Best Old-School Hollywood Restaurants in Los Angeles (2026)
Dark booths, cold martinis, prime-rib carts, red sauce, live music and real movie-town history, minus the places that only have a backstory.
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Los Angeles has no shortage of restaurants with a story. The harder question is which old rooms still deserve a reservation.
Age alone didn't get anyone on this list. Every main pick needed a reason to go now: a meal that still holds up, a ritual worth seeing in person, or a room nobody could convincingly rebuild. Places that coast on a famous name were left off or moved to the end.
The guide is split by how to use each place. Some can carry a whole dinner. Others are best for a drink, a few signature dishes and a long look around. A few are daytime counters, and a few are revivals of old rooms, which we call out. "Hollywood" here is a culture, not a zip code, so the list runs from Santa Monica to Burbank and down to LAX.
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Every Old-School LA Restaurant at a Glance
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Best for | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musso & Frank Grill | Hollywood | A first old-Hollywood dinner | Recommended; closed Mondays |
| La Dolce Vita | Beverly Hills | Glamorous Italian dinner | Essential; opens three weeks out |
| Dan Tana's | West Hollywood | Birthdays and loud red-sauce nights | Essential |
| Dear John's | Culver City | Steak-and-martini date | Recommended |
| Lawry's The Prime Rib | Beverly Hills | The prime-rib ceremony | Recommended |
| Tam O'Shanter | Atwater Village | Cozy group dinner | Recommended |
| Golden Bull | Santa Monica Canyon | Westside steak night | Recommended |
| Smoke House | Burbank | Big groups near the studios | Recommended |
| Taylor's Steak House | Koreatown | A well-priced steak | Easy midweek; closed Mondays |
| Polo Lounge and Fountain Coffee Room | Beverly Hills | Power lunch or counter breakfast | Recommended for the Polo Lounge |
| Formosa Cafe | West Hollywood | Cocktails and shared plates | Recommended |
| Tower Bar | West Hollywood | A discreet martini dinner | Essential; no Sunday dinner |
| Damon's Steak House | Glendale | Mai Tais and steak with a group | Recommended |
| Chez Jay | Santa Monica | A martini by the pier | Recommended |
| HMS Bounty | Koreatown | Cheap date night | Walk in |
| The Dresden | Los Feliz | Live music in the lounge | Lounge is first come |
| Jones Hollywood | West Hollywood | Late dinner and apple pie | Recommended |
| The Prince | Koreatown | Fried chicken in a famous room | Recommended |
| Casa Vega | Sherman Oaks | Margaritas and a late Valley dinner | Recommended |
| Canter's Deli | Fairfax | Late-night deli | Walk in |
| Moun of Tunis | Hollywood | A long group feast | Recommended |
| Pann's | Westchester | Breakfast near LAX | Walk in |
| The Apple Pan | West LA | A solo burger and pie | Walk in; counter only |
| Bob's Big Boy | Burbank | Families and the Friday car show | Walk in |
| Philippe the Original | Chinatown | A French dip before a game | Walk in; counter service |
| Langer's Deli | Westlake | Pastrami lunch | Walk in; daytime only |
| El Coyote | Beverly Grove | Big-group margaritas | Recommended for groups |
| Miceli's | Hollywood | Family dinner with singing servers | Recommended |
| Rainbow Bar & Grill | West Hollywood | Rock history | Walk-in friendly |
| Yamashiro | Hollywood Hills | Sunset cocktails | Recommended |
| Dal Rae | Pico Rivera | Worth-the-drive Continental dinner | Recommended |
Full Dinners Worth Planning Around
These are the old rooms that can carry an entire night: book a table, order the classics and stay a while. Lawry's, Tam O'Shanter and the Polo Lounge also run holiday menus; see our guide to LA restaurants open on Thanksgiving.
Musso & Frank Grill
6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, USA
Hollywood's oldest restaurant has been open since 1919, and it still runs like a working restaurant: red booths, jacketed waiters and nobody rushing you. If you only have one night, start here. Get a martini, then French onion soup or a wedge, sand dabs or a steak, and Lyonnaise potatoes. It's closed Mondays, so book ahead for prime dinner hours the rest of the week. Best for: a first old-Hollywood dinner, visiting parents, a serious martini.
La Dolce Vita
9785 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA
Frank Sinatra was an early investor in this 1966 Beverly Hills room, which reopened in 2023 with its dark booths and low, flattering light restored. It's the rare famous classic where the food is as good a reason to go as the room. Start with a martini and the tableside Caesar, then share the bone-in veal parm with spaghetti and meatballs or shrimp fra diavolo. Reservations open three weeks out and go fast. Tables after 8:30 are easier to get, and the bar is a good fallback. Best for: a glamorous Italian dinner, date night.
Dan Tana's
9071 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
The tiny yellow bungalow has been packed since 1964, with chianti bottles overhead and tuxedoed waiters working the room. Few places in LA feel more like a permanent birthday party. Order Nika's Caesar, the fried ravioli, chicken parm and linguine with clams, and save room for cheesecake. Portions are huge. Book well ahead; weeknights are easier. Best for: birthdays, celebrations, loud red-sauce nights.
Dear John's
11208 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230, USA
Actor Johnny Harlowe opened this Culver City steakhouse in 1962 with a push from Frank Sinatra, and Hans Röckenwagner and Josiah Citrin brought it back in 2019. It's so dark you may read the menu by phone light, and the low ceilings and tight booths feel like 1962. Get a martini, the tableside Caesar, and the steak Diane or chicken parm with creamed spinach. The room is small, so book ahead. Best for: a moody date, steak and martinis.
Lawry's The Prime Rib
100 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, USA
Open on La Cienega since 1938, Lawry's is a full production: prime rib carved tableside from silver carts and the spinning bowl salad dressed at your table. The ceremony is the reason to go. Pick a cut, from the California Cut up to the Diamond Jim Brady, served with Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes and the salad. Finish with the C.C. Brown's hot fudge sundae. The dress code is business casual, so leave the gym clothes and beachwear at home. Best for: family celebrations, the prime-rib ritual.
Tam O'Shanter
2980 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039, USA
The Tam opened in 1922 and is now part of the Lawry's family. It's a storybook Scottish pub of winding rooms, dark wood and fireplaces, and the easiest place on this list to seat a group. Start with Scotch rarebit or Toad in the Hole, then get the prime rib in the Tam O'Shanter Cut. Disney fans can ask about Table 31, Walt's old spot, but the room doesn't need the trivia. Best for: cozy group dinners, cold nights, prime rib.
Golden Bull
170 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402, USA
Golden Bull has been a canyon chophouse since 1949, and a local ownership group refreshed it in the late 2010s while keeping it a neighborhood place. It still serves a steak dinner that stands on its own. Start with a martini and a wedge, then a steak or the prime rib. The dining room has more of the old character than the patio. Confirm hours before you make the drive. Best for: a Westside steak night, martinis near the beach.
Smoke House
4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505, USA
Smoke House opened in Burbank in 1946 and has sat across from Warner Bros. since 1949. It's a big, busy room of red booths and studio memorabilia that works for three generations at one table. The garlic cheese bread is mandatory. After that, the prime rib is the house specialty, with a Caesar or wedge in between. Best for: big groups, studio history, garlic cheese bread.
Taylor's Steak House
3361 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005, USA
Taylor's has held its Koreatown corner since 1953, with dark wood, red leather and prices that look like a typo next to Beverly Hills. It's the old-school steak dinner you don't have to save up for. Order the culotte, the cut Taylor's helped make famous, with a Manhattan and a baked potato. The prime rib and Spencer steak are good backups. It's closed Mondays. Best for: an unfussy steak, deep booths, a Manhattan.
The Polo Lounge and Fountain Coffee Room
9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA
The Beverly Hills Hotel gives you two versions of old Hollywood under one roof. The Polo Lounge, which turned 85 this July, is for patio lunches, live music and the McCarthy salad, which the hotel sells about 600 of a week. The Fountain Coffee Room is a small curved counter under banana-leaf wallpaper, good for breakfast, a sandwich or a milkshake. Choose the Polo Lounge for an occasion and the Fountain for a quicker, casual stop. Check dress codes and booking before you go. Best for: a power lunch, a splurge, a counter breakfast.
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Order to the Room: Drinks, Music and Late Nights
In these places the room is the main event. Come for a drink, a few signature dishes and time to look around. Formosa, Tower Bar, HMS Bounty, The Dresden, Jones and The Prince also appear in our guide to the best cozy bars in Los Angeles, Formosa's daily Golden Hour is in our happy hours guide, and Canter's and Jones keep cooking after midnight in our late-night food guide.
Formosa Cafe
7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046, USA
The 1939 Formosa came back from a careful restoration with its historic railcar, red glow and walls of memorabilia intact. It feels lively, not like a museum. Bring friends, order cocktails and share the crab rangoon dip, orange chicken and kung pao chicken. Treat it as a great room with fun drinking food, not a Chinese-food destination. Best for: cocktails, shared plates, a restored landmark.
Tower Bar
8358 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
Tower Bar opened in 2005 inside the 1929 Sunset Tower Hotel, in what was once Bugsy Siegel's apartment. It's young for this list, but the low light, live jazz, white-tuxedoed waiters and no-photos rule capture old-Hollywood discretion better than most original rooms. Order a martini, the pigs in a blanket and the Tower Bar burger. Dinner runs Monday through Saturday; on Sundays the restaurant serves breakfast and lunch only. Mind the dress code and keep your phone in your pocket. Best for: a discreet date, a power lunch, a glamorous martini.
Damon's Steak House
317 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203, USA
Damon's opened in 1937 and moved to Brand Boulevard in the early 1980s, bringing its bamboo, Hawaiian murals and saltwater aquarium along. It's a strange and wonderful setting for a steak. Start with Damon's Famous Mai Tai or a Chi Chi and the garlic toast, then a steak. Come ready for a party, not a hushed dinner. Best for: tiki drinks, festive groups, birthdays.
Chez Jay
1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
Open since 1959 half a block from the Santa Monica Pier, Chez Jay is a dim, nautical, slightly eccentric room with peanuts on the table. The city made it a landmark in 2012, and the Backyard patio added in 2019 handles the overflow. Get a martini and the sand dabs almondine or the butter steak. It works best as a great old bar that happens to serve dinner. Best for: a martini by the pier, a lived-in neighborhood classic.
HMS Bounty
3357 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA
Since 1962 this nautical bar has filled the ground floor of the 1924 Gaylord building on Wilshire, with original red booths, a model of the Bounty behind the bar and some of the cheapest drinks on this list. Order a whiskey sour and the Baseball steak, the house signature. Walk down to the restrooms for a look at the old hotel lobby. Best for: a cheap date night, steak and a stiff drink.
The Dresden
1760 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
The Dresden has been on Vermont Avenue since 1954, and the lounge is the reason to go: period details, a Blood and Sand at the bar, and live music most nights in the tradition of Marty & Elayne, who played here for decades. Check the music schedule and come early, since lounge seating is first come, first served. A burger or French dip goes fine with the drinks. The white-tablecloth dining room is a separate, more formal meal. Best for: live music, a lounge date.
Jones Hollywood
7205 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046, USA
Jones opened in 1994, which makes it young for this list, but the dark booths, red-checked tablecloths and late kitchen have made it a West Hollywood fixture. Split a thin-crust pizza and a pasta, then the apple pie for two, which is reason enough to come. It's a strong pick after a show or a few drinks. Best for: late-night red sauce, dinner after a show.
The Prince
3198 1/2 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005, USA
The Tudor building went up in 1926, and the room became The Prince in 1991: red booths, a chandeliered bar and a bell at the table to call your server. You've seen it in Mad Men and New Girl. The menu is Korean bar food, so order the fried chicken with beer or soju, plus kimchi fried rice for the table. Best for: Korean fried chicken, groups, a famous room.
Casa Vega
13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, USA
Ray Vega opened Casa Vega on Ventura Boulevard in 1956, and the dark booths, red light and strong margaritas still define it. This year, its 70th, it added the Ray Vega Patio, which nearly doubled the space. Sit inside for the full effect. Order a margarita, guacamole and a combination plate; this is familiar Mexican-American comfort food. Dinner runs until 12:30 a.m. Best for: margaritas, a lively Valley dinner, a late meal.
Canter's Deli
419 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA
Canter's opened in 1931 and has long been on Fairfax, where it took over the old Esquire Theatre. The checkerboard floor, giant bakery case and Kibitz Room bar are as much the draw as the food. Get matzo ball soup, a hot pastrami or a Reuben, and something from the bakery. It's open 24 hours on weekends and late on weeknights, and the Kibitz Room keeps its own earlier hours. Best for: late meals, matzo ball soup, deli history.
Moun of Tunis
7445 1/2 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046, USA
Since 1977 this Sunset Boulevard room has served Tunisian and Moroccan feasts on low seating under draped fabric, with belly dancers working the room. Order the multi-course feast: brik, b'stilla, couscous with lamb or chicken, mint tea and dessert. Bring a group that's in no hurry. Best for: a group feast, a long communal dinner.
Daytime Time Capsules
Counters, diners and delis where the old-LA experience fits into breakfast or lunch. Pann's is a few minutes from the airport; our guide to the best restaurants at LAX covers the terminals themselves.
Pann's
6710 S La Tijera Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
Pann's opened in 1958, and its Googie building near LAX is a landmark. The food is the reason to stay: this is some of the best fried chicken in the city. Order the chicken and waffles, or the country-fried steak with a biscuit. It's worth the trip even if you aren't catching a flight. Best for: breakfast or lunch near LAX, Googie architecture.
The Apple Pan
10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
Since 1947 the Apple Pan has served from the same U-shaped counter on Pico, and very little has changed. There's no gap between the food and the experience. Order the Hickoryburger, with its smoky sauce, or the Steakburger, plus fries and a slice of banana cream pie; boysenberry and apple are close behind. It's counter seating only, so come solo or in a pair. Best for: a solo counter lunch, burger and pie.
Bob's Big Boy
4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505, USA
Built in 1949, this is the oldest Bob's Big Boy still standing, with its towering original sign and roadside architecture intact. Order a burger, fries and a shake. On Friday evenings the lot fills with classic cars, and carhop service runs on weekend nights. Kids love it. Best for: families, classic cars, a postwar diner.
Philippe the Original
1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
Philippe's has been serving since 1908 near Union Station and claims to have invented the French dip. With Cole's closed this spring, it's the last of the two old rivals still carving. Expect sawdust on the floor, counter service and long shared tables. Order a beef French dip, single or double dipped, with the house hot mustard, plus coleslaw or potato salad and a pickled egg. On game days the line runs out the door. Best for: a French dip before a Dodgers game, a cheap downtown lunch.
Langer's Deli
704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA
Langer's has been near MacArthur Park since 1947, and its hand-cut pastrami is the one other delis get measured against. Order the #19: hot pastrami, Swiss, coleslaw and Russian dressing on rye. It's a daytime-only deli that closes in the afternoon, so plan lunch around it. Best for: the best pastrami lunch in LA.
Four Famous Spots Worth It for One Reason
These are famous for good reasons, just not mainly the food. Go when that one reason is what you want.
El Coyote
7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA
Open since 1931 and on Beverly Boulevard since 1951, El Coyote is about strong margaritas, colorful rooms and a party for a big table. Order guacamole and a combination plate and enjoy the scene. Best for: a big group, margaritas, old-school booths.
Miceli's
1646 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA
Hollywood's oldest Italian restaurant has been open since 1949, and the servers still sing, often with a piano player. Go with a family that wants pizza, lasagna and a show, not on a quiet date. Best for: family dinner, singing servers.
Rainbow Bar & Grill
9015 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
The Rainbow has been on the Sunset Strip since 1972 and was Lemmy's home bar for years. Come for a drink, a slice of pizza and the memorabilia. Best for: a rock-history pilgrimage.
Yamashiro
1999 N Sycamore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068, USA
This 1914 hilltop palace above Hollywood, with terraced gardens and a 600-year-old pagoda, has the best sunset view on this list. Go for cocktails and a few plates at golden hour. Best for: a sunset view, the gardens.
Worth the Drive: Dal Rae
Dal Rae
9023 Washington Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660, USA
Dal Rae sits well outside the Hollywood map, but it's one of the best old-school Southern California dinners anywhere. The original opened near Hollywood Park in the 1940s, and this location opened in 1958. Order the famous pepper steak, a filet topped with bacon, peppercorns and green onions, or go big with lobster Thermidor, steak Diane and tableside cherries jubilee. Come for the cooking and the service, not celebrity lore. Best for: classic Continental cooking and tableside service.
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