If you're looking for a way to extend a dinner date that is going really well, consider checking out Sawtelle Japantown, just east of the 10 Freeway near the 405. Wie bei Mama! The first customer in line, L.A. native Betty Martinez, got a vintage Cliftons food tray signed by Meieran as well. suggestions for two days in Weimar - Rick Steves Travel Forum The first floor of Clifton's Cafeteria I've already raved about Clifton's in my Top 20 Downtown LA Date Ideas article; it's one of my favorite Downtown LA hangouts. The restaurant itself is a very nice representation of the culture. Eis-Cafe Dolomiti. Personnel very kind and ready to help you. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Cliftons upscale new Jell-O dessert is an awkward but nonetheless apt metaphor for the buildings spectacular new interior. Clifton's Cafeteria, once part of a chain of eight Clifton's restaurants, was the oldest surviving cafeteria-style eatery in Los Angeles[1] and the largest public cafeteria in the world[2] when it closed in 2018. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 A real meteorite, found in Venezuela, is on display inside the Gothic bar of the newly. I went there on my own upon recommendation from tripadvisor after having made a reservation by phone. Clifton's Cafeteria: For the Hungry and the Creative On Wednesday nights they host Swingtronic featuring Gypsy Jazz bands and Swing dancing till 1AM. You enter La Descarga through a closet on the second floor and emerge in pre-Castro Cuba complete with salsa music, dancing, and a burlesque show between sets. After the pandemic permanently shut down the Imperial Western Beer Company in Union Station, Homebound has taken its place, retaining the Art Deco look and feel, and much of the staff of the previous venue, and putting more emphasis on being a sports bar. The restaurant, now called Clifton's Republic, will partially open mid-October at its original location at 648 S. Broadway. With our most recent renovation we now have a large bar and more dining space. City Tours. It's cafeteria food!!! It created a weird dilemma for us from day one. Clifton's Cafeteria Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA | OpenTable First seating outside- great! My boyfriend had a different dish, but unfortunately I cannot remember what it was. Er, sort of. Frankly, too expensive but all with it because Clifton's is nostalgic! She was a national editor and writer focusing on food at the Associated Press and a features editor and a columnist in Moscow, where she also ran a childrens cooking school. So he was forced to close the "Penny Cafeteria," and open Clifton's Cafeteria on Broadway in 1935. Thanks! This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. What Now Media Group 2023. CLIFTON'S RESTAURANTS - 22 Photos & 34 Reviews - 648 S Broadway, Los She left The Times in 2015. Send it our way. Although Meieran tries his best to maintain the establishments rightful glory, he admits some changes are part of the historical preservation game. Some nights they have a live band playing on the balcony at the end of the bar. We were not disappointed in choosing this restaurant, only disappointment was it was only our 2nd day of our trip wherewed usually eat this type food 5 or more days in, but there werent any of this type in a future travels. It was closed for a while, but it just reopened its doors a few months ago (2017) to usher in the love and devotion of another generation of families. The food more than made up for it. Foreign tourists like the cafeteria, he says, because they can get a meal without worrying about crossing the language barriers. Now, we know what's going to become of it. See all (214) take on authentic Vietnamese, and those Bao burgers were just mouth watering! Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers. Despite what some critics have been saying online about the restoration, we found the new Clifton's anything but cheesy. This was a tall order: how do you make a century-old building economically viable without compromising the integrity of a place that was extremely important to generations of people? We have seating indoors and outdoors on our patios and . Joey previously worked as the News Assignment Editor for Pasadena Now. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit LAist.com/radio. Betty Martinez, first in line, and her vintage Clifton's tray; Credit: Lina Lecaro. Regular customers asked where theyd go without Cliftons, he said. The local news you read here every day is crafted for you, but right now, we need your help to keep it going. from. When we went the ground floor was full and we were seated upstairs. All I know is we both thought the food was excellent. Shes a runner and a cook, and has worked at The Times as morning assignment editor, web liaison, food writer and copy editor. They removed other 1960s additions and uncovered original features that were hidden for decades, including murals and a tiny grotto near the front entrance. Brought to you by Andrew Meieran, the developer of Cliftons,The Edison is an amazing subterranean space featuring early 20th century electrical generator equipment and silent movies projected on the walls (Metropolis from 1927 for example). 10 things you need to know about the new Clifton's cafeteria You'll definitely want to bookmark this article because there will be a time when you want to continue a good date into the evening after most restaurants close. This website was designed with accessibility in mind and is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 level AA guidelines. Para obtener ms informacin en espaol, mande un correo electrnico a info@laconservancy.org o llame al (213) 623-2489. Founded in 1931 by Clifford Clinton, the name was created by combining Clifford and Clinton to produce Clifton' On weekends, there is DJd music on the second floor and live Swing band on the third floor in the Brookdale Ballroom. Help support the DJs, journalists, and staff of the station you love. It is especially fun for kids!". Tripadvisor gives a Travelers Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor. Or, join me on the LA Date Ideas Facebook Page or on Instagram! The Wolves is a Parisian-style bar at the Alexandria hotel in Downtown LA, meticulously restored and decorated to its early 20th century glory days. . per group (up to 7) City game scavenger hunt Erfurt - independent city tour I discovery tour. The Los Angeles Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Hey! Eighty years after Clifford Clinton revolutionized dining with the mythical Clifton's Brookdale, Clifton's is once again poised to re-define the dining experience. Its quirky, to say the least. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Proprietor Andrew Meiran, who also oversees the Edison, confirmed that the cafeteria at Clifton's has been closed since mid-September, but he hopes to re-reopen it in the first few months of 2019 after he transforms it into a high-end food hall. 65. Their patients dont know where they went, How second-generation owners of 99 Ranch are turning the Asian supermarket into a national powerhouse. Basement Tavern is a secret underground bar hidden below The Victorian. Clifton's is open for private events and occasional special events, like a monthly brunch. Its happy hour was named one of the best in LA by the Los Angeles Times and Eater LA. For the past four years, developer/restaurateur/filmmaker Andrew Meieran has been fielding two questions more than any others. Then, when the pandemic began, the restaurant decided to close down completely to focus on a multi-million dollar renovation of the entire building. It's food in the pans and plopped on the plate. This is a review for cliftons cafe in Los Angeles, CA: "Look, the food is alright. (Cliftons earlier this year, by Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times). Get quick answers from 36 Pho Co staff and past visitors. Originally named Clifton's Brookdale, the restaurant was designed to emulate the Brookdale Lodge in the Santa Cruz mountains, which sported a lake stream running through the restaurant, stocked with real trout. A post shared by Formosa Cafe (@theformosa) on Jun 20, 2019 at 10:00am PDT. One of our Ambassadors will get back to you within 24 hours to confirm your itinerary. Burger extravaganza, Very good and friendly place for vietnam food. I test or research each service before endorsing it. Conservancy. Kitschy, yes, but in a cool way that respects the locale's history. The Pacific Seas location would remain open until 1960. Frankly, too expensive but all with it because Clifton's is nostalgic! Clifton's Closes Its Cafeteria; Will Food Ever Return to the Downtown Landmark? This West Hollywood institution was completely renovated and recently re-opened. Service was excellent and fast, menu creativetake on authentic Vietnamese, and those Bao burgers were just mouth watering! Items will still be priced "within reason," according to Meiran, and focused on local, organic ingredients. Clifton's first started to close down back in 2018 with its cafeteria. This subterranean bar has a retro carnival theme complete with corndogs and popcorn. Preserving the historic places that make L.A. County unique. Cliftons was bustling with breakfast business, and Clinton says summer is often busy. We stumbled across this place while passing through Weimar. In 1931 he opened Clifton's Cafeteria at Olive and 6th in downtown L.A. If you have Accessibility questions or needs please contact our team at Hello@TheNeverlands.com. My boyfriend had a different dish, but unfortunately I cannot remember what it was. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. What did people search for similar to cliftons cafe in Lakewood, CA? LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. Wednesday night is karaoke night. But of course they offer great drinks too! Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. "When people think of a cafeteria, they think institution. Clifton's ran out of a few things, some staff didnt know the prices for certain items they were serving, and checkout was slow thanks to a new computer system. Brush up on your salsa moves before going, and be prepared to have a good time. Well the cafeteria part of Clifton's has been closed down for over a year. The lower level was packed. Then we weren't enough in terms of raising the bar for a whole group of other people. Subscribe to my posts. Today there was no guest list and no fancy VIPs, but there was a constant flurry of flashing cameras, some documenting the place for posterity, others for social media bragging rights. Known as Santa Monicas First Lady, the Georgian Hotel was established in 1933 overlooking Ocean Avenue. He opened up non-historic space into a three-story atrium featuring a massive replica of a redwood tree. Founded in 1931 by Clifford Clinton,[3][4] the design of the restaurants included exotic decor and facades that were "kitschy and theatrical", and would eventually include multi-story . Try it if your touring and tiring of German food. If you really want to impress a date, you should document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The downtown icon changed hands in 2010 but reopened, restored and reimagined, in 2015. The iconic restaurant is near the completion of a multi-million dollar renovation. Then, when the pandemic began, the restaurant decided to close down completely to focus on a multi-million dollar renovation of the entire building. Thus innovative, sophisticated and cultured attire is highly encouraged. But, its blocks from the beach, next to Santa Monicas Third Street Promenade (so its named appropriately). LAWeekly Instagram: Featuring the culture of LA since 1978 , Relationship with the Victim* Clifton's BBQ 62 Southern Soul Food Barbeque $ "This BBQ spot is wonderful. Very highly recommended.More. In these uncertain times, your support is even more important. Our Dress Code is enforced after 9pm in all areas as specified below. There, he worked for several publications, including The Culture Trip and RIFF Magazine, and served as the News Editor at Golden Gate Xpress. Clifton's used to be a cafeteria of kitsch. Made in L.A. Streaming music, news & culture from KCRW Santa Monica, Live streaming music, news & culture from KCRW Santa Monica. Did you enjoy this piece? Mary MacVean is the former Mind & Body editor at the Los Angeles Times. We think original owner Clifford Clinton would definitely approve. A good mixture of American style food and Asian spices.