Burbank, CA - The Smoke House in Burbank is possibly threatened by a condo development.
The restaurant doesn't own the land in this case. Hopefully there would
be a great deal of support to save it, with Warner Bros. directly across
the street. The Smoke House is one of the last of thesteak-and-prime
rib restaurants. All its counterparts such as Chadney's, Tail o' the Cock
and Chadney's have become history. The Smoke House opened
in 1946 by three engineers from Lockheed and has fed Lockheed executives
and nearby Warner Bros. studio for decades. Many thanks to Adriene Biondo for this update on the Smoke House. 07-03
Smoke House Burbank, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Across from Warner Bros. Studios, The Smoke House in Burbank offers a familiar neon invitation to stop for dinner. Inside, red leather booths, white tablecloths, and celebrity photographs keep the old Hollywood atmosphere going. Apparently a little glamour goes quite well with garlic cheese bread.
Opened in 1946, the original restaurant at Pass Avenue and Riverside Drive seated just 46 customers, including early patrons Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Its popularity prompted a move in 1949 to the present Lakeside Drive building, originally intended for Danny Kaye’s never-opened Red Coach Inn.
The studio connection supplied some unusual lunchtime company. During the 1960s, costumed Western extras regularly filled the dining room between scenes. More recently, George Clooney and Grant Heslov named their production company Smokehouse Pictures after the restaurant. That certainly beats taking home a souvenir matchbook.
More neon lettering
Burbank, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The Smoke House has appeared on screen itself, including in La La Land (2016) and Argo (2012). In the latter, Ben Affleck and John Goodman discuss the film’s rescue cover story here. Movie connections aside, the steaks, prime rib, and famous garlic cheese bread give customers plenty to concentrate on at the table.
Word is some visitors linger after closing. Published staff stories describe a shoeless man in an empty dining room, a shadow on the stairs, and unexplained perfume associated with a former waitress. These ghost accounts remain unverified. Really? Perhaps a favorite booth is simply too comfortable to leave.
UPDATE: The Smoke House continues operating at 4420 W. Lakeside Drive in Burbank, marking 80 years since its 1946 founding. Another Southern California dining landmark still has dinner on the table. 10-26
Smoke House
More neon lettering
