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

The Bistro

Beverly Hills

— Golden Shield Commemorative Plaque —

The Bistro Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 22, 2025

1. The Bistro Marker

Inscription.
Opened on November 1, 1963, at 246 North Canon Drive, the "The Bistro" was the brainchild of Oscar-winning director Billy Wilder and Kurt Niklas, the maître d' at Romanoff's Restaurant before it closed in 1962. The restaurant venture was funded by roughly 60 investors, many of whom were part of the Hollywood movie industry. After 31 years, The Bistro closed its doors in 1994.

Erected by City of Beverly Hills. (Marker Number 24.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is November 1, 1963.

Location. 34° 4.128′ N, 118° 23.936′ W. Marker is in Beverly Hills, California, in Los Angeles County. It is on North Canon Drive near Dayton Way. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 246 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills CA 90210, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and

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in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds 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 marker: Giorgio Beverly Hills (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Beverly Theater / Fiorucci (about 600 feet away); Francis-Orr Stationary Co. (about 800 feet away); Gearys Beverly Hills (approx. 0.2 miles away); Beverly Wilshire Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Brown Derby (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Giorgio Beverly Hills (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pixie Town (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Beverly Hills.

Regarding The Bistro. Roughly 60 investors, including Jack Benny, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Dean Martin, Alfred Hitchcock, and Irving “Swifty” Lazar paid $3,000 each to fund the new venture. The Bistro ended up with Romanoff’s liquor license and furnishings, as well as the French café set pieces from Wilder’s movie Irma la Douce (1963). As homage to his movie, Wilder named it “The Bistro.”
After 31 years of being a magnate for the Hollywood elite

Photographed by Craig Baker, November 22, 2025

2. The Bistro Marker

and high-powered crowd, “The Bistro” closed its doors on January 1994, as a result of landlord and labor disputes.

courtesy BeverlyHills.org

3. The Bistro

Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 87 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 25, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.