Clifton's Cafeteria > Downtown Los Angeles

In 1935 Clifford Clinton purchased the lease of the former Boos Brothers Cafeteria and began to transform the dowdy interior into an imaginary wonderland rivaled only by his other cafeteria, the legendary Clifton's "Pacific Seas."

As a youth, Clifford spent his summers in the Santa Cruz mountains among the coastal redwoods, not far from the famous Brookdale Lodge. This mountain feeling was the theme Clifford wanted for his new location. Working with rock sculptor Francois Scotti, Clifford created a 20ft. waterfall cascading into a quiet stream that meanders through the dining room. Redwood trees were used to conceal steel columns and a renowned L.A. muralist, Einar Petersen, created a life size forest on canvas covering one wall. A Little Chapel (click link to hear "The Parable of the Redwoods") perched high amongst the crags fulfilled Clifford's desire to feed the soul as well as the body of depression weary Angelinos.

View from within the "Little Chapel"

Clifton's Brookdale has served millions of customers over the past 66 years with only some minor changes. The live organist and organ have been replaced by a moose and live plants with artificial. The singing dinning room waiters and canaries have become Muzak, but the Art Deco sidewalk is still a prominent feature on Historic Broadway.

Clifton's continues to practice Clifford Clinton's philosophy of treating customers as "guests" and employess as "associated" and still offers a guarantee of "Dine Free Unless Delighted."

"We pray our humble service be measured not by gold,
but by the golden rule"

Clifford E. Clinton

648 South Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90014
Telephone: 213.627.1673

Open 7 days a week - 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

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