Oldest Restaurants in the Los Angeles Area

[DonRocks]

All known restaurants which opened before 1980 and remained opened when this website was founded (Apr 15, 2005) are included.

Restaurants opening within the same year are alphabetized - no effort has been made to increase the precision to opening month.

If a restaurant is known to be closed, it will have an asterisk ("*") by the year.

Please feel free to add new posts for potential new entries, and I"ll update the list as we go.

Since Los Angeles is a brand new forum, this is obviously in a neonatal state - see the Washington, DC list for what it will become over time.

There are already some extant LA lists, such as Offbeat LA's - I will make sure to accredit them, and to direct readers to them, if I use their work (which I undoubtedly will).

Note: I've recently rechecked Offbeat LA's "Oldest Surviving Los Angeles Restaurants List." That appears to be a definitive resource - I direct all our readers to this fine webpage. Note to Offbeat LA's authors: We have an "Oldest Restaurants" page in all of our cities; it just so happens that in Los Angeles, you've already done one - you are to be commended for this fine work. Here is ours for Washington, DC, should you ever need it.

Cheers,
Rocks.

An asterisk next to the year means the establishment was open as of Apr 15, 2005 (our community's debut), but has since closed.

1905 - Golden Gopher (Downtown)
1917 - Magee's Kitchen (The Original Farmers Market)
1919 - Musso and Frank Grill (Hollywood)
1923 - El Cholo (Santa Monica)
1924 - Original Pantry Cafe (South Park - Moved in 1950 To Make Room for an Exit Ramp)
1938 - Du-Par's (The Original Farmers Market)
1946 - The SmokeHouse (Burbank - Current Location since 1949)
1952 - Manuel's Original El Tepeyac Cafe (Boyle Heights)
1953 - Father's Office (Santa Monica)
1953 - Randy's Donuts (Inglewood)
1955*- Acapulco Inn (Long Beach)
1956 - Casa Vega (Sherman Oaks)
1969 - Casey's Irish Pub (Downtown)
1969 - The Habit Burger Grill (Santa Monica)
1971 - Avignone's (Montrose)

[dcs]

The Original Pantry (DTLA).  Since 1924 Never Closed Never Without a Customer 24-7.  Cash only, of course.

[dcs]

Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks - 1956.  I do not know anything about the food, but I do know that the country needs more restaurateurs like these fine folks.  62-Year-Old Classic Casa Vega Keeps Its Employees Happy - The iconic Sherman Oaks restaurant has created a home for immigrant restaurant workers in the San Fernando Valley, by Jean Trinh, May 1, 2018, on la.eater.com.

[dracisk]

This is covered in the article Don linked to above (which, I agree, is great), but I noticed The SmokeHouse in an episode of "Love" on Netflix and made a mental note to try it the next time I'm in LA. It's been around since 1946.

Also covered in the article Don linked to above and also a place I noticed on a television show ("Bosch" on Amazon Prime), Du-par's is a local-ish chain (three locations in Southern California and one in Las Vegas) that's been around since 1938. I want to check this place out, too!

[dcs]

Offbeat LA may be a "definitive" resource, but they don't have Avignone's, since 1971 in Montrose.

[dcs]

Golden Gopher - 1905.  Various - accounts - report the original 1905 liquor license issued to Teddy Roosevelt still valid.  Reopened in 2004.

[dcs]

Casey’s Irish Pub - 1969.   Opens at 10am on Sundays showing all NFL games.  Happy Hour all day on Sunday. The breakfast potatoes were surprisingly good. 

[youngfood]

Musso and Frank Grill has been serving charcoal grilled steaks and martinis in Hollywood since 1919.  Not necessarily my cup of tea, but kind of a neat old spot if you're into that sort of thing.  I'm glad I've tried it even if it wasn't a gastronomic epiphany. 

[dcs]

Irv's Burgers (née Queenie’s) - 1946.  Closing for good (or ill).  The rent's too damn high.  West Hollywood’s Most Iconic Burger Restaurant Will Close Forever This Week, by Matthew Kang, November 19, 2018, on la.eater.com.

[dcs]

Pacific Dining Car - 1921.  Literally open 24 hours a day.  It, like, never closes.  Christmas Day, too.  Free 1921 membership gets you 21% off all breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items, a free entrée in your birthday month, and 24 hour access to the Late Night menu.  The night shift at the Pacific Dining Car is full of glitter, ghosts and blueberry pancakes, by Sara Cagle, August 1, 2018, on latimes.com.

[curiouskitkatt]

56 minutes ago, dcs said:

Pacific Dining Car - 1921.  Literally open 24 hours a day.  It, like, never closes.  Christmas Day, too.  Free 1921 membership gets you 21% off all breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items, a free entrée in your birthday month, and 24 hour access to the Late Night menu.  The night shift at the Pacific Dining Car is full of glitter, ghosts and blueberry pancakes, by Sara Cagle, August 1, 2018, on latimes.com.

Glitter, ghost & blueberry pancakes sounds like the perfect invite to explore The Pacific Dining Car!! Adding my to queue.

[dcs]

Horseless Carriage Restaurant - 1966.  Located in Galpin Motors auto dealership in North Hills.

[dcs]

 

On 11/20/2018 at 5:41 AM, dcs said:

Irv's Burgers (née Queenie’s) - 1946.  Closing for good (or ill).  The rent's too damn high.  West Hollywood’s Most Iconic Burger Restaurant Will Close Forever This Week, by Matthew Kang, November 19, 2018, on la.eater.com.

LA Landmark Irv’s Burgers Returns After Four-Year Hiatus, by Farley Elliott, June 3, 2022, on la.eater.com.

[dcs]

On 10/28/2018 at 1:04 PM, dcs said:

Casey’s Irish Pub - 1969.   Opens at 10am on Sundays showing all NFL games.  Happy Hour all day on Sunday. The breakfast potatoes were surprisingly good. 

Closed.