Les Deux Cafe

         

   



Seeing Stars: Restaurants of the Stars..
    


1638 N. Las Palmas Ave,
Hollywood, CA / (323) 462-7674


Les Deux Cafe first closed in 2004.

It made a comeback in 2006, and seemed to be doing well again at first.

They held the season 5 DVD launch party for the TV series "24", and Donald Trump
introduced a new line of vodka there in early 2007. And there were a lot of after-parties,
including the TV Guide party for the Emmy Awards.

They drew back Leonardo DiCaprio, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Prince, Robbie Williams, Rod Stewart, Chris Rock, Wilmer Valderrama, Danny Masterson, Paris Hilton, Hilary Duff, Mary-Kate Olsen and Jenny McCarthy, among others.

But it didn't last, and Les Deux finally closed its doors for good.  As of 2013,
the space is currently occupied by Sadie Kitchen and Lounge.

I'll leave this old page up for a while, in case anyone wants to read about the club.
But bear in mind that the article below was written before the restaurant closed in 2004.




"Sometimes, you discover celebrity hangouts in the most unlikely locations...."

I said that in my article about the Hollywood Hills Coffee Shop, and it bears repeating here.

Imagine this. You're a tourist walking down Hollywood Boulevard, just east of Highland. You've passed the giant dinosaur sticking out of the top of the Ripley's Museum, you've passed the Guinness museum, and the Hollywood McDonald's...


The Cafe's deceptive exterior.
The boulevard is starting to look even tackier as you continue east and pass the courtyard of the recently restored Egyptian Theatre. You hang a right on the next street, Las Palmas Avenue, and it looks like you're absolutely nowhere. A nondescript parking lot looms to the left, looking like a dozen other nondescript parking lots in Hollywood. Except perhaps you notice that there is what looks like an old Craftsman-style bungalow taking up space on the north edge of the lot...
You venture closer. There's no sign to indicate that there's a restaurant inside, but there are people coming and going. And the wall before you is covered with flowering climbers. You step inside...

Suddenly, you're not in Kansas anymore. The host leads you to a romantic patio right out of the south of France. Wait a minute. That woman over there looked a bit like Madonna... And wasn't that 'Dharma'... er, Jenna Elfman in the corner? You glance at the menu. The prices are high. Who's that singing? Looks like Sharon Stone...

Welcome to Les Deux Cafe, one of Hollywood's hottest discoveries - a hard-to-find oasis in the middle of Hollywood's urban sprawl.






Other celebrities spotted here have included Jerry Seinfeld, Cameron Diaz, Sting, Mariah Carey, Lauren Holly, kd lang, Bono, Prince, Pamela AndersonTommy Lee, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Tobey Maguire, Eric Clapton, Shirley MacClaine, Kirstie Alley, Tori Spelling, Billy Corgan, Lisa Marie Presley, Natalie Imbruglia, Shannon Doherty, Karen Black, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Sarah Gilbert.

The Cafe was also the scene of several major Tinseltown parties, including the post Grammy Awards party, the MTV Music Awards post-party, a Baywatch cast party and Lenny Kravitz's 1999 birthday party. It has also become a virtual commissary for Paramount Studios.

My favorite story about Les Deux came via the Associated Press: actor Val Kilmer was surprised when fellow actor Mickey Rourke interrupted his dinner here to ask for an autograph! "My buddies and I think you were the best Batman ever," said Rourke, as Kilmer signed his napkin.

Besides the dining room, and the patio (considered by many to be one of the most attractive outdoor dining experiences in L.A.), there's always the bar/lounge, with its comfortable couches, where there is live music until late to go along with the celebrity-spotting. Billy Zane's sister, Lisa, was a regular cabaret singer here on Wednesday nights, and Joni Mitchell has been known to drop by and sing a song now and then. So has Boy George.






In August of 2001, Charlize Theron celebrated her 26th birthday at Les Deux Cafe.

Unfortunately, the focus here is so much on the ultra-cool scene that the food and service has suffered. Many have reported service to be lax - some say it's downright rude. And while some critics like the French food served here, most think it is dull and overpriced. Expect roast duck, rack of lamb, soft shell crabs, a lobster & tabouleh salad... But its customers aren't here for the food or the service.

(Fortunately, the Times reported recently that the kitchen seems to finally be coming around, and is now "better than average.")

Les Deux Cafe offers lunch on weekdays and dinner Monday through Saturday. Reservations are a good idea (although some people say they won't help much.) Dress is casual-chic.

Getting there: Les Deux Cafe is located just one block south of Hollywood Blvd, in a parking lot between Las Palmas Avenue and Cherokee Ave. From Hollywood & Highland, just go two short blocks east, turn right (south) on Las Palmas, and the lot will be on your left (east) side.


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