About Local Bongo and our editorial standards

An independent guide to the people and places that make Los Angeles worth exploring, one neighborhood at a time.

What we publish

Profiles of independent local businesses, editor-selected lists with their criteria stated, and neighborhood guides. We focus on what a business does well and what a reader needs to know before going.

How we report

Our stories are based on information businesses publish themselves (their official websites and listings) and on public records. Each factual statement in a story is traced to a source we keep on file. When we mention customer impressions, we say they come from public reviews and summarise recurring themes rather than quoting individuals.

Unless a story says otherwise, it is not a hands-on review: we do not claim to have visited, tried or been served by a business, and we never invent quotes, interviews, ratings or awards.

Independence

No business pays to appear, and inclusion never depends on advertising, purchases or links. Businesses are not shown stories before publication.

Photos

Where a story uses a stock photo, the caption says it is illustrative and not taken at the business.

Dates

We keep accurate publication and update times in our records and page metadata, and we update stories when a business tells us something has changed.

Corrections

If something is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will check it and correct it.