Open since 1919, the Musso & Frank Grill is Hollywood’s oldest restaurant—and it more than lives up to its century-long iconography. The steak-and-cocktails joint formerly favored by Charlie Chaplin and Raymond Chandler is practically an actor and star in its own right, making its way into films such as Once Upon a Time In Hollywood and Ed Wood. With its many obscure dishes and steakhouse classics, the menu can be daunting. However, some dishes are fail-safes, like the "original" fettucine alfredo and filet mignon. And every table gets a half-loaf of house-made sourdough bread, the perfect accompaniment to the ultra-famous martini.
L.A. gets plenty of its reputation from the film industry, but we prefer when our stars come draped in a tablecloth and feeding us some of the best food we’ve ever tasted. And in this golden age of dining destinations, plenty of our city’s restaurants have become their own sort of icons. Whether you’re a visitor or a local, believe the hype: These famous Los Angeles restaurants have stood the test of time or made waves with newer fare, and live up to their reputation. From hot dogs and hole-in-the-wall Japanese cafés to Victorian-era food halls and star-studded fine-dining, here’s where to find L.A.’s most famous restaurants worth a visit—and who knows, maybe you’ll see a a celebrity there, too (but we all know the real draw is the food).
