
L.A.'S Wildest Cafeteria Served Utopian Fantasy with a Side of Enchiladas (2014) - samclemens
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/cliftons-brookdale-cafeteria/
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120photo
I been there. I once ended up there on a Saturday night and it was a night
club with people dressed up straight out of the roaring 20's. Apparently it
turns into a club at night. If you get the change it is worth checking out. If
you are in the area walk over the "The Last Bookstore", also worth a look.

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byproxy
It's only a club now, as far as I'm aware. I went there once when it was
actually a cafeteria and it was...pretty gross.

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smogcutter
Nope, there is 100% still a cafeteria. They renovated a few years ago,
restored the exhibits, and it’s now pretty nice again. The food’s good (like,
throwback cafeteria food good, not “good” good. Get the meatloaf.) There’s
also a tiki bar on the top floor. Unfortunately in an annoying LA trend the
door to the tiki bar is hidden behind a mirror.

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HillaryBriss
I ate at Cliftons some years ago, before the remodeling. It was pretty cool
but also pretty worn out. Standard cafeteria fare, nothing really exciting.
Mostly it was about the ambience. Some of the interior decoration (i.e. the
fake animals and natural settings) looked like it had inspired Disneyland's
designers.

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52-6F-62
That was an interesting article.

I don't know much about life in LA. Is downtown still a no-go?

Also it looks like the Clifton's website was hacked and filled with Thai blog
posts? [https://cliftonscafeteria.com/](https://cliftonscafeteria.com/)

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byproxy
Downtown is fine.

Here's the website: [https://www.cliftonsla.com/](https://www.cliftonsla.com/)

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52-6F-62
Well that's bizarre! I got that other URL from the article and it contains
some info. Maybe its just old.

Anyway, thanks.

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Animats
The predecessor to Rainforest Cafe?

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algaeontoast
Thanks for reminding me of awesome times as a kid at rainforest cafe!

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spike021
Same here! What a fun place back in the day.

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Aloha
I remember eating at a Cliftons in Lakewood as a kid before it closed in 2001

