Hollywood in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Site of the Vine Street Brown Derby

Hollywood Historic Site

— 1628 Vine Street —

Site of the Vine Street Brown Derby Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mary Ellen Coghlan, August 14, 2005

1. Site of the Vine Street Brown Derby Marker

Inscription.
The most famous Hollywood restaurant of its day, the Brown Derby opened Valentine's Day, 1929. Owner Robert Cobb was also the inventor of the Cobb Salad. He originated furnishing telephones at tables during mealtime. Celebrities’ popularity was gauged by the number of phone pages they received. Clark Gable proposed to Carole Lombard here in booth 54. Caricatures of movie stars decorated the walls. Damaged by fire and later by earthquake, it was demolished in 1994.

Erected by Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce.

Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 34° 6.044′ N, 118° 19.594′ W. Marker was in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It was in Hollywood. It was on Vine Street 0.1 miles south of Hollywood Boulevard, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 1628 Vine St, Los Angeles CA 90028, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker

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was in California’s Transverse Ranges.

It was also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it was in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Hollywood Brown Derby (here, next to this marker); Hollywood Plaza Hotel (a few steps from this marker); Taft Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Vine Street Theatre (within shouting distance of this marker); Hollywood & Vine (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Taft Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Hollywood and Vine (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Hollywood & Vine (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

More about this marker. Charlton Heston's "Walk of Fame" star is where the Brown Derby entrance was. Nothing remains of the original building.

Remaining Section of Similar Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mary Ellen Coghlan, August 14, 2005

2. Remaining Section of Similar Building

This building is similar to the Brown Derby, which was nearby.

A remnant of a similar building still exists at 1638 Vine St, which was preserved and restored during recent development because it was mistakenly thought to be an original part of the restaurant. Historians disagree about the origin of this building.

Regarding Site of the Vine Street Brown Derby. The Hollywood Brown Derby was the second but most popular of the four original Brown Derby restaurants. The first was on Wilshire Boulevard, shaped like a derby hat, opposite the former Ambassador Hotel. The Beverly Hills Brown Derby was located at the intersection of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard opposite the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The last Brown Derby, which is the only building still standing, is on Los Feliz Blvd at Hillhurst. The Los Feliz Brown Derby was a car hop and was recently granted landmark status. It is now a bank.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. - Hollywood Historic Site markers, walking tour with map.

Additional keywords. Hollywood and Vine, Meet me at the Derby, no. 23,

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 27, 2018

3. Remaining Section of Similar Building

After redevelopment, and restoration of the old building.

Vine Street Brown Derby - 1936 image. Click for full size.

Public Domain

4. Vine Street Brown Derby - 1936

The Brown Derby is at right. Today’s building is at far left.

Cornice Detail - 2005 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mary Ellen Coghlan, August 14, 2005

5. Cornice Detail - 2005

Cornice Detail, after restoration image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 27, 2018

6. Cornice Detail, after restoration

Parking lot where the Brown Derby once stood. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mary Ellen Coghlan, August 14, 2005

7. Parking lot where the Brown Derby once stood.

This parking lot no longer exists.

Image courtesy of the New York Public Library, 1948

8. Menu

Front of Brown Derby Restaurant Menu shows the four locations in 1948.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 1, 2009, by Mary Ellen Coghlan of Manahawkin, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 6,287 times since then and 178 times this year. Last updated on March 3, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1. submitted on October 1, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2. submitted on April 1, 2009, by Mary Ellen Coghlan of Manahawkin, New Jersey. 3. submitted on October 1, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on December 13, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5. submitted on April 1, 2009, by Mary Ellen Coghlan of Manahawkin, New Jersey. 6. submitted on December 3, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 7. submitted on April 1, 2009, by Mary Ellen Coghlan of Manahawkin, New Jersey. 8. submitted on December 6, 2018. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.