648 Broadway
(downtown Los Angeles)
A downtown Los Angeles institution since the 1930s is Clifton's Cafeteria. The restaurant closed a few years back for restoration and just reopened on October 1, 2015. It's a sign that Broadway is back, as Carrie the Killer Musical Experience is playing right down the street on the opposite side at 615 Broadway between 6th and 7th streets.
Lines were around the block the first weekend, making Clifton's the most popular restaurant downtown. It's assuredly interesting, a uniquely fun experience with its museum sized stuffed animals on display and with tables on the first and second floors and now on three tiers in one section between the first and second floors. There are small cascading fountains, jungle-like painted walls; the entire atmosphere is like being on a tres civilized safari.There is a huge bar on the second floor - with a life-sized tree in the middle, jutting up to the third floor, and on the third, an amazing array of spacious rooms that all open onto a foyer. Each room has gorgeous decor including a great number of elegant European-style settees. There is certainly ample space here for some very interesting Hollywood parties.
On the main floor, there is a box of new toys for small children, from which they may choose a plastic sword or coloring book, to keep them occupied. Behind the eating area on the first floor is the big, open clean.as.a.whistle kitchen. Helpful hosts and hostesses walk you in and show you the carving station, soup and salad bar. hot entree and sandwich bars. There is a bakery with display cases in the main foyer as you first walk into the establishment, where you may purchase homemade goodies like croissants, pastries and cookies. The chocolate chip cookies are rich in chocolate and really scrumptious.
Let me say that I had the famous turkey dinner. It was very good, with the exception of some runny cranberry. I've had better, but the whole experience of having an attendee bring me butter for my roll and another person bringing me a glass of ice water and one assisting me to the elevator outside the kitchen was one I cannot forget. In fact, I cannot remember a restaurant where I could get a meal for $20 and get this much gratuitous attention. Everyone is there to serve and accommodate you to a fab dining experience. Let's see if this is still the case in another six months to a year. It is a grand reopening after all!!
Pay Clifton's a visit. The decor alone is worth it. Judging from plates that I could see, their burgers and mile-high fries appear quite special.
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