Took a day trip to L.A: Clifton's Cafeteria

An entire day in L.A. and I have only one restaurant to report on. Sorry, but these days I can only eat one meal every 24 hours. Just don't have the capacity I used to have.

Clifton's Cafeteria, 648 S. Broadway in Downtown L.A., has been in the same location for over 70 years. 5 generations of us have enjoyed their fare over the years. Both my folks ate here when they were kids in the thirties. My Grandfather Green first took me here in the fifties. That was the same day I rode the Angel's Flight funicular railroad with him.

Clifton's is a huge, 3 story restaurant, with serving and dining on the first floor, and dining only on 2 and 3. Access to the two top floors is via old, time worn wooden steps. These less hectic 2 floors would have been my first choice to park our butts, however one can't get by the laws of thermodynamics, and heat rises.... so we found a table on the very busy, much cooler ground floor.

Accompanying me was a member of the 4th generation for her first trip to Downtown. I can't tell you what she ordered, because she doesn't eat meat, but whatever it was she enjoyed it.

I did my usual cafeteria melange of dishes.... the first item I grabbed was an interesting take on Salisbury Steak with potatoes. It was served in a flavorful white gravy, a first for me. I'm used to brown gravy on that dish. I followed that with a large, fat and delicious chicken enchilada. It looked more like a burrito, but tasted like an enchilada should. For afters I had a perfect flan style custard. My beverage was watermelon punch.

I was full and satisfied for 9 bucks. Can't beat that in Downtown for inside seating dining.


http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com/pages/brookdale_home.html

enginecapt-
Thanks for telling us about your experience here. I have been curious about this place ever since first reading about it and definitely plan on stopping in on my next trip to L.A. Cafeterias are one of my very favorite types of dining. Watermelon punch, huh?

Capt. Thanks for jogging the memories! Clifton's was our lunch stop on the annual visit to the Christmas shopping walk-about each year in my childhood. The waterfall always fascinated me!

Did you ever eat at Chalon's Restaurant on Manchester between Crenshaw and Western Ave? That was the place my parents would go (and take me) when it was a special nite out. I remember them wheeling a huge Soup Tureen around to each table to serve the soup course with dinner. I learned the proper silver and glass sequence from the servers there who actually took the time to instruct young people on the the appropriate table manners.

Don't remember it Al, and I was born in Inglewood.

Speaking of Manchester and Crenshaw, recognize this place by any chance?
My momma worked there as an usherette in 44 and 45. It's a church now, but still looks like it did in its movie theater days.

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster

enginecapt-
Thanks for telling us about your experience here. I have been curious about this place ever since first reading about it and definitely plan on stopping in on my next trip to L.A. Cafeterias are one of my very favorite types of dining. Watermelon punch, huh?

Very refreshing stuff, and served with a wedge of fresh watermelon stuck to the rim.

Here's a couple of hints:

1. Access to the serving line is to your immediate left as you enter.

2. If you have to use the restroom while you're there, ask one of the table bussers to unlock the access door for you. They keep them locked for paying customers only so the teeming throngs from the streets don't overwhelm the facilities.

Chalon's was a couple of blocks east of Crenshaw...same side of the street as the Academy. When we went to the movies there we would ride the Sunset Stages Bus up Crenshaw. That's about the only time we used that Bus Line.

Dearfolk,
The original owner of Clifton's Cafeteria was a fellow who was roughed up by the tough crowd that used to run L. A. back in the "gangster days" (before they moved en masse to Las Vegas!). There is a great photo of him in a book I have someplace.
Apparently his family has continued to operate the place. There used to be another location as well (on South Olive Street, maybe?); this one is their second one, and has "only" been there for something akin to 60 years.
There are indeed some interesting "characters" on the streets of downtown L. A.
Where does one park to eat at this Roadfoodable landmark? On the street??
Uptownally Heading Downtown, Ort. Carlton in Not-Quite-As-Interesting Athens, Georgia.

If you can find a spot.
We parked a block west and 2 blocks south at a $5.00 parking facility on Hill between 8th and 9th. The walk up and back was interesting for those of us fascinated with the myriad tiny shops and storefronts that exist in the downtown core of a large city. I'm also a big fan of the historic old buildings, and there sure ain't a shortage of those.

EDIT: Clifton's Brookdale, the one I went to at 648 S Broadway, was purchased and remodeled by Clifford Clinton in 1935. So a bit more than 60 years.

quote:

Originally posted by enginecapt
EDIT: Clifton's Brookdale, the one I went to at 648 S Broadway, was purchased and remodeled by Clifford Clinton in 1935. So a bit more than 60 years.

EngineCapt,
Thanks for the website link and information. My memory was correct about the old South Olive location. What happened to that? Horror of horrors, was it demolished?
An absolutely amazing report, and thank you for it.
Not Hanging From A Cliff, Ort. Carlton in Hilly-But-Not-Dangerously-So Athens, Georgia.

Dear Capt.,

I was there as a child in the 50's too and I remember getting a toy out of a pirate's chest or something similar to that theme. Now when we go downtown it's always to The Pantry but I'm reminding Pappy that we gotta get over to Clifton's instead. It might just be for dessert but I do want to see the place again. I think we could take the subway and get off at Pershing Square, it has to be a fairly short walk. Downtown looks better these days. Thanks for the memories and especially about Angel's Flight, I loved to ride that with my dad on our way to Grand Central Market. I think he used to like to go out of the way to get on Angel's Flight and I appreciate his effort now.

Rptyper, with any luck, Angel's Flight will reopen sometime this year, so maybe you'll be able to revisit two old memories soon.

If you do go there for dessert, I highly recommend the flan.

There is also one in Lakewood.

How did you like the decor?

Eh...... reminded me of that horrible chain known as The Rainforest Cafe.... just not as noisy or animated. Put it this way.... I hate Disneyland.

If it hadn't been so warm on the third floor, that's where I'd have ended up. I like the Victorian look or whatever you'd call the kitschy red velvet wallpaper and all those faded adornments.

Thanks so much for this report, which brings back many memories.

As a kid, I loved the Clifton's on Broadway. That fine chicken enchilada has been around for years, but next time, Captain, promise to try the turkey and dressing.

Before I was born, my mother worked at the other Clifton's location downtown, which closed.

A word about parking: The neighborhood deteriorates rapidly as you head east even within a couple of blocks to become, IMO, the worst slum in the U.S.

To the west, Pershing Square across from the Biltmore Hotel (the site of the 1960 Democrat convention that nominated JFK) at 5th and Olive has good and reasonably safe parking underground.

I'll take your suggestion and try the turkey and dressing next time, one of my all time favorite comfort food combos.

This should jog a few memories.

Thank you again, Captain, for this topic and for the great photos.

quote:

I'll take your suggestion and try the turkey and dressing next time, one of my all time favorite comfort food combos.

In fairness, I should mention that it's been some 10 years since I was last at Clifton's. On the other hand, it's not the type of place that changes things very often.

My last visit was on a Sunday and the place was filled with Spanish-speaking families enjoying traditional north of the border-style food. The torch was being passed to new generations.

In my second 'single era' in the late 80's and early 90's I liked to ride my motorcycle into downtown L A and wander around that part of town. Grand Central Market was a particular favorite of mine.(4th and Hill??) While I don't think it equaled the Baltimore Market, or Seattle's Fish Tossing location, it had a great amount of produce and prepared food stands that provided a huge variety of good eating.

quote:

Originally posted by EliseT

There is also one in Lakewood.

No more, Elise....

Unfortunately, that one closed a few years or so ago.
That used to be the main reason I liked going to that Lakewood Mall..

The mall pushed them out to make way for a food court.
(and as I remember, nothing special in that food court, either, as is usually the case)

I guess they call it "progress"! Give the people what they supposedly want.... but not THIS Roadfooder.... I'll take my hand sliced turkey with gravy, Cliftons Cafeteria style...

--ellen-

p.s. As it turned out, the food court was located in a different area from where Clifton's was, anyway..
but I guess the mall wanted to push out a nice "old fashioned" type of place like Cliftons.