In “Imagining Los Angeles: City in Fiction,” the author David M. Fine describes L.A. as a “fantasy capital — as the ‘unreal city,’ the nation’s consummate theme park, the repository of exotic, bizarre architecture.” As a native, I feel that there’s no place where this is more true than in the eastern enclaves of the Valley, in Burbank and North Hollywood. They’re usually lumped in with the rest of the Valley, and yet they’re the neighborhoods that surround L.A.’s most Disneyesque, other-worldly, and bizarre aspect: the studios. Those qualities seep into the architecture and atmosphere; simply put, there’s a lot of things here meant to look like something else.
Which is just fine. Instead of the streamlined aesthetic of the East Side that usually attracts L.A. travelers, as a local I’m drawn to the East Valley precisely for its kitschy and quirky veneer. This is, after all, the neighborhood that abuts where Hollywood is actually made–as well as an airport named after Bob Hope. Relics of midcentury architecture are everywhere in L.A., and North Hollywood and Burbank, often overlooked, are ripe with examples.
Built in 1941, the Idle Hour is a bar in the shape of an actual barrel, a prime example of “programmatic architecture” meant to entice customers through their car windows (a then-new cultural phenomenon). The building went through various iterations including a flamenco bar before its restoration and reopening in 2015. The backyard also boasts a replica of an L.A. programmatic architecture icon, the façade of the Bulldog Café—shaped like the wide-eyed dog, and smoking a pipe.
Iliad books is the Valley stalwart for serious readers. More than 125,000 used books are organized by hyper-specific theme such as “Drugs” and “Survival and Revenge,” in rows and rows of stacked shelves in a storybook-like atmosphere. The store’s particular focus is on literary fiction, but it’s a haven for rare books and oddities. Look out for the shop’s resident cat.
The tiki bar craze took off in L.A. in the 1950s and 1960s, and a good number still survive in the East Valley—but this small watering hole still holds the title of L.A.’s oldest. Open since 1958, the bar was renovated in the 2000s to more closely resemble its original iteration. Go for throwback cocktails like Mai Tais, Blue Hawaiians, and Mojave Punch.
This French spot has been around for more than 50 years. One can hardly miss it, with its castle-like exterior and river-rock façade. With old-school classics like calf’s liver, frog legs, and steak Diane, and surrounded by bizarre antiques, it’s sort of like the earnest version of what Chateau Marmont Bar is trying to be.
There are still some brick-and-mortar video stores left, though Eddie Brandt’s is not like most that existed. Brandt’s first sold pin-up posters in the 1960s, then transitioned to recordings. Now, the store deals in thousands of hard-to-find horror VHS and obscure DVDs. Quentin Tarantino is known to stop by and come away with stacks of obscure finds.
This burger joint, built in 1949, is one of the few remaining examples of California coffee-shop architecture, often called Googie style (other examples include Norm’s and original McDonald’s locations), featuring midcentury, Tomorrowland-like flourishes such as boomerangs, geometric patterns, and futuristic fonts. It's also one of the last places where you can find the original Bob’s concept, in the storied drive-in diner style. Another McAllister Valley gem, it’s also featured in Heat and has appeared on TV shows such as Conan, Ellen, and the Tonight Show.
This barbecue spot next door to Warner Brothers Studios has been around, in various locations, since the 1940s, catering to celebrity and studio clientele. The look of this 1956-built location is largely unchanged: the rustic Tudor revival was designed by Wayne McAllister, also known for the first Vegas hotel, the now-closed El Rancho Vegas. Inside, it’s all red leather booths, dark wood, classic celebrity headshots–and steak.
The retro red sauce opened in 1956 and recently updated its bar to feature 1970s-era cocktails. Outside, the vintage signage advertises the main draws here: lasagna, spaghetti, and, of course, pizza—it’s yet another Googie style reference point. With its 2 a.m. close time, the restaurant is a rare late-night Valley stop.
There are at least half a dozen vintage stores on this mile-long strip catering to vintage aficionados and industry costumers. Some stops like Reclaimed get most of their stock from shoots or stylists after items have been worn only a handful of times while pieces like Unique Vintage deal in all eras, with a good selection of 1920s attire. For the even weirder and wilder vintage, there’s Bearded Lady.
“What the Hollywood Sign is to Hollywood, Circus Liquor's 32-foot-tall, neon-clown mascot is to North Hollywood,” reads the Circus Liquor website, according to local critics. It’s also where Cher got held up in Clueless. Inside, Circus predictably isn’t your typical liquor store, with 1000 spirits and 450 beers in stock. As for the the spooky looming clown, think of it as a flash of kitsch in a flat landscape.