Old-guard dining rooms, lunch counters and bars with decades of Hollywood regulars. 14 places, each with a map.
6667 Hollywood Blvd. · Hollywood
Hollywood’s oldest restaurant opened in 1919 and still looks the part, with red leather booths, a long wooden bar and waiters in red jackets. Charlie Chaplin, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Raymond Chandler were regulars, and screenwriters once drank in its back room. Order the martini or the famous flannel cakes.
7156 Santa Monica Blvd. · West Hollywood
Across from the old Pickford-Fairbanks lot, this red-and-black bar grew up around a retired Pacific Electric Red Car trolley, which is still part of the dining room. Studio stars and crews have drunk here since the 1940s, and it appears in L.A. Confidential. A 2019 restoration brought back its vintage booths and photo-covered walls.
709 N. La Brea Ave. · Hollywood
Paul and Betty Pink started selling chili dogs from a pushcart at this corner in 1939 and later built the small stand still on the site. Lines stretch down La Brea late into the night, and the walls are covered with signed photos of the celebrities who waited in them. Many of the hot dogs are named after stars.
419 N. Fairfax Ave. · Fairfax District
The Canter family’s delicatessen has fed Los Angeles on Fairfax since 1953, often around the clock. Its Kibitz Room bar, added in 1961, became a hangout for musicians including members of the Doors and Guns N’ Roses. The autumn-leaf ceiling and pickle-and-pastrami menu haven’t changed much in decades.
8447 Santa Monica Blvd. · West Hollywood
A roadhouse on old Route 66 since 1927, Barney’s drew writers, actors and rock musicians to its long bar and chili menu. Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison were regulars in the 1960s. Its license plates, pool tables and worn booths make it one of the most lived-in bars in West Hollywood.
9071 Santa Monica Blvd. · West Hollywood
Former soccer player Dan Tana opened this red-checkered Italian restaurant next to the Troubadour in 1964. Its tight booths have hosted old Hollywood stars, rock bands and studio chiefs for six decades, and several dishes are named after regulars. Reservations help, and the chicken parmigiana is the classic order.
6245 Hollywood Blvd. · Hollywood
This narrow bar beside the Pantages has poured drinks since the 1930s, and its neon sign has appeared in films including L.A. Confidential. Inside, a long mural of caricatured classic stars in the style of Al Hirschfeld watches over the bar. It is a favorite pre-show stop for theatergoers.
6714 Hollywood Blvd. · Hollywood
Opened in 1927 beside the Egyptian Theatre, the Pig ’n Whistle served moviegoers before and after screenings and drew stars between shows. Its carved wooden ceiling and decorative interior were rediscovered and restored when the restaurant reopened in 2001. It is a convenient stop between the Egyptian and the Chinese.
1646 N. Las Palmas Ave. · Hollywood
Hollywood’s oldest Italian restaurant has served pizza under hanging Chianti bottles since 1949. Its singing waiters, many of them aspiring performers, break into opera and show tunes throughout the evening. The stained glass windows and carved booths date back decades, and the family still runs it.
1999 N. Sycamore Ave. · Hollywood Hills
Brothers Adolph and Eugene Bernheimer built this Japanese-style palace on the hill above Franklin Avenue in the 1910s to house their collection of Asian art. It has operated as a restaurant since 1959, with some of the best views over Hollywood. An old pagoda brought from Japan stands in its gardens.
4427 Sunset Blvd. · Los Feliz
Ray Buhen, who mixed drinks at the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood in the 1930s, opened this tiny tiki bar in 1961. His family still runs it, pouring dozens of rum drinks under hanging lamps and carved tiki. It seats only a dozen or so, and it is a living link to Hollywood’s original tiki craze.
1760 N. Vermont Ave. · Los Feliz
A Los Feliz fixture since 1954, the Dresden is all mid-century booths and cocktail-lounge charm. Its lounge became famous after appearing in Swingers (1996), with the long-running duo Marty and Elayne performing on screen. The restaurant still serves old-school steaks and chops in a room that feels unchanged.
7312 Beverly Blvd. · Fairfax District
Serving Mexican food since 1931, El Coyote moved to this Beverly Boulevard spot in 1951. Its dark booths, twinkling lights and strong margaritas have drawn Hollywood regulars for generations. It is also remembered as the place Sharon Tate and friends ate their last dinner in August 1969.
6333 W. 3rd St. · Fairfax District
Farmers began selling produce from their trucks at Third and Fairfax in 1934, and the stalls grew into a beloved market of grocers and lunch counters. Workers from CBS Television City next door have eaten here for decades. Its clock tower, Du-par’s diner and long-running family stands make it a slice of old Los Angeles.