastrami sandwich and my friend ordered a corn dog and we split a large order of chili-cheese fries. Including two drinks, our total was $13. Not a bad price.
We were given cups for our drinks and we found a nice comfy booth off to the side. There really isn't much decor. They have a few TVs hanging in the corners of the dining area tuned into the Dodger game. Looking around, a lot of people dining here, presumable before they go home, and a few families eating here too. I think in this art of Los Angeles, Fantastic Cafe (as well as other similar fast service restaurants) has become what the diners of the 1950s once were.
About 10 minutes later, a waitress brought out our food and silverware. My friend gobbled up his corn dog and started on the chili-cheese fries. The fries were nice and crisp, except where the chili and cheese oozed all over them. The chili was nice and hearty, but a bit oily. My pastrami sandwich really hit the spot. It was nice and moist, and the pastrami was shaved thin, plus it hardly had any tendons or tough sections.
A family of four could easily dine here for under $30. They have specials, including complete dinners with drinks and fries or a side salad for under $8. I've had breakfast at Fantastic Cafe before, and it's quite inexpensive yet good. Their omelets are pretty big and hearty and a good way to start the day. The morning crowd usually consists of truck drivers, construction workers, and a few white collars looking to fill up with energy to last the day. While Fantastic Cafe won't win any taste awards, it still serves pretty good and hearty food in fairly large portions. If you happen to be in the area, Fantastic Cafe is a nice place to get a decent meal at a good price.