Dial 818 for Kitsch: Iconic SFV Institutions

by Leigh_Niles_Reason - 0 Reviews - 17 Lists

Updated: September 26, 2008

Yes, yes ? We've heard it all before. The Valley is just a suburban sprawl, full of mini-malls and industrial parks. No character. No good restaurants but sushi. Full of soccer moms. Go ahead, malign all you want, but you'll miss the glorious old school institutions of the 818. If you dare to be square, head over to the other side of the hill and sample some of what us Valley-ites have loved for generations.

Best of the 818

  1. 1 4 Star Rating: Recommended Art's Delicatessen
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    12224 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 (map)

    "Every Sandwich is a Work of Art" at Studio City's beloved nosh spot serving up traditional Jewish-style comfort food.

  2. 2 4 Star Rating: Recommended Twain's Restaurant
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    12905 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 (map)

    This down-home diner on the corner of Coldwater and Ventura has beckoned celebs and citizens alike with the promise of comfort food 24 hours a day for decades.

  3. 3 4 Star Rating: Recommended Vip's Family Restaurant
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    18345 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356 (map)

    Friendly service and simple favorites make this old-fashioned diner a beloved landmark for Valley locals like John Wooden.

  4. 4 3.5 Star Rating: Average Miceli's
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    3655 W Cahuenga Blvd, Universal City, CA 90028 (map)

    Miceli's menu is a freeze-frame of 1950's red-sauce Italian joints. And for the fans, this is, of course, its best quality.

  5. 5 4 Star Rating: Recommended The Smoke House Restaurant
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    4420 W Lakeside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505 (map)

    Does a name get any more old school? Red meat and stiff drinks are the hallmarks of this '40s-era Burbank institution.

  6. 6 4.5 Star Rating: Recommended Don Cuco's
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    3911 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505 (map)

    Ask a local Valley resident where the best margaritas can be found, and this Toluca Lake watering hole is bound to be on their top 5 list.

  7. 7 4 Star Rating: Recommended Bob's Big Boy
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    4211 Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505 (map)

    The sort of Mecca of Valley worship, this 818 landmark opened in 1949 and famously garnered a mention in Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction."

  8. 8 4 Star Rating: Recommended Doctor Hogly Wogly Tyler Texas
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    8136 Sepulveda Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91402 (map)

    If you're a barbecue connoisseur, then chances are this Van Nuys cheap-eats landmark has been on your itinerary. They dish out "Flintstones"-sized slabs of sweet, saucy meat that many swear is the best in L.A.

  9. 9 4 Star Rating: Recommended Casa Vega Restaurant
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    13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (map)

    You can even find Margaritaville on Ventura: Angelenos flock from all over to this dark, decades-old Valley hot spot that doles out comfort Mexican and massive margaritas.

  10. 10 3.5 Star Rating: Average Barone's Famous Italian Rstrnt
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    13726 Oxnard St, Van Nuys, CA 91401 (map)

    The location may have changed, but this local institution has been serving the best thin-crust pizza in the Valley since 1945. Some will argue that a few of the waitresses have been there since opening day.