Clifton’s is making a comeback.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the property, located in Downtown Los Angeles, will reopen its doors next month.
Owner Andrew Meieran said several aspects of the restaurant/cafeteria/bar property will be open to the public, including the Monarch Bar and the Pacific Seas tiki bar, as reported by Eater Los Angeles. The property was closed throughout the pandemic.
The property has gone through multiple changes throughout the decades. Clifton's originally opened in 1935, the Times reported. Owner Clifford Clinton would give away food to those who couldn't afford meals during the Depression. In the 1940s, the cafeteria was at the height of its popularity and reportedly feeding up to 10,000 patrons a day.
Merieran bought the property from the Clinton family in 2010 for $3.6 million. He closed the space for renovations before reopening again in 2015. Clifton's became Clifton's Republic under Merieran's rebrand. The cafeteria closed in late 2018, but the bar remained with limited hours.
Meieran told the L.A. Times he’s planning for “a soft-open date of Oct. 15.” He added that trying to reopen a famed establishment comes with unique challenges.
“You’re competing with people’s memories.”
