Miceli's is an Italian restaurant located at 1646 N Las Palmas Avenue, half a block south of Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood, California. Open since 1949, it is the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood[1] and is known for its singing waitstaff,[2][3][4] several of whom were "right off Broadway."[5]
| Miceli's | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1949 |
| Food type | Italian |
| Dress code | Casual, business casual |
| Street address | 1646 N Las Palmas Avenue |
| City | Hollywood |
| County | Los Angeles |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 34°06′05″N 118°20′10″W / 34.1015°N 118.3360°W |
| Other locations | 3655 Cahuenga Blvd, Universal City, California |
| Website | micelis |
History
editMiceli's was opened in 1949 by World War II veteran Carmen Miceli and his wife Sylvia with help from their brothers and sisters, and originally featured family recipes from Sicily.[6] Originally a pizzeria, Miceli's was the first Italian restaurant in Hollywood and its wooden booths came from another historic Hollywood restaurant, the nearby Pig 'n Whistle.[3][5]
In 1980, the restaurant opened new location in Universal City, California.[4][5] Other locations were opened in Burbank and Beverly Hills, but those have since closed.[7]
Clientele
editMany notable figures, both inside and outside Hollywood, have dined at Miceli's over the years. Future presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon dined here before they were elected.[4] Famed gangster Mickey Cohen was a visitor, as was West Coast mafia chieftain Angelo Marino, who also owned the California Cheese Company, of which the Miceli's were his largest purchaser.[5] Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe were regulars, and Lucille Ball learned to flip pizzas in the restaurant's Beverly Hills location in preparation for the I Love Lucy episode Visitor from Italy.[1] Pauley Perrette and John Stamos were such regulars that they would walk into the kitchen to chat with the staff, and Pele once visited and shut the kitchen down for thirty minutes, as the cooks were too busy talking to him.[4]
Other notable figures who dined at Miceli's include Dean Martin, Joe DiMaggio, Sal Mineo, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, the Beatles, Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Julia Roberts, and more.[6]
Musical tradition
editMiceli's is known for its musical tradition. Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show Band and Sarah Vaughn used to play at jazz nights hosted by the restaurant, and even moreso, the restaurant is known for its singing waitstaff, who often perform with a piano player during their dinner shifts.[4] Many of the waitstaff were right off Broadway, including opening cast members of Jersey Boys, Beauty and the Beast, and Phantom of the Opera.[5]
In popular culture
editMiceli's was the location where Sarah Conner saw a news report about her name in The Terminator,[5] was the site of a double murder in Mob City,[3] and was also featured in Knocked Up and season 8 of Dexter.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b Sophie Flay (November 13, 2019). "Oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood: Miceli's celebrates its 70th anniversary". ABC.
- ^ "Our Featured Restaurant of the Week is Miceli's!". Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. July 17, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Lindsay Blake (January 9, 2014). "Scene It Before: Miceli's Italian Restaurant from Mob City". Los Angeles (magazine).
- ^ a b c d e Michael Darling (Summer 2019). "Miceli's 70th". Discover Hollywood.
- ^ a b c d e f Michele Stueven (November 27, 2019). "Miceli's Celebrates 70 Years of Hollywood History". LA Weekly.
- ^ a b Dana Bartholomew (November 7, 2015). "Carmen Miceli, founder of Hollywood's oldest Italian restaurant, dies". Los Angeles Daily News.
- ^ Chris Nichols (November 3, 2015). "Hollywood Pizza King Carmen Miceli Dies at 92". Los Angeles (magazine).