A quarter-century of L.A. music history is coming to a close—at least, for now.
For the past 25 years, the Hotel Café has been a proving ground for singer-songwriters, nurturing the careers of countless artists, but the beloved venue will shutter its Cahuenga Boulevard location early in 2026, according to a November 3 Instagram post. That doesn’t mean the end for Hotel Café entirely: plans are already underway for a 2027 reopening in Lumina Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard.
What started as a modest coffee shop quickly evolved into a cultural hub, complete with its own tour and record label. Over the years, the space has served as a springboard for musicians breaking into the mainstream; Grey’s Anatomy music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas frequently scouted the venue for new talent, licensing acts like Meiko and Adele for the hit show.
No official dates have been announced for the closing or the anticipated reopening, though the Hotel Café website lists events through December 16. Meanwhile, fans and longtime patrons have been pouring their tributes into the venue’s Instagram post, mourning the end of an era while looking forward to its next chapter.
"It is hard to put into words what this space and the last quarter century have meant to us, and to all of you who have filled it with songs, stories, and life. The Hotel Cafe has been more than a venue. It has been a family, a refuge, a launchpad for countless careers, and a place where magic regularly happens," reads the post. "Today, we are turning a page. After twenty-five years, the doors at our beloved Cahuenga location will close in the early months of 2026. But this is not the end for us."
Those wishing to say goodbye to the venue in person will still have the chance to do so throughout, at least, the next several weeks. And who knows which bands from the Hotel Cafe's history will drop in for a farewell set?