4 Hollywood Restaurants with Legendary Tales

It can seem like every corner of Hollywood is sprinkled with legends and lore. The restaurant scene here in Tinseltown is no different. Many popular restaurants that fill up nightly with glamorous patrons first opened their doors during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Their booths and bar stools hold real-life secrets and stories that top any movie script! Are you looking to plan a special meal during an upcoming trip to Los Angeles? Check out four iconic Hollywood restaurants with amazing food, ambiance, and origin stories.

Musso & Frank Grill

Musso & Frank Grill has been a sophisticated staple in Hollywood since 1919. A-list stars have been drawn to this eatery for more than 100 years due to its incredible menu, glamorous ambiance, and sublime martinis that have earned praiseful mentions from Esquire, Forbes, and the L.A. Times. After sliding into a sleek leather booth, you'll be able to ponder the idea that you're sitting in the spot where Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Humphrey Bogart, John Barrymore, Rita Hayworth, Steve McQueen, and other regulars dined in their glory days. Of course, every guest gets the celebrity treatment here. The grilled lamb kidneys, bone-in pork chop, and New York steak can't be beat!

Yamashiro Hollywood

Yamashiro Hollywood offers an incredible indoor/outdoor dining experience in Hollywood. When selecting the sprawling outdoor patio, diners can get cozy beneath encased tent covers with heat lamps while still enjoying all of the beauty and relaxation of open-air seating. Once you take in the views of the hills around you, you won't be surprised to learn that Yamashiro translates to mean "mountain place." The building housing this restaurant had several past lives as a bar, military school, and apartment building before being transformed into one of Hollywood's best eateries more than 60 years ago! All of your senses will be activated as you savor flavorful, aromatic miso soup, crispy rice, charred octopus, and matcha soba. Yamashiro Hollywood also offers an unforgettable brunch experience that features a mix of traditional breakfast items and sushi from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Dresden Restaurant & Lounge 1954

The Dresden is a Hollywood gem that has been owned by the same family for three generations. Since 1954, this glamorous restaurant and lounge has been a hot spot for music every night. When you dine here, you aren't just enjoying a popular Hollywood restaurant. You're stepping into cinematic history! The Dresden has been used as a filming location for a long roster of films that includes "Swingers" and "Anchorman." It was also featured in "Mad Men." Of course, reality feels like a movie when you're seated at an elegant table cloaked in a white tablecloth with a glamorous cocktail in your hand. The steaks and chops here stand in a class of their own. The French onion soup is also famously delicious!

Miceli's

Miceli's has been serving what is widely considered to be the best pizza in Los Angeles since 1949. There's also a little bit of Hollywood magic sprinkled into every pie! When Lucille Ball needed to learn how to toss pizzas for the iconic pizza-tossing episode of "I Love Lucy" in 1956, she came to Miceli's! The menu here also features incredible scampi, lasagna, and tiramisu. You'll even find one of the best Chianti selections in Los Angeles behind the bar.

Planning Your Legendary Experience

There's no doubt that dining at iconic Hollywood restaurants can be thrilling. However, there's nothing quite like taking it all in from above. That's why anyone who is interested in Hollywood history and lore needs to take hiking trails to the Hollywood Sign to experience incredible views of sparkling Los Angeles.