[McLovin]

There are a few here that have restaurants, but they seem to be in small towns/cities.

In DT LA, you are going to have a significant lease obligation (and others). The first thing is, it will be very difficult to get a bank loan. You'll need to show a significant amt of working capital, and it will have to be backed by some serious personal guarantees. And maybe by some hard asset collateral. If the venture fails, the bank will come after the collateral. (You and your friend will of course have to personally guarantee - the total lease obligation (total term x monthly rate) is likely to be a pretty big number).

That's on top of being able to give the bank some comfort that people with experience and a good chance of success are involved.

IMO in this lending environment, you're going to need significant private backing, by some people who put real money up and are willing to risk losing it all.

You may know all that already and have the ability to get through it, I don't know.

(5 years ago when banks were giving money away to anyone with a heartbeat, you'd have been golden. You could have had a free chance at it. Not today, though)