downtown old vs. new: clifton’s brookdale cafeteria
When it comes to cheap food in an exotic setting, the famous Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria at 7th and Broadway can’t be beat.
The world’s largest public cafeteria opened in 1931 in what was formerly the Boos Brothers Cafeteria space, and is designed to resemble a redwood forest complete with trees, animals and a mini waterfall.
The food selection — from strawberry pie to enchiladas to turkey drumsticks and a large Jell-o table — makes Clifton’s one of the most universally-appealing restaurants in Los Angeles. This isn’t fine dining, but it’s a place all Angelenos need to visit at least once a year. It’ll help keep you grounded.
Most people will appreciate the restaurant’s unusual and cliched decor. Also, ask nicely and a kind associate may guide you up to the breathtaking fourth-floor ballroom and dining hall.
The exterior, however, may not be so popular. When arriving from Broadway, the first reaction most people have is “Why is the building covered in that ugly metal thing?” The short answer: Progress. It’s more modern. It’s cleaner. Something like that. Apparently, one of the building’s previous owners added it sometime during the 50s or 60s, although I can’t find any specific information on it.
Since the building was recently purchased by Clifford Clinton’s descendants (after 71 years of rental payments), there must be plans for all-out restoration on the hideous exterior, right? Right?
Wrong. When asked about any plans to remove the metallic grate covering the original facade, co-owner Robert Clinton responded, “There are no plans at this time to change the exterior of Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria. This historic facade will continue to be protected by the aluminum grill. Maybe someday.”
With momentum building for Broadway’s revival, it would be outstanding to see this long-loved Downtown institution restored to its former glory. Until that day comes, however, I suppose we’re just going to have to make do with historic photos.
Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria
628 S. Broadway
Los Angeles 90014
Previous coverage: Downtown Old vs. New series
Pictured right: The building that currently houses Clifton’s Cafeteria sandwiched between the Bank of Italy Building (now the Broadway Exchange) and the JE Carr Building.
Below: Clifton’s Cafeteria on the right-hand-side, courtesy the LA Public Library.
20 comments
those old street signs are sweet – maybe something easy that could be reinstated in the historic core.
cliftons is only cheap if you know what you are doing. its not hard to spend upwards $12 on a hodge-podge. i guess it depends on your definition of cheap.
Great work digging this up, Rico.
That’s a shame that there aren’t any plans to restore the historic facade, but, maybe that will change along with the rest of Broadway’s development. Can you imagine passing that “modern” metal grate as you ride down Broadway in a historic Red Car?
I agree about the street lamps. I’ve see these in photos before, and I always wondered if they were taken down and stored by city or just lost forever. These would make an excellent addition to any street improvements in the Historic Core.
It’s too bad that the Cliftons don’t have plans to restore the exterior of their building. I would guess that the profitability of a cafeteria isn’t so great to allow much capital improvement work, at least that which occurs more than once every so many decades. And the decline of downtown over the past 60 years probably didn’t exactly help Clifton’s volume of business. Even today, with downtown on the rebound, Broadway itself still remains suspicious to many people. So there will have to be a lot more new life and money added to the lofts and other spaces around Clifton’s section of downtown before the cafeteria sees business really pick up.
Trudy,
Though I agree that a cafeteria probably isn’t as profitable as it needs to be to do serious remodeling work, I do have to mention that Clifton’s is always full of Latino families who come in from shopping on Broadway. Broadway was never totally abandoned; the demographics just shifted.
Rico, I think that picture of downtown Los Angeles is one of the most gorgeous I have ever seen. Also, I mentioned recently how my mother used to take me to Clifton’s and shopping at Bullock’s when I was growing up. I read a couple of years ago that the heiress to Clifton’s died. That was the first time I heard anything about Clifton’s since I was a kid. When I landed on Skid Row, Clifton’s was the first place I visited. It looks the same as it did when I was a kid except that there are no lines out of the door waiting to enter the cafeteria. finally, my mother talked about the red car all of the time. Thanks for enabling me to feel close to my mother and our history through your reporting. You have made the holidays easier for me as I can not see my mother. Thank you.
Once a year? I go to Clifton’s at least three times a month. I always get food to go, usually three entrees (with sides) at a time.
My favorite is the sliced turkey breast. I always have both mashed potatoes and stuffing with it and I make sure that everything is drenched in gravy.
Right now I have turkey curry on rice in the refrigerator. I’ll have it for breakfast.
I love Cliftons!
Joe
I love Clifton’s too. We go there about once a month and force the kids to learn about budgeting their money. They each get $5, and can get whatever they like. But they have to keep track of what they are spending, do the math in their heads, and pay the cashier themeselves. They wrestle with “how many pancakes” versus “how many sausages” versus “do I have money left for a piece of cake”.
as long as they keep the interior.. and the place doesnt close down.. im not complaining. we are lucky its still there.
I used to eat religiously at Clifton’s. When I first moved downtown in the late 90′s, I lived around the corner on Spring. (Monthly rent was $825 for huge 2-bedroom apartment.) I’d go to Clifton’s for brunch on Sundays. I’d load up with whatever looked good (rule of thumb, if it looks good, chances are it is). I’d settle in with the Sunday paper and any other reading material I needed to catch up on.
The second floor was my favorite location. But, if it was too busy (depended on the church service across the street), I’d eat on the third floor. It was always a pleasant place for a relaxing meal. If I came with friends, we’d sit in the terraced seating for the full effect of the ‘forest’. Alas, I got married and started shooting out kids. So, I don’t get there much anymore even though I still live only a couple of blocks away on Broadway. But, I’d highly recommend the place for a true slice of Americana.
It also occured to me that if they had wifi it could draw some of the newer residents. Definitely plenty 0f space to hang out. I’m surprised/disappointed they haven’t done any marketing to the newer residents. Done right, I’m sure they could find some new customers.
Also, I thought the L.A. Conservancy had a program targeting property owners in downtown which helped them restore the historic facade of their buildings. I may be mistaken. Over the last few years, I’ve seen a lot of property owners downtown improve/restore the exteriors of their buildings.
Is there any truth to this?
Rico: I second that statement! Just because the white people left downtown and brown people moved in doesn’t mean it was “abandoned” or it “declined”. There is plenty of shopping and pedestrian life on Broadway. I wish people would own up that their perspective is not neutral- rather, it comes from a specific race/class point of view.
I’d just echo the sentiments expressed by Rico and ChicanaSkies. Broadway is one of the city’s great streets. Great in the sense that is pulses with life and commercial activity. I’ve lived on the street over ten years now and continue to marvel at its vibrancy. The very high commercial rents it commands is a testament to its vitality.
I think it is very interesting how the Anglo community abandoned it decades ago and how the Latino community has taken it over. I think it is fair to use the word ‘abandoned’ in this context. Anglos really did. The street declined in the sense that only the street level is active. The upper floors for most buildings were abandoned and, unfortunately, allowed to deteriorate. That is no reflection on the Latinos who throng the street. Rather, it simply reflects the economic realities which the property owners faced. I think everyone can agree, Broadway would benefit from a little sprucing up. And, I’ve seen the general trend over the years is in this direction.
I’d just caution ChicanaSkies about casting about terms invoking race and class. Not that they aren’t necessarily valid. It is just these are such loaded terms, subsequent discussion tends to swiftly descend to invective. My sense is most people who call for ‘improving’ don’t actually shop there or enjoy events like Fiesta Broadway. Consequently, they don’t ‘see’ the thriving businesses which cater to weddings, quinceaneras and baptisms. Nor do they ‘see’ the culture which these businesses serve. I presume their social circle doesn’t include people who speak Spanish or make the minimum wage. This doesn’t mean they are racist swine (obviously some are). No, they are just disconnected from a major part of their world. Their loss.
The negative impression that many people have of Broadway is due largely to the mostly sloppy, trashy looking storefronts and cluttered, battered interiors, not the race or ethnicity of the street’s main clientele.
As I said, Andy, I think everyone agrees Broadway could be tidier. But, to my point, have you ever shopped for a wedding or quinceaneara dress on Broadway? Have you ever been a godparent and needed some items from for the baptism? If you haven’t actually shopped on Broadway, when you make dismissive comments about its dishevelled state, it sounds condescending, to put it politely.
Broadway isn’t abandoned, it is one of the few places left in downtown that hasn’t had all of the life drained out of it.
I go to Broadway all of the time. One of my favorite pizza places is right off of Broadway. I go to Clifford’s at least once a week, though I’m not a big fan of the food, my boyfriend is…I just drink the coffee and orange juice.
Browne
Broadway used to be a great street back in the late 1950′s when all the Department stores were open, the sidewalks were packed until late at night and all the storefronts were filled with Chirstamas displays at this time of year. It was also a great Latino street by the early 1960′s when all the movie theaters were open, the Million Dollar Theater had big name live acts from Mexico and the stores were all open to ten o’clock at night – and later. Now, however, it is increasingly a collection of swap meets that shut down earlier every year and, other than the wedding stores, the stores mostly interchangeable with any other neighborhood. If you want to see a great Latino shopping street – you need to go Huntington Park, East LA – or City Walk, for that matter – and you will get a hint of what Broadway used to be and will day again be.
Brady, I’m very familiar with both Whittier Boulevard in East L.A. and Pacific Boulevard in Huntington Park. Indeed, they are great retail streets. I simply believe we have a difference of opinion about the present state of Broadway. The key word in your description is “increasingly” as in “it is an increasingly a collection of swap meets”. I beg to differ in the strongest possible terms. I don’t believe this is an accurate description. Maybe I’m wrong. But, I’d like to see some data to support your claim.
It is my observation as a resident for ten years on Broadway that the businesses on the street have improved markedly. Yes, there are still some swap meet type places. But, there is a diversity of many types of businesses. And, yes, the heart of the street lies in the businesses which cater to weddings, baptisms and quinceanearas. My hunch is you, too, don’t actually shop on the street and that colors your impressions of the street.
The reason why I’m such a fanatic about defending Broadway (ask Eric Richardson about this) is because of the constant talk of improving it. Look, I’m all for improvement. I know one of your objectives is to see the theaters reactivated (a noble goal). But, I’m very disturbed when I read about all these efforts to improve Broadway and none of them involve the existing stakeholders which are the mom’n pop businesses which animate the street and the people who patronize them. Frankly, I find this oversight astonishing, particularly from people who consider themselves politically progressive. Instead, the stakeholders that I read about are some property owners, government planners and affluent activists types. Seems to me some really important people are not included. And I’d suspect their concerns will not be part of the improvement effort.
My fear is the efforts at improvement will end up killing the life of the street. Like any good doctor, the improvement effort should be driven by the idea “First, do no harm.” However, I’m wary that many people would love to see Broadway’s life as a Latino retail corridor wiped out. They don’t come right out and say it (some do), since that would be highly impolitic (enthic cleansing anyone?). Actually, I think most people don’t even think about it. Broadway is just not part of their lives as downtown residents. And until it conforms to their vision of urbanity which aligns with their socio-economic status, they don’t have anything to do with it. They just wish it would go away. Everyone who is part of the improvement effort simply agrees that Broadway needs improving. And that worries me. I always get nervous when there is a consensus among clever people.
I love Cliftons, lets not forget the Strawberry Cream cake!!!
I used to work at the cliftons in west covina during the late 90′s when i was in high school. Clifford Clinton’s nephew ran the location. All i knew was that they had a huge family (who would come in every now and then to eat) with many nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren, great-grandchildren…and everybody was getting a piece of the pie, no pun intended. So i’m ammusing after all proceeds are disbursed, they’re isnt any left for improvements/marketing. Last I heard, about a year ago they closed the west covina location. What was awesome though was when all the old folks would come in and reminice about the “original” of Broadway and how great it was ‘back in the day’. They would say, “when i was your age i would go eat there with my parents every weekend and shop up and down the blvd.” I would always nod my head, smile, and pretend that I knew what they were talking about.
Fast forward 10 years, I live in DT in a high-rise, love it and could only imagine what Broadway used to look like back then. Awesome pic up there! wow. Times have changed. Who knows what it’ll look like 5o years from now. Lets hope and work towards re-establishing a beautiful, clean, safe, family-oriented, burgeoning marketplace-like boulevard in a major town like Downtown LA used to be..
the LA Times has a story today on Clifton’s Cafeteria
http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-cliftons4-2009feb04,0,2706730.story?page=1
better late than never
…. if they only had free wifi id be there more often..sure not daily but definitely once a week!