A restaurant that has outlasted every single one of its original Hollywood Boulevard contemporaries — from the Brown Derby to Chasen’s — Musso & Frank Grill has been feeding legends since the silent film era. Opened in 1919 and named for original owners Joseph Musso and Frank Toulet, it holds the title of the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, earning the nickname “the genesis of Hollywood.” More than a century later, it remains one of the most iconic dining destinations in all of California.
In 2019, Musso & Frank celebrated its 100th anniversary and became the first restaurant to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That milestone speaks volumes — this isn’t just a place to eat. It’s a living, breathing piece of Hollywood history, and every booth, every bar stool, and every bite of food carries the weight of a century’s worth of unforgettable stories.
A History Like No Other
Opened in 1919 by entrepreneur Frank Toulet, who joined forces with Oregon restaurateur Joseph Musso and brilliant French chef Jean Rue, the restaurant quickly became known for outstanding service and culinary excellence. In the 1920s, when movies were silent and Hollywood was dotted with cafeterias and grills, Jean Rue created the menu that still exists today — and he remained with the restaurant from 1922 until 1976. That’s not a typo. The menu you order from today traces its roots back over 100 years.
Writers of the hard-boiled fiction era spent endless hours at Musso & Frank’s bar, including Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain, and John Fante — and other literary regulars included Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, and Gore Vidal. Hollywood industry players made deals on the restaurant’s payphone — the first to be installed in Hollywood — and F. Scott Fitzgerald was known to proofread his novels while sitting in a booth here.
The restaurant kept a separate back room for its film industry clientele, which included actors, producers, and directors such as Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, and Orson Welles. The restaurant’s popularity with industry clientele continues to the present, with modern stars like Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Harrison Ford all patronizing the restaurant.
Menu Highlights
Musso & Frank has maintained its classic decor and its classic steakhouse-style menu, which includes dishes like Welsh rarebit, Lobster Thermidor, and chicken pot pie — available only on Thursdays. That Thursday chicken pot pie has developed a near-legendary status of its own among devoted regulars, so plan your visit accordingly if you want a taste of it.
In 1927, Musso & Frank became the first restaurant in the United States to serve fettuccine Alfredo. The recipe had been obtained by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks on their honeymoon in Italy, and upon their return, they passed the recipe to the Musso & Frank chef — and years later, the dish was added to the menu. Diners who have tried it describe it as the best fresh pasta dish they’ve eaten outside of Italy. That’s high praise for a dish with such a cinematic origin story.
The steaks are the undisputed centerpiece of any proper Musso & Frank meal. The grill itself is built into a huge brick fireplace and used for every piece of meat served to customers — the very same grill that once seared steaks for Gary Cooper, with metal bars now wavy from decades of intense heat. The result is a quality, perfectly flame-broiled steak that doesn’t need any fuss or modern embellishment to impress.
The martinis here carry their own legendary reputation. They’ve been praised by Esquire Magazine, Forbes, LA Weekly, and the LA Times, among others. People have been drinking perfectly stirred martinis at Musso’s since before Prohibition — and the craft and tradition behind them have never wavered. It’s one of the most-mentioned highlights across the board, so don’t skip a cocktail at the bar.
Beyond the stars of the menu, don’t overlook the supporting cast. The cottage potatoes — boiled, sliced, and shallow-fried in a generous pile with onions — are a beloved side dish. The French onion soup is rich, gooey, and deeply satisfying, and the steak tartare topped with a quail egg makes for a bold and memorable start to the meal.
Atmosphere & Décor
The aged wooden paneling, red leather booths, faded wall murals, vintage lamps, and brass hat racks are still exactly the way they were in the 1930s and 1940s. The waiters wear the same style of red bolero jackets they have for decades — a detail that immediately signals you’ve stepped somewhere genuinely different from the rest of modern Hollywood.
The restaurant’s New Room holds the Back Room’s original famous bar, light fixtures, and furniture from 1934. Guarded by a discerning and austere maître d’, the Back Room was once a legendary private space reserved for the Hollywood elite. That sense of exclusivity and old-world ceremony still lingers throughout the dining room today.
In a town that doesn’t always hold fast to its history, Musso & Frank Grill remains one of the strongest connections to the spirit of Golden Age Hollywood, when the creative community required physical spaces to find like-minds, to co-create, and to do business. Walking through the front door, the Hollywood history is almost palpable — and the smell of steaks sizzling over the original grill only deepens the experience.
Other Considerations
What should I know about pricing? A quick glance at the menu will solidify its fine-dining reputation — you don’t go to Musso & Frank Grill when you’re on a budget; instead, you go to experience a slice of Hollywood history and maybe catch a glimpse of a celebrity or two. Think of the price tag as part of the experience — you’re dining in a century-old institution, after all.
Should I make a reservation? Absolutely. Make a reservation or arrive early, because this place fills up fast and the wait can be long. Guests commonly call ahead to request specific seating like booths or center tables, and the staff are frequently praised for accommodating birthdays with a card and complimentary dessert.
Is it noisy inside? It can be a bit noisy depending on where you’re sitting, the day of the week, and the time — but it’s still easy to hold a conversation at either a booth or a table. For a quieter experience, request a front booth or an earlier seating when you make your reservation.
Is there a special booth worth requesting? Yes — if there are four of you, be sure to ask for the Chaplin Booth, named after Charlie Chaplin himself. It’s still, by far, the most-requested booth in the restaurant. It’s the kind of detail that makes the whole evening feel that much more special.
Is parking available? Valet parking is available and adds nicely to the occasion feel of the evening. Given the location on busy Hollywood Boulevard, using the valet is strongly recommended over trying to find street parking on your own.
Is it a good spot for tourists visiting Hollywood? Although Hollywood Boulevard today is lined with tourist traps, Musso & Frank is the real deal. It’s right in the middle of the hubbub that is Hollywood Boulevard — so if you’re planning to explore the neighborhood and take in the sights, you can easily incorporate a stop at the grill for a cocktail or a bite to eat.
Musso & Frank Grill
📍 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
Website: https://mussoandfrank.com
