Remember these Restaurants?

Question

Swiss Echo on Pico in West L A
Great American Food & Beverage - Santa Monica
Jacks at the Beach - S M
Café California - S M 
Meyera - Vegetarian in S M that was way ahead of its time
Tepparod (sp) Thai - Hollywood
Martoni's - Hollywood

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In the 70's a group of us met at a friend's business in Hollywood to play cribbage and kibitz. Afterward we would go to Martoni's to drink and once in a while eat. Very "rat packy" type of place for sure.

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Yes, my mom used to bring me to Swiss Echo, they had the best soup.
Another addition would be Pickle Bills on pico on eastern edge of Santa Monica, best hot beef sandwiches and gravy. Disappeared in late 60's or early 70's.

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Remember Staks, upscale, googie style coffee shop on Century, close to LAX? It had a small creek around it with fish & tadpoles.

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I'll add Cafe Casino in Encino...with a conveyor for the trays!

Magic Pan is also just a memory.

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It's not been that long, but we really miss the best sushi bar in town: Katsu/Tama Sushi.

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Loved Jacks at the Beach
Konditori in BH
Cafe Swiss on Rodeo

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Or these:
Kelbo's
Kowloon
Madam Wu's Garden
Moongate inn
Gen'l Lee's Man Jen Low
The Fog Cutter
Josephina's
The Portofino Room
Dublin's
The Lobster Barrel
Smith's Fish Shanty

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Tepparod Thai, just off Vermont. Was it Melbourne? I think it was everyone's first eye opening exposure to Thai food.

I'm wondering if it was LA's first Thai rest.

Yes to a few others, but not in a good way.

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Or the great food hut built in the parking lot that became the Bistro on Canon Drive,

It was run by the wife of a famous actor, name now forgotten by me.

I was working at that time at Cantor Fitzgerald next door and she made the most memorable breakfast dishes that caused us to flock to her place daily.

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GAF&B- always great for groups.

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How about these?
Charthouse on Third Street, East of LaCienega? It was next to a recording studio and all the rockers were always in there. Great steaks and Chocolate Mouse Pie

LaPlace on Santa Monica Blvd., at Beverly Glen, in WLA, then the owner, Edo Lubich opend Edo's Other Place on Pico near Fox Studios.

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Tepparod Thai was the first Thai restaurant I ever ate at. That was in the 1970s and it was recommended by Elmer Dills.

The places I miss the most are Pickle Bill's in Santa Monica and La Barbera's Pizza in WLA.

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Cyrano restaurant on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood. I was addicted to their Caesar salad.

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The Maryland Crab House, Hymies, Jacks at the Beach, The Mediterania, Picillo's, Belmont Pier, Clifton's Cafeteria.

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The Courtyard Cafe, Reno NV, El Pollo Asado, pretty much every diner in West Seattle has gone belly up or lunch-only, & I keep seeing advertisements for TGIF; but they have 0 locations in the entire state.

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Went regularly to Casa Mia in SM Canyon on West Channel Rd. and loved the ambiance and food. Saw Christopher Isherwood there several times over the years (he lived close enough to walk over). Drinking, eating, laughing and loud conversation (I'm sure looking back on our times in there that other tables were probably wishing we would take our leave, sooner rather than later).

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Sneaky Pete's was fun
Jimmy's was fun and elegant and the Caesar salad, prepared by Michael , who came from Jacks at the beach was great.
Hungarian Budapest on Fairfax. Seltzer on every table.d

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I still miss Knoll's Black Forest Inn. One of my father's favorite restaurants when it was time to eat German food. 

A Chowhound ode to their closing here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/58607 and an LA Times review of it here: http://articles.latimes.com/1987-05-15/entertainment/ca-5032_1_forest-inn

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The Matador on Pico in W.L.A. Loved paella and Hemingway Steak. The owner, Bill Fremont was a class act,

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Golden Star on Sunset or Hollywood Bl. in late 70s. We liked the charbroiled burgers with "everything". Apparently many of Hollywood's hookers liked them too. To quote Molly Picon in "For Pete's Sake", "Eat. You'll need your strength!"

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Maryland Crab House! I haven't thought about the place for a long time. Good memories.

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Zucky's at fifth and Wilshire in Santa Monica. When they moved from their original location, my parents were shocked that they were charging an exorbitant $1.25 for a corned beef sandwich. I think they may have been the first to break the $1.00 barrier. Edited to add original location was ocean park boardwalk.

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Here's a pretty obscure one. Does anyone remember Raf's on Cahuenga, a small lunch place a half-block north of Sunset? This was a few decades ago, and I was doing a lot of recording at studios in the neighborhood, so I frequently ducked in for a bowl of Raf's always-delicious soup of the day.

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I almoist forgot an good Australlian restaurant on Ventura Blvd. In Woodland hills called the Kangaroo Inn. probably disappeared in the 50's.

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Nickodells in Hollywood was well known to those who worked In the area and enjoyed big martinis at lunch

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Has anyone mentioned the original Brown Derby?
How about Carolina Pines?
LaRue 
La Toque

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Raphael's Cantina on Pico

Stern's BBQ on Washington

Yokohama Ramen on Barrington

Woody's Shorgesburger

Song Hee

Chuladus Thai in Culver City

Erawan Thai corner of Colfax and Magnolia (My 1st Thai)

Cugat's

Miss them all!

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Hard to believe no one has mentioned Scandia on this thread yet. I found this site just now that has mentions of so many of these places and includes a photo of them - here is the one of Scandia http://www.oldlarestaurants.com/scandia/

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I can't forget the best Mexican place in the valley was El Gato on Sepulveda. Great food and mariachi.
Best sea food in the area was Mel's Landing and, in the beach area, Millie Riera;s Sea Food Grotto

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This memoria is seems to be strictly LA based.

May I add:

Sambo's

The Scandinavian buffet restaurant on Harbor Blvd., Anaheim near Disneyland.

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Another fave was Le Dome on the Sunset Strip. What a crazy rock and roll hang out. Great food (for a while) and private rooms where god-knows-what was going on. OK, I know what was going on but discretion is the better part of valor.

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TIck Tock restaurant in Hollywood served delicious homemade food.

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Love's BBQ...Aaaah, so sticky!

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There was a place in LA that was a jazz/blues place that had live bands, dancing with food.
I wish I could remember more but it was the 80's..

I miss Ships.

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My best memory is of La Rue's on Sunset Blvd. I took my future frau there for her high school graduation back in 1952.

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There's no end to this. Just remembered Tracton's for their green goddess dressing and a slab of prime rib bigger than the plate. We could always get a great steak at Ollie Hammond's or Chuck's or House of Edward's. And who could forget Andre's or the Hungry Tiger? 
When in the seedier part of town at 3am, a good breakfast could be had at Toff's on Vermont.

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What about Mike Lyman's in Downtown LA? Great "men's club atmosphere" (though women were very wlecome), old-style waiters in white jackets, massive leather banquettes -some circular - and shrimp or lobster cocktail served in large silver bowls ensconsed in a mound of ice. 
 My mother used to take me there aged 5-6 in the Fifties, as the climax of shopping expeditions at Bullock's or Haggerty's (remember that name?). The waiters couldn't believe that a little girl could finish the adult-sized spaghetti and meatballs, but I proved them wrong! Also served great steaks and lamb chops with the frilly white pants thought so haute gamme at the time. A real piece of LA restaurant history.

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Robaire's on La Brea.

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Anyone remember The King's Arm's and The Queen's Arm's?

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Ekberg's Steak House in Woodland Hills lasted for many years. The highlight of our meals at Ekberg's came late in the evening, when Mr. Ekberg would dim the lights and play a recording of "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," by organist Ken Griffin. While the music played, the chef ran around the room playing along on various noisemakers (bulb horns? bells? I'm not sure which now). It was a bit otherworldly for newcomers, and we used it to boggle the minds of our friends.

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Does anyone else remember Marcel and Jeanne French Café? It was like a cooler version of Taix

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Spago on Sunset & Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset…

Two of the most missed neighborhood restaurants around.
They were the 'go-to' places.
Nothing else comes close for convenience, consistency and good solid food.
I miss it all and always will.

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Does anyone remember these restaurants?

La Strega
Di Vita's on La Brea
The Red Lantern in on Laurel Canyon Blvd.

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Anyone remember Sarno's Caffe dell'Opera? I always wanted to go there but never made it.

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In Venice "Pioneer boulangerie." It was big, was this a good place?

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OHMYGAWD. Could we possibly be the same age? Just about every one of these places were so enjoyed by me. "Meyera"....now that's a name I never thought I would hear again in my life....She served a Cauliflower "Parachute" that was a fabulous meal....it was a whole cauliflower that had blue cheese and then all wrapped in filo and baked. YUM. And since you've got me going on this place, now I'm jones'ing for a treat that I know I will never have again....the chocolate chip cookies from "The Buttery", which was just a block or two away from Meyera. 
Thank you for your post.
Jeff

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Otto's Pink Pig on Van Nuys Blvd?

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I don't go nearly that far back in SoCal -- moved to Westwood in '86. Missed La Barbera, very unfortunately.

I had a group of friends, mixed between social and work, who would meet for Friday afternoon happy hour. I remember when Westwood Village had places that offered $1 drinks! Cafe Cafe, on Lindbrook east of Westwood, had dollar drinks and an Italian buffet with garlic knots, pasta dishes, and more for free. A great time, buzz, and a dinner for almost nothing. Yesterdays a bit north on Westwood (later Chili's, now empty) had very inexpensive happy hour drinks, a second-floor outside patio/balcony, and also a free buffet. Alice's Restaurant across Westwood (a classic, now Tanino) also had a good happy hour. There was also Baxter's (on Gayley, underneath -- a lower floor -- the current Whole Foods). And Stratton's, a UCLA fraternity-sorority hangout on Broxton in a nice two-floor building with a horseshoe bar, where Barney's Beanery resides. And after every one of these bit the dust, there was Acapulco, with $1.35 margaritas during mon and/or fri happy hour (this raised) and free food (later a modest fee, then half-priced appetizers) but it alas went under a few months ago.

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Welsh Rarebit at Cock'nBull on Sunset Strip. My parents loved that place.

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Charmer's Market in Venice?

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Ollie Hammond's?

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Harry's Deli was competition for Zucky's next to Ocean Park Pier, Before Zucky's moved to S M.

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Remember Charmers Mkt. in Venice?

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Anyone remember the name of the Prime Rib restaurant on PCH in Torrance. They also served steaks,crab legs, green goddess salad and grilled garlic cheese bread. Closed down because they lost their lease back in the 1990?

The only place that is close to what they had is Del Rae Restaurant in Pico Rivera on Washington Blvd.

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Does anyone remember The Villa Capri which closed in the 70's?

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Swiss Echo was almost my favorite restaurant! Does anyone have a copycat recipe for their potato salad and their dressing for their garden salad? OMG I can still taste it after 35 years gone!

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I remember Meyera, i thought it was spelled Miera, but i guess not, it was on Wilshire i think, or else SM Blvd. i had gone vegan that year, i took my daughter there many times, it was 1993. We had a rent controlled apartment in SM, on Main and Pier, right across from the Oar House, it was a one bedroom, and then i miraculously got a rent controlled 2 bedroom on 3rd St, only about a block and a half from the first place. I moved in on January 1. A few days later, while stuff was still packed, the big Northridge earthquake happened. SM was hit very hard, a lot of people lost rent controlled apartments, whole buildings destroyed, and people living in them couldn't afford a new place in SM, that was sad, and a lot of businesses on Wilshire and SM Blvd were too badly damaged to continue. Meyera restaurant was one of those places. i was really sad, their food was pure and couldn't be found anywhere else, i remember always getting a blueberry sort of smoothie type thing to chase down a meal. Nice people. If it's the same one you're talking about, it was very small, just a little room with a few small tables, and a counter for ordering food to go. It was quiet with nice peaceful atmosphere.

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I was looking for info on an old restaurant in the San Fernando Valley, googling it led to this link. It was the The SmokeHouse in Encino. There is a somewhat famous SmokeHouse in Burbank, famous because it's across the street from Warner Bros, and lots of big movie stars used to eat there and TV stars, because they worked near it. There's pictures of those people on the walls. But before i even knew about the Burbank SmokeHouse, in the early 60s, my family would go to the SmokeHouse in Encino, and my friend thought there was only the Burbank one, so i i googled it, thinking i would show her the evidence but while there's lots of stuff about the Burbank one, i can't find anything about the Encino one, went there many times and drove by it many more. Surprised my friend who is from those times, doesn't know it existed. 

Other restaurants on Ventura Blvd in Encino and nearby that aren't there anymore were, 

The Queens Arms (super fancy)
The Wild Goose
The Other Goose

and in Studio city, there was 

The Tahitian. 

I loved those. 

In Santa Monica in the 80s and 90s and 2000s, there was Joe's Diner on Main Street, i miss Joe's. 

Love Cafe 50s in Venice, it's still there, i think it will always be there. There's another one in Santa Monica but it never had that really authentic 50s vibe for me.

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