12 Historic Restaurants In Los Angeles, California, You Should Visit Before They’re Gone
Los Angeles, the most popular city in California, has always been a city that reinvents itself, tearing down the old to make room for whatever comes next.
But scattered across its sprawling neighborhoods are dining rooms that refuse to budge, places where the menus, recipes, and even the booths have outlasted trends, developers, and time itself. These restaurants carry stories in their walls and their kitchens.
I grew up hearing my grandfather talk about Sunday dinners at places that sounded like legends, and now I get to walk through their doors myself. Some have been serving the same dish for nearly a century.
Others still use the original recipes passed down through generations of the same family. Visiting them is not just about eating; it is about stepping into a piece of LA that refuses to disappear.
1. Musso & Frank Grill (Hollywood, 1919)
Red leather booths line the walls like sentries guarding a century of secrets. Musso & Frank opened in 1919 and became the unofficial dining hall for writers, actors, and dreamers who shaped Hollywood’s golden age.
Waiters in white jackets still glide between tables with the precision of choreographed dancers. The menu leans heavily on classics: sand dabs, steaks, and flannel cakes that taste exactly as they did decades ago.
Reservations are honored, and the ritual of service never wavers. This is not a theme restaurant pretending to be vintage; it is the real thing, still operating on Hollywood Boulevard.
2. Philippe the Original (Chinatown/DTLA, 1908)
Order at the counter, grab your tray, and find a seat in what might be the most democratic dining room in LA. Philippe the Original has been slinging French dip sandwiches since 1908, and the debate over who invented the sandwich still rages.
The floors used to be covered in sawdust, though that tradition has shifted over time. Cashiers will still double-dip your sandwich in jus if you ask nicely, and the line moves faster than you expect.
I once watched a grandmother teach her grandson how to hold his sandwich without dripping. That is the kind of place this is: generational, beloved, and utterly unpretentious.
3. Canter’s Deli (Fairfax District, since 1931; Fairfax location since 1953)
Night owls and early risers share tables over pastrami piled high and matzo ball soup that could cure just about anything. Canter’s has been a Fairfax institution since 1953, though the family business dates back to 1931.
The bakery case never seems to sleep, and neither does the energy inside. You can grab takeout at almost any hour, and the late-night crowd is as much a part of the experience as the food itself.
Generations of Angelenos have celebrated, mourned, and simply existed here. The walls hold decades of conversations, and the menu holds decades of tradition.
4. Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant (Westlake/MacArthur Park, 1947)
The number 19 is not just a menu item; it is a love letter written in hand-cut pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on double-baked rye. Langer’s opened in 1947 near MacArthur Park and has been perfecting that sandwich ever since.
Hours are daytime only, Monday through Saturday, so plan accordingly. Arrive early if you want to avoid the lunch rush, though the wait is always worth it.
Every bite tastes like careful craft and stubborn devotion to doing one thing exceptionally well. Smile big when you order, eat slow when it arrives, and savor every moment.
5. The Apple Pan (West LA, 1947)
Sit at the U-shaped counter and watch the cooks work their magic on hickory burgers that have tasted the same since 1947. The Apple Pan is a time capsule with a grill, where the ritual of ordering, waiting, and eating unfolds exactly as it should.
Fresh cream pies sit under glass domes, tempting every customer who walks in. The clock on the wall seems to tick in a different era, and the hours stretch late most nights.
I brought my friend here once, and she could not believe a place like this still existed. That is the magic: it does, and it refuses to change.
6. Pink’s Hot Dogs (Mid-City/Fairfax line, 1939)
What started as a pushcart in 1939 has grown into a landmark with lines that stretch down La Brea Avenue. Pink’s still slings chili dogs until midnight or later on weekends, and the menu has expanded to include tributes to celebrities and local legends.
This is a Hollywood story you can eat, where fame and hot dogs collide under neon lights. The chili is thick, the toppings are plentiful, and the experience is pure Los Angeles.
Tourists and locals wait side by side, united by hunger and curiosity. Pink’s has survived decades of change by staying exactly what it has always been: delicious, unpretentious, and open late.
7. El Cholo – The Original (Mid-City, 1923)
Family-run since 1923, El Cholo wears its history proudly on the walls and in the recipes. The original location on Western Avenue still serves green corn tamales that have been a seasonal tradition for generations.
The menu is a journey through Mexican-American culinary history, with dishes that predate the modern taco craze by decades. You are not just eating dinner; you are participating in a legacy.
The dining rooms are filled with families celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and ordinary Tuesdays. El Cholo has become woven into the fabric of Los Angeles, one tamale and one margarita at a time.
8. Tam O’Shanter (Atwater Village/Los Feliz, 1922)
Los Angeles’s oldest restaurant, run by the same family in the same location, feels like stepping into a storybook. Tam O’Shanter opened in 1922 with a Scottish theme, complete with Tudor beams, tartan accents, and a fireplace that still crackles.
Prime rib and Yorkshire pudding anchor the menu, and Table 31 carries the lore of being Walt Disney’s favorite spot. A century later, the dining room still hums with warmth and tradition.
I visited on a rainy evening and felt like I had traveled somewhere far from LA. That sense of escape, paired with excellent food, is what keeps people coming back.
9. Original Tommy’s Hamburgers (Rampart Village, 1946)
Chili is the crown jewel at Tommy’s, and it has been since the original stand opened at Beverly and Rampart in 1946. Burgers, hot dogs, and tamales all come smothered in the signature recipe that has spawned countless imitators but no equals.
The original location still runs strong, serving hungry Angelenos around the clock. Lines form at all hours, and the experience is fast, messy, and deeply satisfying.
This is fast food with soul, a place where the recipe matters more than the decor. Tommy’s has become a rite of passage for anyone who wants to understand LA’s food culture.
10. Yamashiro (Hollywood Hills, restaurant in a 1914 hilltop landmark)
A palace sits above Hollywood Boulevard, complete with gardens, lanterns, and views that stretch across the city. Yamashiro occupies a landmark building completed in 1914, originally built as a private estate and now operating as a restaurant.
The dining room offers Japanese-inspired cuisine in a setting that feels worlds away from the streets below. City lights twinkle through the windows, and the atmosphere leans romantic and cinematic.
This is one of the most storied properties in Los Angeles, and eating here means becoming part of that story. Reservations are recommended, especially if you want a table with a view.
11. El Tepeyac Café (Boyle Heights, 1950s roots)
Burritos the size of small children have made El Tepeyac a legend in Boyle Heights. The Hollenbeck and the five-pound Manuel’s Special come with bragging rights and the kind of food coma that requires a nap.
Family lineage runs deep here, with recipes and traditions passed down through generations. The dining room buzzes with community energy, where regulars greet each other by name and newcomers are welcomed like old friends.
Doors stay open and humming, serving portions that defy logic and flavors that justify every calorie. El Tepeyac is a heartbeat in the neighborhood, steady and strong.
12. Casa Bianca Pizza Pie (Eagle Rock, 1955)
Thin crust, tangy sauce, and sausage that kisses every slice with flavor have kept Casa Bianca packed since 1955. The dining room feels like a time capsule, where the decor and the recipes have remained faithful to the original vision.
Family-run for nearly seven decades, this Eagle Rock institution still draws loyal lines on Colorado Boulevard. Regulars know to arrive early or be prepared to wait, and the wait is always worth it.
I once asked a server how long the family had been making pizza, and she just smiled and said forever. That is the spirit of Casa Bianca: timeless, delicious, and utterly irreplaceable.