LA Pandemic Pop-Up to Open Corner Restaurant in Hollywood Next Year

The street food success story Ronnie’s Kickin ‘has been off the streets for weeks now, but don’t worry, owner Ronnie Muñoz hasn’t slowed down. Quite the contrary, in fact: Muñoz is preparing to take over an entire corner of Hollywood in 2022, with several restaurant projects due to open in the coming months.

Muñoz, a former gourmet cook who worked at places like Century City’s Craft, spent most of the pandemic cooking fried chicken and other comfort foods at his South Los Angeles home, only to eventually turn into a food truck that would appear in places like Hi-Lo Liquor Market in Culver City. Now Muñoz has teamed up to take over Sunset and Tamarind’s Hollywood corner, just steps from Netflix’s offices and Emerson College’s LA outpost.

Over the years, the sprawling, multi-tenant space anchored at 5936 W. Sunset Boulevard has been home to Delancey, a laid-back Italian venue owned by longtime regional operator George Abou-Daoud; Mexican restaurant Mission Cantina; a Twin Sliders take-out window; and Tamarind Ave. Deli, a small takeout sandwich and a grocery store around the corner. After 14 years, Delancey has now switched to an online-only delivery model, with Muñoz opening a new project in this space next year.

The first building around the corner is Besties, a fast food-inspired hamburger operation that offers a menu of simple take-out (including Impossible Meat options) like French fries, seasonal fried pies, cream shakes. ice cream and soft service. Besties will take over the old Twin Sliders space, with a view to opening in late January or early February 2022.

Muñoz will also be redeveloping the enclosed space at Mission Cantina, with the intention of opening a new Mexican restaurant called Todos Santos that will offer quick, relaxed daytime service and a sit-down dinner menu. Jason Eisner of Party Beer Co. (and previously of Block Party in Highland Park and Gracias Madre in West Hollywood) will oversee the cocktails and agave drinks.

In the local Delancey space, Muñoz plans to officially open a standalone Ronnie’s Kickin ‘restaurant that will enjoy his time on the truck while adding comfort food and a full range of cocktails. That means fried chicken, of course, as well as familiar fast food dishes like cheddar cookies, “pizookies” and other easygoing fare. And, finally, Muñoz says he’ll be opening a small take-out store in the old deli space just steps from Tamarind, though more details on that are yet to come.

Suffice it to say, this is a big hit for Muñoz, who – despite being one of the biggest street food success stories of the pandemic – remains very much under the radar of restaurants across the country. brick and mortar. It’s also a big hit for Hollywood, undeniably the hottest foodie district of the past semester. Expect a slew of big openings over the next few months, starting with Bestie’s in about a month.