The Fabulous Formosa Cafe

The Formosa Cafe at 7156 Santa Monica Blvd.

One of my favorite Hollywood restaurants with classic Hollywood ties is the Formosa Cafe, off Santa Monica Boulevard and Formosa Avenue in West Hollywood.  The walls feature countless autographed 8x10s of your favorite stars and the bar area holds Bugsy Siegel’s safe in the floor (no longer secret, it’s lit up with few fake bills inside for good measure).  There’s also a back room, patio, and the rear of the restaurant is an old red car trolley that was part of the Pacific Electric line dating from the early 1900s.  

The restaurant itself opened in 1925 according to George Geary’s L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants, and it’s location across from a bustling studio (over the years it was home to the Pickford-Fairbanks Studio, United Artists, Warner Hollywood Studios, and today it’s known as The Lot) made it a magnet for the celebrities.  Hollywood lore has John Wayne spending the night in the restaurant after passing out, and preparing himself a hearty egg breakfast when he awoke the next morning.  Ava Gardner is rumored to have frequented the Formosa, and Lana Turner would show up on the arm of her gangster boyfriend Johnny Stompanato.

Of course a landmark like the Formosa would be featured in films.  You can glimpse it in Swingers, The Majestic, and of course in L.A. Confidential - the scene where Lana Turner famously slaps Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) for mistaking her for a Lana-look-a-like hooker.  

The restaurant survived numerous development threats in the 1990s and 2000s.  It even closed in 2016, but like any good Hollywood star, it wasn’t gone - a comeback was on the horizon.  

The 1933 Group stepped in and under the leadership of Bobby Green, worked closely with local historians and family of the original owners to make sure the Formosa was once again ready for its close-up.  The Formosa’s collection of Hollywood memorabilia mixed with elements celebrating the Chinese-American heritage of the restaurant give it a classic old Hollywood ambiance.  Combine that with the menu of modern takes on the Taiwanese American cuisine and a cocktail menu filled with both classic and tiki-inspired choices, and you’ll come away with an amazing classic Hollywood experience.

The 1904 Trolley Red Car at the Formosa Cafe