Los Angeles Restaurants - Old But Remodeled

LOS ANGELES RESTAURANTS - HISTORIC BUT REMODELED

Here are some Los Angeles metro restaurants originally established before 1970 which have good food and ambiance, but do not fit the "time machine" definition due to remodeling or a new location. No "Musso and Frank Grill" type places here. Click on small picture (thumbnails) to expand and hit the return arrow to go back.

The Admiral Risty Restaurant, 31250 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes, California 310 377-0050	Nice old restaurant in the beautiful Palos Verdes area. This place has a reputation for great food, but it appears to be pretty much remodeled.
Art's Deli, 12224 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 818-762-1221	People rave about the great food here. Although the place was established in the 1950s, it appears to be completely remodeled, although the decor pays some homage to the past. Another stop on the Ventura Blvd. tour of Dupar's restaurant, Sportsmen's Lodge, Casa Vega restaurant, Barones Italian restaurant, and La Frite French Restaurant.
BC Cafe, 10123 Foothill Blvd. Rancho Cucamonga (909) 998-1440	BC I believe stands for Breakfast at Carl's. This business was established in the 1950s and remains extremely popular. Richard M. informs me the building was once a Howard Johnsons. There is another location at 701 S Indian Hill Blvd, Claremont. It also appears to be a new building. This place specializes is huge portions, incredible selection and good prices. If you have breakfast here, you might end up not eating the rest of the day. Very upbeat place. Not far from the Sycamore Inn and the Magic Lamp restaurant.
Brighton Coffee Shop & Cafe, 9600 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, (since 1934)	Good food at reasonable prices (despite being just off Rodeo drive). Seems pretty much remodeled. Not far from Nate 'n Al's, the Apple Pan restaurant, and Trader Vic's.
Cassell’s Hamburgers, 3266 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles (213) 387-5502. Open Monday-Saturday 10:30 AM - 4 PM.	The interior is not much to speak of, but great hamburgers and potato salad from yesteryear’s recipes. This sort of comes under the category of "historic food". Cassell's grinds its hamburger meat fresh from hand trimmed USDA prime steak. Great American hamburgers in the heart of Korea Town! Silverlake Bodhisattva informs me that this is not the original location. It was further west on 6th. Update: It appears its original location was 3300 W. 6th St. Not far from "The Prince", HMS Bounty and "the Brass Monkey".
Edward’s Steak House, 9600 Flair Drive, El Monte, California. (626) 442-2400 since 1946	There used to be an Edward’s of a more time machine nature in an area that is now Central America (well, Westlake/McArthur Park). This new branch in El Monte is very attractive and designed in a nice old fashioned way – but it’s not a time machine. Conveniently right of the 10 Freeway. Near Clearman's North Woods, Petrillo's, Goody's, and not too far from Bahooka's.
El Cholo, 1121 S. Western, Los Angeles, CA since 1923 West Adams locale above (sort of the original one, although not the first location). Pasadena Branch sign	There was another branch early on at 4012 S. Broadway Place. Once the happy hunting grounds of Gable and Lombard in Los Angeles, this place has delectable food and drinks and is quite festive. This has now become a chain of restaurants. They have done a nice job in recreating a classic interior. The longtime owners - the Borquez-Salisbury family. The original and most famous chef - Joe Reina. One of the few quasi-Time Machines in the West Adams area. The Pasadena branch is near Monty's, Gus's Barbeque, the Rialto, Freddie's 35er and the Fair Oaks Pharmacy. Pasadena
El Jarrito, 2833 W Olympic Blvd ,Los Angeles, (213) 383-7317	Nice cozy place with good Mexican food and friendly service. Pleasant interior, but nothing looks like it dates from the 1950s, which is when the restaurant was established.
Greenblatt's Deli, 8017 W. Sunset, West Hollywood 323-656-0606 since 1926	Famous old Deli with great food. It appears to be completely remodeled. I believe the original location was next door, which is now a comedy club. This locations was once an "Ah Fong's Chinese Restaurant".
Jack's Whittier Restaurant since 1933, 13221 Whittier Boulevard Whittier, CA 90602 562-693-8713	Attractive coffee shop, completely remodeled, nice sign out front.
Jack's Salad Bowl, 11533 Whittier Blvd Whittier, CA 90601 (562) 695-2711	Don't know how old this place is and whether it's associated with the other Jack's on Whittier (I assume it is), but it has great Googie signs. The interior is completely remodeled. UPDATE - This place is splitsville. Adios! It is now a restaurant called "El Pulpo".
Junior's Restaurant-Delicatessen, West Los Angeles 2379 Westwood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064 (310) 475-5771 (since 1959)	Very large delicatessen with a coffee shop feel. The place was packed when I went last time. The booths are sort of an old fashion feel but the place looks pretty much remodeled other than the outdoor sign. They lay claim to the world's best chicken salad.
Knowlwood, 150 So. Harbor Blvd. Fullerton, CA 714-879-7552 since 1957	Often mentioned as one of the best Hamburgers in the Los Angeles metro area. Completely remodeled (with some old style booths). UPDATE: Someone told me this place closed. Can anyone confirm?
Mazzarino's Italian Food, 12920 1/2 Riverside Dr. 818 788-5050 since 1951	Looks like a great place to eat, but appears to be completely remodeled.
Mijares, 145 Palmetto Dr, Pasadena, 91105 (626) 792-2763 (since 1920)	Long time Mexican Restaurant in Pasadena. Good food and cheerful. Appears to be completely remodeled.
Neptune's Net bar, 42505 Pacific Coast Highway 310 457-3095	This was a fun place. Good opportunity to sit and observe Biker culture, as well as beach culture. Not much of a time machine, but great California feel and good food. Makes for a really nice drive out to Malibu as this is out on the far West side of Malibu (which seems to go forever). I think this has been here since the '60s.
Petrelli's Steakhouse Restaurant, 5615 Sepulveda Blvd., 310-398-9777	This place is in a new location. They have done a good job of keeping an old fashioned feel to the place, especially the bar area. Good food. Lot's of Culver City policemen seem to eat at the place, so you will definitely feel very secure here.
Petrillo’s Pizza Italian Restaurant, 833 E. Valley Blvd. San Gabriel, California 91776. 626-280-7332, since 1954	In this location since 1956. Good Italian food and nice old neon sign. I haven't been there since they remodeled in the '90s (apparently due to a fire) but they used to have great rolls (I love the sort of salty taste) and Pizza served on an elevated platform (like Miceli’s Restaurant). They still have the great old neon sign. Bahooka's Ribs, Goody's, and Clearman's North Woods are all near by. Then you can head for the Tamarack Inn, Clearman's Steak and Stein and Dal Rae's in Pico Rivera and finally Chris & Pitts and the Embers Lounge in Whittier for a great time machines all day tour.
Russell's Hamburgers, 30 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 626-578-1404	The last of an historic chain. This place in Pasadena is not an old location. Hamburgers here are still historic and one of the best in Los Angeles Metro, along with the Apple Pan, the Bucket, and Cassell's. Other than the booths (which look like they may have come from an older location), the interior here is a pleasant, upscale sort of arty look. Richard M. provides this information: The first location on Atlantic Ave in Long Beach is now a Irish themed sports bar called EJ Malloy's. The room with the bar is not too different from the layout when Russell's occupied this location. When I was a little boy, this location was only one storefront wide, with only counter seating. Cooking was done in a little hut, around which the counter bowed out. The south wall had a long bench where you waited for your seat at the counter. Menus were in the shape of a steer with an ad for Ruchti Brothers beef on the back. There were no fries, but phenomenal hash browns. Pies were also great, with incredible tall meringues.
Sportsmen's Lodge, 12833 Ventura Blvd Studio City (818) 984-0202 (dates from the '30s, hotel - 1962)	In the 30's it was called something like "sportsmen's race track". Over the years a restaurant and hotel were added. Nice stop on the Ventura Blvd. tour of Art's Deli, Casa Vega restaurant, Dupar's restaurant and La Frite. UPDATE: Rumors are that this historic place will be leveled for a Cheesecake Factory. One more notch on the cheesification of Los Angeles. UPDATE II: Other than some remodeling, the new owner, Richard Weintraub, promises to keep it pretty much as is! Saved.
Tam O'Shanter Inn, 2980 Los Feliz, 323-664-0228 since 1922	Designed by Henry Oliver for owner's Laurence Frank and Walter Van De Kamp. It was originally the Montgomery County Inn. Walt Disney's movie studio was originally close by. I took my elderly father-in-law here (who grew up rather poor in Mexico). He was just delighted with the place and could not stop calling the waitresses over to pour more champagne during the brunch. Great food but I could not tell if there was anything of the original interior left. Not quite Musso & Frank's but still plenty of history here. Not far from the Roost and the dearly departed Algemac's. Nice Googie car wash across the street.
Tito's Tacos, 11222 Washington Place Culver City, CA 90230 (310) 391-5780 (since 1959)	Iconic Taco joint in Culver City that's always got them lined up for more. This is where Culver City expatriots (excityites?) go when they go back to visit (and put some tacos on ice to take back on the plane). Food's great, but no ambiance to speak of other than the patrons themselves. Within a block or two of Johnie's Pastrami and the Cinema bar, and not far from Dear John's, Dinah's Family Restaurant and the Culver Theater.
Twoheys, 1224 N. Atlantic Blvd. Alhambra, CA 91801, 626-284-7387 since 1943	Don't know what happened to the original building, but this one looks new (although it has an interesting sort of Googie architecture and nice sign). Good food. Richard M. provides this clarification: original location was a drive-in with very limited seating inside. The real star was the sign, which featured an animated neon teardrop and a message board which would have clever sayings. The new building dates to the early 80's.
The White House Restaurant, 340 S Coast Hwy , Laguna Beach, CA 949-494-8088 (established 1918)	Nice restaurant, but there seems to be very few traces of the original interior. I wonder if this is the original location.