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Why do most Boyle Heights restaurants close before dinner?
Why do you think this is? Has it always been the case in Boyle Heights, or is this a reflection of our current economic reality?
It's not just the economics, it's the neighborhood's rhythm. Boyle Heights has always been a working-class area where folks eat their big meal midday, that's the comida, then go home and have something light or just leftovers. Dinner service, that's an evening shift with a whole different crowd, and these spots don't want to staff up for a few stragglers when they've already been on their feet since 7am. Plus, a lot of these kitchens are family-run, so the abuela who's cooking your chile relleno at noon is the same one who wants to catch her novela at 7pm, not flip a grill for a late-night taco run.
I've also noticed the places that do stay open later, like Al & Bea's, they're the ones with a drive-thru or a counter setup that's easier to keep running with one person. A sit-down spot like Los Cinco Puntos, that's a whole different overhead. It's not a new thing either, my tio used to say you could set your watch by when La Parilla's doors shut in the 90s, it was always right after the evening rush from the bus depot died down.
Rent's too damn high, probably. Or maybe they're all catering private parties for the rich folks in Silver Lake.
How can I find mobile hot dog vendors for a private event?
honestly the SGV has a ton of licensed cart operators who mostly do private stuff now. look up "hot dog cart catering San Gabriel Valley" on Yelp and you'll get a handful that are fully permitted, which matters if your venue needs a health permit on file. expect around $400 to $700 for a few hours plus a per person minimum, usually 50 or so. the ones based in Alhambra and Rosemead tend to be cheaper than Pasadena because they're not paying that rent.
fwiw the county health dept keeps a public list of permitted mobile food operators, its searchable by city on the LA County Public Health site. filter for "pushcart" or "MFF" and you'll get vendors cleared for SGV zip codes, which saves you the headache of a venue asking for paperwork later. also worth checking with the Old Town Monrovia or Alhambra farmers market folks, the carts there are usually booked solid but they know who's free and they'll pass along names. just dont wait till the last week, good ones book out 2 to 3 weeks in teh summer.
You could try hitting up the folks who set up outside Home Depot or the DMV in El Monte on weekends, a lot of those carts are owner operated and they'll do private gigs if you ask. Just walk up and grab a card, they usually have one taped to the cart.