Atsuko Okatsuka’s guide to Los Angeles

The quirky Drop Challenge comedian finds community in multicultural LA. Here are her top ways to enjoy the city, from catching live comedy to getting hot pot with her grandmother.

Before becoming a global capital for film and creativity, Los Angeles was – and remains – a cultural crossroads. Since the 19th Century, successive waves of immigration, particularly from Latin America and across Asia, have shaped the city’s identity and communities.

We spoke to comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, LA local and star of the upcoming Hulu comedy special, Father, to get to the heart of this dynamic city. “My story with LA started with a surprise,” says Okatsuka, whose comedic TikTok skits shot her to internet acclaim during the Covid-19 pandemic. “My grandmother brought me [to LA] from Japan when I was eight years old. It was supposed to be just a vacation visit. Then we stayed for over 20 years. I grew up near Sawtelle, which is lovingly known as Little Osaka, so I was surrounded by Japanese food, culture and community from an early age – which was extra special because I had just moved from Japan and was missing it a lot.”

One of her most popular videos is the now-iconic Drop Challenge, where she squat-danced to Beyoncé’s song Partition around the city’s Little Tokyo. But these locations are more than just backdrops for her comedy – for Okatsuka, LA’s neighbourhoods are places that inspire connection. “Community means a lot to me because every category I belong to can be a very lonely, isolating category – being an immigrant; being a comedian,” she says. “LA’s diversity makes it feel like home. It’s one of the few cities where so many different cultures can thrive side by side.” 

Here are Okatsuka’s favourite ways to experience Los Angeles.

While there’s no shortage of hangout spots in sprawling, cosmopolitan Los Angeles, Okatsuka’s favourite place to hang with friends is the historic Edendale Bar in Silverlake. The original building, established in 1924, served as Los Angeles Fire Station 56. Following a 2002 restoration, today it’s a multipurpose space decorated with nods to Old Hollywood and 1920s jazz bars. Art Deco deco crystal chandeliers and walls lined with portraits of silent film stars grace the rooms.

“It’s a very cosy vibe. It feels more like home. You know it’s never going to be super crowded and [so] loud [that] you can’t talk to each other. It’s mine and my husband’s Cheers,” says Okatsuka. The friendly space features a restaurant serving American comfort food as well as full cocktail service. “It’s tailored to everyone’s liking,” says Okatsuka. “If you want to eat outside, you can go to the front patio. If you want to just drink, there’s the bar. It’s really catered to getting to know each other.” 

As a California Institute of the Arts (CalArt) alum, Okatsuka enjoys hitting museums and galleries in her downtime. “I went to art school and I really love artful experiences and just art in general,” she says. “When my husband and I have time off in a city or country, we’re usually at an art museum or gallery.”

Her favourite is The Geffen Contemporary at The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Housed in a former police car warehouse, the space spans more than 3,500sqm in the heart of Little Tokyo, an area that was once home to the US’s largest Japanese community and where Okatsuka filmed her viral Drop Challenge video.  

Designed by Frank Gehry, the industrial-style venue houses large-scale exhibitions and contemporary art installations. “They have really great exhibits and it’s always very immersive,” says Okatsuka. “The whole place is dedicated to one exhibit at a time. I really love going there.”

Website: www.moca.org/visit/hours-tickets-admission#the-geffen-contemporary-at-moca

Address: 152 N Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Instagram: @moca

Los Angeles’ comedy tradition runs deep, and Okatsuka can often be found at the city’s vast wealth of comedy clubs – for work and for pleasure. “The comedy scene in Los Angeles is pretty diverse,” she says. “We have everything for you.”

Okatsuka suggests dipping your toes into the scene by visiting theatres. “It’s a little more artful than a comedy club,” she explains. For a wide range of comedy, or even clowning shows, the Elysian Theater, she says, is a mandatory stop. The century-old Riverside institution has a reputation for its experimental performances at the intersection of theatre and comedy.

Meanwhile, Largo at the Coronet in La Cienaga is her go-to for music enthusiasts. “If you like seeing musicians or you just like seeing celebrities trying out their new jokes for the first time, the Largo is a great place for that,” says Okatsuka. “Musicians join the lineup so you can be watching standup comedy the same night Beck is doing a set.”

Okatsuka also recommends emblematic establishments The Comedy Store and Hollywood Improv. The Comedy Store, whose history dates to the 1970s, is a Sunset Strip landmark that has launched legendary comedians including Jim Carrey and David Letterman. “[It has] a pretty diverse lineup and the audience is true comedy lovers,” says Okatsuka.

Meanwhile, at Hollywood Improv, A-list lineups are the norm. It’s also where you can catch Okatsuka’s act. “The Comedy Store and Hollywood Improv are two places I perform at a lot,” she says. “Those are places I really feel at home. I love that the place I’m working at feels like a second home.”

Los Angeles’ history is perhaps best exemplified by its diverse culinary offerings. Asian cuisine, particularly Chinese and Taiwanese food, has carved a special place in the Angeleno diet. 

While Chinatown in downtown LA is one of the most popular places to discover Asian flavours, in recent years, the San Gabriel Valley has emerged as the ultimate hotspot for Asian cuisine thanks to the large Asian American population — more than half a million Asian Americans now inhabit the area.

Arcadia, nested in the heart of the Valley, has nurtured a particularly authentic food scene. “It’s a very Chinese-Taiwanese part of town. Some [people] call it the actual Chinatown,” Okatsuka says. “It means a lot to me because it’s a place where my grandmother finds community as an immigrant.”

One of Okatsuka’s favourite eateries here is YinTang, a self-service Chinese hot pot restaurant she enjoys visiting with her Taiwanese grandmother. “[It’s a place] my husband, grandma and I love to go to. We often eat dinner there,” she says. 

Website:

Though shopping malls in the United States are in no way a novelty, Asian malls thrived during the Covid-19 pandemic thanks to their vibrant small businesses and the community fabric holding them afloat. The Shops at Santa Anita in Arcadia, where Okatsuka enjoys spending time with her family, is one such place.

“There are a lot of malls in the world, but this mall is very special in general, not just to us,” she says. Flaunting a wide selection of Asian shops and eateries, the shops is anchored by a food court that, according to Okatsuka, accommodates authentic Asian restaurants you won’t find at any other shopping centre. 

The highlight is the wide range of Asian eateries and shops, from boba tea stands to Mongolian BBQ.  “It’s great for a whole family to go,” says Okatsuka. “There is a food court and outdoor patio that almost feels like an Asian night market you’d see in Taiwan or Thailand. You can even see lion dancers sometimes – not because it’s Lunar New Year, but because a store wants to bless their finances, so they hired dancers.” 

A couple of times a year, people can also stop by the 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park, less than a mile away. The bazaar-slash-festival unites food vendors, small businesses and entertainment activities in a large-scale event inspired by Asian night markets. “In the summer, they usually have the 626 market at the Santa Anita racetracks, in the parking lot,” says Okatsuka. “There are a lot of Asian food stalls.”

Along with her wit and relatable stand-up material, Okatsuka has cultivated a recognisable presence with her style. Her signature bowl haircut and statement dopamine dressing have bestowed her with style icon status. 

One of the comedian’s top spots to shop is female-owned fashion brand Nooworks for their eclectic designs and sustainable ethos. “Nooworks is a clothing brand I like to wear a lot, especially when I’m travelling, because it’s comfortable. The pieces carry bright colours and lots of prints,” she says. The brand manufactures all its products in California, with Los Angeles as a home base for fabric milling and printing.

Nooworks’ storefront in Los Angeles is located on York Boulevard and is easily identifiable by its pink exterior. Inside, customers will find a range of size-inclusive pieces, brimming with colour and novel patterns. 

BBC Travel‘s The SpeciaList is a series of guides to popular and emerging destinations around the world, as seen through the eyes of local experts and tastemakers.