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Google now predicts how busy your favorite LA bars and restaurants will be

Michael Juliano
Written by
Michael Juliano
Editor, Los Angeles & Western USA
Eggslut
Photograph: Jakob N. LaymanEggslut
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Sure we'd love a plate of eggs Benedict from Blu Jam, but when can you ever get near the place without an hourlong wait? 

Google is taking some of the guesswork out of wait times by charting the popularity of spots at any given time. Thanks to the company's all-knowing location history data, the popularity predictions have been rolled out to Google Search on mobile, according to a post yesterday morning.

We decided to look at some of LA's most notoriously popular bars and restaurants to figure out the best times to arrive. Our not-so-surprising finding? Don't plan on going anywhere on a weekend. That said, there are a few time slots where the crowds thin out, at least according to the data.

Blu Jam Café

We're sort-of-scientifically declaring brunch o'clock as between 11am and noon. Wake up early and come before 10am to slim your wait at any of the Blu Jam locations.

Eggslut

You'd have to swing by Grand Central Market's egg sandwich spot around opening or closing to avoid the worst crowds. Consider filing this one under "for weekdays only."

Sqirl

Unless you're willing to show up at 8am, expect a crush of crowds all weekend around breakfast time at Silver Lake's favorite spot for toast, jams and bowls. Things seem to quiet down on Saturdays after noon, though.

EightyTwo

You'll find a line around the block for this Downtown barcade on weekend nights. Google suggests that things really start to pick up after 9pm—we'd suggest swinging by even earlier if you want to get a few games of Street Fighter in.

Jumbo's Clown Room

Expect to find lines out the door on weekends at the hipster crown jewel of bikini bars. But according to Google, things start to quiet down on Saturdays after 10pm—that or everyone's phone battery is dead by then.

Silver Lake Ramen

The ramen here seems to be the unofficial post-happy hour, pre-bar hopping choice between 10 and 11pm on a Friday night. Really your only lull here is Saturday late afternoon or around closing time.

Milk

You know who wants an ice cream macaron at 10pm on a Friday night? Everyone. Stick to afternoons here, though late nights on Saturday look alright, too.

Pink's Hot Dogs

This is one where we can definitely say just don't go on weekends. Skip the tourist and clubbing crowds and stick to weekdays instead.

We also came across some general popularity trends that were too amusing not to share.

Pink Taco

Taco Tuesday is very real.

Brennan's Pub

It's amazing how turtle racing can completely transform an otherwise sleepy bar on a weeknight.

Gjelina

Does anybody in Venice work on Friday? Because it looks exactly like Sunday to us. 

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