Richard M remembers: I never
lived in the Los Angeles area
but grew up in Arizona and all of
the family's early trips were to
Los Angeles. A great uncle was
a realtor - Jim of the Valley - in
Tarzana. I also had two aunts
(I think that is who they were but,
today, I have no idea of their
relation) who lived in this magical
apartment house (with the stair case
that went up the middle and an
inquisitive and a bit frightened boy
from Arizona could stand at the top
and look all the way down - and an
elevator with two doors one had to
open by hand) which was just down
the street (don't know which one)
from McArthur Park (which was OK in
those days-I think it has improved).
I remember my father and I would
walk from the apartment building to
McArthur park-I think we passed
hot dog stand in the shape of a hot
dog-when we once visited them.
We must have walked because that
trip my father and I came to LA by
train from Arizona..could have taken
a taxi but I don't think so.
We went to Knott's Berry Farm when
it was just starting up and only had
a ghost town, in fact I think we
went there when it was still a berry
farm.
Funny how one place can hold such
magical thoughts so many years
later. My step-father owned
orange groves in Anaheim before
selling them and moving to
Arizona. He was the one who
first took us to the Tick Tock and
what a wonderful place that was.
I was looking for the Tick Tock this
morning because I happened on the
website for Philippes (spelling?)
home of the original French Dip...we
ate there once also and it seems it
is still around. Sorry about
the Tick Tock.
Bob R.
suggest checking into these places:
Petrelli's
Steakhouse
5615 S. Sepulveda
Blvd. Culver
City..1931
Magee's Kitchen
6333 W. 3rd.
St...(Farmers
Market) Los Angeles
1934
Tail of the Pup
San Vicente North
of Beverly Blvd.
1938
Hotel Bel Air
701 Stone Canyon
Beverly Hills..1942
Domminick's.8715
Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles 1946
Dino's 2055
E. Colorado Blvd.,
Pasadena 1949
Snake Pit
7529 Melrose Los
Angeles 1956
[added]
Jan's Coffee Shop 8424
Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles 1957
Andre's 6322
W. 3rd. St. (Town
and Country)
Los Angeles 1963
(webmaster's note:
would someone let me
know if this is
still around?)
Beverly Laurel
Coffee Shop
[now Swingers] 8020
Beverly Blvd. L.A.
1964
Nibblers 8383
Wilshire, Beverly
Hills ( just closed
this week ..maybe
temporarily) 1965
Twin Dragon
8597 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles 1966
House of Pies
1869 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles 1970
[remodeled]
There are a few that
I am sure were
opened 1970 or
earlier but I do not
have any clue as to
the dates:
Key Club
9039 Sunset Blvd.Los
Angeles
R J's Ribs
252 N. Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills
Moonshadows
20356 Pacific Coast
Highway
Malibu
Hayford P. remembers Chasen's,
Perino's and La Rue:
I greatly enjoyed your pages about
the old LAX restaurants. I was a
teenager there in the
'50s and '60s and ate out
a lot with my mother, mostly in
moderately up-scale places although
occasionally in Chasens, Perinos, and
LaRue.
Just off the top of my head, here
are the names of some others that I
remember:
The Duck Press,
way downtown, famous for duck
Bess
Eilers -- family restaurant in Santa
Monica on Wilshire Blvd.
The Fox
and Hounds, also on Wilshire in
Santa Monica.
Chips, a great
little steakhouse and bar, on, I think,
Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica.
Stears -- a steakhouse on La
Cienega that, I think, was briefly run
by
Lawry's, practically across the
street.
The Intrepid Fox, on, I
think, Sepulveda
Robaire's French restaurant on La
Brea -- they opened a second one in the
Valley at one point
Frascati's -- there were 3 or 4
of them in the general Beverly Hills
area
The Bantam Cock and
Tail o' the Cock, both on La
Cienega
The one I miss the most
after nearly 50 years is still the late,
great Don the Beachcomber's. By
the way, although he was indeed born
Earnest Gantt or whatnot, and was then
nicknamed
Don the Beachcomber, he
eventually "legally" changed his name to
Donn Beach -- with 2 "n"s....
Jeff P
offers these suggestions for Orange
County:
“La Cave”, in Costa Mesa is a good
candidate for a time machine. It’s in
the basement of a three story building
and has a good 60’s feel. It’s been a
long time since I’ve been there, so it
might have changed. It’s the same sort
of place as the Fireside/Riviera in
Westminster (listed on your site).
As for bars there’s the Royal
Hawaiian
in Laguna Beach, as pretty good tiki
bar. Again, it’s been a long time since
I’ve been there, but I drive by it
regularly and nothing has changed.
Oh, I know a really great old-style tiki
restaurant in Sunset Beach; but I Just
can’t think of the name right now.
Oh, another restaurant is the Chicken
Dinner restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm
[now added]
(http://www.knotts.com/camplace/dine_restaurant.shtml).
It’s got a great 60’s tropical ambiance.
Not tiki or anything, but there’s
volcanic stone fountains and it has a
really vintage feel. And really good
chicken.
The Original Pancake House in
Anaheim is a good one to add, too. It’s
in an old house. It isn’t doesn’t really
epitomize a particular style or
anything, but it’s a family
run-restaurant that’s been in the same
place for a long time. Here’s more
http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/index.htm.
I think this would fit into your site
(or maybe not), but there’s Old Word, a
German-themed village with restaurants
and shops and a couple of bars.
http://www.oldworldvillage.net/.
Richard L provides the
following important info on Yuma and
other Arizona towns:
The Mission
Inn
or something like that in Riverside, CA.
It was were President Nixon got married.
Mission Inn,
In Yuma there are several places that
are famous or were famous and are still,
outside at least, largely unchanged.
The El Rancho Motel on 4th Avenue and
22nd Street. We have live in Yuma since
1952 and it was around when we moved
there. I was told that Clark Gable
always stayed there when he was in Yuma
for Dove hunting season. It really
hasn't changed much on the outside and I
doubt if the rooms are changed much.
Lutes Casino at 221 South Main Street
(Old Town). I am not sure if it is in
its original place but it has always
been on main street. Don't let the
casino name fool you, I think they might
have some card games, dominos comes to
mind as well, but I have never been in
it. It is a cafe. But, I understand it
is pretty much the same as it has always
been and has been in downtown Yuma since
the 50's and probably earlier. It is
famous for its Lutes Burger (I think
that is the name).
Lutes' Gretna Green Wedding Chapel at
500 W. 1st. More than 35 years ago it
was moved from its original location and
I think, at that time, it was just the
Gretna Wedding Chapel, although Lute's
may have been apart of the name. It is
in the original large two story house
and, legend has it, many movie stars
were married there. In the golden age of
Hollywood California required a blood
test before marriage, Arizona didn't.
So, many movie stars came to Yuma to get
married some, if not a lot, I believe,
in this wedding chapel I am sure
that either San Laurel or Oliver
Hardy....or both..got married there.
La Casa Gutierrez 520 South Orange
Ave. It almost closed last year. It is
an old Mexican restaurant in one of
Yuma's oldest houses. It isn't that
large-I think the original living room
and dining room and one former bedroom
make up the entire eating area. It has,
beyond a doubt, the best toasted cheese
or toasted butter tortillas, folded
butter tortillas (you can squeeze the
butter out of it) and refried beans and
tacos around as far as I am concerned.
Of course it could be because that was
where I would take my girlfriends in
high school and that, plus the
atmosphere, and memories, may make the
food taste extra good.
The old
Downtown Yuma Post Office, at least from
the outside it has not changed. Some
company now owns it and I have not been
inside so I don't know what they did to
the interior.
The Bow and Arrow Motel on 4th Ave.
Now more of a dump than anything else
but it hasn't changed much since we
moved there. I think we once stayed
there (when it was still a valid motel,
not run down as today) while looking for
a home in Yuma as I remember my mother
always called it the "buggy motel."
The Coronado Motel and Restaurant 233
S. 4th Ave. It is, or was, the oldest
motel in the Best Western Chain and the
original part dates way before the
1950's I am sure. Outside it looks
pretty much as it has always looked, but
can not vouch for the inside.
Hotel Lee 390 S. Main Street recently
won some type of reward for preservation
or restoration or the like.
Casa Linda Apartments (may have new
name) on Orange Ave. Where we first
lived when we moved to Yuma in 1952.
They have not changed much at
all...actually most of Orange Avenue is
a walk back into time.
Roxaboxin (spelling) Park on 3rd or
some place..not sure of the exact street
but near downtown. I am not sure of the
date but it is the place the children's
book by the same name was written about.
(20th Century Fox )Yuma Theatre
downtown Yuma. Has been restored - I
understand - to its original decor
inside. It now has art shows and film
series and such. It was, I believe,
originally built by 20th Century Fox
Studios to show case their films.
Sad but true, the old KIVA (Channel
11) television studio. It is falling
down just outside Yuma near the
California Inspection Station. It was
one of the first TV stations in Arizona,
and, I believe, the first outside of
Phoenix and Tucson. Since it served
California as well (Imperial Valley) it
may have been one of the first in
California. All shows were on California
time which meant a lot of good shows
were on too late for kids (like me) in
Yuma to watch. It was also the first and
possibly only station allowed to carry
shows from all three networks, ABC, NBC,
CBS. For some reason it could not carry
commercials from the network shows. I
believe it started up in 1953 or 1954.
In Flagstaff almost all of downtown
Flagstaff is a time machine.
The Hotel Monte Vista is pretty much the
same as it was originally. It still has
its original sign on top.
The Weatherford Hotel in downtown
Flagstaff (where Zane Grey wrote Call of
the Canyon) has been restored and just
recently got its "witches hat" (upside
down cone shape on roof) back.
The Museum Club on Hwy 66 is, as I
understand it, pretty much the same
inside as outside. It has animal heads
all over and is rumored to be haunted.
Today it is mostly a place for Country
Music bands to play.
Winslow has a few, probably more, and
all are more famous than our (I also
live in Winslow) stupid "standing on the
corner" park.
The La Posada Motel and
Restaurant is pretty much the same as it
was when it was a Harvey House. It has
been remodeled inside but that is
because for years it was the
headquarters for the Santa Fe Railroad
and they covered up almost everything. I
have not been in it but I understand the
inside is being restored, bit by bit, to
its original Harvey House glory.
Many buildings in downtown Winslow
(those that have not fallen or burnt
down) have not changed outside. The
famous Store for Men (clothes store)
that was advertised all along Rt. 66 has
been closed for over 20 years but I
think the building it was in is still
there.
Casey's-this is stretching it.
When I first moved to Winslow it was
like walking into an old time hardware
store...a little bit of everything. It
still has a little bit of everything
(including 1950's type toys-paint by
number sets, models, etc.) and is still
like walking back in time (especially
the toy and hobby section) but I don't
know about the outside and they have
done some remodeling and put in modern
check-out areas and such.
The Winslow theatre downtown-outside
the same as it always has been. It has
been restored and remodeled by same man
who is doing the La Posada and shows
movies. However, I have not been on the
inside and do not know if it is a "time
machine" inside.
Holbrook is a time
machine of its own. It is 30 miles east
of Winslow.
The downtown still has sections of the
original covering over the side walks.
The Bucket of Blood Saloon (so called
because legend says so many were shot in
it the floor looked like some one had
washed it with a "bucket of blood.") may
be restored soon.
The hotel where the cowboys from the
Hashknife Ranch (same bunch Zane Grey
wrote his book The Hashknife Outfit
about) would stay when in town is still
standing but not being used. In a way
this is good as it has not changed much
at all but is falling down.
And, of course, the Wigwam Motel one
of only two remaining such motels on
Hwy. 66. Talk about a time machine. I
have never been in one of the "wigwams"
but they are restored as they were and
even have 1950's and 1960's classic cars
parked around them (it is open to the
public).
Before I end this I want to
mention a restaurant at 9 South Main
Street, Taylor, Arizona (30 miles south
of Holbrook). I am sure it is pre 1970
and probably 1950's. It is a small
restaurant with the same plastic booths
and seats. All food is home made
including the bread and pies. By
homemade, I mean just that. Even the
French fries are home cut and fried. As
far as I am concerned it is a step back
into time to eat there.
Peter S suggests:
Here's a place...
the Revolver and Athletic Club... a
cafeteria at the Los Angeles Police
Academy. Open to the public. Good
breakfasts. Sounds of gunfire from the
range.
Riley G reminisces:
Have you tried Burger Continental on S. Lake
Ave., Pasadena, not far from
Pie 'n 'Burger? I hope it's still
there. I found it when working at
Caltech in the late 1970's, and was back
to eat there in the mid 1990's. It's a
favorite of people from many walks of
life. The owner's are very friendly;
coffee and soda refills are free.
It's mostly middle eastern type food.
The Sharouma sandwiches are the best
I've ever had (Lamb in pita with a
special sauce).
It's a stand-in-line-to-order from the
counter place (like Philippe's),
but often an owner will come down the
line to take your order before you reach
the counter. Most of the seats are in a
pretty interior courtyard, with
occasional belly dancers. Nothing
particular about the architecture, but
it's a unique place that's one of my
Los Angeles favorites, along with
Philippe's.
Scott S
recounts:
One of my faves
for downright dirt cheap and tasty
Eye-talian food is Pinocchio's
Restaurant/Monte Carlo Deli. This is
one business with an Italian deli in one
side and a pizzeria type restaurant on
the other. You can get a huge roast beef
sub, served with two sides of fresh
salads for about five bucks. The prices
are stuck in the past too! Though they
recently put in a new floor and a new
front door, the first and second dining
rooms retain their 1960's red vinyl
booth/red checkered tablecloth/
wicker-covered Chianti bottle
decor/feel. Check it out. This is on
Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank between
Hollywood Way and Buena Vista St.
Check out El Paso
Barbeque on Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana.
Awesome steaks, and I think it's been
there since the late 1960's.
Yvonne E recalls: I just
found your site tonight and I can't wait
to spend more time browsing around in
it. It brings back memories of Ships (in
Westwood & on La Cienega) and all the
old Los Angeles coffee shops I
used to drink coffee at in the 80's.
Many of the outlying buildings you've
photographed have also caught my eye
while I spent the past decade commuting
from Corona into Los Angeles Now that
I'm back in
Los Angeles, I'm saddened by the
buildings that have been demolished and
others that will probably soon come
under the wrecking ball.
2 things:
1) The oldest building in Los Angeles
may actually be part of an old adobe
that's attached to The Consolidated
Plaza in Baldwin Hills on Don Felipe
Drive. (If you take Crenshaw south from
the 10, you'll notice that the original
'Bowl' and 'Pontiac' signs, as well as
the original Bowling Alley Coffee Shop
facade have all been saved as part of a
new shopping center. The original
Crenshaw Plaza sign is also still in
tact, also on the East side of the
street.
2) Don the Beachcomber's old
Hollywood location may now be the King
King club
http://www.kingkinghollywood.com/
Thanks for taking the time to do all the
wonderful research and the great
pictures!
Charles C
remembers:
You might be
interested to know that in its last
life, the downtown Standard was built as
the California Bank Building, and served
as the "Brent Building," Perry Mason's
building on the old T.V. Show.
During my 1960's childhood in Hollywood,
Young China was an upscale Chinese
restaurant at 6615 Hollywood Blvd that
owed its origin to the "Young China"
movement of the 30s and 40s (branch of
the Kuomintang), or so it's said. It has
been a cheezier place called "China
King" for quite a while. I've been there
in decades, but rumor has it that it is
now a chain clothing store --- have to
find out next time I'm down that way.
The Cat and Fiddle on Sunset was
Mouling's back in my youth, another
well-known Chinese place. Barbata's on
Ventura Bl. has closed (2002).My brother
and I love your site --- so many of our
fave places!
Joel T comments:
Thanks for putting this site together. I
grew up and spent most of my adult life
in the Los Angeles area and went to many
of the restaurants and bars that you've
documented. I also have fond memories of
going to a lot of the theaters mentioned
such as the Los Angeles, Orpheum,
Wiltern and others. In the
70's and early 80's I did not
appreciate the "time machine" character
of a lot of the places but now I think
it is incredibly cool when an older
restaurant, building, theater or bar has
that old time feel and look. One
suggestion for a closed restaurant:
Far East Cafe. This was a classic
1930's Chinese (Cantonese which is what
most were at the time: before Hunan,
Sichuan, etc styles) restaurant located
in Little Tokyo on 1st Street. Due to
the Northridge earthquake it was closed
sometime in the late 80's.
Chip A
provides the following very important
information:
Barones
Italian restaurant will be
closing it’s doors tomorrow,
January 22nd. They are
relocating and taking over the
space currently occupied by the
Matterhorn Chef restaurant on
Oxnard and Woodman in Van Nuys
and should be up and running mid
to late March of this year.
The block that Barones
currently sits on will be turned
into luxury condos. Having grown
up in Sherman Oaks I have grown
up on Barones and my in
laws who also grew up in the
valley have been going there
since 1951. Our whole
family (14 of us) all went to
dinner there last night as a
final sendoff. Sad to see such
an old time place go but at
least they aren’t closing doors
altogether. A public auction is
being held in the middle of
February for anyone that wants
to own a piece of Barones
history so maybe that is
worth noting on your
website. Thought you would want
the update. Thanks for
running such a cool website.
Larry R
remembers:
Your Rip
list is missing a restaurant
that I loved in the 70s
on Sunset called Cyranos.
It was on the North side of the
street in the Sunset Plaza area
and had a great fireplace,
maitre de and waiters. They
would make the Caesar salad or
pasta Alfredo at your table. The
maitre de was Gio who opened his
own restaurant on sunset later.
Mark L
adds these R.I.P's:
Definitely
missing some big ones (attached)
Hope these help!
The Bagel (ashtray) was
1052 S. Fairfax
STATS had 4 locations :
8300 Wilshire (at san vicente)
9233 Pico
9025 Wilshire
11357 E Valley Blvd. (El Monte)
Mike S shares these memories of
Nickodell's:
Thanks for sharing your finds
with all so that maybe we can
save some of these places. Not
just the history, but the whole
dining experience has been
degraded by the rush to a fast
food mentality. So many great
old places have been destroyed
by the modern “California”
dining mentality. Give me dark
wood and an even darker corner
to enjoy my libations. Here are
some rants and raves of no
particular importance.
Nickodell was probably
the darkest place in town, and
with good reason, so that actors
could sneak one in between takes
and not be bothered by the
public. As for location,
everyone knows it was at the
east corner of the KHJ-TV 9
studios bedecked in its stunning
black terra cotta tile. Henrys
European Inn was a little
further east, on the east side
of a short street that led into
the Paramount lot. The small bar
on the south side of Melrose has
been running since the 50’s
(maybe the 30’s) but has
gone through many changes. My
earliest remembrance was that it
was an Italian restaurant.
Little Heart of Europe on
Western was a little hole in the
wall but with the best crisp
duck in town. All of the other
European fare was barely edible.
We often had to walk out when
the owner reported that there
was no duck. During the meal,
the owner would play the piano
and the violin. Another great
European spot was “The Paprika”
in Hollywood. Anyone whoever ate
there remembers their wood plate
special.
Guess that’s it for now. Except,
can anyone recall the name of
the donut factory at the
southwest corner of Western and
Santa Monica? I remember it as a
kid (early 60’s) but not much
else. I think it lasted up until
the 70’s when all the massage
parlors entered the area. And
then there were all those great
characters such as Mr. Baseball,
General Hershey, Julius Caesar,
etc., etc., but that would be
something for another website
Suzanne
O recalls these great times
at the Brown Derby:
I grew up
with the granddaughter of Bob
Cobb in Beverly Hills and we
would sometimes walk home from
school and stop at the
Beverly Hills Brown Derby.
The staff there adored the
granddaughter (Mary) and we
would sit at the bar and eat
their famous spaghetti dinner.
Later on when I ate at the
Hollywood Brown Derby,
one of the staff remembered me
from Beverly Hills and stopped
at our table to ask about the
family.
I always wondered why the family
didn't take a stronger interest
in preserving the Derby.
Does anyone know what happened
to all the famous caricature
pictures of the stars that used
to line the walls there?
Mary Jo B.
remembers Kelbo's:
I was surprised to not see the
following 3 restaurants on your
Extinct List:
2 extinct restaurants I had many
meals at while at UCLA in the
late 50's
early 60's: Ships and the
"V.D." Village Delicatessen in
Westwood.
Another favorite in the 50's:
Kelbo's - Loved their barbecued
ribs and had my first legal
drink at age 21 there: a mai
tai.
Joe V. remembers
the "Chili Bowl":
I've been meaning
to get around to writing to you about
the old Chili Bowl building in Alhambra,
but I wasn't sure it was still there,
and only found out a couple of days ago
that it is. It was one of a couple of
dozen Chili Bowls built by Arthur
Whizen in the
1930's and 1940's. By the
time I first saw the Alhambra building,
it had become a Chinese Restaurant
called the China Doll (which name
allowed a fairly cheap conversion of the
"Chili Bowl" signage.) My dad told me it
had once been a place called the Chili
Bowl, and that that was why the building
was shaped... well, like a chili bowl.
Anyway, the building at 501 West Valley
Boulevard (only four blocks from
The Hat) is still there, and still an
Asian restaurant, though it's now
called Kim Chuy. It turns out that
there's a picture of it on Roadside
Peek:
http://www.roadsidepeek.com/archit/vernac/index2.htm
And the same page has a picture of
another surviving Chili Bowl building,
in Huntington Park, though that one has
had its windows sealed up.
It also turns out that a third Chili
Bowl survives in West L.A., and is a
restaurant called Mr. Cecil's California
Ribs. I've never seen that one,
but it's listed (without picture) at
LA.COM:
http://www.la.com/dining/dinersdelisbbq/mrcecilscaliforniaribswestla/8036
I don't know how much the interiors of
these buildings have been altered,
but the outside of the Alhambra building
at least looks very much as it
did forty years ago. Maybe not exactly a
time machine, but worthy of
notice next time you go to The Hat. I
hear from friends still in the area
that Valley Boulevard is changing
rapidly, and I don't know how much
longer this little building will survive
amid the new banks that are
popping up like weeds all along the
street.
Joseph provides
these valuable observations:
Restaurants
I'm browsing through your pages, and
noticed your objection to the remodeled
glass dividers at Canter's DELI. this
was done for a filming there, though
you'd have to call them to find out what
movie or TV show it was. the same
filming also painted "Delicatessen" on
the front windows. Canter's
DELI liked
these (free) improvements enough that
they kept them. I also notice you don't
have The Brite Spot (on Sunset in
Silver Lake) listed. totally worth
checking out.
TOTALLY worth the drive, the 24-hour
Saugus Cafe, a truckstop diner
made out of a trailer, open (gently
remodeled) since the 1890s.
http://tinyurl.com/grvdr
across from Canter's DELI, you might
include Damiano's
as a trip back in
time, and Nova Express as a trip into
the future, albeit a future
straight out of a 1950s B-movie.
lava lamps and glowing tables.
beware the loud music of the live DJs,
though.
also your review of Taix
French Restaurant says
it's run by decedents (dead people). :)
(extinct:) there was also a Kelbo's
on W Pico Blvd in WLA. miss that place.
Bars:
in the Horseshoe Tavern, you
mention the tv show Cheers. I believe
the MTM team was based in New York, and
according to the bull & finch
pub in boston, they were the
inspiration: http://tinyurl.com/zcvj2
Theaters
The Rialto Movie Palace in Pasadena is a
Landmark theater and is in regular
operation. the Vista is also in regular
operation. the Wiltern is,
of course, not used for movies anymore
(except for special bookings).
I wasn't sure from reading the page
whether you knew this, and it
might be cool to add :)
the Aero is run by the Cinematheque now.
I believe The Palace is a rental theater
now and is owned by
well-intentioned preservationists who
are looking for people who want
to use it. they plan to use the income
to keep improving the place.
putting in a good word about that with a
phone number on your site
might do them some good. *shrug*
the old town music hall in el segundo
has a wurlitzer, and it is used
for every show (according to the
website): http://www.otmh.org/
Shelley K.
provides this information: I just
cataloged a recipe by the tea room at
644 So. Flower called: Assembly Secrets,
dated 1926.
Recipes include:
Sailor duff pudding, butter scotch pie,
blackberry jam cake, date and nut cake,
ice box cookies, clover leaf rolls,
orange rolls, poultry dressing,
escalloped lamb, New England corn
chowder, panned oysters, lobster a la
Newburg, ginger ale salad, and pickled
spiced fruits.
They must have sold it at the
restaurant.
Jim E. recounts these
memories:
I want to complement you on your
website. I enjoyed the descriptions of
the various locations and the many
different links. With regard to many of
the extinct restaurants you listed, the
walk down memory lane has been
bittersweet - fun and a little sad at
the same time. Great job! Having grown
up in the west San Gabriel Valley there
were a few restaurants that I frequented
with my family when I was a kid that
were pretty special (at least to us)
that have been gone for some time. I
thought I might pass a few of them along
to you with the hope that they are
worthy of a mention in the extinct
restaurant pages. If a somehow missed
them, I apologize in advance for wasting
your time.
1. Van de Kamps Restaurant and
Bakery
Multiple locations but the one we went
to most often was off of Fletcher Drive
in Los Angeles by the Glendale
(2) freeway. (I think some were later
converted to Tiny Naylor restaurants).
Each coffee shop style restaurant had a
distinctive type of architecture that
usually featured a lighted windmill that
actually turned. Served many of the
dishes that later became part of their
frozen food line sold in supermarkets -
chicken pot pies, enchiladas, etc.
2. El Poche Cafe
Located on Mission Dr. in San Gabriel
(just down the street from the Mission).
The restaurant was in an old adobe type
building with water fountains and
colored lights featured throughout the
interior - for a kid it was enchanting.
Good, authentic Mexican food that was
far better than its rival Panchitos
(located just down the street and I
believe it is also extinct). The
restaurant burned to the ground in the
late 70's or early 80's.
3. The Tikis
Located on Potrero Grande Dr. in
Monterey Park. A Polynesian restaurant
that was an amazing place to dine as a
kid. I was so bummed when it closed! The
following is the text from their
matchbook:
12 Acres of Tropical Enchantment
50 feet of underground lava tubes
80 foot erupting volcano
Waterfalls, lagoons, jungle trails
3 to 7 bands
POLYNESIAN EXTRAVAGANZA featuring the
finest of Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa,
Tonga and New Zealand.
Accommodates to 5000 persons, 18 acres
of parking
Complete year round banquet facilities
Private facilities for birthday parties
We specialize in holiday parties
Sundays bring the kids
12 exciting rides, petting zoo
Polynesian cultural center of the
islands
Train ride through ½ mile of Polynesian
settings and monster caves
According to Book of Tiki author
Sven Kirsten, The Tikis was
finally shut down in the 1970s by
neighbors who didn't like the jungle
drums in their backyards and the
entertainment license was revoked. "Danny
Balsz was a driven man. He packed up
his Tikis and built them a new
home in Lake Elsinore, further south of
L.A. There he labored for years,
re-erecting a complete new lava land.
Patiently his Tikis stood guard over it,
waiting the grand re-opening. But the
times had changed, and the great day
never came."
Currently part of the remains of the
Lake Elsinore property are used as a
paintball facility. You can still wander
about the site just off N.Potrero Grande
Drive in Monterey Park.
Joe V.
provides more important information:
I just saw your
photo of Shaker's restaurant in
Pasadena. I believe I recognize it as a
branch of a short-lived chain from the
1960's called Preble's. For ages, the
Preble family operated a grocery store
on Dayton Street west of Fair Oaks in
Pasadena. Located in a couple of old
arehouses in the midst of a run down
neighborhood, it was nevertheless very
popular with the well-to-do residents of
the south Orange Grove Boulevard area of
town. Its presence gave rise to a few
other shops and a couple of art
galleries that operated along the street
for a few years- sort of an early,
spontaneous flowering of what became Old
Town.Anyway, about 1960, the Prebles
decided to open a chain of restaurants.
I think they managed to open four or so,
all in the San Gabriel Valley. I'm not
sure when they gave up on the
restaurants, or when they closed the
market. However, in case you haven't
seen it, another one of the old Preble's
restaurants is located on the northwest
corner of 2nd and Main in downtown
Alhambra.
It is currently open as a trendy cafe
called The Diner on Main. I haven't been
there (I only found out about it still
being in existence when I was looking at
the city of Alhambra's web site the
other day), and I don't know how much of
the original interior remains, if any,
but I don't recall any major changes
having been done to the place as of
1986, the last time I was in Alhambra.
It might be worth checking out. In 1964,
I lived in the next block east on Main
Street, in a flat above a photo studio
in the small building now occupied by a
cigar bar. I spent quite a bit of time
in Preble's, and it was a nice bit of
classic Googie design. I hope that at
least some of its ambiance remains
today.
Jennifer C comments:
Great site! You've put a lot of work
into it. Here are some suggestions:
1. Original BBQ (extinct restaurant)
It was on the southwest corner of 8th St
and Vermont, and had the best bbqed
chicken and the best cole slaw I've ever
tasted. We lived nearby in the 1950's,
and I know it still was in business in
the early 80's.
2. Blarney Castle (extinct
restaurant)
It was on the west side of Western Ave,
just north of Wilshire. My parents used
to take me there when I was a kid in the
50's. It was basically a steak
house, and also served delicious
lobster. I remember decades later trying
to find it, only to discover the
restaurant closed and empty, but with
all the tables set. Weird. I believe the
building it was in is gone now.
[For more information see the Richard
O'Neill hyperlink on the great
Restaurateur page].
John Michael W discusses these old
joints:
"Har-Omar
Restaurant 1608 N. Cosmo and later 1605
No. Ivar, Hollywood. Armenian food."
I ate at the Ivar address pre-'57, and
sometime between '60 and '63, at their
new (last?) location on the Sunset
Strip, near Crescent Heights I think, in
a north-side second-floor room with a
picture window looking south -- great
view on a clear night. I moved away
then, and never found them again.
A regular performer there was Ara
Sevanian, who played the Egyptian Harp,
or Kanon,a 72-string instrument like a
zither. I bought a mono 12" LP of his
music there, "Egyptian Harp, "Kanon"
Volume Two. I've heard the music nowhere
else. Magnificent food, music, setting.
You don't mention
that there was a Don the Beachcomber
Bar/Restaurant in the International
Marketplace, on Kalakaua Ave. in
Waikiki, that had wonderful
tropical-jazz entertainment, from at
least 4/'57 (before Hawaii was a state)
to mid-'60.
I
visited this great place often from
mid-'60 to late '62. It was run by
the Shelby Brothers, Lebanese or
Syrians; one cooked . The other
entertained, a strolling violinist, both
in the downstairs restaurant.
I spent more time in the upstairs
nightclub (a firetrap - one tiny
stairway that my shoulders nearly
filled), with only one unisex toilet.
Often, newcomers would have too much too
drink, fail to lock the door,
immediately off the main floor.
Suddenly the door would open, and the
brightly lit toilet and occupant were
the comic relief.
They had great oud and dumbek (small
drum) music, and mostly amateur belly
dancers -- BEAUTIFUL co-eds, mainly from
UCLA. Little English was spoken.
One sat on cushions on the floor, and I
think could order snacks--
hummus,etc.
About 6 years later, after the
assassination of RFK by Sirhan Sirhan, I
read that he had currently, or for a
time, played oud at the Fez.
Mark G adds this
info on the Bun 'n Burger among others:
Ozzie's, 7780 E. Slauson in Commerce
– Classic coffee shop. My mom
was a hostess and waitress there and
my grandmother kept the books, back
in the ‘60s and early ‘70s.
Chateau Briand, Rosemead and
Telegraph, Pico Rivera – Never been
inside, but it’s been there forever
and has changed very little on the
outside.
Bun N Burger – Main and
Valencia, Alhambra – Authentic diner
in a cool streamline building with
an awesome moving neon sign.
The Barkley, Huntington and
Fremont, South Pasadena – Formerly
owned by the late radio personality
Roger Barkley, this steak and chop
place definitely has a retro feel to
it as you step inside.
Any of your readers who grew up or
lived in Southeast L.A. County may
remember or have more information on
these now extinct restaurants:
Stax in Huntington Park – Famous for
their great cherry pies.
The Carousel, in Downey, I believe
on Florence Avenue – Good waffles
and a gaudy pink and white décor.
The Silver Saddle, also in
Downey – A cool cowboy and Indian
themed place I really liked as a
kid.
And finally……The Zamboanga South
Seas Nite Club, 3828 West
Slauson, L.A. (Baldwin Hills area) –
My dad worked here awhile back in
the ‘40s. It was owned by Joe
Chastik, who also ran Vagabond’s
House on Wilshire (already on your
list). Grandma also kept the books
for Mr. Chastik at Vagabond’s.
Thanks again and keep up the great
work,
Dean "The Jab" C. provides this
sad news and a tip:
I hate to
bring bad news to your attention but
I have some. Sam's Seafood is
due to close on June 4th. Get there
while you can. I am going this
Monday night. Tiki Central is
throwing a big party there on
Saturday, but I don't know what
there is to celebrate. Also, the
Royal Hawaiian
in Laguna Beach has been sold and
it's fate is uncertain.
I heard of a place called 21
Oceanfront in Newport Beach at 21 W.
Oceanfront Street. Their web site
doesn't reveal how great it looks
inside,
Cindy W comments:
The original name of Johnnie's
Broiler was Harvey's Broiler.
The name changed sometime in the
late sixties, I believe. Most of the
best times were when it was
Harvey's, I am told that anyone who
was anyone as a teenager in the
fifties and sixties cruised
Harvey's. Its a damn shame what
has happened to this glorious
structure. Thanks for the
terrific web site.
Ron D.
shares these memories:
I discovered your
site yesterday while surfing the net. I
am trying to remember how I navigated to
it, but that's not important. I just
want you to know how much I am enjoying
it.
Restaurants have always been a part of
my life. One of my earliest remembrances
is my dad taking me to Marsals. My mom
worked there in the 40's and
50's. As of about 20 years ago, the
building, on Firestone Blvd. west of
Long Beach Blvd. in Southgate, was still
in use as a service club. Elks Club,
or V.F.W. ? Can't quite remember. I
didn't go in but wondered the were still
using the original bar.
I began working in restaurants along
Ventura Blvd. in the late 50's at
age 13 as a busboy or dishwasher. I was
lucky to feel so "grown up" hanging out
at coffee shops with restaurant workers
after closing time. I remember one
character who came to these 2am
breakfasts was a waiter or maybe even
maitre d' at Romanoff's. Very
continental, spoke several languages.
My adult working years were spent as a
Los Angeles deputy sheriff. Worked
patrol in East L.A., West Hollywood,
Lennox (near LAX and Hawthorne), and
Marina Del Rey. Ate a lot of burgers
over the hood of a radio car. Looked for
cop hang outs on your website but maybe
they are no longer around. Hill's Code 7
in downtown L.A. and El Tepeyac
in East L.A. (home of the "Hollenbeck
burrito" and mentioned in Joseph
Wambaugh's first book The New
Centurions) come to mind.
You feature Monty's. My mom hostessed at
the old location on Ventura Blvd. near
White Oak in the 80's. It burned to the
ground 15 or so years ago. Sad enough,
but even more so because the bar was
full of Dodger baseball memorabilia. The
new location on Topanga Canyon just
didn't cut it for me the one time I
visited.
Well, I am starting to ramble too much.
One suggestion: if you have never been,
next time your travels take you to Palm
Springs, try my favorite place, The
Ingleside Inn. The great restaurant and
bar there is called Melvyn's. Off the
main drag and VERY much "old" Palm
Springs.
Garry P. recounts the
"jazz" life:
I truly enjoyed your website, as I lived
in Los Angeles in the late
fifties and sixties. One of my favorite
places to hang out (and sometimes sit-in
with the jazz band) was Paul Cummins'
Roaring Twenties on La Cienega Blvd. I
remember that one of the magazines
(Look, Life, or one similar) did an
article on that club. I have never been
able to find it, or anything else on the
place. And who could forget Dick
Webster's incomparable lemon pies, a
little farther down the boulevard! L.A.
was truly a great place to be in those
days..........I would not mind re-living
that experience all over again.
Thanks for the memories, as they say.
Leon R
provides these important memories of
Clifton's Meals for Millions:
I worked at the Meals For Millions
office at Clifton's in about 1952 as a
part timer while going to USC. They
still had the "Pay what you wish" policy
then. Your write up seemed to think this
was a '30s thing. We mailed out packets
of the MFM food free to the starving
areas of the world.
I've looked
through your whole list and had many
happy memories of
places such as the Tam (welsh rarebit,
toad in the hole), Micelis, etc.
I'm trying to remember the name of a
place in Leimert Park where we
ate a lot. They served a frozen parfait
with every meal.
They closed down and started or bought
the Silver Saddle in Downey.
What was the name of the original place?
The owner was German I believe.
The Hollywood Tick
Tock was a favorite with their multiple
courses
all served at breakneck speed. You soon
learned to eat with one hand
holding on to your dish or it would be
whisked away and replaced with
the next course. Lots of fun. I went to
the one in Toluca Lake once.
It also had rapid service. We entered,
ordered, ate and left and
thought perhaps the swinging doors were
still moving from our entrance.
Two beer places I remember from the USC
days were Tobacco Rhodas
which showed silent comedies
continuously, and Bibos, which was a
German beer hall. Can't remember the
locations. Thanks for the site.
Dale B provides these memories of
Harvey's Broiler:
The JOHNNY'S BROILER in Downey
was originally HARVEY'S BROILER
when we cruised there in the sixties.
Some of the fastest street rods in LA
cruised there and at BOB'S in Whittier.
BTW, there was a restaurant in North
Long Beach called THE PRINCE OF WALES
. I had shrimp or Halibut (fresh
water) as least once a month. I have not
had good shrimp or Halibut since the
place closed. (The area went down hill
and patrons were harassed or their cars
were broken into so they stopped coming
to the restaurant.) They had been in the
same location since 1929. I just wish I
could find some shrimp or Halibut with
the same quality and flavor.
Pat C
brings the Warner Grand to our
attention:
I found your
fabulous site by accident looking for
info on Billingsleys restaurant.
Anyway, browsed around and bookmarked
for future reference. Great stuff!!
Didn't see our fabulous local restored
theater the Warner Grand in the theater
section. It's one of the few Art Deco
treasures still around. You would love
it! Actually closing soon for a few
months for more refurbishing (new seat
thank goodness.)
www.warnergrand.org will get you all the
info.
Thanks for all the great info on many
places I've forgotten and others I've
yet to visit.
Here's a really nice email from
John G:
I just wanted to drop you a note to say
"Thank you!" Thanks for taking the time
to put together such a great web site. I
LOVE it. I absolutely love visiting
these places and getting just a taste of
what a wonderful place Los Angeles must
have been way back. I have been to quite
a few of the restaurants mentioned on
your site, both before but mostly after
a friend turned me on to your site:
The Smoke House Restaurant, Pig 'n' Whistle,
Miceli's, Roscoe's Chicken and
Waffles, The Apple
Pan, Cassell's,
Canter's Deli, as well as
Fillippi's Pizza Grotto in San
Diego, and many others.
Just today, I dropped my wife off at LAX
and decided to take my daughter by
Hawthorne to visit the Beach Boys
landmark that was recently installed to
mark the location of the Wilson's home
(torn down to make way for the 105).
Along the way, we grabbed a couple of
malts at the Foster's Freeze where the
Wilson boys used to eat and decided to
cruise Hawthorne Blvd. to check out
what's left of the historical buildings.
We passed Chips Restaurant as well as a
place you might want to investigate:
Pizza Show on Hawthorne Blvd.
(east side of street south from Chips).
We didn't eat there but the exterior
certainly looks interesting. All of
these places are mentioned on a cool web
site. Check it out:
http://cougartown.com/hangouts.html.
Incidentally, my fairly new love of the
Beach Boys has only fed my nostalgia. A
lot of Beach Boys fans really seem to
love the old Southern California that
spawned the group. If you have time, you
should check out the following blog:
http://dumbangelmag.blogspot.com/.
They've had some great writeups on
60's-era So Cal. Really good stuff. They
put out a great print magazine called
Dumb Angel that really focuses on that
period of history. I highly recommend
it.
To continue with my little story (sorry
about the length of this "note"!), we
drove up to Inglewood and past the old
Wich Stand at Slauson and Overhill
(great Googie architecture, though I
can't imagine the bright green paint is
true to history!). We decided to get a
bite to eat and I thought, "Why not hit
a time machine?" We ended up in Eagle
Rock at the Casa Bianca Pizza Pie
shop. Terrific place! Very good thin
crust pizza and a great environment
inside. Definitely eat there when you
get a chance. After dinner, we continued
down Colorado toward our home in Orange
County. Along the way we passed so many
wonderful buildings and restaurants: The
Derby, Rod's Diner (sure looked open to
me!), the old Van de Kamp's, etc.
What a great day.
I'll continue to visit as many of these
places as I can. It's strange as I'm 32
years old and really have no
"connection" to these places but I get
so nostalgic about them. It really bums
me out when one of these places closes
or worse, gets demolished. Please keep
up the TERRIFIC work so that I can keep
visiting these places and keep that link
to our past alive and well. There's so
much more I could say but I've taken too
much of your time already! I will scout
Orange County locations for you to check
out. Jeez, what a rambling e-mail! Okay,
that's all!
Ben K points out:
The La Frite
sign was from the previous restaurant
(Pappy Jacks). It was basically flap
jacks, etc, that's why the sign has aguy
flipping pancakes. I used to work 50
feet from it in the mid-60s atA&W Root
Beer (which became a used car lot,
vetc).
Otto's Pink Pig on Van Nuys Blvd
was a staple in the 60s. Owned by Otto
Nasser. Long gone. $7.45 for a full
prime rib dinner. Tail O' the Cock on
Ventura Blvd long gone, too. Used to be
next to Tail O' the Pup hot dog
joint shaped like a hot dog. As is
Robaire's, Love's BBQ,
Diamond Jim's,Chuck's Steak House,
Hody's, Choo Choo's restaurant
(where model train brought you your
food) and others...
Leon R provides this important
information on Wurlitzer's:
I just finished reading your review of
the LA movie palaces. I am a
theatre organ buff and am familiar with
many of them. There are active
Wurlitzer organs in Plummer
Auditorium in Fullerton (one of the last
installations and fully restored) and
the Bay Theatre I believe in
Venice or a close by beach city. Both
are huge 4 manual models. The
Rialto in Pasadena was the site of many
George Wright organ concerts.
He was the very best theatre organist of
the 50's and 60's. Allen Organ
company named several of their
electronic theatre organs after him and
there was a recent concert at the
Rialto
by Lyn Larsen, one of the
handful of top professional theatre
organists today. This was on a
Allen electronic and is available on CD.
The Wiltern had a 4 manual
Kimball organ which was used for many
concerts. The theatre in Santa
Barbara has a 4 manual "Wonder" Morton
organ. Mortons were built
locally and were the big competition to
Wurlitzer which was built in
Tondawanda , NY.
John S.
writes about San Diego:
Hi, just got
turned on to your amazing site by a
friend. As a lifelong San Diegan (until
moving to Maine recently) I was pleased
to discover your excellent coverage of
what my brother and I call "Duckburg".
My mother and I moved near Texas and
University after my Dad passed in the
early 70's. One night she was
meeting some friends in the Red Fox Room
and invited me along. I could not
believe what I was seeing - very
grateful to you for researching the
history of the interior. In my Mom's
later years, she insisted that my wife
and I escort her to the Fireside in
Escondido for Christmas dinner. Sorry to
hear of its' demise.
On another note, I remember the sandwich
shop downtown and think the location you
list is correct. I worked at the
Union-Tribune at the time and would
often go there for the pastrami on rye -
best ever. I do not recall the name as
being Manny's, but I believe the
gentleman's name was Bill. One thing I
am sure of was his response after taking
your request......"Sold American!"
Finally, the chicken place you refer to
was, I am relatively sure, a bit further
out ECB, before 70th St, right where
Montezuma fed onto the Boulevard (near
Pep Boys). It was called the "College
Inn", and had excellent food. Owned
by a
Wes Shirts, or Shirtz and was in
business into the mid-nineties, I
believe the location now houses the
"Daily Grinds Cafe". (619) 697-0750
Keep up the GREAT work!!......and thanks
- John S.
Denise M remembers:
Although I now live in NYC, I'm a second
generation native Californian (Los
Angeles). Watching the Food Channel
today (Alton Brown on the road), there
was a mention of old fashioned tea rooms
and I remembered one of my favorites in
downtown LA - Blairs. In doing a search,
I came across your website.
Thank you for documenting some of these
classic restaurants. I see some that I
remember as a kid, some I see regularly
when I'm visiting family and the list of
gone but not forgotten is a wonderful
trip down memory lane! I've managed to
get my husband to a number of classics,
some now gone - Dupars Coffee
Shop in the
Farmer's Market (a favorite of mine for
years - I have their 50th anniversary
coffee mug),
El Chavo, Philippes (my son
is addicted to the mustard which my
brother sent him for Christmas last year
along with a treasured Tshirt. we have
enough mustard to last a few years...).
Taylor's is a family tradition - we
always end our visits with a big dinner
there.
Anyway, I don't mean to ramble, but your
site is fab. Keep up the great work,
we'll be referring to it for our next
visit out West!
Caroline B.
provides this very valuable information:
There were a
several restaurants not listed on the
extinct page that I think are worth
including:
Hong Kong Low restaurant – 425
Gin Ling Way, Chinatown plaza,
213-628-6217: Classic Cantonese cuisine,
hosted punk bands upstairs. Had the most
beautiful blue and green enamel ceiling
I’ve ever seen. My mom used to take me
there every year on the last day of
school in June. The place was partly
owned by infamous Chinatown murder
victim Yee Wo Tai.
The Islander – 385 N. La Cienega
Blvd at Westmount Dr. , 213-655-7570:
Polynesian and Chinese fare, Hawaiian
salad bar and breakfast buffet, awesome
tiki décor including a tropical bird
aviary and a gift shop. You had to
taking a winding ramp and cross a bamboo
suspension bridge to the entrance.
Popular rainstorm effect show several
times a day. Closed in 1983. Owner
Bernard Tohl also owned the CaptainR17;s
Table (301 S. La Cienega) and the Blue
Boar.
http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/location.cgi?loc_id=95,
LA Times 8/11/60 p. A3, 8/9/59 p. F6
Hawaiian Kitchen – 222 N. Western
Ave. near Beverly Blvd., 213-466-5783:
Chinese/Polynesian cuisine, also with
great tiki décor. Low key place, food
was so-so, but I had my first fried rice
there. Master chef was from Trader
Vic’s.
El Gato – 7324 Sepulveda Blvd.,
Van Nuys: Mexican restaurant with a
popular mariachi and puppet show for
kids.
Thistle Inn – 2395 Glendale
Blvd., Silverlake, across the street
from the Red Lion Tavern, 213-663-8243 –
Continental cuisine with swanky style.
Richard Neutra and his pals used to hang
out there, as his studio was just down
the street. That place was there
For-EVER!
Our Contribution – 13230 Burbank Blvd.,
Van Nuys, next door to Valley Cities
JCC, 213-988-2332: great hippie
vegetarian and natural food joint.
Braless waitresses in Birkenstocks,
carob and tofu in everything, and plenty
of sprouts on the salads. Co-owned by
Mike Farrell of MASH fame. I had my
first smoothie there! L.A. Times 8/25/81
p. I1, 6/8/80 p. Q103
Magic Pan – Beverly Hills,
Arcadia, Woodland Hills, Costa Mesa,
Glendale and many other locations:
Creperie – wonderful entrée and dessert
crepes. Spinach salad with mandarin
orange sections and hot bacon dressing.
YUM! Reaching its peak of popularity in
1979, Quaker Oats sold off the chain in
1982, leaving the individual locations
to sink or swim. They all finally sank.
L.A. Times 10/4/79 p. V12
Lawrys California Center – 570 W. Ave
.26 at San Fernando Road: Best nachos on
the planet, and the jasmine bloomed all
year round. L.A. Times 10/3/82 p. Y36
So good to know there is one Bear Pit
BBQ left. Must try it for lunch!
Larry T corrects a previous
comment:
Don't know where to go on your site to
add comments on the "new page" section,
but a comment on the Yuma AZ entry:
Lutes' Gretna Green Wedding Chapel was
and is indeed a classic, but it's not
true that in the old days, when movie
stars went there to get married,
California required blood tests and
Arizona didn't. The reason people went
there (it's just over the border from
California) was that it was the closest
place which didn't have a waiting period
between license and wedding. The story
is great -- the "chapel" is a big old
colonial style building and Rev. Lutes'
(the "Rev" was honorary, he was a
justice of the peace) routine was: you
drove up the driveway which passed by
the side of the house, got your license
and gave blood at a window which opened
on the driveway, and went in back to
park for the chapel. While you were
parking the technician tested your blood
and by the time you were in the chapel
the results were in and you got married.
And they're still in business, though
Las Vegas has pretty much taken over.
Now a question, I can't think of the
name of the Polynesian restaurant which
is now an Acapulco, at 385 North La
Cienega in Los Angeles (between
Beverly and Melrose). Was it the
Islander? [Answer: Yes - see comment
above by Caroline B.]
RJ provides
these comments:
Hey, thanks for
this site.
I live like 2 blocks from Colombo's
in Eagle Rock.
Casa Bianca annually gets a
mention as "Best Pizza in LA" but I
like Two Guys From Italy (in
Glendale) better.
We took a friend from New York to
Colombo's. As soon as we walked
in, he said "Oh, this is a New Jersey
Red Bar."
He said New Jersey is dotted with places
like this.
They're called Red Bars because of
- Red wine
- Red meat
- Red sauces
- Red leather booths
Keep up the good work! Oh yeah, my Dad
moved here (actually, Culver City) in
1940.
One of his first jobs was at Cliftons
Cafeteria downtown. He told
me he learned to eat kidney pie there.
Yecch.
Some great memories from
Shelly K:
Petrillos was forced to remodel
after a fire in the 1990s. Other than
that, the pizza is still the same as is
the pasta. Nothing beats this Sicilian
style, pile it on type of pizza. The
bread is still excellent, but the crust
has changed a bit. They also wussed out
and put soft provolone instead of hard
aged in the antipasto, but it is still
full of cherry peppers, mortadella and
salami.
I have been going here my whole life. My
parents went here on dates in the 1950s.
Other notes:
I met my Husband at Pie n Burger.
We go to Daemon's for prime rib to
celebrate anything. We got engaged
at Cole's P.E. Buffet. The
Building was indeed remodeled, but
Cole's has not been touched. Hell, it
hasn't even been dusted since 1930.
I haven't been to Taix since the 70s. I
have a memory of a huge plate of French
fries cooked in coconut oil. It has to
be Taix or Mme. Portier's.
You are also the only site I have seen
that mentions Quan Brother's. If this is
the one in China Town, my parents used
to take us there all the time. I knew
them for their appetizers like fried
wonton and mai tais. Okay, so I stole a
few sips when I could.
I never really liked Little Joes, but it
is sad to see it standing there all
forlorn.
You might want to dig into Marcel and
Jean's, a French restaurant in
Montebello. The restaurant and sign were
still there a few years ago, but the
owner went to France and never returned.
Also, Butterfield's off Sunset Blvd. was
a popular place. I was a kid so I knew
them for sarsaparilla and fried parsley.
I think they served omelets and health
food. Saw Vincent Price there one day in
1975.
Twoheys is still in Alhambra and
worth a mention. [See the remodeled
page]
Thanks for the memories!