We are lucky in Los Angeles to have a lot of spectacular vintage restaurants, but we are still losing many every year to owners who retire, sell out for money or lose their long-held lease to nasty gentrification. I’m a sucker for a joint with history, charm, character and stories. I’m not as selective about a menu as I am about the ambiance, atmosphere and what I am experiencing. I’m a junkie for vintage architecture and old signs. I pray that old places don’t renovate their mid-century or even mid-’70s decor. I often search the internet for authentic old-school spots in neighborhoods I visit and finding them is not always easy. After a lot of detective work I’ve compiled this “Master List” and plan to update it regularly. I’m sure there are many holes in my research and would appreciate additions, updates and corrections in the comments section below. My criteria for the restaurants here is that they are at least 35 years old (1985) or older, although I have made a few exceptions, and that they are within about an hour’s drive from downtown L.A. You will find classic steakhouses, Googie diners, pastrami delicatessens, walk-up hamburger stands and more. The list includes all of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, but also the Inland Empire in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. I’ve added a Yelp link for each restaurant, so you can check out hours and customer reviews of the food. I do my best to keep this list continually updated and add, subtract and make changes as needed. As of March 2020 the list is at 514 places, spread as far south as the bottom of Orange County, east to San Bernardino and north to Santa Clarita. Cheers, my dears, and bon appetit! Love, Nikki

NOTE September 2020: As Coronavirus has changed the landscape of socializing and dining, many of the restaurants on this list are temporarily closed and a few have announced that they are closing for good. I am waiting until the virus subsides to do a thorough update of what we have lost. Frankly, I am scared. My hope is that the majority of these wonderful places makes it through this storm.

The first two of my map series breaking down restaurants by type, location and description can be found here:The Oldest Surviving Mexican Restaurants in Los Angeles and That’s Amore- The Oldest Surviving Italian Restaurants and Delis in Los AngelesMore in this map series to follow soon. In the four years since I published this list, it has received a million reads! That shows me how much people care about our vintage restaurants. I am constantly adding new restaurants I discover, updating the ones that have closed and expanding the descriptions below, so check back often for new updated information. Currently I’ve edited this list over 750 times. It is in perpetual evolution. All descriptions here started out as exactly 2 sentences each and I’ve been adding more specific histories, but it takes research and time. I have also been working hard at photographing everything on this list. Please click to see nearly 3,000 photos I have captured so far of the exteriors & interiors of these restaurants on my Offbeat L.A. Flickr.

Between May 2015 to March 2020 we have lost at least 63 restaurants on this list due to closure. These closures are found at the bottom of the list.

(1905) The Saugus Cafe 25861 Railroad Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91355. This is the oldest restaurant in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, though the current building technically dates to 1952. President Roosevelt ate here in 1903 & later DW Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Marlena Dietrich, Clark Gable, John Wayne & Frank Sinatra. It is a traditional diner/cafe, with bar attached, featuring wood paneled walls and both counter and booth seating. Housed in a low ranch-style building, its exterior is bordered with mid-century river rock. Originally opened in 1887 as part of the Saugus Train Station under the name Saugus Eating House, it took its present name, The Saugus Cafe, in 1899. It moved to its present location in 1905 and was remodeled and enlarged in 1925. In 1952 it was re-built completely by a new owner.

(1908) Cole’s 118 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014. Founded by Henry Cole in 1908 on the bottom floor of the Pacific Electric Building, which at 10 stories was once L.A.’s tallest building. Known for their cocktails and French dip sandwiches, which both Cole’s and nearby Philippe’s claim to have invented. Cole’s story is that the au jus dipped roll was prepared at the request of a customer with sore gums who could not eat the crunchy bread. Closed briefly in March 2007 after 99 years in business, Cole’s was brought back to its original splendor with a new owner in 2008 with vermillion red wallpaper, a long mahogany wooden bar, a copper penny tiled floor, Tiffany-style lamps, old photographs mounted on the walls and a back speakeasy. Claims to have been a hangout of 1930s-40s gangster Mickey Cohen.

(1908) Philippe the Original 1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. An old fashioned delicatessen with sawdust on the concrete floors, long communal wooden tables, vintage wooden booths and photographs and historical ephemera covering the walls. They are most famous for their French dipped roast beef sandwich and roll soaked in gravy. Originally opened at 300 Alameda St in 1908 by French immigrant Philippe Mathieu, it moved to its current location several blocks away in 1951 after being booted from the old one due to construction of the 101 Hollywood freeway. Philippe’s, like Cole’s, also claims to have invented the French Dip sandwich by accidentally dropped the crunchy roll into gravy.

(1915) Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain 1526 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Fair Oaks Pharmacy originally opened in 1915 as the South Pasadena Pharmacy at the same location that it still stands today on Mission Street, then known as Route 66. The soda fountain and lunch counter, serving ice cream treats and diner food, was added in the when the business became Raymond’s Pharmacy in the 1920s, and is one of the very few surviving soda fountains in the area. It was remodeled, and considerably spruced up, by owners Michael and Meredith Miller in 1989 adding heavy oak doors with embossed glass, marble counters, tin ceilings, honeycomb tile floors and original period soda fountain equipment acquired from MeGee Pharmacy in Joplin, Missouri. The Millers sold the business in 2005.

(1915) Watson Drugs & Soda Fountain 116 E Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92866. Originally opened as a drugstore in 1899 by a man named Kellar Watson, it was first located on Glassell St. in Orange, but moved around the corner to Chapman Ave in 1901. In 1915 they added the soda fountain and began serving ice cream and comfort food. For years Watson’s had a fun, kitschy mid-century vibe with booths and a long stainless steel counter with stools. In 2016 a new owner completely gutted and renovated the restaurant, bringing the interior back to its original turn of the century roots. The original tin ceilings were uncovered, new neon was added to the front and an old-time feeling wooden bar was added with more neon. The decor features vintage pharmacy items, newspaper wallpaper, old tin signs and vintage product packages.

(1919) Musso & Frank Grill 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028.

Old Hollywood classic restaurant opened by Oregon restauranteur, Frank Toulet as Frank’s Cafe. Joseph Musso soon joined the business end and the restaurant was renamed Musso & Frank. Established in 1919, it is the oldest surviving restaurant in Hollywood, though the original location was next door to where it stands today. In 1927 Musso & Frank was bought by new owners, Joseph Carissimi and John Mosso, who moved it to its present site a few years later. The restaurant features red leather & wood booths, amazing signs and vintage American food. The Fettuccine Alfredo is the original recipe brought to the U.S. back in the 1920s by silent film stars Mary Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks. They supposedly brought the recipe back from a restaurant in Rome called Alfredo’s & would have Musso’s prepare it for them.

(1921) Pacific Dining Car 1310 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Upscale 24-hour steakhouse in a recreated and ornately decorated train car. Originally opened on the corner of 7th St and Westlake Ave in 1921 by Fred and Lovey Cook, it moved to 6th St and Witmer in 1923. More rooms and a larger bar area was added to the existing train car in the 1930s to 1940s. Ambiance is elegant with wood beamed ceilings, stained glass, chairs covered in deep green velvet, leather booths and luggage racks with vintage baggage in the main room to further carry the train theme. Prices are not cheap, but the atmosphere is also rich with history. It is still owned by descendants of the original owners.

(1924) Joe Jost 2803 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804. Established as a barber shop & pool hall. Serving sandwiches and pickled eggs since prohibition was appealed, this old-time tavern features a wooden bar, wood booths and a pool room full of memorabilia. Founded by Joe Jost, a Yugoslavian immigrant, the pub is now run by his grandson.

(1924) Original Pantry Cafe 877 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Cash-only coffee shop serving traditional American comfort food, open 24-hours-a-day, that claims to have never closed during nearly 100 years in business. Originally located at 9th & Francisco Streets, the restaurant the consisted of 15 stool counters and a grill and hot plate, but in 1950 the Pantry moved to its current location one block away to make room for a freeway off-ramp. The interior is diner-like, with an exposed cooking area, wood paneling, hanging globe lamps, vintage photography on the walls and a long counter with 19 stools and 19 old fashioned enamel tables. Currently owned by Richard Riordan.

(1925) Bay Cities Italian Deli 1517 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Classic old school Italian market that first opened on the corner of Broadway & Lincoln in Santa Monica in 1925, two doors down from where it is located today. Story says that founder Antonio DiTomasi was a Chicago policeman who relocated west because the local mob was on his back. Bay Cities moved to its current building in the 1970s and its utilitarian brick exterior, with patio and portillo tile overhang, was given a modern era remodel in 2010. Its interior features a long glass deli case and an extensive Italian grocery market, added to the original delicatessen. Serving sandwiches with bread baked on premises, it is known for the “Godmother,” a sandwich loaded five Italian cold-cut and all house salads, first created by DiTomasi in 1952. The deli has gone through 5 different owners since its initial opening, but kept the same manager, Victorio Campos, since 1971.

(1925) Formosa Cafe 7156 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046.

Opened by a prize fighter in an old red trolley car, it has kept its vintage integrity. In July 2015 the original vintage interior was gutted and subjected to an unfortunate flavorless remodel. This restaurant was then CLOSED PERMANENTLY in December 2016. After 2 years of restoration, the Formosa reopened in June 2019 with new owners and has been renovated back to the original vintage appearance.

(1925) Tam O’Shanter 2980 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039. This Scottish-themed steakhouse opened in 1922 by Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp and was originally called Montgomery’s Country Inn, becoming Tam ‘O Shanter in 1925. It was built in the storybook style, with a thatched roof, by architect and Hollywood set designer Harry Oliver, who also did the Witch’s House in Beverly Hills and the Van de Kamp bakeries. Fatty Arbuckle, Mary Pickford, silent film cowboy star Tom Mix and John Wayne were regulars while Walt Disney insisted upon Table 31, which bears a plaque today. The interior is ornate, with wood beamed ceilings, fireplaces, stained glass windows, thick carpeting and Scottish inspired decor, such as coats of arms, medieval weapons and historical photos. It is the oldest restaurant/pub continuously operated by the same family in Los Angeles, though it did change names to The Great Scott from 1967 to 1982. Waiters and waitresses dress in plaid tartan, while a pub section has built-in wooden booths and a more casual atmosphere.

(1926) Greenblatt’s Delicatessen 8017 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

Opened in 1926 by Herman Greenblatt, this brick-fronted Jewish Deli was originally located a few doors down, where the Laugh Factory now stands. Owned by the Kavin family since 1940, it has kept its vintage integrity with wooden booths and a long glass case filled with deli and bakery items.

(1926) Lanza Brothers Market 1803 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Tiny, authentic neighborhood grocery market that serves up much beloved Italian deli sandwiches in a still rough and tumble area near downtown. The neighborhood was an original Little Italy through the teens and 1920s and this is one of the few pieces left, along with nearby San Antonio Winery. A few cafe tables outside of this vintage brick building are available for curbside eating.

(1927) Barney’s Beanery 8447 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Barney’s Beanery had its start in Berkeley, CA in 1920. It moved to its current location in West Hollywood in 1927, when Santa Monica Blvd was still a dirt road and was surrounded by poinsettia fields. It was always a shack or roadhouse with wooden walls & floors, and still hasn’t changed much. In the early days it was frequented by actors like Clara Bow, John Barrymore, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Clark Gable and more. In the 1960s it became a hangout for musicians like Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, who favored booth #34. The bright yellow & orange sign was most likely installed in the ’60s, along with the cool multicolored booths of thick orange/yellow/pink/beige stripes. Barney’s has always been known for their large selection of beer, hamburgers & chili, but they slightly scaled down the menu about 4 years ago.

(1927) El Cholo 1121 Western Ave Los Angeles, CA 90006. The oldest surviving Mexican restaurant to have stayed located in the same location in Los Angeles. It was first opened on Broadway in downtown L.A. by Alejandro and Rosa Borquez in 1923 as the Sonora Cafe and the name was changed to El Cholo in 1925. The current restaurant on Western Avenue was opened two years later when George Salisbury married Aurelia Borquez, daughter of Alejandro and Rosa. Their restaurant was the second El Cholo location and originally had 8 stools and 3 booths. The restaurant claims to be the first to serve the Tex-Mex dish nachos in Los Angeles, after San Antonio born waitress Carmen Rocha introduced the recipe (first created in 1943) to El Cholo in 1959. The restaurant is still owned by the descendants of the original owners.

(1928) La Golondrina Mexican Cafe 17 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012.One of the earliest Mexican restaurants to open in Los Angeles. It originally got its start in 1924 as La Mision Cafe on Spring St. by Consuelo Castillo de Bonzo, a widow who had emigrated from Mexico to Los Angeles in 1899. La Mision was demolished to build City Hall and in 1928 moved to Olvera Street, the oldest surviving street in the city. Olvera Street was getting a re-birth at the time by wealthy socialite, Christine Sterling who was fashioning it into a tourist destination full of shops and restaurants. The street had been neglected by the 1920s and Sterling succeeded in getting it closed to traffic in 1929 and opening the street as a marketplace in 1930. La Mision was renamed La Golondrina, after a popular Mexican song. It is located in the oldest brick building in LA, Pelanconi House, which was built in 1855.

(1929) Eastside Market & Italian Deli 1013 Alpine St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Old-fashioned, tried and true Italian-American deli, opened as a market by Joe Campagna and Domenic Pontrelli in 1929, located in the hills above Chinatown, not far from Dodger Stadium. With a busy and authentic deli counter serving up huge cold-cut sandwiches on crusty bread, Italian dishes and cannoli, it has had minimal remodeling and remains true to the past. The dining area has a handful of wooden tables and chairs, concrete floors, framed historical photos and atmospheric ceiling fans. It gets crazy crowded at lunch time, but the rest of the time it’s pretty mellow.

(1929) The Rock Inn 17539 Elizabeth Lake Rd, Lake Hughes, CA 93532. The Rock Inn was built in 1929 by Joel Hurd, who after watching his business across the street burn to the ground, decided to build his next one, a hotel, post office and trading post, out of stone. With a castle-like exterior built of river rocks and a large stone fireplace, this restaurant serves American food and burgers and is a known biker hangout. The interior is a rustic tavern, with hard wood floors, stone columns, a long wood bar and tables and chairs.

(1930) Brighton Coffee Shop 9600 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Brighton Coffee Shop opened in 1930 in Beverly Hills. Serving traditional American breakfast and lunch, there are also Korean selections on the menu, influenced by current owner Pil Rai Ahn. The interior is simple and basic, with booths, tables and a breakfast counter. Its decor has been updated over the years, but has still stayed with a more retro feel. The exterior has kept its wonderful corner vintage sign with original font and its old-timey awnings.

(1931) Canter’s 419 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Canter’s began its Los Angeles journey when New Jersey-born Ben Canter and his two brothers opened Canter’s Brother’s Delicatessen in Boyle Heights, then a distinctly Jewish neighborhood, in 1931. It moved to its current location in 1953 and expanded in 1959; the mid-century decorative touches have remained much the same since that time. Serving an enormous menu of Jewish deli favorites and American diner classics, this casual restaurant is open 24-hours and has a long history of hosting celebrities from film, music and politics. In fact listing a Who’s Who would take up half of this page. With bakery cases in the entryway filled with delicious treats, amazing original neon signs, a diner area with booths and an attached ’50s style lounge, it is happily stuck in time.

(1931) El Coyote 7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. El Coyote Restaurant was originally opened in 1931 by Blanche & George March. It started as a tiny cafe on La Brea & 1st Street, but relocated to its present location in 1951. With original mid-century signs, multi-colored bottle glass windows, burgundy leather booths, vintage light fixtures and a separate bar room, it is one of the best known original old-school Mexican restaurants left in the city. Its story includes the dark history of having served Sharon Tate and her friends their last meal in 1969 before they went home and were murdered by the Manson family hours later. The “Sharon Tate Booth” still remains and is part of the restaurant’s folklore.

(1931) Halfway House Cafe 15564 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390. The Halfway House Cafe opened as a restaurant in 1931, but has a history as a trading post dating back to 1906, because of its location exactly halfway between Los Angeles and Palmdale. This casual, old country diner with rustic wood walls, a long wood-paneled eating counter and a handful of tables and chairs has a great weathered Western-style exterior & vintage neon sign standing tall on a pole. It has been used as a filming location for countless TV shows and films, including “The Twilight Zone,” “Heroes,” “Melrose Place,” “Numbers,” “CSI,” “ER,” “Angel,” “The King of Queens,” “The A-Team,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Monk,” Heroes,” “Space Cowboys,” “Lost In America,” “Georgia Rule,” “Heartbreak Ridge,” “Waitress,” “Mi Vida Loca,” “Every Which Way But Loose,” and many more.

(1933) Colonial Kitchen 1110 Huntington Dr, San Marino, CA 91108. The information available about Colonial Kitchen restaurant in San Marino, is murky at best. No one there seems to know the opening date and the only information I could originally find was in old stories and people’s memories. Now that the building has been up for sale, realtors list the restaurant’s build date as 1933, which fits exactly in with stories of when it got its start. Located in a brick-fronted building with white shutters and amazing old neon, this restaurant/cafe/diner is amazingly quaint inside. With hard wood floors, wood paneled walls, green vintage vinyl booths, colonial-style wooden club chairs and a long wood laminate eating counter, which looks like it was added in the mid to late ’70s, it is country kitsch at its most authentic. The decor includes a significant amount of Elvis memorabilia, while the menu is hearty American vintage comfort food, including Salisbury Steak, Liver and Onions and an unusual Welsh Rarebit Sandwich.

(1934) Magee’s Kitchen 6333 West Third Street, #624 Los Angeles, CA 90036. The first restaurant in the Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles was opened by Blanche Magee in 1934. She already had been operating a food stand for almost 2o years downtown at the Grand Central Market when she decided to sell turkey sandwiches to farmers who were selling produce at 3rd and Fairfax. She decided to convince land owner Earl B. Gilmore, who had seen his land go from a dairy farm to oil wells to the very first self-serve gas station, to let her have her own restaurant in the market when it formally opened for business. Known for its corned beef, Magee’s restaurant helped bring electricity to the Farmer’s market and first added tables and chairs. Magee herself lived to be 102 and passed away in 2000. Her descendants run the stand today.

(1934) Cielito Lindo 23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Tiny walk-up food stand, with a few tables on Olvera Street, specializing in taquitos, but also selling burritos. The restaurant was started by Mexican immigrant Aurora Guerrero out of a shed and expanded soon after. It was named after an old Mexican song, Cielito Lindo, popularized by Mariachis.

(1934) The Galley 2442 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405. The Galley is the oldest bar/restaurant in Santa Monica, opened by Ralph Stephan in 1934 on Main Street, which until a few decades ago, before gentrification, was the city’s skid row. It became a hangout for many film stars of the 1930s and 1940s, including Errol Flynn, Carole Lombard, Edward G. Robinson, and Charles Laughton. It is dark, cozy, and eccentrically decorated with a nautical theme, including portholes for windows, fishing nets, lanterns, a captain’s wheel, bamboo and rattan furniture, sawdust on the floor, twinkling colored Christmas lights and many hidden nooks & crannies. Set decoration from the 1934 film Mutiny On the Bounty was donated by its actor Charles Laughton and a boat from the movie sits on the patio. The exterior is just as eclectic, with a boat and rowing mannequin hanging above the entrance, wood dock pilings and a vintage neon sign. The restaurant serves steak and sea food and has a reasonable happy hour. Stephan, who passed away in 1990, sold the bar the year before to “Captain” Ron Schur, who expanded the seating from 60 to 120, added the back patio and has owned it since.

(1934) Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner 8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620. Remodeled chicken restaurant that evolved from the initial berry farm & grew into the amusement park; just outside the gates of the park.

(1937) Damon’s Steak House 317 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203. Damon’s Steak House was opened in 1937 on Central Avenue in Glendale by Loyal Damon, who sold his chain of Los Angeles candy stores to start a restaurant. The restaurant moved to this Brand Avenue location in 1980 and expanded upon the subtle South Seas theme of the original Damon’s. The interior took the tiki vibe to a new level with Polynesian inspired murals in the entrance, an outrigger canoe hanging from the ceiling, ratan covered walls, a vaulted thatched ceiling over the dining room and a massive aquarium with exotic fish. Specializing in traditional American steakhouse fare and tropical drinks, especially Chi Chis and Mai Tais.

(1937) Mitla Cafe 602 N Mt Vernon Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92411. A landmark on Route 66, this Mexican cafe was opened in 1937 as a lunch counter by Lucia Rodriguez and expanded its size in the 1940s. Mitla is the oldest surviving Mexican restaurant in the Inland Empire and is still owned by Lucia’s grandchildren and great grandchildren at the same location. The exterior of Mitla is simple Spanish-style, with some river rock inlay. The interior still has a long wood laminate eating counter along with rust colored booths and tables, ceiling fans and old photographs. Apparently Glen Bell, who had opened Bell’s Hotdogs and Hamburgers across the street in 1950, “borrowed” Lucia’s taco recipe and began selling tacos himself in December 1951. Glen then opened several taco stands in the early ’50s and went on to open the first Taco Bell in Downey in 1962 using the same recipe.

(1938) The Derby Restaurant 233 Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA 91006. The Derby restaurant was opened in 1938 on Huntington Drive, in Arcadia, CA, near the Santa Anita racetrack. It evolved out of the Proctor Tavern which opened in 1922 and moved to the location where the Derby now stands in 1931. Its owner was horse jockey George Woolfe, who was a national star and raced Seabiscuit. It is a serious steakhouse filled with cool old horse racing memorabilia, interior and exterior walls of brick, beamed wood ceilings and burgundy leather booths.

(1938) Du-par’s 6333 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Du-Par’s began as an nine-seat stall in the Original Farmer’s Market founded by James Dunn & Edward Parsons, who combined their last names to create the name Du-Par’s. Specializing in American comfort food, breakfasts and pies, it is located in a little house-like building, with white picket fence, on the southwest corner of the market. The interior features burgundy tufted booths, trimmed with dark wood, lantern-like light fixtures and deep crimson Oriental-style carpeting. The effect is comfortable and casually elegant, while still maintaining the original vintage feel. A much beloved Studio City branch ran from 1948 to 2017, and although several more branched were created over the years, only two additional locations remain, Pasadena and Las Vegas, both recently created.

(1938) Lawry’s The Prime Rib 100 N. La Cienega Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Lawry’s Prime Rib was created in 1938 by Lawrence “Lawry” Frank and Walter Van de Kamp. The pair had previously opened the Tam O’Shanter Inn in Los Feliz in 1922, which also still operates today. Originally this fine dining restaurant served only one entree, prime rib, and was also known for its Yorkshire Pudding and its signature “spinning salad” prepared tableside, but now has a mixed menu. Lawry’s also claims to have been the first to premiere valet parking and the use of the take home “doggy bag.” In 1947, the restaurant moved across the street into a modernist building designed by Wayne MacAllister, known for his Googie coffee shop architecture, who designed Bob’s Big Boy restaurant in Burbank two years later in 1949. Lawry’s stayed at this location until 1993 when it moved back to its original site, in a newly constructed building. MacAllister’s 1947 building still stands, however, and is now occupied by the Stinking Rose, a garlic themed restaurant which originally debuted in 1991 in San Francisco. The interior of Lawry’s is white tablecloth elegant, with wood parquet floors, polished wood, chandeliers and understated art.

(1939) Harbor House Cafe 16341 Pacific Coast Highway, Sunset Beach, CA 90742. Harbor House Cafe opened as a restaurant in 1939, converted from a seaside beach cottage into a roadside diner. The exterior is wood sided with an awning and has a tall neon 1950s replica sign, which was likely installed in the 1970s or afterward. This 24-hour diner is open every day of the year, serving American classics and breakfasts with some Mexican items thrown in. The walls and ceilings are wood paneled and the interior is plastered filled with vintage memorabilia and framed movie posters covering every available space of the walls and the ceiling. Burgundy leather booths line the walls alongside a long wood laminate eating counter with matching burgundy high-backed stools. A second location was opened in Dana Point.

(1939) Newcomb’s Ranch Angeles Crest Highway 2, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011. Originally built in 1939 this rustic roadhouse, at the snowline up mountainous Angeles Crest, was rebuilt after a 1976 fire. With a wooden exterior, pine board walls and a bar.

(1939) Pink’s Hot Dogs 709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Pink’s Hot Dogs has stood on the corner of Melrose & La Brea in Los Angeles since 1949. It was originally started in 1939 by Paul & Betty Pink, who sold 10¢ chili dogs out of a pushcart at the same corner. Known for their long lines and sausages named after celebrities, the little shack is a true icon of the city. A small eating area has walls covered with framed actor’s headshots and there are outdoor eating tables in the back.

(1939) Sariñana’s Tamale Factory 2216 W 5th St, Santa Ana, CA 92703. Sariñana’s Tamale Factory was opened in 1939 by Juan and Felipa Sariñana, immigrants from Durango, Mexico. Located in a tiny former house, painted with exterior murals and modernized with plastic signs, it is the oldest surviving Mexican restaurant in Orange County. Ordering is done at a counter and eaten at a choice of six interior picnic tables or two outside. Though its founders passed away in the late 1960s, it is still family owned, by the 5th and 6th generations of Juan and Felipa’s descendants. Serving Mexican food in the Durango style, Sariñana’s is particularly known for their tamales, though their homemade hot sauce is exceptional as well.

(1939) Sycamore Inn 8318 E Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

Built on the spot of the Mountain View Inn, built in 1848, the location suffered fires and floods and was rebuilt several times. The current building, a two-level wooden structure with front porch, dates to 1921, built by German-born citrus rancher John Klusman. In its first few years, the basement served as a Prohibition defying speakeasy, while several rooms upstairs were used as a brothel. It became the Sycamore Inn restaurant in 1939, when bought and remodeled by Danish immigrant Irl Hinrichsen. Located on what once was Route 66 and now is Foothill Blvd, the restaurant is white tablecloth elegant, serving traditional steakhouse fare. The main dining room is dimly lit, with beamed ceilings and heavy leather chairs. An attached bar features burgundy leather semi-circular booths, antique stained glass lighting and a large stone fireplace. Both Marilyn Monroe and Betty Short (the Black Dahlia) are said to have been guests right before they each died.

(1939) Vince’s Market 3250 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Started as a small Italian market with deli case Vince’s originally shared their space with a barber & beauty shop. Opened in 1939 by Joseph and Mabel Caravella and named for their son Vince, the family expanded the business in 1946, taking over the whole building and enlarging their menu. With old school signs and funky exterior murals, they have an authentic neighborhood feel. A deli counter in the back of the store serves up great Italian sandwiches on crusty rolls.

(1940) Centro Basco 13432 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710. Centro Basco, located in the San Bernardino County town of Chino, appears to be the oldest surviving Basque restaurant anywhere close to the Los Angeles area. The next oldest appears to be Continental Basque in Glendora, which opened in 1980. Centro Basco was opened as a Basque restaurant and boarding house in September 1940 by J.B. Robidart, a Basque businessman who helped guide and organize the local Chino Basque community, many of whom had immigrated to the Inland Empire to work tending sheep or milking cows in the area’s then-plentiful dairies and farms. In 1948 Robidart sold the property to Ben & Melanie Sallaberry, who ran it until 1970 and in turn sold it to Pierre and Monique Berterretche. Today it is run by their daughter, Bernadette Berterretche-Helton. The front bar area has a great casual vintage feel. With wood paneled walls and semi-circle tan colored booths, it was probably last remodeled in the 1960s. Another room features long tables for the traditional communal Basque dining experience, which is served “family style” over several courses with special dishes not found on the regular menu, such as oxtail stew, rabbit and blood sausage.

(1940) Tal’s Cafe 2701 W Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043. Old fashioned Southern-style diner in South Central L.A. serving homey breakfasts and lunch. Located in a building constructed in 1947. Its remarkably unaltered interior features wood paneling, exposed brick walls, an original-appearing green linoleum floor, an original counter with stools, booth seating and vintage hanging globe lamps.

(1941) Bun ‘N Burger 1000 E Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801. Authentic neighborhood diner serving American & Mexican food in a deco-style corner building with great neon. Interior has red booths & counter stools, ’50s formica tables, a black and white checkered floor and walls covered with vintage memorabilia.

(1941) Polo Lounge 9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Located inside the Beverly Hills Hotel, which was built in 1918, the Polo Lounge opened on July 11, 1941 in a space previously called El Jardin. Named for then-owner, Hernando Courtwright’s polo-playing friends, it was immediately a meeting place for Hollywood players and celebrities, which it remains to this day. The list of famous guests is impossibly long, but Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin Elizabeth Taylor, and Marlene Dietrich were among the many famous regulars. The interior lounge features dark green and white walls, tartan plaid carpets, horseshoe shaped booths and a long wooden bar, a look that is conservative, falling into no particular era. An outdoor eating area features white iron cafe chairs pulled up to tables shaded under white and green umbrellas. The menus are very expensive, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch and Afternoon Tea. Owned by the Sultan of Brunei since 1987, the hotel and Polo Lounge was actively boycotted, beginning in 2014, due to human rights persecution that the Sultan set into law in his own country.

(1941) Snug Harbor 2323 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Opened in 1941 by Frank Leight, Snug Harbor is a small, authentic early 1940s diner on Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica with a small laminate counter and a few booths. Now on its third owner, the vintage appearance and integrity stays much the same, despite changing times and a bit of a remodel here and there. Serving basic America breakfasts, lunch and soda fountain treats, it closes at 3pm every day.

(1943) Carrillo’s Tortilleria 1242 Pico St, San Fernando, CA 91340. Carrillo’s is a small self-serve style restaurant that grew out of a family owned hand made tortilla factory started by Guadalupe Carrillo and her husband Emilio in 1943. Since 1964 it has been owned by their daughter, Amelia Carrillo Luna and her husband Epigmenio. Located on a side street in San Fernando, CA, in a nondescript building with a plastic sign, the inside is simple, yet cozy, with an exposed brick wall, polished concrete floors, plastic molded booths, a few tables and festive Mexican-themed murals covering the walls. A display case sells a few grocery items, but an extensive eat-in menu serves Mexican breakfasts and combination dinners. They are especially known for their tamales, menudo & homemade tortillas.

(1944) Art’s Chili Dog 1410 W Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90047. Art’s Chili Dogs is a small, but notable hot dog shack that has been located in South Central L.A. on Florence Avenue, near Normandie, since 1944. Opened originally several blocks to the West in 1939 by New York-born Art Elkind, the tiny stand serves up long revered chili hot dogs and chili tamales, with very few other menu options. A handful of interior stools with an eating counter, a take out window and a plastic menu board are all that occupy the small space, along with some black & white framed historic photos on the wall. An outdoor eating area with a few picnic tables is set up in the back next to the small parking area. Art died in 1990, after being a South Central fixture for over 50 years. He did not live to see the beginning of the L.A. Riots, which started on the corner near his restaurant in 1992.

(1945) Barone’s Pizzeria 13726 Oxnard St, Valley Glen, CA 91401. Barone’s was first opened in 1945 on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks by a group of siblings from Buffalo, NY. They took over the building of a former restaurant, Barto’s, and because altering the sign was cheaper than buying a new one, named it after the sister with the closest name, business partner Josephine Barone. Specializing in square cut pizza with Monterey Jack cheese, instead of Mozzarella, they relocated the restaurant in 2006 to the former space of the defunct Old Heidelberg, built in 1958. The interior is immaculately retained with dark wood walls, stained glass, carved beamed ceilings and knobby wood room dividers. An attached lounge area features a red leather padded bar and often live entertainment. The Old Heidelberg, once a German restaurant, was a location for a dinner/date scene in the movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and is still recognizable as such.

(1945) Nate ‘n Al 414 N Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Nate ‘n Al was opened in 1945 by Russian born Al Mendelson and Nate Rimer, who met in Detroit and relocated to Beverly Hills to start a classic Jewish delicatessen. Originally their Beverly Drive location started with a deli counter and a few tables and only held 30 customers, but it became popular with the Hollywood film crowd and expanded shortly afterward, becoming known as a “show biz” hangout. The front of the otherwise nondescript building features the restaurant name in large orange letters, probably added in the 1960s or 1970s. The interior has a standard coffee shop layout with brown leather booths, wood laminate tables, dividers made of wood paneling and a long glass deli case. Today, Nate’n Al is operated by Mendelson’s grandsons, Mark and David.

(1946) Billingsley’s 11326 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Steakhouse opened in 1946 by Glenn Billingsley, a prolific Los Angeles restaurateur who was married to Leave it to Beaver Mom, Barbara Billingsley, from 1941-1947. It was originally called Billingsley’s Golden Bull and is said to be one of six other Golden Bull restaurants owned by Billingsley along with three Outrigger Polynesian locations. In 1974 Glenn and Barbara’s sons, Glenn Jr and Drew, bought the restaurant from their father. Dark wood & red leather booths. A 2016 remodel took away their classic plastic vintage sign.

(1946) Chili John’s 2018 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506. Chili John’s got its start in Green Bay, Wisconsin, opened by Lithuanian immigrant John Isaac in 1913. The popularity of that restaurant and its unusual combination of serving its famous chili on top of a bed of spaghetti noodles, inspired Isaac’s son, Ernie, to open a second Chili John’s branch in Burbank in 1946. The location is a true vintage throwback; a diner with white-washed brick walls, a U-shaped wood laminate counter, bright orange vinyl counter stools and a long rustic mural of mountains, sky and water. The exterior is old fashioned as well, with an entrance on the building’s rounded corner, vintage signs and hand painted lettering. Keeping true to its roots and serving only chili items, the restaurant has been owned since by the LoGuercio family since 1990.

(1946) Chris & Pitts 9839 Artesia Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706. Amazing signage and a faux log cabin painted exterior It is among only 3 remaining restaurants of a BBQ chain that once included over 20 locations, all over Southern California. The chain was started in 1940 by Chris Pelonis, the son of a Greek immigrant. He scraped up $200 to start a business and the first location (now gone) was in Lynwood. The other remaining locations are on Lakewood Ave in Downey (opened 1953) and on Washington Blvd in Whittier. This location was the 4th location opened. Inside is casual, authentic & old school, with burgundy leather booths, a counter to eat at, original red linoleum floors, wood paneled walls & tons of country kitsch, including shot guns & taxidermy. There is a walk-up pick-up window out front.

(1946) Clearman’s Steak ‘n Stein 9545 E Whittier Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660.

Old European-themed kitschy steak house with a circular stone fireplace, dark red colors, wood, chandeliers and stained glass. The owner, John Foley Clearman, was a creative man who seemed to want to be noticed. Born in New York City in 1906 and raised in Coronado, California, he graduated from Yale in 1929 with a degree in theater. A trained Shakespearean actor, Clearman spent several years during the Great Depression on the road with traveling productions. He once was quoted as saying, “A good restaurant has a longer run than a good play” and abruptly changed career paths to reinvent himself as a restaurant owner. In 1946, at age 40, he opened his first restaurant, Clearman’s Steak ‘n Stein. He also went on to create the The Magic Lamp (1955), and the fabulous Clearman’s Northwoods Inns (1966 and 1967).

(1946) Gus’s Barbecue 808 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030.

Opened on Fair Oaks Ave in South Pasadena in 1946 by three relatives from Cleveland, Ohio and was named after the eldest one, Gus. The location had previously been a diner called Hamburger Macs. The interior was tastefully renovated with a vintage slant in 2007, but the neon sign out front is original. It now belongs to two brothers who also own another Pasadena vintage restaurant, the Original Tops.

(1946) Hot ‘n Tot 2347 Pacific Coast Hwy, Lomita, CA 90717. Hot ‘n Tot restaurant opened on Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita, CA in 1946. This diner has been remodeled over the years, but still has a classic feel, including a counter with attached olive green leather stools, brown booths, ceiling fans and long plate glass windows.

(1946) Jolly Jug 4264 Peck Road, El Monte, CA 91732. Opened in 1946 on Peck Road in El Monte, the only history I could find about this place was a second hand anecdote. Apparently this restaurant was opened by a Jewish woman who had relocated from New York with a deli attitude in mind. This woman ran it until about 1996 when she sold it to the current owner, Margaret, an immigrant from Hong Kong, who kept most of the original recipes and added a few new ones. Situated in a freestanding house with spectacular original signage, white sideboard, brick trim and a shingled roof, one half is an vintage diner and the other side is a dive-type bar. The walls are wood paneled, the floor green linoleum and the booths tan leather with wood laminate tables. The decor is a mish mash of 1970s knick knacks, beer signs and country kitsch. Serving American food and specializing in pastrami sandwiches.

(1946) Nick’s Coffee Shop 8536 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. This little diner has stayed quite true to its 1946 roots with minimal change. Probably the last remodel, thankfully, occurred in the 1960s. In front of walls cluttered with framed photos of family members, friends and patrons, stand dark worn rust colored booths with wood laminate tables, a pitched drop down ceiling and a long eating counter with tufted high-back stools running alongside the smoking griddle. Stained glass chandeliers and ceiling fans hang above, and a feeling of unpretentious comfort pervades. With an extensive menu featuring American diner classics and open for breakfast and lunch, this greasy spoon is the kind of place that modern coffee shops try to replicate. The original Googie-type sign out front and the bright yellow circus-like original exterior only add to the perfect ambience.

(1946) Original Tommy’s Hamburgers 2575 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057. This first location of the well-known hamburger chain, located on the corner of Beverly and Rampart Streets was founded in 1946 by Tom Koulax, an Oklahoma born son of Greek immigrants. Serving a limited menu of hamburgers, fries, hot dogs, tamales and breakfasts, this popular walk-up stand eventually expanded to over 30 Southern California locations. The tiny shack, with its iconic neon and bulb arrow sign perched on the shingled roof has both order and pick-up windows. Tommy died in 1992 and the chain is still run by his family.

(1946) Paul’s Kitchen 1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Chinese-American food served in a neighborhood that was once called City Market Chinatown, a working man’s area of several square blocks that popped up after L.A.’s original Chinatown was razed in the 1930s to built Union Station. The Chinese element in the neighborhood began to fade in the 1970s. Owned by the nephew of the restaurant’s original owner, Paul, it is one of only two Chinese businesses left in the neighborhood. The interior features two rooms with brown vinyl booths, wood laminate tables, a long faux wood grain counter, hanging globe lamps, Chinese window shades and a plethora of Dodgers memorabilia. In fact Tommy Lasorda became a regular customer beginning in the 1970s.

(1946) Pecos Bill’s BBQ 1551 Victory Blvd, Glendale, CA 91201. Pecos Bill’s BBQ is a tiny, authentic BBQ shack with a take-out window serving a limited meat-centic menu consisting of meat sandwiches and sides of baked beans and coleslaw. Opened in 1946 by Bill Stenzel who was born in Pecos, Texas and came to California in the 1940s, it is now owned by his grandson, Owen. Open 11-3pm, Thursday through Sunday, ordering is done from a window in the tiny building, while a few picnic tables sit on the sidewalk, under a hand painted sign.

(1946) The Smoke House Restaurant 4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank 91505.

Across the street from Warner Bros studios, the Smoke House opened in 1946 on the corner of Pass and Riverside Ave as a 46-seat restaurant. Popular and frequented by celebrities, such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, in 1949 the restaurant decided to expand and moved down the street to its present location, the former Red Coach Inn. In 1955 the restaurant’s current building was constructed around the old one, designed by Wayne McAllister and his partner William Wagner. Though McAllister was a leader in Googie architecture, having designed nearby Bob’s Big Boy, this building was done in the Tudor Revival style, with a chateau-like feel. The interior is large, with several dining areas and a cozy mid-century lounge. With beamed ceilings and amazing original exterior neon signs, deep burgundy leather tufted booths, interior walls made of brick, shingles, paneled wood and covered with old photos, this restaurant breathes history. Because of its proximity to the studio across the street, the list of celebrity regulars and patrons is extremely long. Serving American steakhouse fare, the menu is heavy on the meat selections, but is also well known for its cheesy bread.

(1946) Vince’s Spaghetti 1206 W Holt Blvd, Ontario, CA 91762. Vince’s opened in 1945 as a six-stool French Dip sandwich stand by Vince Cuccia and his two brothers, who relocated to California from Chicago after World War 2. The restaurant lore states that the kitchenless stand began serving spaghetti soon after a customer inquired about the home-brought spaghetti lunch a Cuccia family member was eating. A kitchen was soon built and spaghetti became the menu mainstay. The long building has been expanded four times over the years and eventually evolved into a 425-seat business. By 1968 it was advertised as the largest spaghetti restaurant west of the Mississippi River. An amazing original mid-century neon sign still stands out front. The interior is casually vintage with many individual rooms, some with wood paneled walls others with brick. Eating areas have either dark green leather booths or faux wood laminate tables, while the floor is a deep red linoleum and ceilings are beamed wood. Spaghetti servings are massive, topped with optional grated mozzarella. A Torrance location operated from 1973 to 2014, a Rancho Cucamonga location opened in 1984 and a Temecula location in 2003.

(1946) Walker’s Cafe 700 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731. Classic vintage family-run dive cafe, a biker favorite, opened by Bessie and Ray Walker and owned by their son, Richard since 1996. Located on an ocean side cliff, the building itself dates to about 1913, when it was used as a station at the end of the Red Car streetcar line. The interior has original 1940s linoleum floors, wood paneled walls and is full of kitschy knick knacks. They accept cash only.

(1947) A-1 Imported Groceries 348 W 8th St, San Pedro, CA 90731. A-1 Imported Groceries opened in 1947 on 8th St in San Pedro, CA. This Italian market and deli specializes in sandwiches, but also has pasta dishes. The exterior features a river rock entrance wall, a plastic sign that likely dates to the 1960s and an awning trimmed with siding in the colors of the Italian flag. The interior is a small crowded grocery store with wood paneled walls and a long vintage glass deli case filled with meats, cheeses, olives and various Italian dishes.

(1947) The Apple Pan 10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Classic burger & pie diner in a small house with white sideboard and original neon signs. A popular and beloved restaurant, there is nearly always a wait for the U-shaped counter and the 26 red leather stools around it. Opened by Ellen and Alan Barker in April 1947 and now run by their daughter and granddaughter, the menu has 11 food items and hasn’t changed since the business was surrounded by farms and fruit orchards.

(1947) The Great White Hut 121 W California Ave, Glendale, CA 91203.

Tiny, longtime corner burger & taco stand with stool seating. Painted with retro themes. The Great White Hut is a tiny hamburger and taco stand that has held its place on a corner in Glendale since 1947. With stool seating and painted with retro themes (a full size mural of James Dean always fools me into thinking it is a real person as I walk by), it is a rare slice of the past in this neighborhood where the old keeps being replaced with the new.

(1947) Hawkins House of Burgers 11603 Slater St, Los Angeles, CA 90059. This burger stand, located in Watts across from the Nickerson Gardens housing project, was initially started out of a grocery store opened by James Henry Hawkins. Born in 1911 to a poor Arkansas family, his 1991 obituary in the Los Angeles Times reported that he came to Los Angeles in 1942 as part of the 2nd Great Black Migration, riding on a mule. He then worked as a truck driver to save enough money to build a malt shop and grocery store at this location in 1947. The Hawkins family, which included 14 children, began flipping burgers from a street food stand and merged it with the grocery store into Hawkins House of Burgers. Now run by granddaughter Cynthia Hawkins, the burger shop is located in a little storefront with takeout counter service and tables to eat at in a covered area outside. Serving hamburgers, chicken and waffles, wings, catfish and more, they also open early for breakfast.

(1947) Langer’s Delicatessan 704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057. Respected Jewish deli, opened by New Jersey born Al Langer in 1947, across the street from MacArthur Park. Originally called the Famous Deli when purchased by Langer, it was a small 12 restaurant which he expanded to the current 135 seats by 1968. Well celebrated for its pastrami sandwiches, the lines at lunchtime often extend down the block. Al passed away in 2007 and the restaurant is now owned and operated by his son, Norm. Both the interior and exterior have kept their original appearance with vintage signs and incredible mid-century orange, yellow and brown tile on the wall behind the deli counter. Booths are brown leather with wood laminate tables and knobby wood room dividers.

(1947) Santa Fe Importers 1401 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813. Opened in 1947 on Santa Fe Avenue in Long Beach, CA by Sicilian born Vincent Passanisi. It is still owned by his grandchildren today. This market and Sicilian deli serves take-out sandwiches and Italian meals. It has an old fashioned exterior but remodeled interior with stools and counter eating. Inside is a regular, small food market with full glass deli counter and an ordering window.

(1947) Valley Inn Restaurant 4557 Sherman Oaks Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. The Valley Inn is an old school steakhouse opened in 1947 by Jim Otto on Sherman Oaks Ave in Sherman Oaks, CA. The building was designed in 1945 by architect Roger Winston Bray and for its first two years functioned as an electric light store. Jim Otto’s name once stood in big neon letters on the cobbled pitched roof, where the Valley Inn sign stands today. Unfortunately the neon in the sign was recently replaced with plastic lit letters. The exterior has an entrance way bordered by wooden columns and is trimmed with wrought iron and hanging lanterns. The dining room is white table cloth elegant and features round black leather booths, an embossed ceiling, plenty of dark hardwood and framed art work. An attached separate pub area is entered through saloon-style doors and has a classic wooden and brass bar, with walls covered with vintage sports memorabilia.

(1948) Cindy’s Eagle Rock 1500 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Cindy’s Coffee Shop opened on Colorado Blvd in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock in 1948, when it was still Route 66. It has had many owners over the years, the latest taking helm in 2014, but has kept the original vintage interior and exterior intact. The building is long and low, in a true late ’40s roadhouse fashion, with mid-century signs that have been refreshed over the years, but never ruined. The interior has bright orange booths and counter seats, complimented by walls that are currently bright green and retro-style lighting fixtures.iner with orange leather booths & stools, vintage lighting and restored original signs.

(1948) Claro’s 1003 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Original location of authentic family owned Italian market and deli chain that now total six stores. The building was constructed in 1937 and hasn’t had a major renovation since 1962. Opened by Joe Claro and his wife Mary in 1948 on Valley Blvd in San Gabriel. It is a tried & true old fashioned Italian Market with a deli counter that serves classic Italian dishes, freshly made cold cut sandwiches, antipasto and other salads. There is also a bakery with Italian cookies, bread and cannoli. The inside hasn’t been updated much and has original concrete floors and wooden trellises hanging with plastic grapes. A second Claro’s opened in Arcadia in 1971, followed by four more stores in La Habra, Covina, Tustin (1982) & Upland. The stores are still run by Joe Claro’s grandchildren and their families.

(1948) Domingo’s Italian Deli 17548 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91316. This market selling Italian products and deli food was first opened by Phyllis and Frank Domingo and has been owned by the Magnanimo family since the 1970s. Domingo’s serves sandwiches, antipasti and Italian desserts in a room with a few eat-in tables and an outdoor patio. Although it was remodeled a few years ago and has been somewhat modernized, it still has a genuine feel.

(1948) El Adobe 31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. Opened as a restaurant in 1948 by Clarence Brown, a Rancho Mission Viejo farmer, the location comprises two different historically significant buildings dating back to before California become a state in 1850. The northern part of the restaurant, forming the walls of El Adobe’s cocktail lounge was built in 1797 as an adobe home for Miguel Yorba, while the southern part was built in 1812 as a court and jails. Filled with antiques, brick walls, wood beamed ceilings and clay tiled floors, El Adobe originally served Continental cuisine. but switched to a Mexican menu after Orange County native Richard Nixon, a fan of Mexican cooking, became an El Adobe patron during his presidency. Today the restaurant is owned by partners Steve Nordeck, Tony Moiso, and Gilbert Aguirre.

(1948) Factor’s Famous Deli 9420 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. This Jewish Deli was opened by Esther Factor in 1948 on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles. Bought by Cleveland-born Herman Markowitz in 1969, who added the “famous” to the restaurant’s name, it has been run by his family since the 1970s. Remodeled and expanded a bit over the years, with booth-style seating, walls of sports and movie poster memorabilia, brick, laminate wood, long glass deli cases and a retro ’70s appearing sign out front, it serves classic Jewish deli cuisine.

(1948) Nick’s Cafe 1300 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Nick’s Cafe on Spring Street near Chinatown in L.A. is an old-school authentic roadhouse-style diner with wood paneled walls. It thankfully hasn’t been touched in decades. Opened in 1948 it has a single U-shaped counter with seats & serves only breakfast & lunch.

(1948) Roma Deli 6449 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606. Old school Italian deli, now on its third owner, serving big sandwiches, pizza and Italian food, plus cannoli. Exterior has a vintage river rock front and a slight castle-like appearance. Inside has a very basic, no-frills eating area, but has enormous Roman-themed paintings randomly leaning up against the walls. Not connected to the Pasadena Roma Market.

(1949) Bill’s Taco House 219 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011. Small South Los Angeles fast food taco shop with molded laminate seating and a vintage sign out front. Opened by a man named Bill, it was one of the very first places to begin serving patty-style ground beef in a taco (called Cheeseburger Taco). The counter service restaurant is decorated with murals depicting famous moments in the civil rights movement. It has only had 3 owners and has been owned by a Korean woman named Eva Man since just after the 1992 LA riots.

(1949) Bobby’s Coffee Shop 22821 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91364. This comfortable, old-time coffee shop/diner with red leather booths and formica tables was opened in 1949 by Navy veteran and short-order cook, Robert “Bobby” Perkins. Bobby’s is currently owned by Joe Shabbouei since 2008.

(1949) Bob’s Big Boy 4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505. Oldest remaining branch of the burger chain. It was designed by architect Wayne McAllister in what became known as the Googie style. The chain originally opened in 1936 as a 10-stool hamburger stand on Colorado Blvd in Glendale under the name “Bob’s Pantry.”

(1949) Miceli’s 1646 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028. The oldest surviving Italian restaurant in Hollywood was opened in 1949 by Chicago transplant Carmen Miceli, his wife Sylvia and several of their family members. To put together the restaurant economically, the clan pieced together a jumble of architectural elements from other Los Angeles spots that had gone out of business, salvaging old stained glass along with the booths from the original Pig ‘n Whistle restaurant, which had closed down around the corner that same year. The multi-tiered and dimly lit restaurant is romantic, filled with brick walls, ornately carved dark wood, vintage red leather, hundreds of hanging Chianti bottles and kitschy red and white checkered plastic table cloths. Among the first Hollywood restaurants to serve pizza, which was then new to most Americans, a whole pie could at first be purchased for 39 cents. Today a piano playing singer belts out standards and show tunes alike while a long bar tucked upstairs is a good place to find a stool and a frosty drink. Though Carmen died in 2015 at age 92, the restaurant is still in the good hands of his descendants, who honor the restaurant’s long history with the reverence it deserves.

(1949) Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza 6333 W 3rd St #448, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Italian food stand in the Original Farmer’s Market opened in 1949 by Brooklyn born Pasquale “Patsy” D’Amore. First called Patsy D’Amore’s Italian Food, it was D’Amore’s second restaurant; he also owned Casa D’Amore which he opened in 1939 on Cahuenga Blvd and was frequented by celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio and Tommy Dorsey. In 1950 he then opened the legendary Hollywood restaurant, Villa Capri which was in business until 1982. Villa Capri was even more star-studded than D’Amore’s first restaurant, with patrons including James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and the ever loyal Sinatra. D’Amore died in 1975 and his widow ran Villa Capri until 1982 and Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza until 1998, when she passed on the restaurant to daughter, Filomena D’Amore, who still runs it today.

(1950) El Toreo 21 S Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105. El Toreo Cafe opened in 1950 on Fair Oaks Ave in Pasadena. A tiny, casual restaurant, serving Mexican food, it has brown booths, a drop ceiling, wood paneling and old Mexican-style paintings adorning the walls. Its original vintage sign still hangs out front.

(1950) Golden Bull Restaurant 170 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402.

Vintage steakhouse opened in 1950 with burgundy leather booths and original sign. The building itself seems to become a restaurant in 1932, when a kitchen was added to an existing store which was built in 1922. The Golden Bull was a chain of SoCal steakhouses opened by Glenn Billingsley, the husband of “Leave It To Beaver” actress Barbara, who played the Mom. It was one of 7 Golden Bulls and 3 Outrigger Polynesian restaurants that Glenn opened beginning in the late 1940s. Only 2 survive- one in Santa Monica, still called the Golden Bull (1950) & another in West L.A., once called Billingsley’s Golden Bull (1946), now just called Billingsley’s.

(1950) La Chiquita Restaurant 906 E Washington Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

La Chiquita opened in 1950 in the Logan Barrio area of Santa Ana, one of the first Mexican barrios in Orange County and once one of the only Santa Ana neighborhoods where Latinos could legally buy a house, due to discriminatory restrictions. Owned by Sammy Montoya since 1994, this Mexican cafe is small, with wood paneled walls, river rock trim, breeze block room dividers, original red clay-tiled floors, a “popcorn” ceiling and basic tables & chairs. Located in a square building with an original vintage bulb sign out front.

(1951) Bamboo Inn 2005 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90057. Opened in 1951, this well-worn diner-style Chinese eatery is the 2nd oldest surviving Chinese restaurant in the whole greater L.A. & Orange County area. The longest running one to my current knowledge is Paul’s Kitchen, 1946. This place is small and extremely authentic. It has not been remodeled & still has the original wood paneled walls, burgundy booths and wood laminate tables. The prices are even from another era, with lunch specials under $5 and generous servings. The food is classic mid-century American Chinese cuisine, nothing groundbreaking, just simple & old fashioned.

(1951) El Carmen 8138 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048. First opened in 1929 by Mexican immigrant Encarnación Elias Gómez, the wife of General Arnulfo Gómez, assassinated two years before while running for Mexico’s president, the widow started the Los Angeles business to support her family. El Carmen’s original location was at La Brea and 3rd Street, an area considered the boondocks at that time, but it moved west in 1951 as Los Angeles expanded. It was passed down through the family for a few generations, and finally sold to a non-relative in 1997. Popular with the Hollywood film crowd, guests once included D.W. Griffith, Cecil B. DeMille, Busby Berkeley, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and artist Diego Rivera. Dark and moody, with a rounded rattan ceiling trimmed with wood beams, tiled floors and more tile adorning the walls, the restaurant is reputedly haunted by the ghost of Encarnacion.

(1951) El Patio Cafe 34226 Doheny Park Rd, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Brightly colored, quaintly decorated cafe serving classic Mexican food that was opened by Lucy Saunderson in 1951. Lucy got her start at a Greek restaurant, where she convinced the owner to let her take over for a few days a week. She eventually took over the business with a friend as Alice & Lucy’s restaurant and then it became just Lucy’s. When the location was demolished to build a freeway, Lucy moved the business and started El Patio Cafe in 1951. Located in a small bungalow with a great vintage sign, the interior has pink walls and a long pink eating counter. Currently owned by Lucy’s son, Jack, who took over the business in 1989.

(1951) The Hat 1 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801 The Hat opened in 1951 as a small corner burner stand in Alhambra, selling 25¢ hamburgers, 5¢ cups of coffee and piled-high pastrami sandwiches. Though the original owner and the restaurant’s early history seems lost to time, it is known that the stand was set to be demolished for a shopping plaza in 1981, but was bought and rescued by Ronald “Corky” Conzonire and his brother, Joe, then-owners of five Belly Buster sandwich shops. Still owned by the Conzonire family, the stand has expanded to a small local chain of 11 restaurants. The first Alhambra spot features the location’s original neon sign with its iconic chef’s hat, updated and renovated over the years, bright yellow 1960s plastic signs, and ordering from take-out and pick-up windows. A covered area with built-in vintage picnic tables allows customers to eat on-site.

(1952) Ernie’s Mexican Restaurant 4410 Lankershim Blvd, N. Hollywood, CA 91602. Opened in 1952 by Ernie and Albina Cruz as the second location to an Ernie’s Mexican they opened in 1944 in Lincoln Heights. The family also operated two additional Ernie’s Jr restaurants in Eagle Rock (1950-2014) and Pasadena (1955-1998). This classic mid-century North Hollywood restaurant is the only surviving location and has two dining areas and a bar. The interior is dimly lit with burgundy leather booths, knobby wooden room dividers, stained glass chandeliers, wood laminate tables and plenty of wrought iron and Mexican decorative elements. The exterior has vintage signs and tile work.

(1952) Giuliano’s 1138 W Gardena Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247. Family owned Italian market and deli in a building constructed in 1947, with an outdoor eating area. opened on Gardena Blvd in Gardena in 1952 by Frances and Gaetano Giuliano. Although the inside has been remodeled over the years, the traditional glass cold cut and Italian food cases still reflect its past. Several Giuliano descendants still work at this location. The deli is known for its Torpedo Sandwich. Serving Italian sandwiches, pizza, pasta and fresh baked goods.

(1952) Johnnie’s Pastrami 4017 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230. Famous pastrami shack serving American fast food take-out style. The small interior is reminiscent of a ’50s diner, with a wood laminate counter and a handful of tables with booth seating. They are long known for having a vintage jukebox on each table filled with oldies. The exterior has an amazing original neon sign, and additional picnic table seating with fire pits.

(1952) Josie’s Place 16616 S Normandie Ave, Gardena, CA 90247. Opened in 1952 on Normandie Avenue in Gardena, Josie’s Place is located next to rail road tracks in a little shack built in 1940. Specializing in authentic Mexican take-out food, the restaurant is now owned by the Lopez family. The building’s exterior features a plastic molded sign, while the interior has wood paneled walls, a take-out counter and a small display case of knick knacks.

(1952) Manuel’s Original El Tepeyac Cafe 812 N Evergreen Ave, L.A., CA 90033. Opened by Manuel Rojas and now run by his daughter, Elena, and grandchildren. Casual Boyle Heights neighborhood Mexican cafe with counter known for their massive burrito, called The Hollenbeck; vintage exterior river rock front & original sign.

(1952) Melody Bar & Grill 9132 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Opened as a steakhouse in 1952, now a bar & restaurant. Vintage rock fireplace, red leather booths.

(1952) Steven’s Steakhouse 5332 East Stevens Place, Commerce, CA 90040.

Steven’s Steak House is a classic, old-school steakhouse with spectacular signs, tan colored leather booths, beveled glass & a vintage bar. Though the interior decorations and furniture have been remodeled over the years, the feel is a mish mash of mid-century meets gaudy ’80s, a definite time warp. Food is mid-century as well, large slabs of steak, some seafood choices, the typical iceberg salads and pasta with marina sauce.

(1952) Tony’s on the Pier 210 Fishermans Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Opened with a small shack on the Redondo Beach pier in 1952 and redesigned and rebuilt between 1961-63 by the owner, an ex-fisherman named Tony Trutanich. It is an amazing mid-century landmark, with panoramic ocean views, tables with built-in fireplaces and an octagonal crow’s nest bar on top. The interior has a lot of wood, brick, vintage decor and lighting, original tables and chairs, and cool headshots of celebrities (mostly from the 1960s- ’70s) who have visited over the years. The exterior is two levels with amazing vintage signs on both sides. Tony passed away in 2007 and his widow now owns the restaurant. Known for their Mai Tai’s and seafood, the vintage beauty of this place is worth saving. There are no heirs that want to take over this gorgeous place, so visit while you can.

(1952) Tuxie’s 6030 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92506. Tuxie’s Drive-In opened 1952 on Magnolia Ave in Riverside, CA. Once a walk-up hamburger restaurant, it is now a taco and juice shop under the same name. Located in a little hut of a building with take-out windows, a covered area with built-in picnic tables allows for sit down eating. A great neon sign dates to 1955.

(1953) Chris & Pitts 9243 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, CA 90240. One of among only 3 remaining restaurants of a BBQ chain that once included over 20 locations, all over Southern California. The chain was started in 1940 by Chris Pelonis, the son of a Greek immigrant. He scraped up $200 to start a business and the first location (now gone) was in Lynwood. The other remaining locations are on Artesia Blvd in Bellflower (opened 1946) and on Washington Blvd in Whittier. This location was the 6th location opened. Inside is casual, authentic & old school, with moss green colored leather booths, a wooden counter to eat at, brick floors, wood paneled walls and ceiling & tons of country kitsch. There is a pick-up window just inside for To-Go orders.

(1953) Chronis Famous Sandwich Shop 5825 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022. Walk-up sandwich stand in business since 1945. At this location since 1953. Original sign.

(1953) El Paseo Inn 11 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 900121. This Mexican restaurant opened in 1930 at another location on Olvera Street, but was purchased by Elena Peluffo and Frank Webb and in 1957 it moved to its present location. The building was constructed as Pelanconi Winery, operating from 1870-1914, and was then remodeled into the restaurant Café Caliente. The space originally possessed a large central dance floor which featured Mexican traditional dancers and a Latin orchestra, but that was eventually removed. The current interior features beamed ceilings, painted brick walls, a long bar and contains a mural-sized painting made by artist Rubén Lara Campos in 1946. Cesar Chavez was a guest as well as later on Bill Clinton. An exterior brick patio has tables with black iron cafe chairs, good for people watching on Olvera Street. The restaurant was bought by Andy Camacho in 1984.

(1953) James Restaurant 739 Truman St, San Fernando, CA 91340. Classic American-style diner with a spectacular neon sign, burgundy leather booths & stools, hanging stained glass lamps and a wood laminate counter.

(1953) Larry’s Chili Dog 3122 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. Larry’s Chili Dog stand opened in 1953. It is a little hut with take-out windows serving several varieties of hot dogs and toppings along with a limited burger, salad and sandwich menu. Outdoor patio seating is available. The incredible original vintage sign is unique, featuring a reclining dog inside a hotdog bun. When the sign is lit, the dog appears to wag its tail

(1953) McDonald’s 10207 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, CA 90241. The oldest working location of the fast food chain. The original architecture is unchanged; an incredible animated neon sign of their first mascot, Speedee, was added in 1959.

(1953) Mickey’s 101 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Mickey’s Italian Delicatessen was opened in 1953 in Hermosa Beach by Michael “Mickey” Mance, a 22-year old Korean War veteran who had just returned from service. It was the first authentic Italian market and deli in the South Bay and today is owned by Mickey’s son, Paul. Serving Italian sandwiches, pizza and pasta from the deli counter in a convenient market setting, the deli has communal tables and additional outdoor seating, Unfortunately some of the great vintage signs were recently replaced with modern ones, but luckily some of the exterior vintage detail remains.

(1953) Taylor’s Steakhouse 3361 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005. Began as a Los Angeles pub with the name Taylor’s Tavern, it opened in 1953. It was originally located on the corner of Olympic & Western, but moved to its present location on 8th and Ardmore in the L.A. neighborhood Koreatown in 1970. Still owned by the son of the original founders, the interior of this mid-century steakhouse is like a step back in time. Dark inside, even on L.A.’s brightest afternoons, its deep brown wood, burgundy semi-circular leather booths and brick walls give the suggestion of martinis and film noir. A long wooden bar of black tufted leather enables you to complete this request.

(1954) The Bear Pit 10825 Sepulveda Blvd, Mission Hills, CA 91345.

If you’re looking for traditional barbeque that seems to harken back to another time and place, visit The Bear Pit in Mission Hills. This vintage restaurant has been in business since the 1940s, but moved to this location from Newhall in 1954 when country singer Tennessee Ernie Ford was its original endorser in ads. With saw dust on the floors, wagon wheel-shaped light fixtures, wooden beamed ceilings and kitschy paintings of friendly bears parading across the walls, its a cozy throwback to long ago. Its menu is obviously meat-centric with the standard BBQ side options: baked beans, coleslaw, fries and their much lauded garlic bread.

(1954) Capri Deli 713 E San Bernardino Rd, Covina, CA 91723. This Italian grocery store and deli was opened in 1954 by former heavyweight boxer Vince DiMaggio. Lined with old glass deli cases, filled with meats, cheeses, olives and salads, there has been a bit of modernization, but luckily the old red brick polished floor remains and the vibe has stayed true to its roots. Ordering is done by counter, with a separate eating area filled with tables and chairs available. Now run by Vince’s sons, Vic and John, sandwiches are still made with the same sesame-crusted 12-inch Frisco Bakery rolls Vince DiMaggio used when he opened the deli, and pizza and salads are available as well.

(1954) Colombo’s Italian Steakhouse 1833 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Colombo’s restaurant serves old school 1950s Italian food, going back to when this part of Eagle Rock was an Italian neighborhood. Opened in 1954 on Colorado Blvd by Sam Colombo and his wife Ann, it is now run by their nephew, Vic Parrino. Featuring live jazz bands and vocalists, the dimly lit dining room has red leather semi-circular booths, wood paneled walls, iron chandeliers, red velvet drapes and vintage paintings hanging in gold colored frames, while an attached bar is paneled in faux wood and upholstered in more red leather. The exterior is a classic mid-century restaurant building, boxy with brick trim, and featuring a wood shingled roof. Murals are painted on the outside wall, near a small outdoor eating area.

(1954) Domenico’s Italian Restaurant 5339 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803. Opened in 1954 by Domenico and Beverly Spano, this is the oldest surviving full service restaurant in Long Beach and definitely the first restaurant to introduce pizza to the Long Beach area. An early Domenico’s menu instructs newbies to the art of pizza eating, “Pick it up in your hands to eat it. Your waitress will be glad to show you the proper way. Not only does this make it easier to handle- it adds to the flavor.” Known for their piled-high ground pepperoni pizzas, the interior of Domenico’s stays true to its vintage integrity with dim lighting, red leather booths, wrought iron, dark wood, trellises and stained glass. The exterior is brick trimmed with incredible vintage neon signs. Domenico’s was owned by the Kenyon family from the mid-’60s until 2004 and has been owned since then by Mike Rhodes.

(1954) Dresden Restaurant 1760 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

Classic mid-century steakhouse & lounge. It was remodeled in the 1960s by then-owner Carl Ferraro with white leather booths on the dining room side, geometric, modernist cork board walls, river rock inlays, mid-century globe lamps and a long wooden bar. Lounge act Marty & Elayne have performed in the bar area since 1982.

(1954) Petrillo’s 833 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Petrillo’s is a classic pizza parlor opened in 1954 by brother-in-laws Norbert Lighthouse and Carl Petrillo. The front of the restaurant features an amazing vintage exterior with several cool neon signs. The interior is partially remodeled, but still has black leather booths and a cool, kitschy trellis with stained glass lamps overhanging them to make it feel old school authentic. Known for their incredible square cut pizzas, the restaurant is still family owned.

(1954) Ramona’s Mexican Food Products 6900 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90003. Opened in 1954 on San Pedro St in a rough around the edges part of Huntington Park. Serving fast food Mexican food take-out style, this place always has huge lines and is a neighborhood favorite. The restaurant got its start in 1947 out of a house at Temple & Beaudry before moving to this location in ’54 and opening another in 1962 on Western Ave in Gardena. The interior here has been completely modernized, but it still has a somewhat vintage exterior and old school plastic signs.

(1955) Casa Bianca Pizza Pie 1650 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Opened in 1955 by the Martorana family, who had just relocated to Los Angeles from Chicago, it is still run by their children today. A comfortable and busy pizza and pasta restaurant with affordable prices, there is nearly always a long wait for a table. The exterior has amazing original neon signs and the interior has a casual old school vibe, with green leather booths, stained glass chandeliers, hard wood floors, red & white checked table clothes.

(1955) Chips Restaurant 11908 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250. Original Googie diner with spectacular sign & wavy roof line serving classic diner food. The building was designed by architect Harry Harrison.

(1955) El Charro 3741 N Verdugo Rd, Montrose, CA 91020. Originally opened in as a four table, eight stool restaurant in 1955 at another location in Montrose, owners John & Grace Chagolla moved it to its present, larger, Verdugo Road location in 1960. The sauces were recipes that Grace had learned growing up in Texas. The interior is decidedly vintage, with wood paneled walls, knobby wood booth dividers, olive green leather booths and Mexican lanterns hang from a drop ceiling.

(1955) Hof’s Hut 2147 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90815. The only vintage location left of Hof’s Hut, a popular chain of Long Beach restaurants opened by Harold Hofman in 1951, beginning with a now defunct Bixby Knolls location. By 1975 the chain had 9 locations, but today there are only three remaining- Los Alamitos (opened in the 1990s in the 1977 space of the first Claim Jumper restaurant), Torrance (opened mid-1980s) and this location, all now run by Harold’s son Craig. Serving homey, American classic food, breakfasts and pie, the interior has been remodeled over the years in an updated “retro” style with tile floors and walls, modern lighting fixtures and booths.

(1955) Fox’s 2352 N Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001. Quaint, family owned cafe serving breakfast and brunch in a small house. Cool original fox sign out front. Original owner retired and it was closed for many months. Reopened in mid-2018 with a modern remodel and different owners.

(1955) Joyce’s Coffee Shop 8826 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324. Old school diner-style coffee shop. Vintage signs, burgundy leather booths & formica tables.

(1955) Magic Lamp Inn 8189 E Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. Opened in 1955 by eccentric restauranteur John Clearman, who modeled it on his Pico Rivera Steak ‘n Stein which he opened in 1946. Clearman went on to create the Northwoods Inn, Clearman’s Galley and the long gone Golden Cock. Located on Route 66, it was formerly the location of a restaurant called Lucy and John’s opened in 1941, which was destroyed by fire in 1955. It has had only three owners in its 65 years, Clearman from 1955-1975, Anthony Vernola from 1975-2012 and currently Sartaj Singh. This traditional steakhouse was done in the Old World style with planked wood walls and ceiling, red leather booths, stained glass, a circular brick fireplace and ornate carpeting. The exterior is rustic brick and features an incredible original neon sign in the shape of a magic lamp.

(1955) Sire Bar & Grill 6440 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92506. The Sire Bar & Grill was opened in 1955 in Riverside, CA. This small dive bar/restaurant has wood paneled walls, rust colored leather bucket seats, a padded bar, wood laminate tables and a brick fireplace. It serves American food, burgers, sandwiches and weekend breakfasts. Outside is this gorgeous vintage horseshoe neon sign.

(1955) Uncle Bud’s Kitchen 16636 Clark Ave, Bellflower, CA 90706. Tiny house with limited counter seating and a few tables. Vintage ’70s interior with wood paneled walls, mid-century table and chairs, thrift market kitsch decor and a laminate eating counter with stools. Serves breakfast only until 11:30am. The real Uncle Bud was a cook in the Korean War who returned home to open this restaurant and then passed on the business to the current owner.

(1955) The Venice Room 2428 S Garfield Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91754.

A dark, romantically moody restaurant and bar that seems frozen in time. With both deep burgundy & black semi-circular booths, wood laminate tables, knobby wood detailing, red table lamps, velvet flocked wallpaper and old school murals of Venice, Italy, inside this windowless steakhouse, it could be day or night. The bar area is just as vintage and even has a piano for when the mood is right. The exterior has fabulous vintage neon and the original 1950s facade. Although the ambiance is perfect, it is not the thing that stands out most here. This place is known for grilling your own steak. It is an odd & fun custom that is absolutely unique in old L.A. American restaurants. Just bring the raw steak you order to the built-in hibachi, season it to your liking, and then grill. But try not to forget about it as you nurse your martini…

(1956) The Arsenal 12012 W Pico Blvd, L.A., CA 90064. American bar food. The Arsenal has had many incarnations, but has been known as The Arsenal since 1956. Originally it had been a Spanish saloon called “El Arsenal” which was destroyed by a flood in 1916. In 1929 it was rebuilt as a speakeasy, featuring burlesque dancers, called “Le Hot Arsenal”. Then in 1949, as L’Arsenal, a French restaurant, it was destroyed again, this time by fire. It has had a few remodels over the years, but still has the original 1956 dining room.

(1956) Beeps 16063 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406. Beeps is a small authentic 1950s diner with window/counter service and a few remodeled booths covered in silver vinyl upholstery. The small eating area is jam-packed with fun retro memorabilia, such as old movie posters, records and pop culture ephemera, covering the walls and ceiling. Its extensive take-out menu of everything from hamburgers and ice cream sundaes to burritos is displayed on old plastic billboards and can be ordered either outside or inside.

(1956) Casa Vega 13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Opened in 1956 by 22-year-old Raphael “Ray” Vega, the son of Tijuana-born immigrants who operated Cafe Caliente restaurant for 18 years on Olvera Street beginning in the 1930s. Originally located two blocks east on Ventura, Casa Vega moved after two years to where it presently stands. Marlon Brando, Cary Grant and countless other Hollywood luminaries were regulars. The entrance walls are made of river rock, with a heavy carved wooden door and the wonderful exterior neon sign is original. Inside is a dark, romantic Mexican restaurant with burgundy leather booths, brick walls and a separate bar. The restaurant is now run by Ray Vega’s daughter, Christy.

(1956) Domenick’s Pizza House 24209 Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90745. Old school, casual Italian restaurant with wood ceilings and burgundy leather booths, an original polished red linoleum floor, brick walls, paneled wood and vintage Italian-American restaurant decorations. A vintage sign out front is ’60s-’70s era.

(1956) Jack’s Whittier Restaurant 13221 Whittier Blvd, Whittier, CA 90602.

Opened in 1956 by Clinton Hust “Jack” Corcoran, who beginning in the 1930s owned a total of six Whittier restaurants, including Jack’s Salad Bowl, Jack’s El Rancho, Jack’s Uptown and Jack’s Beverly Fountain, this is the last location of those still standing. After Corcoran sold the business in 1973, the building was drastically remodeled, changing the googie roofline and removing a full exterior wall of glass blocks. Although today it is impressive in its retro style, it is not original and was turned down for historic landmark status in 2016. However, the incredible signs out front were built with the original 1956 building and are true vintage. Jack’s Whittier lists the year 1933 as its opening, which may have reflected an earlier version of the restaurant in the same location. Both the interior and current exterior are in the retro ’50s diner style, with angled ceilings, booths with laminate tables and a long eating counter.

(1956) Little Toni’s 4745 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91602. Little Toni’s opened in 1956, taking over the 30-seat Cottage Italia restaurant, an Italian eatery where known jazz musicians jammed together in the early ’50s. About ten years later it expanded to 100 seats by knocking down the liquor store next door. Serving Italian-American food, this restaurant has an authentic old school vibe; dark, with red leather booths, stained glass, wood & Italian inspired decor.

(1956) The Munch Box 21532 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311. The Munch Box is a tiny walk-up hamburger stand on Devonshire Street in Chatsworth, CA opened by John Kent in 1956 and now owned by his nephew. Bright yellow with red 1950s font, a jet-age sloped roof, sporting brick and river rock trim, it was designed by architect Marcel Dumas. In an area once mostly known for its ranches and cowfolk, it originally featured a hitching post where local riders could tie their horses while grabbing a bite. Chatsworth residents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were known to be customers. Serving the most basic of a hot dog, fries and hamburger menu, this old time stand was made a historic-cultural monument in 2003.

(1956) Naka’s Broiler 1961 W El Segundo Blvd, Compton, CA 90222. Opened on March 1, 1956 by husband and wife Katherine and Nathaniel Banks, Naka’s Broiler may be the first black-owned business in the city of Compton. The couple came up with the name Naka by combining the first two letters of Nathaniel with the first two of Katherine. Located in a small brick building, the diner serves American food, including burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts and is only open for morning and early afternoon hours. The restaurant was bought by David Fisher in 1991, who kept Katherine aka Mama Naka busy there until she died in 2007.

(1956) The Original Park Pantry 2104 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803. Original 1950s vintage building with a great neon sign. Serving American diner-style food. The inside has been somewhat redecorated, but still keeps an old school integrity.

(1956) Otomisan 2506 1/2 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Cozy diner with three booths and counter seating. It may very well be the oldest surviving Japanese restaurant in the whole Los Angeles area. Boyle Heights became a Japanese community in the 1950s after Japanese citizens were released from forced U.S. WWll internment camps. The neighborhood is now primarily Mexican and this restaurant is one of the few remainders of its Japanese history.

(1956) Santoro’s 1423 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506. Opened in 1956 by Pat Santoro, a transplant from Massachusetts who ran a sub shop back East with his brothers. In 1971 Pat’s son took over the shop and since 1996 it has been owner by Salvatore Palilla. Beloved in Burbank since the ’50s, the little store with both indoor and outdoor seating serves hot and cold Italian subs, side salads and cannoli.

(1957) Antonio’s Pizzeria 13619 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Opened in 1957 by Antonio Miceli, brother of Carmen Miceli, founder of Miceli’s restaurant (1949), this eatery opened in 1957 as a second branch of Miceli’s. Antonio changed the name to Antonio’s Pizzeria about about a year later, adding the classic Italy-shaped neon sign that still hangs proudly over Ventura Blvd. With great stained glass windows facing the street, the interior has wood paneled walls, faux brick trim, green leather booths, and many kitschy details, such as Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling, plastic grape leaves, red & white checked table cloths & murals of Italian vistas painted on the walls. Antonio Miceli sold the restaurant to current owner Alex Lunardon in 1988.

(1957) Art’s Delicatessen 12224 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604.

Art’s Deli opened in 1957 on Ventura Blvd in Studio City, CA. Founded by New York born Art Ginsburg, it is a traditional Jewish delicatessen with rust colored booths, wood paneled room dividers, ceiling fans, hanging glass globe lights and a glass deli case. The room was remodeled after a fire caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, but the exterior features an old neon sign. Art passed away several years ago and the restaurant in now run by his son.

(1957) Cock-a-Doodle 12940 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710. The Cock-a-Doodle restaurant opened in 1957 on Central Avenue, in what’s left of Chino’s downtown business district. Started by Johnny and Thora Sosinsky, its name came from the fact that the restaurant opened so early in the morning that one could hear the rooster crow. People in the area often shorten the name to “The Doodle.” Serving American country-style breakfasts, lunches and dinners, the decor reflects this theme, with wood paneled walls, burgundy tufted leather booths, wagon wheels on the walls and a separate lounge area that reflects the same decorating scheme. The exterior is wood sided and trimmed with brick and overhung with a fairly new awning. Though it has had several sets of owners since the Sosinskys, it has been owned by Patricia and Joe Costa since 1996.

(1957) Coral Cafe 3321 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. Coral Cafe was opened in 1957 by Danny and Irene Frydokowski. Located in a freestanding building, trimmed with brick, this 24-hour diner has had makeovers since it was first opened. With plenty of laminate wood, colonial decor chairs, frosted hurricane lamps and cloth booth seating, it retains a vintage dated feel, somewhere between the late ’70s anf early ’90s. Serving an extensive menu of American and Mexican diner classics, it has been owned since 1990 by John Leoisis and Tom Vournas, cousins of the original owners.

(1957) Galley Cafe 829 Harbor Island Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Small, sunny diner with yellow leather booths and a view of the marina.

(1957) Ozzie’s Diner 7780 E Slauson Ave, Commerce, CA 90040. Classic, authentic ’50s diner with aqua colored booths, formica counter, an amazing original sign and a dark, cozy lounge with a wood bar tucked to the side.

(1957) Norm’s Restaurant 470 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048. Part of the 1949 founded chain, this Googie Armet & Davis designed location is the oldest left.

(1957) Rod’s Grill 41 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91007. Rod’s began as a chain of American-style restaurants opened by Rod Wellman in 1946. The first location was on Atlantic Blvd in Alhambra, but this Arcadia location, Rod’s #4, is the only branch that remains today. Other locations were in El Monte, Pico Rivera, Montebello and East L.A. This was nearly lost to the wrecking ball in 2006, when the city of Arcadia attempted to use eminent domain to enable a Mercedes dealership to expand, but public outcry saved it from demolition. The exterior is in the googie-style, with triangular roof, river rock walls and vintage signs. Inside is a well-preserved mid century diner with turquoise leather booths, brink walls, wood laminate tables and a sloping architectural ceiling.

(1957) Safari Room 15426 Devonshire St, Mission Hills, CA 91345. The Safari Room is a mid-century steakhouse opened in 1957. Though the exterior of the building is basic light-colored brick, the plastic sign featuring a dancing African warrior hints at the interior decoration. The inside is African safari-themed with black leather semi-circular booths trimmed with faux-leopard fur, a slanted wood beamed ceiling, decor featuring African spears, shields and masks, and a cozy attached wooden bar with black bucket seats.

(1958) Astro Family Restaurant 2300 Fletcher, Los Angeles, CA 90039 .

Mid-century Googie diner that changed names; opened as Donley’s Diner, then Conrad’s, Astro in 1974.

(1958) Dal Rae 9023 E. Washington Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660. This “sophisticated” and pricey mid-century steakhouse was originally opened in 1951 on 105th Street and Western Avenue, near Watts, by Ed Dalton and Rae Harris, who combined their names into a new one to call their restaurant. Shortly afterword the restaurant was purchased by Omaha, Nebraska born brothers, Ben and Bill Smith, who opened this second location on Washington Blvd in Pico Rivera in 1958 and a third location in Fullerton. The Watts location closed in 1969 and the Fullerton restaurant was in business at least into the late 1980s. With an amazing vintage sign out front, unfortunately converted a few years ago from its original neon to plastic, the interior features elegant dark wood walls, a honeycombed ceiling & black leather booths. Though the decor has been somewhat modernized over the years, the menu has stayed much the same from the days when an ashtray was found on every table and a martini with lunch was considered quite normal. This is the place to try some of those classic ’50s menu items that you’ve only heard of, such as Oysters Rockefeller, Sauteed Frog Legs, Duck l’Orange, Crab Louie or the flaming Cherries Jubilee and Banana Flambe. The Dal Rae has been owned by Ben Smith’s sons, Lorin and Kevin, since 1996.

(1958) Frumento’s 214 W Beverly Blvd, Montebello, CA 90640. Opened in 1958 by Anthony and Barbara Frumento, this Montebello brick fronted, neighborhood Italian deli and market serves sandwiches, Italian baked goods, gelato, deli case pasta and salads. The counter and deli case have been modernized over the years, but the rest of the room is still pretty original, with polished cement floors, exposed air ducts and tables & chairs for eating. It is still owner and run by the Frumento family.

(1958) Giovanni’s Pizza 922 Williamson Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832. This first pizzeria in the Orange County town of Fullerton was opened by Tony and Emily Codispoti in 1958 and was run by their son Paul Codispoti from 1981 until his death in 1999. Still in the same location today, the interior of this casual Italian restaurant has been modernized over the years, but still features inexpensive pizza, pasta and subs and a separate video game room.

(1958) Jim’s Burgers #1 4660 Gage Ave, Bell, CA 90201. The first of the Jim’s Burgers chain. Amazing vintage sign. Great late 1960s/early 1970s interior with a rock wall, knobbed wood work, wood laminate and molded booths. Serving fast food American and Mexican.

(1958) Lido Pizza 15232 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91411. This vintage pizza parlor is located in the corner of a strip mall built in 1956. Its original weathered plastic sign, topped with a crooked mid-century lantern still stands proudly beckoning patrons to Lido’s circus tent-like ’50s awning and a front entrance built of fabulous river rock. Taken over from a family member in 1960 by Frank Paul Miccolis, a Brooklyn transplant who started the Chi-Chis Pizza chain in 1958 out of Panorama City, this restaurant was his second and is still part of the Chi-Chis family. With a menu serving huge gooey portions of pizza, pasta and Italian salads, Frank’s widow Ida Mae and son Paul Miccolis continue to own the restaurant today. The interior features dim lighting, red-tufted vinyl booths and vintage wrought iron faux stained glass chandeliers and the place probably hasn’t been remodeled since the ’80s. Anchored on the other end of the plaza by the old school dive bar Carlito’s Way, this plaza is worth a trip.

(1958) Original Pancake House 1418 E Lincoln Ave, Anaheim, CA 92805. The first California branch of The Original Pancake House was built in 1958 on Lincoln Ave in Anaheim. It had been founded in Portland, Oregon 5 years earlier in 1953 by Les Highet and Erma Hueneke as a restaurant to highlight international pancake recipes. Today there are over 100 restaurants in the chain. This Anaheim location was gutted by fire in 1961 and immediately rebuilt. The exterior resembles a thatched roof cottage, while the interior of this location is still original with wood paneled walls, orange leather booths, knobbed wood room dividers, wood laminate tables and linoleum floors.

(1958) Pann’s Restaurant 6710 La Tijera Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Opened by George and Rena Panagopoulos in 1958, after about a decade of working in other L.A. area restaurants, Pann’s is a classic googie-style coffee shop currently only open during breakfast and lunch hours. Designed by architects Eldon Davis and Helen Lui Fong of the Armet & Davis architectural firm, the exterior has a space age triangular roofline, river rock walls and original neon sign. The interior has red leather booths, a long wood laminate counter with ivory leather stools and more river rock.

(1958) The Pizza Show 13344 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250. The Pizza Show opened in 1958 on Hawthorne Blvd in Hawthorne as the second branch of a casual Italian restaurant opened by Jay Evans, an ex-New York City cab driver. Ja