Musso & Frank Grill Celebrates 100 Years in Hollywood - AFAR

"Operating since 1919 and family-run for generations, this century-old Hollywood restaurant is a pristinely preserved time capsule whose oxblood-red leather banquettes, curled hat racks, original mahogany bar and a prop phone booth evoke classic Hollywood. The menu—largely unchanged since Jean Rue fashioned it in 1922—still serves traditional fare like steak-and-potatoes, calf’s liver, grenadine of beef, Welsh rarebit and lamb kidneys alongside reliably good roast lamb, while the bartenders (some employed for decades) turn out signature martinis in staggering numbers (55,272 were reportedly served in 2018) as well as classics like the Gibson, whiskey sour and White Russian. Regulars and celebrities have long favored particular booths (booth 3 was Marilyn Monroe’s, 224 was Frank Sinatra’s), waitstaff wear bright red tuxedo jackets and speak with old-school ceremony, and the place doubles as a frequent film location—closing Sundays and Mondays for shoots—and enforces a strict no-photo policy to protect patrons’ privacy. Celebrated as a cultural landmark and lauded for its consistency and nostalgia, it marked its 100th anniversary with special events and continues to be fiscally strong under the stewardship of the Mosso family." - Marielle Wakim