14 California Longtime Eateries That Are Still Serving Up The Hits
Before California was the land of vegan smoothies and viral food trucks, it was home to a lineup of old-school eateries that built the state’s culinary reputation one plate at a time.
These restaurants aren’t just places to eat, they’re beloved institutions where generations have gathered for burgers, steaks, pies, and stories.
Some have been around for more than a century, surviving trends, tech booms, and everything in between.
From Hollywood’s storied dining rooms to quiet coastal taverns, these iconic spots prove that good food never fades.
Get ready to explore fourteen California classics still serving up the hits today.
1. Philippe the Original – Los Angeles
Picture this: sawdust on the floors, a cafeteria line buzzing with hungry patrons, and the birthplace of one of America’s most beloved sandwiches.
Philippe the Original has been slinging French dip sandwiches since 1908, making it one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles.
Legend has it that owner Philippe Mathieu accidentally dropped a French roll into a roasting pan filled with hot meat juices, and boom, the French dip was born.
Today, you can still experience that same magic at 1001 N Alameda Street, where the no-frills cafeteria vibe keeps things authentic.
Open from 6 a.m. to around 9 p.m. daily (hours occasionally vary), this spot serves up beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or ham dips with your choice of single or double-dipped bread.
The prices remain shockingly reasonable, the coffee costs pennies, and the atmosphere feels like stepping into a time machine.
Don’t skip the spicy mustard—it’s got a kick that’ll wake up your taste buds faster than your morning alarm.
2. Musso & Frank Grill – Hollywood
Hollywood’s oldest restaurant isn’t just a place to eat—it’s a living museum of Tinseltown history.
Musso & Frank Grill opened its doors in 1919 at 6667 Hollywood Boulevard, and it’s been serving up classic steakhouse fare ever since.
The red-jacketed bartenders mix martinis with the precision of surgeons, and the menu reads like a greatest hits album from the golden age of dining.
Charlie Chaplin used to hold court here, Raymond Chandler penned novels in the back booths, and countless celebrities have nursed hangovers with the restaurant’s famous flannel cakes.
The waiters, many of whom have worked here for decades, glide through the dining room with old-school professionalism that’s become rarer than a parking spot on Hollywood Boulevard.
Order the sand dabs, the chicken pot pie, or the legendary grilled liver and bacon if you’re feeling adventurous.
Reservations are highly recommended because this place packs out faster than a Marvel movie premiere.
3. Canter’s Deli – Los Angeles
When the bars close and your stomach starts rumbling, there’s only one place that hits the spot at 2 a.m.
Canter’s Deli has been a Los Angeles institution since 1931, serving Jewish-style comfort food around the clock at 419 N Fairfax Avenue.
Once famous for being open 24/7, Canter’s no longer operates around the clock and now has adjusted late-night hours.
The pastrami is piled higher than your rent, the matzo ball soup could cure what ails you, and the bakery case is stuffed with enough rugelach and black-and-white cookies to send you into a sugar coma.
This isn’t some trendy fusion spot, it’s authentic deli food that your Jewish grandmother would approve of, assuming she wasn’t too busy arguing about whose brisket is better.
The Kibitz Room, Canter’s attached bar, has hosted everyone from Guns N’ Roses to local comedians testing new material.
The walls are plastered with photos of celebrities who’ve noshed here over the decades.
Pro tip: order the Fairfax sandwich (hot pastrami, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye) and thank us later.
4. The Apple Pan – West Los Angeles
Some restaurants have fancy dining rooms; this one has a horseshoe-shaped counter and a cult following that borders on obsessive.
The Apple Pan opened in 1947 at 10801 W Pico Boulevard, and absolutely nothing has changed—and that’s exactly the point.
There are no tables, no reservations, and no nonsense, just counter seating where you can watch the short-order cooks work their magic on a flat-top grill that’s probably seen more action than a Hollywood stunt coordinator.
The Hickory Burger comes with a tangy hickory sauce that’ll haunt your dreams in the best way possible, while the banana cream pie is so legendary that people plan their entire day around it.
The waiters wear paper hats, the burgers arrive wrapped in wax paper, and the whole vibe screams classic Americana.
Cash or card, doesn’t matter—just be prepared to wait because good things come to those who stand in line patiently.
5. Pink’s Hot Dogs – Los Angeles
What started as a pushcart in 1939 has evolved into one of LA’s most photographed food landmarks.
Pink’s Hot Dogs sits at 709 N La Brea Avenue, and the line wrapping around the building is part of the experience, not a bug in the system.
Orson and Betty Pink started this operation with a $50 loan, and now their hot dog stand serves thousands of people weekly, including celebrities who’ve inspired menu items like the Martha Stewart Dog and the Ozzy Spicy Burrito Dog.
The chili dogs here are messy, glorious, and absolutely worth the inevitable napkin shortage that follows.
With over 30 varieties of hot dogs and sausages, the menu reads like a greatest hits album of guilty pleasures.
The walls are plastered with celebrity photos, proof that even Hollywood’s elite can’t resist a good chili cheese dog at midnight.
Bring cash for tips, wear clothes you don’t mind staining, and embrace the chaos.
6. Bob’s Big Boy – Burbank
Architecture nerds and burger lovers unite at this retro-futuristic time capsule.
The Burbank Bob’s Big Boy, located at 4211 Riverside Drive, was built in 1949 and remains the oldest surviving Bob’s in America.
The Googie-style architecture—all sweeping angles and space-age optimism—makes it look like something from The Jetsons, which is fitting since the building is a designated California Historical Landmark.
The Big Boy double-decker burger, with its special sauce and sesame seed bun, defined American fast food before McDonald’s became a household name.
On Friday nights, the parking lot transforms into a classic car show where hot rods and vintage beauties cruise in, their owners reliving glory days over milkshakes and fries.
The interior booths are original, the jukebox still plays oldies, and the whole place radiates pure 1950s Americana.
Order the strawberry pie if they have it—it’s criminally underrated and disappears fast.
7. Tadich Grill – San Francisco
California’s oldest continuously operating restaurant has been serving seafood since the Gold Rush era.
Tadich Grill opened in 1849 at 240 California Street in San Francisco, making it older than the state itself.
The wood-paneled dining room, complete with private curtained booths, feels like a gentleman’s club from another century, minus the cigar smoke and questionable politics.
Their mesquite-grilled fish is legendary, the cioppino (a San Francisco seafood stew invention) is soul-warming, and the waiters wear white jackets like they’re serving dinner to Rockefellers.
This place survived the 1906 earthquake, Prohibition, the Great Depression, and every food trend imaginable, yet it still refuses to take reservations—first come, first served, just like the old days.
The menu features classics like sand dabs, rex sole, and hangtown fry (an oyster omelet that dates back to mining camp days).
Cash is king here, though they’ve begrudgingly accepted credit cards in recent years.
8. Swan Oyster Depot – San Francisco
Twenty seats, no reservations, cash only, and a line that forms before they even unlock the door.
Swan Oyster Depot, located at 1517 Polk Street, has been shucking oysters and cracking crabs since the early 1900s.
The Sancimino family has run this tiny seafood counter for generations, and their commitment to freshness borders on fanatical—everything you eat was probably swimming that morning.
The crab Louie salad is a San Francisco classic, the clam chowder is creamy perfection, and the smoked trout will make you question every other fish you’ve ever eaten.
There’s no kitchen, no tables, and definitely no fancy ambiance—just a marble counter, some bar stools, and the freshest seafood you’ll find outside of a fishing boat.
The servers crack jokes, recommend dishes, and keep the line moving with impressive efficiency.
Get there early, bring cash, and prepare for a seafood experience that’s worth every minute of waiting.
9. La Taqueria – San Francisco
In a city obsessed with burritos, one taqueria stands above the rest—and they don’t even use rice.
La Taqueria opened in the early 1970s at 2889 Mission Street, and their Mission-style burrito has earned awards, accolades, and fierce loyalty from burrito purists.
The secret? They skip the rice and load up on perfectly seasoned meat, creamy beans, fresh salsa, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream, all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.
The carne asada is grilled to perfection, the carnitas are melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the tacos dorados (crispy fried tacos) are criminally addictive.
This isn’t some trendy fusion spot with kimchi and quinoa—it’s authentic, straightforward Mexican food executed flawlessly.
The dining room is simple, the service is efficient, and the focus remains squarely on the food.
Cash only, so hit the ATM before you go, and don’t even think about asking for rice in your burrito—they’ll look at you like you just insulted their grandmother.
10. House of Prime Rib – San Francisco
Vegetarians, look away—this temple of beef worship isn’t for you.
House of Prime Rib opened in 1949 at 1906 Van Ness Avenue, and they’ve perfected exactly one thing: prime rib carved tableside from gleaming silver carts.
The English-style dining room, complete with dark wood and brass accents, feels like a fancy London steakhouse teleported to San Francisco.
You don’t really order here—you choose your cut (City Cut, English Cut, or King Henry VIII Cut for the truly ambitious), and it arrives with Yorkshire pudding, creamed spinach, and mashed potatoes.
The salad is spun tableside in a giant bowl with a dressing so good people have tried to reverse-engineer it for decades.
Reservations are notoriously difficult to snag, with locals booking weeks in advance and tourists weeping into their guidebooks.
The waiters are pros who’ve been carving meat longer than some restaurants have been open, and the whole experience feels gloriously old-fashioned in the best possible way.
11. Original Joe’s – San Jose
San Jose’s culinary crown jewel has been feeding Silicon Valley since before silicon was even a thing.
Original Joe’s opened in 1956 at 301 S First Street, serving Italian-American comfort food with generous portions and even more generous pours at the bar.
The massive open kitchen lets you watch chefs work the flat-top grills, flipping steaks and sautéing scaloppini with the confidence of people who’ve done this ten thousand times.
The menu features classics like veal parmigiana, chicken marsala, and Joe’s Special (a scrambled egg, spinach, and ground beef concoction that tastes way better than it sounds).
The bar scene is lively, the drinks are strong, and the whole vibe screams old-school neighborhood joint where regulars know the staff by name.
After a 2007 fire destroyed the original location, they rebuilt and reopened, proving that San Jose wasn’t about to let this institution disappear.
Come hungry, leave happy, and maybe schedule a nap for later because these portions don’t mess around.
12. Duarte’s Tavern – Pescadero
Tucked in a tiny coastal town, this family-run tavern has been serving up California comfort since before cars existed.
Duarte’s Tavern opened in 1894 at 202 Stage Road in Pescadero, and five generations of the Duarte family have kept the tradition alive.
The cream of artichoke soup is so famous that people drive an hour from San Francisco just to slurp a bowl, and the olallieberry pie (made from a blackberry-raspberry hybrid) has achieved cult status among dessert enthusiasts.
The menu showcases local ingredients—fresh seafood from Half Moon Bay, vegetables from nearby farms, and berries picked at peak ripeness.
The dining room feels like your grandmother’s house if your grandmother happened to run a legendary restaurant, complete with mismatched chairs and walls covered in family photos.
This isn’t fine dining; it’s honest, delicious food served with warmth and zero pretension.
Make the drive down Highway 1, enjoy the scenery, and save room for pie—multiple slices if you’re smart.
13. Wool Growers – Bakersfield
Basque boardinghouse dining isn’t just a meal—it’s a carb-loaded, protein-packed assault on your waistline, and it’s glorious.
Wool Growers opened in 1954 at 620 E 19th Street in Bakersfield, serving the Basque shepherds who worked California’s Central Valley.
The family-style service means huge platters of food keep arriving at your table until you physically can’t eat another bite, then they bring dessert anyway.
Oxtail stew, lamb shanks, tongue, sweetbreads—this menu features cuts that modern restaurants often ignore, prepared with recipes passed down through generations.
You’ll share long communal tables with strangers who become friends by the second course, bonding over pickled tongue.
The portions are absurd, the prices are shockingly reasonable, and the atmosphere feels like a family reunion where everyone’s invited.
Arrive hungry, pace yourself (impossible), and maybe wear elastic waistbands because buttons are the enemy of Basque dining.
14. Madonna Inn (Copper Cafe & Gold Rush Steak House) – San Luis Obispo
If Barbie’s Dream House opened a restaurant, it would probably look something like this—except with better steaks.
The Madonna Inn opened in 1958 at 100 Madonna Road in San Luis Obispo, and owner Alex Madonna decided that subtlety was overrated.
The Copper Cafe serves breakfast and lunch with pink everything, while the Gold Rush Steak House handles dinner with slightly more restraint (slightly).
Every room in this hotel-restaurant complex is themed differently, from the caveman rock room to the safari suite, making it California’s most Instagram-worthy roadside attraction.
The pink champagne cake is legendary—a towering confection that tastes like birthday parties and nostalgia had a baby.
The steaks are actually excellent, proving that behind all the pink and gold, there’s serious cooking happening.
The men’s restroom features a waterfall urinal that’s become a tourist attraction in itself (seriously, people take photos).
Come for the novelty, stay for the surprisingly good food, and leave wondering if you just ate dinner inside a fever dream.