The Beverly Hills Hotel, the Chateau Marmont, Yamashiro, and Musso & Frank Grill are all associated with Old Hollywood. They were popular back in the day when the likes of Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, and Cary Grant ruled the movies. These stars helped Tinsel Town shine and every place they frequented became the place to be in Los Angeles. Yet even to this day, they still attract the in-crowd. Today's biggest stars, A-list celebrities, and online influencers now hang out in these Hollywood hotspots. These places managed to preserve their priceless prestige, further keeping the myth of Old Hollywood alive.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is probably the most famous Old Hollywood hotspot that's still as popular today as it was back then. It helps that its famous ballroom has remained the venue for the Golden Globes every year. The entire world basically gets to 'visit' the hotel then. Located on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, some of its most famous guests included Marlene Deitrich, Howard Hughes, and Elizabeth Taylor. The latter even spent six of her eight honeymoons here. The iconic purple-eyed beauty could have gone to St. Tropez or Mykonos, but instead, she chose The Beverly Hills Hotel. That alone should tell you just how prestigious the place is!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ photo by Alan Light
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
Historically speaking, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel trumps all the Old Hollywood haunts on this list. Firstly, it's the oldest continually-operating hotel in Los Angeles, having opened back on May 15, 1927. This was the site where the first-ever Academy Awards were held back in 1929. Before it became the glitzy, televised event that it is today, the Oscars used to be a fairly intimate ceremony in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's ballroom. And as far as its star power, no less than Marylin Monroe herself kept a poolside cabana here. There's even an urban legend that says the screen icon's ghost haunts the hotel today.
Source: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
Chateau Marmont
Perched atop a hill that overlooks Sunset Boulevard, Chateau Marmont definitely looks like a château in France, albeit a more modern (by 20th-century standards) version. But the things this infamous hotel has seen are nowhere near the events that transpired in European castles. For one thing, this was said to be the place where James Dean jumped out the window when he auditioned for 'A Rebel Without A Cause.' And English rock band Led Zeppelin reportedly drove their motorcycles in the lobby. Despite all that trouble, Chateau Marmont remains open for business. Now that's quite a feat!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Musso & Frank Grill
Let's move away from hotels now and focus on the restaurants and bars that Old Hollywood loved. One of which is Musso & Frank Grill on
Hollywood Boulevard. Since it's right at the heart of Tinsel Town, it's no surprise that many big stars back in the way ate here. The likes of Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, and even rock star Janis Joplin frequented this place. Chaplin went here so often, they eventually designated an entire section just for the iconic silent film star. As for what to eat here, the Alfredo pasta is the one to get! It's said to be the most authentic-tasting pasta of its kind in all of Hollywood.
Source: Musso & Frank Grill Facebook Page
Yamashiro
Old Hollywood stars didn't just eat at Yamashiro on North Sycamore Avenue in LA. The Asian-fusion restaurant itself is an Old Hollywood star that's still kicking in the 21st century. Since the place pretty much looks like an authentic Japanese temple, many movies set in Japan used the space for their film sets. Specifically, the silent films in the 1920s. And over time, Yamashiro also became the home of the elite Hollywood A-list 400 Club, one of the most exclusive in Tinsel Town. And of course, no one can ignore the delicious sushi and authentic Japanese cuisine they serve too!
Source: Yamashiro Hollywood
Miceli’s Italian Restaurant
From one amazing cuisine to another, Old Hollywood also loved Miceli’s Italian Restaurant. Back in the day, a who's who of Hollywood elites would go here for some delicious pizza. they included Frank Sinatra, Marylin Monroe, Mr. and Mr.s Burton (Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton), and more. Lucille Ball learned how to toss a pizza here before she taped an episode of 'I Love Lucy.' Meanwhile, Sinatra inspired the staff to sing while they serve the customers. To this day, the waiters and waitresses over at Miceli’s Italian Restaurant would serenade the guests as they bit into the spot's famously delicious pizzas!
Source: Miceli’s Italian Restaurant
Frolic Room
Finally, there's the Frolic Room on Hollywood Boulevard. Since it's a dive bar, it doesn't seem like the grand and glamorous place you'd imagine Old Hollywood would hang out it. But no less than Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland have drank countless cocktails here. And the bar's former owner was Howard Hughes himself! When you walk inside, you can get a sense that this was the kind of place where the big stars wanted to escape fame and just have a drink. It's so mysterious that it's almost eerie. And speaking of eerie, the Frolic Room was one of the last places where Elizabeth Short, believed to have been the real '
Black Dahlia,' was last seen alive.
Source: Flickr.com/ Floyd B. Bariscale
These Old Hollywood haunts still exist today! They allow you to walk in the footsteps of some of the biggest stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Just how would it feel to hang out in a place that so many legends frequented back in the day?
