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Clifton’s “Pacific Seas” Cafeteria, Los Angeles, 1950
A turquoise neon backlit waterfall is the centerpiece and crowning touch of what has to be the most exotic and over the top restaurant façade ever. The craggily cafeteria front has ‘lil caves of multi-colored light and a jungle of tropical plantings. This was Adventureland before Adventureland – the Tiki Room before the Tiki Room. Clifford Clinton, the king of cafeterias, dreamed this up in 1939. It must’ve been shocking then. It still is today. His son, Don, took this slide IN 1950. Thank you Don!
In the realm of Polynesian themed eateries Clifton’s “Pacific Seas” is, without a question, one of the most spectacular ever! It is the younger and shorter-lived “sister” of Clifton’s “Brookdale” Cafeteria. The “Brookdale,” delightfully done in a most charming redwood forest theme, serves up steam table savories and delicious desserts at the corner of Seventh and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles just as it has since it opened 1935. Clifton’s “Pacific Seas” was just blocks away on Olive just below Sixth. After just twenty-one years the Polynesian palace closed in 1960. For what reason I don’t know. The parking lot that replaced it is still there.
Themed interiors and environments were not invented in Southern California, but they certainly were perfected here. Clifford Clinton was a master right up there with Walt Disney, Walter Knott and Alex Madonna (Madonna Inn.)
Even without our dearly departed Clifton’s “Pacific Seas” cafeteria, downtown Los Angeles is still a hotbed of unique, unusual, bizarre and breathtaking vintage places to experience. And you can do so this Sunday Oct 14 and next Sunday the 21st. Of course, we’ll be eating lunch at Clifton’s “Brookdale” Cafeteria!!!
Here’s to Clifton’s Pacific Seas Cafeteria, the “DISNEYLAND” TOUR OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES and YOU!!!
Posted Friday, October 12th, 2007 under Slide of the Week.
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Hey Charles, I love this shot ! Los Angeles needs more neon!!!! Was just at Cliftons last week and thought of you. I actually tried some of my friends ox tails. Now where in downtown can you find ox tails ??? Cliftons of course. That Mac and Cheese is kid crack ! Oh my please have some for me. Hope to see you soon my friend. Loved the Martha segment. I loved her little snap at you ! Martha “Bride-zilla” I was laughing hysterically. Love ya dude! Have a great tour this weekend. Hope you have a fun crowd. !
God! What an amazing slide! I’ve only ever seen that facade in black and white before…. Thanks Charles!
How utterly dazzling. Just think of it, a bowl of stewed prunes in the exotic tropics of L.A. (pay no attention to the black bus fumes of the RTD)
xoxo
Wow, had been thinking of this for a while and now here’s the picture. Fantastic, next bithday I will be 74, and remember well going to Cliftons as a treat when parents would drive us up from Anaheim and as I graduated from high school in 1951, and later in 54 performed on stage at the Frank Sennes Moulin Rouge Show on Sunset Blvd, across from the Paladdium, would enjoy occasionally going in early to dine at Cliftons. Great picture. Jo Burdick Gottlieb
Hi Charles! Loved you on Martha. Saw you have some things on YouTube – I’ll need to watch those. Would love to take one of your tours or see your slide show! Thanks for the Fun from a child of the 50s!
Morning C;
As always, made my morning looking at your emails. Hip replaced on 27th and shared your site with my Phys. Ther. Boys (PTBs)during week of rehab. (Not the O’Hara Valley O Dolls variety… strictly physical) All of them now your new fans…. . Ed.
Hi Charles – Perhaps this is part of your tour, I understand Clifton had a policy of serving food to the underpaid-especially when times were tough-and asked only that they pay what they could or felt it was worth. Very inspiring. Also, is this in any way related to the Brookdale Lodge up near Santa Cruz? It’s about 15 minutes outside of town (in the redwoods, of course) and although it’s been redone, the dining room is a mish mash of decor, that rivals the Madonna Inn’s restrooms. It even has a stream that runs through the middle of it, which I understand, at one time, was stocked with trout!
- Jill
I think you are as fabulous as a TV dinner and I need some comfort food!
Hey Charles – came upon this site while wasting time at work. (not that YOU are a waste of time – as you are most certainly NOT) Saw some of your videos on YouTube and think you’re fab(ULOUS).
Would love to be on your list for future events and learn about all your doings!
Charles, What a thrill to see my slide as your pick of the week. Clifton’s “Cafeteria of the Golden Rule” was dad’s first name in 1931 but after a visit ith mom to the Islands in 1939 he wanted to remodel the interior and exterior into a Pacific Seas theme.
Yes, the BROOKDALE Clifton’s was paterend after the Brookdale Lodge of the 1929 era. A real brook with trout ran through it. Fire destroyed it but a reasonable facsimile is still standing. It is about six miles north of Felton (which is 9 miles NW of Santa Cruz. Dad reproduced its theme in LA to bring a little redwood beauty and quiet into the hustle and bustle of downtown.
Thanks, Charles, for all you do for downtown. Don
Hello charles nice to meet you and happy to accidentally discover your website! the slides on here are so amazing and im a little jealous i didnt get to live in such a wonderful time period but it has always interested me… my mother has a picture takin inside that very cliftons with her parents and brother sometime in the mid to late 50s, hers is in color too…I wish this place was still there for me to enjoy but atleast im lucky enough to have been too the brookdales one , such a neat place! i enjoyed how different all the rooms were and i especially like the little crawlspace area with the naration about redwood trees….by the way do you have anything on the Pantry in D.T.L.A.? that has always been afavorite of mine as if im stepping into a time warp… well have a great day!