With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Clifton’s Republic Is Reopening In Downtown LA Next Month
Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles.
(
Photo by Open Air Control Testing Ground via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
)
Clifton’s Republic will be reopening its famous multi-story venue on South Broadway in downtown L.A. next month.
The more than 90-year-old dining and cocktail destination will be bringing back a revamped version of its iconic cafeteria this summer, along with the tropical-themed Pacific Seas tiki bar, and the Forest Glen, Monarch, and Gothic lounges.
But you can get a sneak peak even with Illustrium by AirOtic Soirée, a burlesque-style circus cabaret and dinner show that launched last week.
Pacific Seas and the lounges are all coming back in June after being closed for about a year because of “unexpected flooding,” according to Clifton’s social media posts from 2023.
Sponsored message
“It’s been an extraordinarily difficult period for restaurants everywhere and Downtown Los Angeles has been particularly hard hit,” owner Andrew Meieran said in a statement to LAist. “We’re excited to open this new chapter in Broadway’s storied history as Clifton’s and LA’s Historic Core reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of a post-pandemic world.”
Their instagram announcement was flooded with comments about bringing back Clifton’s Cafeteria, the Great Depression-era establishment that was known for giving away meals, with author George Pendel describing it as a “surreal sanctuary from the broken world” in his 2005 book Strange Angel.
Crowds shopping on Broadway at Christmas walk past Clifton's Brookdale circa 1937.
(
Herman Schultheis, Herman J Schultheis Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
)
Pianist Julius K. Johnson, violinist Caroline Hermann, harpist Grace Curey, and string bass player Nathan Harrison, who make up the Clifton's String Ensemble, play inside the raised Aloha Entertainment Platform at Clifton's "Pacific Seas" Cafeteria circa 1945.
(
Lucille Stewart, Lucille Stewart Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
)
A family including, from left, Billy, Michael, Helen, George, Jimmy and William, at Clifton's Pacific Seas Cafeteria in Los Angeles circa 1951.
(
Shades of L.A. Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
)
Dining area of Clifton's "Pacific Seas" Cafeteria pictured on a postcard that reads: "A fantastic neon palm by polynesian grass hut. Only one of the many fantastic features. Guests pay what they wish and dine free unless delighted."
(
Security Pacific National Bank Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
)
The front facade of Clifton's "Pacific Seas" Cafeteria, with its waterfalls and tropical decor circa 1940.
(
Security Pacific National Bank Collection, Los Angeles Public Library
)
Clifton’s confirmed in a comment that their “innovative retro-futuristic cafeteria concept will debut this summer.”
If you’re hoping for more family friendly offerings than the Illustrium show, which currently has tickets available through the first weekend of August, Clifton’s will be offering brunches and daytime hours that will be welcome to all ages.
Sponsored message
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
