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Chinatown icon Hop Louie isn't closing — but its kitchen is
A nighttime shot of Hop Louie in L.A.'s Chinatown.
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Jonathan Clede via Flickr Creative Commons
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When news broke last week that Hop Louie was "closing," fans of vintage Los Angeles and Chinatown panicked.
Fortunately, the 75-year old joint isn't closing. But its restaurant is. KPCC hasn't been able to get ahold of owner Walter Soohoo but we spoke briefly with his business partner, Bill Ng, who assured us that although the kitchen is shutting down, the bar will remain open.
For most Angelenos, that's fine. Because almost nobody has been coming to Hop Louie for its cuisine.
You come to the iconic joint, with its five-level pagoda entrance, for its dim lighting, divey atmosphere, sense of history and to drink.
But if you're really hankering for its food, Charles Phoenix, L.A.'s fez-wearing ambassador of retro kitsch, will host a last supper at Hop Louie on Monday, August 29.
Show up at 5 p.m. and you can dine on sweet and sour pork and other Chinese American fare with Phoenix and other fans of vintage L.A.
There are no reservations and you may have to wait for a table. Aside from the cost of whatever food you order, there's no fee to get in.
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