Sometimes in a sea of shiny things, old school favorites still shine through. The Bigg Chill and its saturated neon sign conjures up a sense of nostalgia, even among newer Angelenos. Inside, you feel like you’re on the set of an 80s style parlor, an eclectic selection of plastic-wrapped baked goods and shelves of miscellaneous grocery snacks to complement what everyone is here for: the froyo counter.
The no-fuss environment probably hasn’t changed much in the past 30 years. And the clientele has been consistent too. A part of the charm of this place is the feeling that most of the people around you are longtime regulars, a rarity in a city of transplants. The daily flavors are scrawled on a whiteboard, and bright colored paper signs accent the counter. It’s mesmerizing, watching the servers expertly swirl your yogurt high in a styrofoam cup (we can’t even be mad at the styrofoam because it just wouldn’t feel authentic otherwise???) and hand it over with a bright colored spoon.
I guess it’s just one of those places that reminds you it’s the little things that spark joy. After all, it takes a special kind of mom and pop froyo shop in LA to make a NYT profile (also, leave it up to a NYT reporter to manage to interview a USC student in Westwood).
the details
| Address | 10850 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA |
| Website | http://thebiggchill.com/ |
| Yelp | https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bigg-chill-frozen-yogurt-los-angeles |
| @thebiggchillofficial | |
| Hours | Mon – Thurs: 9a-11p Fri: 9a-11:30p Sat: 10a – 11:30p Sun: 10a-11p |
| Price | $, a small froyo no toppings is $5, toppings are $2 |
| Aesthetic | old school, 80s style, nostalgic neighborhood joint |
good to know
Go here for: reliably satisfying froyo, including fat-free, dairy-free and carb-lite options; and cookie dough by the scoop
Order this: the honey greek froyo is to die for, the matcha, white chocolate strawberry and cold brew are also perfect to offset the classic vanilla
Amount of time to spend: 10-20 minutes for to go (sometimes the line gets long)
When to come: any time during the day usually isn’t too bad, but evenings and weekends, particularly on hot days, does get quite crowded
Parking: there’s a tiny parking lot with a 15 minute time limit, perfect for to-go orders, otherwise, there are meters on Westwood, and free parking on Olympic after rush hour. Be careful when parking in the residential streets, some are permit only.
Other things to note:
- Cash only, but they have an ATM inside
- Ask for your toppings on the side, they’ll load up another container with whatever toppings you fancy, and then you can craft your perfect bite without spilling things everywhere
Last visited: October 2021
Last updated: May 2022
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