Police received a report of a man down at the Jack in the Box at the corner of Central and Vernon avenues just after 10:30 p.m.
According to detectives, he was stabbed at a nearby Arco gas station and ran to the restaurant. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he died.
The man has not been identified, but police say he was homeless. A motive has not yet been determined, and no suspect descriptions were immediately available.
Anyone with information was urged to call the LAPD Newton Station at (323) 846-6547.