There was a time when the cafeteria was the undisputed king of Southern California dining. * 1999: The Cliftons Cafeteria in Laguna Hills closes. It's a "moderate" rate As I recall. * 1920s: Cafeteria concept spreads throughout the country, and even reaches France. Home Services Auto Services Clifton's Republic 3.2 (2,123 reviews) Claimed $$ Bars, Venues & Event Spaces, Dance Clubs Edit Closed 6:00 PM - 2:00 AM (Next day) See hours See all 3.8k photos Write a review Add photo Menu Website menu Services Offered Verified by Business Performing Arts Shows in 7 reviews Security Services in 4 reviews Photos: Historic Clifton's Cafeteria through the Decades This is a review for cliftons cafe in Los Angeles, CA: "Look, the food is alright. That same year, the Clinton family bought their downtown building after decades of leasing the space, saying that the purchase would help buffer them against an economic downturn. Miss T's Barcade= arcades! Indeed, at lunch Thursday, Cliftons diners could choose from 24 kinds of cake and pie, including such standards as Boston cream, lemon meringue and pumpkin. When the new version openedAll the old food items were gone and the prices had tripled. The historical cafeteria will be missed, however, Meieran says that the venue is making way for an Exposition Marketplace. The service was not great. The newly renovated Clifton's cafeteria downtown, scheduled to open Thursday at 11 a.m., is massive five stories of cafeterias, bars and restaurants crammed as full as a curiosity cabinet. The average person would rather see their food fixed for them, said Benjamin Alsop, a Cliftons regular, who was quietly eating fried rice and an egg roll at a table on the mezzanine level of the woodsy themed restaurant, a few steps away from the indoor waterfall. The discovery has delighted fans of neon lighting who point out that Americas first neon was erected blocks away at Olympic Boulevard and Hope Street. My grandmother would take me to go eat lunch there it was really nice place its sad that they change Cliftons it was a nice place to go eat lunch. . Thankfully everything else about it is fantastic. Something went wrong. The new cafeteria will include a historic soda fountain, specialty grocery, five distinct lounges and bars, a butcher shop and world-class bakery. Before World War II, the cheap food and sprawling dining halls brought together strangers new to the region and created lasting bonds. 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Delicious food and the best/sweetest service, real crown jewel of legit local Pasadena eateries. Some lunchtime customers said they were regulars, and had been for 40, even 50 years. And I love cafeteria-style diners! or a supersized Starbucks? So Im not at all surprised it closed.. And after more than four years of construction, delays, and setbacks, Clifton's is ready for its debut on Thursday, September 17. September 21, 2010 . Oh no, gloves and a hat were very, very important. It consisted of the Echo Park, Los Feliz, and Silverlake neighborhoods. Prepandemic, you want a fun night gomore, for food, wait staff, service. Opening its doors back in 2015, guests were introduced with multiple floors and four differently themed bars, including a hidden tiki palace called Pacific Seas. 12:00 a.m. Nov. 6, 2006: For The Record Los Angeles Times Monday November 06, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 0 inches; 30 words Type of Material: Correction Disappearing cafeterias: An article in Fridays California section about the dwindling number of cafeterias in the Southland said that Gorkys Cafeteria was in Hollywood. Our Lee Cowan has grabbed a tray: The trays at Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles are . Before World War II, the cheap food and sprawling dining halls brought together strangers to the region and created lasting bonds. We Found It, The Actual L.A. / CBS News. The food was actually good, the downtown L.A. resident said. Is Clifton's Forest-Themed Cafeteria Closed For Good? * 1906: The Boos brothers expand on the concept, eventually running two cafeterias that attracted everyone from the well-heeled to the down-and-out. Thats what Beadles had a problem with. Inside the Reborn Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown, Behold the Original Clifton's Facade For First Time Since 1950s, Here's Clifton's Lit Up in Neon For the First Time in Decades, Here's Broadway's Weird, Woodsy Clifton's Cafeteria in Its 1930s and '40s Prime, Tour Frank Lloyd Wrights Hollyhock House, restored to its 1920s beauty, Touring the recreated 1969 birthplace of the internet at UCLA, Broadway Trade Center prepares for its epic transformation, Inside the Big Restoration at Wattles Mansion, Money, Murder, and Mystery: One Afternoon Inside Beverly Hills's Beautifully Creepy Greystone Mansion, First Peek at Downtown LA's Much-Awaited First Whole Foods. Pick and Mix and Match cafeteria was why I liked Clifton's so much. It's served here every day. The developer has had a crush on this quirky landmark for as long as he can remember. Clifton's eyes an October DTLA reopening - Los Angeles Times Your next Little India dining destination? If you like what you see, please help support the folks behind Franklin Avenue! From the looks of it, it doesnt seem as though the first-floor cafeteria was receiving too much love in comparison the big crowds that would arrive in the evenings for drinks. So while it may not be handing out free meals anymore, it certainly hasn't stopping trying to help. On September 26, 2011, the cafeteria closed for remodeling that planned to last three to six months while the restaurant gets a new kitchen and a redesigned serving area. $14.00 Electric Sheep . :), Reopening Day, Clifton's Cafeteria 10/1/2015: management didn't plan anything ceremonial to mark the occasion, but Downtown character Brother Pancake provided a spontaneous gospel invocation for the folks in line, honoring the spirits of old Los Angeles and the meaning of this magical place. Sad. It was in downtown Los Angeles. He couldnt drive because he feared he would lose his parking space, so he headed down Lake Avenue. The new Cliftons will be prepared to serve guests for many more years. Why not use the old recipes that everyone loved? I think it was one of those places where you're transported the moment you walk through the door.". Even science fiction writer Ray Bradbury became a regular. November 22, 2015 / 9:29 AM / CBS News. Since it re-opened early last month, Clifton's massive kitchen has cooked up enough cakes and carrot salad to feed more than 125,000 customers. On Wednesday, one of the last of the grande dames shut its doors after 50 years: Beadles in Pasadena. Each of the Clifton's restaurants was known for having its own theme. 147 votes, 43 comments. Calls to Robert Clinton, the president of Clifton Cafeteria Inc., were not returned Wednesday. "I think it's a better question, did anybody tell me I WASN'T crazy for doing this?" Happy trays: A renovated Clifton's cafeteria is set to reopen after Everything now is fast food. abenberg_open_data_scanning_direction_flightline2 Before closing, the cafeteria included the Chapel, the Waterfall and Brook, the Redwood trees and Terraces, which are the key elements that have made Cliftons Cafeteria an iconic place for so many years and for so many visionaries such as Walt Disney, Ray Bradbury, Jack Kerouac, Robert Heinlein, Ray Harryhousenand Jerry Leiber. In 1949, the nook was covered over with plastic and plywood when part of the restroom was partitioned off as a storage area. Once the starting point of Route 66, Clifton's became a cultu See more It is a landmark and a symbol of great times. Clifton's is one of eight surviving cafeterias in a chain that Clinton began in 1931. A Los Angeles cafeteria from days gone by is thriving anew. But in the meantime, he said, the family is hoping to get lucky . 13 comments / new. A friend alerted me this weekend that downtown's Clifton's Cafeteria is closed for food service, and is currently only operating as a nightclub. The Hammond family sold the restaurant, and subsequent owners were not able to resurrect the cafeteria. Cafeterias suffer; many close. As the child of restaurateurs and devout Christians who had self-funded a mission to China, Clinton was especially sensitive to the Great Depression's human toll, which he saw every day. * 1978: Cliftons opens the Greenery, the last stand-alone cafeteria built. A hand-tinted transparency similar to one of the originals will be mounted in front of a portion of the neon, which will remain lighted. Real comfort food. November 28, 2018. He built columns of redwood trees sprawling over the tables. The surprising beauty of Bavaria's church organs - CNN Style Frankly, too expensive but all with it because Clifton's is nostalgic! They never dressed like we do now.". The legendary Downtown eatery, which had lived since the early 1930s serving generic but beloved fare to anyone, regardless of what they were able to pay, received a second life when Andrew Meieran (The Edison), decided to take on the monumental project of rehabilitating and restoring Clifton's. On the 3rd floormore, SandwichesBreakfast & BrunchAmerican (Traditional)$$Chinatown, Clifton's on 8th/ Broadway; just busier, more expensive and not as good.more, The tour involved a walk through of Clifton's while it was closed. I went with a group of friends a while back and it was not very good, not a place I would tell anyone to visit for good food, it was just like an old funky museum and it looked like the good stuff had been looted. Clifton's Cafeteria - Menu - Los Angeles The best things to do with kids in LA that arent Disneyland. "The idea was not to make money," said Meieran. "We did a lot of research and we found what the original ones looked like and we had them reproduced," said restaurateur Andrew Meieran. Mr T's Bowl== 1950's bowling alley Location & Hours 648 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014 Downtown Get directions Edit business info Built in 1931, the cafeteria is the sole survivor of a once larger chain of eateries owned by Clifford Clinton, who had aspirations of curing world hunger. The torte was thick, lightly sweet and buttery. Michelin or Worlds 50 Best Restaurants: Which is more relevant? A reminder that at the "Cafeteria of the Golden Rule," Thanksgiving is a daily occurrence in more ways than one. In the thick of the Depression it became famous as "The Cafeteria of the Golden Rule.". I think thats probably helped us.. CLIFTON'S REPUBLIC, Los Angeles - Downtown - Menu, Prices & Restaurant While once part of a chain of eight Clifton's restaurants, Clifton's Cafeteria at 648 S. Broadway is noted as the oldest cafeteria in Los Angeles and the largest public cafeteria in the world. This was big news to us and almost everyone else we. Just stick to the bar and you would be fine. It's been open since the 1930s-and it has an old fashion-feel to it (totally historical). Cliftons died when they got rid of all the old recipes. :) Clifton's is hands down the best bar in. As many of you know, Cliftons Cafeteria is a food, entertainment and nightlife destination designedunder the guidance of Clifford Clintons vision. Gone are decades of traditions! Those hires amount to about 10 percent of Clifton's workforce. And although the family that owns Cliftons Cafeteria intends to stay open for business, the historic restaurant is facing some serious financial challenges. ), Check out THE AMBASSADOR'S But the cafeteria fell victim to changing tastes and a series of missteps. Menu for Clifton's Cafeteria Gothic Bar The Two Rays. Robert Clinton, one of the family members who still run Cliftons downtown, said that too many changes can be a death knell for a cafeteria. We absolutely love the tiki bar and the ambiance in general. There are also herds of taxidermied animals eyeing diners as they eat. Its getting harder to find that plate of green jello. The new stuff was horrible and overpriced. Dozens of cafeterias once peppered the Southland, so many, in fact, that city directories listed them separately from restaurants. and is there a cover at 7pm?? But in recent years, there have been indications that the Southern California cafeteria was a dying breed, a victim of changing tastes, an aging population and urban sprawl. Maybe they should get chef Gordon to help them with There men . 3. Clinton also wanted to feed the soul, so he turned his dining room into a woodland escape from life's downtown troubles. Fast food. As the restoration continues, you may notice some of its new residents being introduced to the famous Cafeteria. We learned yesterday from Franklin Avenue that Clifton's has closed its cafeteria and is operating only as a nightclub. They would still be open for dining if the food was more palatable. 4. Location and contact 648 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014-1807 Downtown Website Email +1 213-613-0000 Improve this listing Menu GOTHIC BAR The Two Rays It may be the oldest continuously illuminated neon light in the world. But for all the changes, he left Clifton's woodland dining room much as it was. Other items recovered by workers include Edison incandescent light bulbs circa 1932; original Boos Bros. cafeteria tableware; an ancient Orpheum playbill; and long hidden original subway well tiles and decorative honeycomb floor tiles in the cafeterias serving area. 5. His parents, he said, would take the whole family from Santa Monica to downtown for the cafeteria. Clifton's was an iconic establishment of the cafeteria variety thatmore, A secret, not so secret, Tiki Bar inside of Clifton's Republic in downtown LA. The walls of the restaurant featured numerous hand-tinted transparencies of mountain and forest landscapes, each of which was backlit by a rectangular neon light. In September 2010, Cliftons Cafeteria was sold to nightclub operator Andrew Meieran, who stated that he intends to preserve the atmosphere of the establishment. Dinkelsbhl, Bavaria - travel information from GermanSights Website images will be updated and the public will be given a sneak peekat what the Brookdale Cafeteria will have to offer. The legendary L.A. restaurant returns to its five-story home on Broadway. 1 review. Gourmet chefs would complain that they could not get a high-end restaurant off the ground in Pasadena because residents tastes were tempered by years of Beadles food. 632K subscribers in the LosAngeles community. The cafeteria will be open for 24 hours a day, though restrooms will only be available to customers (apparently that's a big deal). Eighty-four-year-old Leatrice Holtzman Exler remembers it from her first visit in 1936, back when going to a cafeteria was considered a big deal. Copyright 2016-2023 - Downtown Los Angeles Weekly, Taix Celebrates 90 Years with 90 Cent Chicken Decadence, R&B Legend Turned Strick Vegetarian Edwin Birdsongs Veggietaria, Faith and Flowers Chef Michael Hung: Back From Staycation at The Raymond. The specials of the day were fried pollock or chicken, served with mashed potatoes and one vegetable -- for $5.49. First Look Inside the Huge Makeover at Downtown's Weird and Wonderful Cliftons Cafeteria is looking forward to seeing the generations of past guests explore the New Historic Cliftons as it is reimagining the wondrous vision that Clifford Clinton had so many years ago, which is to transport people to a world of imagination and take them away from their troubles for just a short while. The trays are available via the venue's online shop (Clifton's is temporarily closed) $75. It remained unclear Thursday what will become of the eatery. The answer is that the vast majority of the equipment and infrastructuredated back to the 30s through 60s and created a health code and efficiency nightmare. I really wanted the Cafeteria to be successful, but how could it succeed if their cooks and food were on par with jails. The all-new marketplace is anticipated to open during the first quarter of 2019, so hopefully, well be able to indulge in the quirky meals that we all know and love (aka JELLOOO)! This has been the biggest disappointment. Right after visiting the second floor, we moved on to the third floor which is what they call the. But in the last few years, much of the foot traffic that once bustled along Broadway in downtown, where Cliftons is located, has dissipated. The South Broadway location, situated in a former Boos Brothers cafeteria, was named Clifton's. Oaks, 83, had been coming to the restaurant for more than 30 years. The restaurants first location, in downtown Los Angeles, opened in 1983. I agree with Victor Cliftons died when they got rid of all the old recipes. At its height, Clifton's was serving 15,000 people a day. Unfortunately the food at the new Cliftons was every bit as bad. Their patients dont know where they went, Column: Threes not a crowd. As one who has had the pleasure of eating at this location for most of my 4 score years, I feel that it should be preserved in the present form. It was in downtown Los Angeles. I think it's $20. Workers have also discovered vestiges of past renovations. [to] just make some money.. Clifton's Republic: The Story of an LA Icon | Discover Los Angeles Does Clifton's Republic take reservations? Clifton's Republic - The Neverlands People also searched for these in Los Angeles: What are people saying about cliftons cafe in Los Angeles, CA? A correction to that article that appeared on Mondays A2 said Gorkys was located downtown. Party rooms . Jason Fullilove has been signed on helm the kitchen. Photos by Wonho Frank Lee Nearly four years ago, the Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria closed for a huge renovation that will make it into a hipster hotspot with multiple bars and restaurants. I cant believe the comments on here about this place . About See all Explore LA's most iconic dining & nightlife destination where five floors of transportive dining and cocktail environments await discovery. They, like many "diner" type restaurants have recently reduced their hours to their peak time. OMG I can't believe I haven't been to this amazing place before ! It was also supposed to reopen this summer. Meet the co-presidents of the union behind the hotel workers strike. The "Marketplace" is what they call the cafeteria. Clifton's Cafeteria Now Partially Closed For 3-6 Months. Our menu stays pretty fixed, Clinton said. 2. Went once after the re-opening to eat some dessicated overpriced scraps with a distinct eau de Frigidaire, and never returned. . dives! About 15% to 20% of retail spaces along Broadway in downtown are vacant, according to the office of City Councilman Jose Huizar -- meaning that there are far fewer passersby in the area than there were a few years ago. As it was one needed clothe pin to pinch our noses to eat their food. "4.7 billion years old!" I hope they do succeed with whatever changes they're implementing! Founded in 1931 by Clifford Clinton,[3][4] the design of the restaurants included exotic decor and facades that were "kitschy and theatrical", and would eventually include multi-story . When Clifton's Cafeteria closed back in 2011, it was a sad day for classic Los Angeles. Clifton's Cafeteria is a historic eatery on Grand Ave that has been a staple of Los Angeles for almost a century. During renovations, a partition wall was removed, revealing a neon light that was still switched on, apparently running continuously for 77 years. A piece of sheetrock used in a 1949 remodeling bears the autographs of workers. Clifton's is nothing short of an institution. Clifton's Republic - Home | Facebook Gone are decades of traditions after the horrible re-imagining! newsletter, 4 Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Los Angeles, The 15 Hottest New Restaurants in Los Angeles, July 2023, Where to eat right now around the City of Angels, restrooms will only be available to customers, Clifton's Cafeteria's Downtown Comeback, From Beginning to End. And its still going strong., Williams attributed the sites longevity to good food and reasonable prices -- coupled with a healthy respect for tradition. I happened upon their closure recently when I tried to take my Australian friend there during lunch time. Meieran said that workers have found other treasures within its walls and hidden crannies. Cowan asked, "Did anybody tell you that were crazy for trying to do this?".