Of the upscale Southern/Soul Food restaurants in Los Angeles, Georgia on Melrose may have the glitz, but Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch has the food. Aunt Kizzy's is located in an outdoor shopping center in Marina Del Rey - you have to look hard to find it.

A predominantly WASP shopping center in an upscale California beach town may seem an unlikely location for a Southern American restaurant with a predominately African-American clientele. But Aunt Kizzy's is well worth searching out, because this cozy spot serves great homemade Southern food, in a nice neighborhood, and at reasonable prices.

Aunt Kizzy's does standing-room-only business, drawing stars such as Magic Johnson and Arsenio Hall down to the Marina to try some of the greatest home-style cooking in L.A. Hundreds of framed B&W photos of Hollywood stars line the restaurant's walls (Willie Nelson, Eddie Murphy, Stevie Wonder...). Janet Jackson likes their catfish & greens. The Lakers' Kobe Bryant likes to come here on Fridays, as does A.C. Green and many other NBA stars. Actress Debbie Allen ("Fame") prefers Sundays (she loves their biscuits.) Director John Singleton is also a fan.

A large mural of African-American celebrities (including Bill Cosby and Whoopi Goldberg) adorns the quaint "porch," located just inside the front door. (Speaking of Whoopi, Aunt Kizzy's catered her birthday party!)

( In an ideal world, I wouldn't have to mention this... but if by any chance you're hesitant about coming here because you're white, don't be - there are no problems to be found at Aunt Kizzy's, just damn good food. )

The tables have red-checkered tablecloths. The old-fashioned, home-style food includes entrees such as short ribs, smothered pork chops, chicken & dumplings, meatloaf and jambalaya. Sides dishes include a very good potato salad, macaroni & cheese, black-eyed peas, collard greens, candied yams and corn bread dressing. Big meals for big appetites. Desserts feature peach cobbler, a "Sock-It-To-Me " cake, sweet potato pie, and a great coconut-pineapple cake. Wash it all down with their "award-winning lemonade."

Lunch (with a limited menu) is served weekdays from 11 AM to 4 PM. Dinner from 4 to 9 PM (10 PM on Friday & Saturday).  Sunday brunch 11:00 AM to 3 PM.

In 2008, they hey moved to a larger space, which has mostly resolved the previous problem with waits. You can expect to pay about $45 for dinner for two - less for lunch. Dress is nice-casual to semi-dressy.

Getting there: to reach Aunt Kizzy's, from the Marina Del Rey Freeway west, turn right on Lincoln Blvd and go north to Washington Blvd.  Turn left on Washington and go west less than a mile. Aunt Kizzy's is on the top floor of a modest shopping center (called "The Marina Connection") on your right (north) side.  

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