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The Magic Lamp Restaurant is almost across the street from the historic Sycamore Inn Restaurant and next to a newer branch of Vince's Spaghetti Restaurant.

Not far from what's left of Johnie's Broiler, Dal Rae's Restaurant, the Tamarack Inn bar and restaurant and Clearman's Steak and Stein Restaurant. When traffic isn't bad - not a long drive to the Alpine Inn in Torrance.

The cut off remnants of another classic  McDonalds, now AMA Donuts, 1057 East Mission Boulevard, Pomona, CA 91766 Hard to understand why a McDonalds would ever go out of business.

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Q.L. "Boots" Thelen has been the owner of the Mermaid Restaurant for over 50 years and the place is a complete throwback. Black vinyl booths, rectangular bar and the best prime rib for the money in the South Bay. The owner is well over 80 and "Boots" still goes down every morning to open up. The restaurant was built in 1954 using the back wall of the recently burned original Mermaid as the front wall of the new place. It was supposed be a temporary structure, but the original was never rebuilt.  Boots was a City Councilman  and Mayor of Hermosa Beach during the sixties and has literally seen the modern Pier Avenue nightlife scene grow up around him. Despite lucrative offers to sell, the Mermaid just goes on, and is now managed by his stepdaughter, Diana A.

The Mermaid Restaurant, being right on the beach, is a big plus. Friendly locals and fun, eccentric waitresses.  Good breakfasts and free parking!  The light at sundown cast a great glow in the bar. An attempt by employees to clear a nice 50 year patina of grease from the bar "overhang" was meet by the owner's demand - "Not to change anything".  Now that's the attitude we need in all time machines.  This is an excellent place to check out.

UPDATE: Sadly, Quentin “Boots” Thelen died July 24, 2007 at age 85. I hope the family can keep this time machine going. It's one of the best in LA metro! Thanks to Stephan B. for this info!

Good stop on a beach tour of the Harbor Room bar, Ercoles bar and restaurant, the Bull Pen bar and restaurant, Sam's Seafood, Uncle John's Pancakes and the Parasol (being restored to be a Mel's).

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Note the Pig 'n Whistle figure on the seat.

Miceli's Italian restaurant is close to Boardner's bar, Musso and Frank Grill, the Frolic Room bar, the Pantages theater, the El Capitan theater, Grauman's Egyptian theater and Chinese theaters, the Power House bar and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

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I've tried to eat here recently, but every time I go by the place is packed!!!  The food must be good.

The Tiki Ti bar, El Chavo Mexican restaurant the El Cid restaurant and Taix French restaurant are not far away. Hipster heaven.

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You can have an easy tour of Time Machines just driving down Magnolia Blvd. from North Hollywood to Burbank passing the Fire Fox Room, Sitton's North Hollywood Diner, Tony's Bella Vista Restaurant, the Monte Carlo Delicatessen and Pinocchio's Restaurant and finally Tin Horn Flats bar (and I've probably missed a few on the way!).

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There were/are other Monty's branches - someone will have to clue me in as to whether they still exist.   Monty's Steak House, 17016 Ventura Blvd. Encino, Monty's "Talk of the Town", 3730 East Foothill Blvd., Arcadia,  Monty's Steak House, 1100 Glendon Ave., Westwood (in one of Westwood's first skyscrapers built in the 60's) and Monty's Los Robles Inn Conejo Lodge (opened 1965).

Check out Gus's Barbeque Restaurant,  Freddie's 35er bar, the Rialto Theater, the Pie 'n Burger Restaurant, El Cholo Restaurant, the Rialto Movie Palace and the Fair Oaks Pharmacy while you are out here.

UPDATE:  Sadly, this place has recently closed.  See my bar page.

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This is the Musso and Frank Grill signature flannel cakes - a cross between a pancake and a crepe I guess. They are definitely yummy!  Available 11am to 3 pm.

The origins of Musso and Frank's can be traced to a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, the first venture of Joseph Musso and Joseph Carissimi.  Musso then moved to Los Angeles and teamed up with  Firmin "Frank" Toulet and Helene Toulet to found the Musso and Frank Grill in 1919. They moved into the space formerly occupied by Frank's (Francois) Cafe.  In 1926 they sold out to Musso's old friend Joseph Carissimi and John Mosso (not to be confused with Musso). Apparently Joseph Musso lingered on in some capacity for a few years.  Relatives of Mosso and Carissimi have carried on since, including Charles Carissimi, Joseph's son, Jesse Chavez (not a relative but someone who worked his way up to the top, unless I'm mistaken), Edith Carissimi, daughter-in-law of Joseph Carissimi and Rose Keegel, daughter of John Mosso. If anyone in the family reads this - let me know who is running it now! Joseph Musso went on the run another restaurant called Musso's at 6300 Wilshire. For a while this caused some confusion as to whether there were two Musso and Frank Grills or one.  This was cleared up by large disclaimers in the newspaper making it clear there was only one Musso and Frank Grill. Musso's was independent. For more information on Joseph Musso, Firmin "Frank" Toulet and all of the other restaurateurs behind Musso and Frank's, see my "Great Restaurateur" page.

The most famous chef of the Musso and Frank Grill was Jean Rue who worked here for 53 years.  He died in 1976 at the age of 78, when John Helman took over and then later Michel Bourger (who had been trained by Rue).

Musso & Frank's moved next door on or about April, 1934 (where the "old room" is now located - this is a date you will not find accurately anywhere else - except the Los Angeles Times April 4, 1934). They moved on that occasion from 6669 Hollywood Blvd. to 6667 Hollywood Blvd.  The "new room" I believe dates from 1954 and contains the bar from the famous "back room" (sans the bar's "roof" or top), now closed. The "new room" was once the Stanley Rose Bookstore, a hang out of some of America's greatest writers, which leads us to the story of the back room.

The back room of Musso and Frank's is where great writers and other famous creative people like F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Saroyan, William Faulkner , Raymond Chandler (who is rumored to have written some of "The Big Sleep" here), John O'hara, Christopher Isherwood, Erskine Caldwell, Lilian Hellman, Thomas Wolfe, Thomas and Heinrich Mann, Dorothy Parker, Dashiell Hammett and Budd Schulberg hung out. Even the great composer Igor Stravinsky was known to visit. The Back Room of Musso and Frank's was leased from the Vogue Theater on or about May, 1935 (another figure you will not find accurately anywhere else - except the LA Times May 5, 1935).  The backroom was apparently lost around 1954, when they lost their lease to it. Thus, the need to move into Stanley Rose's Bookstore for the new room. Long time maitre d' for the back room of the Musso and Frank Grill was Daniel Ilich who so jealously guarded the spaces for the writers that he was fired when the owner discovered the room empty, even though there was a long line.  The writers apparently were late in arriving from a horse race.  The space still exists and is rumored to have some of the original wallpaper. If you are facing the back of Musso's, the old room is on the right side. They say that Hemingway ate here, but if so, it was only once or twice.  I believe he only made one or two trips to Hollywood (incidentally Hemingway hated every single movie based on his writings).  Hemingway might have been upset that they don't make Mojitos at Musso and Franks. The bar is strictly "old school" and even though Mojitos are "old school" Cuban - they didn't become a fad until recently.

The food at Musso & Frank's is excellent. Parking in the back is cheap with validation. While the place can be pricey if you order carelessly, you can almost fill up on the free sourdough bread. If you order a la carte dishes like the incredible hot turkey sandwich – it’s quite affordable (but don't be too cheap - we want this place to do great business forever). There is also a vegetable plate (a bit mundane) for vegetarians.  Also famous are the ultra thin flannel cakes.  There is also a counter that's considered a great place to eat alone or with friends.  Charlie Chaplin’s favorite table was the first one when walking in the old room from Hollywood Boulevard. The bar is not always the best place to strike up conversations with people, but at times you find some very interesting characters.

In the Raymond Chandler story "The Long Goodbye" Philip Marlowe and Terry Lennox eat at Musso's. Musso and Frank's is also one of the few places where Bukowski definitely did hang out (as opposed to the many places he is rumored to have imbibed).  He was a friend of Ruben the bartender.

Musso and Frank's is near to Miceli's Italian  Restaurant, Boardner's bar and restaurant, the Powerhouse bar, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the Chinese Theater, the Egyptian Theater and the El Capitan theater.  Quite a tour!

(since 1957)

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Take the Ventura Blvd. tour of Art's Deli, Dupars Restaurant, Sportsman's Lodge,  Corwin Bowl and Casa Vega Mexican Restaurant.

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Nate 'n Al's Deli is near Trader Vic's (now poolside at the Beverly Hilton) and Dan Tana's restaurant and the former site of the Beverly Hills Brown Derby.

Mon-Fri 5:30am to 2 p.m.

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(since 1957) 

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The North Woods Inn is near Bahooka's Restaurant, Goody's Restaurant,  Petrillo's Italian Restaurant and Edward's Steak House restaurant, and not too far from Dal Rae's Restaurant, the Tamarack Inn bar and restaurant, and Clearman's Steak and Stein restaurant.

Suggested by Sumeet L.

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The room with the bar: T T T T

UPDATE:  Sadly, on my first visit to San Pedro in 15 years, Olsen's is gone. It has been replaced by the the Copper Room Restaurant and Lounge, 310-831-6200. It wasn't open when I was there.  Can someone tell me if they kept the great 1940's bar decor? I saw a number of other very promising looking bars but I don't like to walk into places cold without first researching what I'm getting myself into. The places I need to check out are the Indian Room, Rebels and C&G Cocktails (or was it C &Q? Something like that). Can anyone tell me anything about these places?  San Pedro seems to be frozen in time (a good thing to me). San Pedro was authentic enough for Charles Hank Bukowski, who bought his first home there after becoming "famous".

Not far from the Queen Mary, and maybe you can catch Joe's Joust on the same trip.

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I noticed at my most recent visit a disquieting change. The great old pictures (with a patina of 50 years of grease) have been replaced by a multitude of framed photos. I call this phenomena "creeping knick knackism" (in homage to Lenny Bruce) which can detract from the time machine effect.  What I'm looking for in a restaurant is sort of the "Somewhere in Time" effect (a nice Christopher Reeves movie), where you can look around and not see anything new.  Of course, for you odd balls out there, this doesn't really transport you back in time, it just gives you that feeling. How do people think they can improve on what is already perfect? In any event, this is still one of the best restaurants (food and ambiance and prices) in town. Hopefully there will be no further changes.

Update: The changes keep coming! Now there are bright fairly unattractive lamps lighting the place. Who is behind this creeping remodel? The place is still great, but if this trend keeps going it will soon start to do some major damage on the "time machine effect". Hey - it was good enough for 80 years - why change it now. Follow Musso and Frank's model - make repairs virtually unnoticeable. Update II: The great old dark wood in this place was refinished to a  newish light color. I'm downgrading this place (despite the fact it's still a fantastic place - food and ambiance - to T T T T from five T's - as if anyone would care!). How hard is it to realize that the one of the main reasons people like old restaurants is that they look old! I might well continue to go to this place even if they made it look like a Denny's just for the food, but the overall experience would be 90% diminished. I wouldn't be so hard on this place if it were not one of the greats! Stop the remodeling!!!

The Original Pantry Cafe is ot far from Clifton's Cafeteria, Cole's French Dipped Sandwiches, the Standard Hotel, the Redwood Grill (now reopened as a Pirate bar), Casey's bar, the Pacific Dining Car restaurant, Philippe the Original French Dipped Sandwiches Restaurant and the Yorkshire Grill restaurant.