MUSSO & FRANK GRILL

Musso & Frank Grill is one of Los Angeles oldest restaurants that still survives. Since 1919 this iconic steakhouse has served famous authors and a who’s who list of movie stars. Today yours truly has dined and would like to share his experience with you. This restaurant has been on my bucket list for a while after seeing a Huell Howsers episode showcasing this famous establishment.  We were at the Santa Anita Winners Circle bbq competition and I had several hours to kill before the awards ceremony. With L.A. traffic I needed this time to get to and from my destination. Parking Karma was available and I will explain in more detail in a note at the end of this article.

Musso & Frank is located on busy Hollywood Blvd. One must slice and dice their way through tourists and walk over the stars embedded in the sidewalk. Once through the doors you will take a step back into the glory days of Hollywood dining. The maître de greets you and asks if you have reservations that are mandatory in the busy evening hours. It was midafternoon and I had no problem getting a booth. These are wooden booths with worn red leather plush seats. There are even coat racks on each booth when fedoras were a staple of proper attire. The walls are adorned with a faded mural. The lighting is low. There is an old fashioned wooden phone booth with a really old horn style phone inside. This place shouts gracefully style and old school elegance.  The red bolero wearing waiter (busboys wear green) arrived and began my Musso & Frank experience.

The menu had all of the usual suspects for a steakhouse. A lot of familiar steaks & chops favorites are available. There are daily specials such as duck confit, braised short ribs and on Fridays; Bouillabaisse Marseillaise with Shrimp, Lobster, Mussels, Clams and Cod.    I had done my research and knew to order the famous flannel cakes. Pancakes with dinner sounded a little odd but I wanted to experience them. New York strip medium rare, salad and a side of mushrooms was my choice.

My meal arrived on elegant monogrammed dinner plates. The salad was refreshing and the steak was perfect. The mushrooms were rich and elegant. The waiter asked me if I was ready for the famous flannel cakes. They were delivered piping hot off the griddle. They were already buttered and served with a beaker of syrup. These were not heavy flapjack but more light and crepe like. They were sweet and filling. It was a unique way to end my dining experience.

Musso & Frank Grill is a historic and wonderful way to experience a little bit of Hollywood past. My dining experience was elegant the way I believe a good meal should be. The food was fantastic but it was more than just a meal. I almost could feel Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacalls presence with me. This is a must place restaurant to experience.

Note: Hollywood is bustling with tourists. They all need to park so spots on Hollywood Blvd are very limited to a few metered spots. There are parking lots that will charge you a flat fee of 20 dollars. I circled the block and almost gave up and went into one of these lots. My parking Karma led me to a metered spot one half a block away. Later on I discoverd Musso & Frank has their own private lot located behind the restaurant.