Musso & Frank Grill facts for kids

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Exterior of Musso & Frank Grill

Musso & Frank Grill is a famous restaurant located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. It opened way back in 1919, making it the oldest restaurant in Hollywood! Many people call it "the start of Hollywood" because it has been around for so long and seen so much history. The restaurant is named after its first owners, Joseph Musso and Frank Toulet.

History of Musso & Frank

The restaurant first opened in 1919. It was started by a French immigrant named Firmin "Frank" Toulet. He called it Frank's François Café. In 1923, the name changed to Musso & Frank's when Joseph Musso joined as a partner.

Later, in 1927, the restaurant was sold to Joseph Carissimi and John Mosso. John Mosso expanded the restaurant in 1936 to include more space. A larger room, opened in 1955, is still known as "the new room."

Musso & Frank has kept its original look and feel. It has high ceilings, dark wood walls, and classic red booths. Even the waiters and bartenders wear the same red coats they have worn for many years! The restaurant is still owned by the family of John Mosso today. His great-grandson, Mark Echeverria, manages it. It's known as a classic "New York-style bar and restaurant."

What's on the Menu?

Musso & Frank has kept its classic look, and its menu is also very traditional. It's known for its steakhouse style. You can find dishes like Welsh Rarebit and Lobster Thermidor. They even have chicken pot pie, but only on Thursdays!

Musso & Frank's Role in Hollywood Life

When Musso & Frank opened in 1919, getting to Downtown Los Angeles was a long trip. This meant that Hollywood became a place where creative and thoughtful people gathered. Musso & Frank was the perfect spot for them to meet.

Writers, Theatre, and Important People

By the 1930s, Musso & Frank was a central part of Hollywood's cultural scene. The Screen Writers Guild, a group for screenwriters, was right across the street. A very important bookstore, Stanley Rose's, was next door. Many famous writers who liked detective stories spent hours at the restaurant's bar. These included James M. Cain, John Fante, Raymond Chandler, and Nathanael West.

Other famous writers who visited often were William Saroyan, Dashiell Hammett, Dorothy Parker, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The restaurant became so well-known for its literary connections that new writers, like Charles Bukowski, would go there hoping to be like their heroes. A historian named Kevin Starr once said that a list of writers who went to Musso & Frank reads like a list of important American novels from the mid-1900s.

Important people in Los Angeles who wanted social change also met at Musso & Frank. Helen Gahagan Douglas, who later became a congresswoman, ate dinner there on her first night in Los Angeles. Actor Will Geer also met regularly at Musso & Frank in the late 1930s and 1940s with other young writers and actors.

The Film Industry Connection

From the very beginning, Musso & Frank has been a part of the social life of the Los Angeles film industry. The restaurant even had a special back room just for people from the movies. This included not only screenwriters but also actors, producers, and directors.

Some of the famous movie stars and filmmakers who visited were Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and Orson Welles. The restaurant is still popular with movie stars today. Modern celebrities like Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Harrison Ford still enjoy eating there.