Leon's Steak House (Demolished)
North Hollywood, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Leon's Steak House is in full swing with big band and karaoke nights in North Hollywood. Located on the corner of Victory Boulevard and Vineland Avenue, Leon's was opened by Leon Grown in 1945. Over the years, Leon's has served hungry patrons from the nearby aerospace plants, including Lockheed. Many thanks to Adriene Biondo for info.
Prime rib, cocktails, and a little big-band music made Leon’s Steak House in North Hollywood more than a dinner stop. The combination of steak house, coffee shop, and lounge gave regulars several reasons to return. Later big-band and karaoke nights kept the entertainment going. Apparently finishing dinner didn’t necessarily mean the evening was over.
UPDATE: Leon's Steak House has been serving prime
rib and cocktails since 1945. Scheduled to close when the lease expires
July 31, 2003 to be replaced by a CVS Pharmacy. 03-03
UPDATE: Leon’s closed in July 2003 after nearly 58 years in business. The restaurant was demolished, and a CVS Pharmacy replaced it at 10945 Victory Boulevard. 10-26
James Restaurant
San Fernando, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
A rotund, grinning chef gives James Restaurant in San Fernando a cheerful roadside introduction. Perched high on the marquee, he looks perfectly satisfied with the kitchen’s work. Somebody has apparently been checking the portions.
Established in 1953, the family restaurant describes itself as San Fernando’s oldest restaurant. Its long run on Truman Street makes it a neighborhood fixture as well as a worthwhile stop for anyone seeking an old-fashioned restaurant sign.
The familiar chef adds personality to a place that has welcomed generations of customers. An unverified tale supplied for the site claims his eyes sometimes blink or turn toward the nearby railroad tracks under a full moon. Think this is true? Perhaps he was watching for the next dinner delivery.
UPDATE: James Family Restaurant remains open at 739 Truman Street. Its current posted hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, so plan a breakfast or lunch visit rather than a late dinner. 10-26
Four 'n 20 Restaurant (Closed)
Studio City, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Saving room for pie was a sensible strategy at Four ’n 20 Restaurant. The Laurel Canyon Boulevard location carried the comfortable look of a 1970s neighborhood diner, with familiar booths and a pie display capable of distracting customers from whatever they originally planned to order.
The business began in 1969 and developed a loyal Valley following for its pies and everyday restaurant meals. Michael O’Donnell and David Burkin purchased the two remaining locations in the late 1970s, keeping them going for more than four decades.
UPDATE: The Laurel Canyon Boulevard restaurant in Valley Village and its Sherman Oaks sister location closed in June 2020 amid pandemic losses. The longtime Four ’n 20 kitchens finished their run after more than half a century of pie-making history. 10-26
Shrimp Boat (Demolished)
Temple City, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Looking for seafood along Rosemead Boulevard? Shrimp
Boat in Temple City once offered a neighborhood stop for hungry San Gabriel Valley travelers. The name made the specialty easy enough to figure out without studying a lengthy roadside menu.
Unfortunately, this boat eventually reached the end of its voyage. The restaurant was torn down and replaced by an Easy Lube, changing the corner’s business from feeding motorists to servicing their cars. Pulling in for shrimp afterward would have produced a rather disappointing lunch.
UPDATE: Shrimp Boat is gone. An automotive service business replaced the demolished restaurant on Rosemead Boulevard, bringing a very different kind of oil to the former seafood stop. 10-26
Canter's Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
A chef holding an enormous sandwich gives Canter's Restaurant on Fairfax Avenue a neon introduction worth noticing. Apparently an ordinary sandwich wasn’t going to explain the attraction properly. The colorful signage suits a deli whose history reaches back nearly a century.
Canter’s began in Boyle Heights in 1931, moved to Fairfax Avenue in 1948, and settled into the former Esquire Theatre at its present address in 1953. Inside, the autumn-leaf ceiling adds another memorable detail above the booths and dining room.
Canter's Restaurant
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The Kibitz Room helped make Canter’s a gathering place for musicians, while the restaurant itself has appeared in productions including Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mad Men. A late meal here comes with plenty of Los Angeles entertainment history.
An unverified tale supplied for the lounge describes a well-dressed apparition lingering in a back booth with a cocktail. Really? Perhaps even closing time couldn’t end his evening.
UPDATE: Canter’s remains open at 419 North Fairfax Avenue, continuing its longtime deli, bakery, and Kibitz Room traditions. 10-26
Glide'er Inn (Closed)
Seal Beach, CA
Closed/Removed Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
A neon fish and a glider above the roof gave Glide’er Inn in Seal Beach an unusual roadside combination. Seafood below and aviation overhead made this Pacific Coast Highway restaurant worth a look even before dinner entered the discussion.
Opened in 1930, the inn took its name from nearby aviation activity at Crawford Field. When the Navy acquired the airfield property for the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, the restaurant moved a short distance along the highway. Its aviation theme continued, eventually including the conspicuous model aircraft above the building.
UPDATE: Glide’er Inn closed around 2000, and Mahé was operating at the site by 2001. Mahé remains open at 1400 Pacific Coast Highway. The original Glide’er Inn marquee was removed, although the rooftop aircraft was retained during the restaurant’s initial conversion. 10-26
James Restaurant
Four 'n 20 Restaurant (Closed)
Glide'er Inn (Closed)
