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Dining - Classic LA Recommendations

Dining - Classic LA Recommendations

Old Nov 18, 2015, 2:08 pm
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Dining - Classic LA Recommendations

Honestly, i am looking more for atmosphere than I am food quality, although it does need to be edible. I would like to find a classic 50's style/themed restaurant, on the lines of Tam o Shanter or Lawrys. A few challenges, though:

Preferably I want to do a Saturday lunch, though I can do an early dinner (arriving before 6, say).
I will be dining alone
I probably won't be able to dress up - will be more like cargo pants and a polo, if that knocks out a few choices.

I have also thought about Clifton's, I don't know if that still has any character and how crowded it gets.

Like I said, needs to be edible, but atmosphere trumps taste this time.
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Old Nov 18, 2015, 2:45 pm
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Originally Posted by Cloudship
Honestly, i am looking more for atmosphere than I am food quality, although it does need to be edible. I would like to find a classic 50's style/themed restaurant, on the lines of Tam o Shanter or Lawrys. A few challenges, though:

Preferably I want to do a Saturday lunch, though I can do an early dinner (arriving before 6, say).
I will be dining alone
I probably won't be able to dress up - will be more like cargo pants and a polo, if that knocks out a few choices.

I have also thought about Clifton's, I don't know if that still has any character and how crowded it gets.

Like I said, needs to be edible, but atmosphere trumps taste this time.
If you're seriously considering Tam O'Shanter or Lawry's - which by the way are both owned by Lawry's - you ought to check out Musso and Frank, it's number 89 of the 2015 list of Jonathan Gold's 101 Best Restaurants.
<snip>

Musso's may be the last restaurant in America still operating in basic pre-Prohibition mode, and its menu of steaks, chops and sand dabs; chiffonade salads and turkey la king; sweetbreads jardinire and lamb kidneys with bacon; apple cobbler and diplomat pudding, is one that any country club regular would have recognized in 1919. The waiters are still resplendent in their smoking jackets and ties. Do I sometimes mourn the disappearance of finnan haddie from the menu, that the jellied consomm is served plain instead of in iced metal bowls and that for rice pudding I now have to go to the Grill down the street?

<snip>
I have not visited the newly reopened Clifton's cafeteria. I'm hearing mixed review of the food from friends who've been there, however, the praise of the decor and atmosphere is unanimous.
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Old Nov 18, 2015, 3:16 pm
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There are additional ideas on this list:
Dan Tana's, Pacific Dining Car, TAIX French Restaurant, El Cholo and Taylor's Prime Steak House, to name a few.

Yes, both Tam O'Shanter's and Lawry's are also listed. However, my first pick of the quintessential classic Los Angeles / Hollywood restaurant remains Musso & Frank's.
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Old Nov 18, 2015, 4:01 pm
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Originally Posted by TWA884
Dan Tana's, Pacific Dining Car, TAIX French Restaurant, El Cholo and Taylor's Prime Steak House, to name a few.
Taylor's is a great choice, centrally located, reasonably priced, and they open at 4pm on Saturday. If you want to "start" out a bit earlier, go to El Cholo for adult beverages and chips, then head over to Taylors for a steak. The places are exactly a mile apart.
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Old Nov 22, 2015, 8:08 pm
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Going to be there next week. Pacific Dining Car was recommended to us from friends in LA 6 years ago and we are finally gonna make it this time.
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Old Nov 22, 2015, 8:44 pm
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Anthony Bourdain on the quintessential Los Angeles restaurant.

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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:19 am
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And as much as I don't care for this guy, we do the same thing.

Land at LAX, hit the In and Out the first day and the last day.
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Old Nov 23, 2015, 11:37 am
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Agreed I go there a lot too. Though, I don't really consider it classic LA. Heck for that matter I am not sure how far removed from McDonalds it really is. Just ask them to toast the bun a little longer and it seems pretty close. Fries are better though.
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Old Nov 30, 2015, 8:28 pm
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I love the Pacific Dining Car. The inside makes me feel like I'm in a 1950's mob movie with its muted lighting, plush seating and paint colors. Plus the steaks and cocktails are great. Just be ready for a large bill.
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Old Dec 1, 2015, 3:43 am
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I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for, but I would pitch for Du-Par's at the 3rd St Farmers Market.
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Old Jan 10, 2016, 8:17 am
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But those aren't really classic restaurants. I was thinking something more along the lines of a restaurant that has been around for a while.
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Old Jan 10, 2016, 4:32 pm
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Originally Posted by Cloudship
But those aren't really classic restaurants. I was thinking something more along the lines of a restaurant that has been around for a while.
The posts that you're commenting about were moved to the appropriate thread.
Here is an article with some additional recommendations, The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Dal Rae and Yamashiro:
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 2:20 am
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I don't know if this counts as classic, but there's Typhoon in Santa Monica on the airport. They serve weird stuff, and were recently reprimanded for serving whale, but you could get insects if you wanted.
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 10:37 am
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Originally Posted by FlyMeToTheLooneyBin
I don't know if this counts as classic...
I'm sure that there will be those who disagree, however, when I think of classic Los Angeles dining what comes to mind are places with historical sense that have been around seemingly forever with the faded glory of Hollywood's golden age, leather booths, classical food and great martinis, a regular clientele and staff that know their names and warmly welcomes them back.
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