Well-known Hollywood eateries, including the Brown Derby, C.C. Brown Cafe and the original Spago Hollywood, may be gone, but the city still has a wealth of famous diners, cafes and restaurants. Italian, American, Continental and Mexican menu options draw Hollywood residents and tourists alike to famed dining spots.
Musso & Frank Grill
Musso and Frank Grill on Hollywood Boulevard has served a menu of European continental and classic American food since 1919. Pop in for a classic lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup while touring Hollywood. The dark wooden booths with red leather padding allow a discreet dining experience, while a table in the dining room allows a view of the vintage wall murals (and, sometimes, celebrity diners). Purists enjoy having a Pernod and OJ at the bar, on a stool that may have been the perch of Ernest Hemingway when he worked for studios as a screenwriter. Reservations are required for Table One, Charlie Chaplin’s favorite dining spot.
Grill specialties include Welsh rarebit; flannel pancakes, a thin batter cake, are available until the afternoon; and a flaky chicken potpie, served only on Thursday afternoon and evening. The Musso and Frank Grill is open for all meals and offers a full bar. Dress is upscale casual, and street parking is available. Commercial lot parking is also available at a reduced rate with restaurant validation. Reservations are not required, but are highly recommended during traditional dining hours. The grill is closed on Sunday and Monday. Menu prices range from moderate to pricey, depending on the diner’s palette.
Musso & Frank Grill
6667 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-467-7788
Lucy’s El Adobe Cafe
Lucy’s El Adobe Cafe, situated across the street from Paramount Studios, is decorated with autographed photos from famous diners. Politicos know that Lucy’s is the site of state Democratic Party brainstorming, as well as a dining spot for Paramount workers. The best tables for star spotting are located in the main room in a booth near the door, since celebs are served in a special room. Guests can dine on the patio on sunny summer afternoons or sit by the fire pit on cool evenings.
The lunch and dinner cafe menu features specialty cheese enchiladas with red sauce. Lucy’s has a full bar, with soda and margaritas available by the pitcher. Prices are on the high side compared with most Mexican restaurants, but the portions are large. Dress is casual, and reservations for patio dining are not required but recommended. The cafe is closed on Sunday. Parking in available in the guest lot or at metered spaces in front of the restaurant.
Lucy’s El Adobe Cafe
5536 Melrose Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
323-462-9421
Miceli’s Hollywood Restaurant
Miceli’s Hollywood offers diners an “up close and personal” entertainment experience. Singing wait staff belt Broadway show tunes, sing Italian arias and hum the classics, all while delivering food to tables. Miceli’s first opened as a pizzeria in Hollywood in 1949.
Menu specialties include the Miceli’s Special Pizza and a host of seafood choices. The Beatles and Presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon enjoyed dining at Miceli’s, and film stars Julia Roberts and Jim Carrey now patronize the eatery. Parking is available on the street at metered spots. Delivery is available for a nominal charge. Miceli’s also operates a restaurant on Cahuenga Boulevard in Universal City.
Miceli’s Hollywood
1646 Las Palmas Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
Restaurant: 323-466-3438
Delivery: 310-441-BITE
