Iconic Restaurant Yamashiro Set to Close on June 12 in Hollywood

If all goes as currently planned, June 12 looks to be chopping block day for Yamashiro, the iconic hillside restaurant that’s been in continuous operation in Hollywood for more than 100 years. What’s next for the compound — including the restaurant, the pagoda bar, and all that land — is still to be determined, however.

Staff at the restaurant have been advising diners that June 12 is the likely shutdown date for the iconic eatery, a timeline corroborated by sources elsewhere. Apparently, the operator behind the existing Yamashiro restaurant decided to agree to drop his lawsuit over who would maintain control of the eatery, agreeing to sell off all of the assets from the space as well as the name — which pegs June 12 as the day everything changes hands.

As recently as last year, Yamashiro managing partner Tom Glover was expecting the place to be sold off, the result of some issues with other family members who had a stake in the place. Then came Chinese hotel conglomerate JE Group to (supposedly) save the day, with their rehabbing ways and big $40 million check.

A battle almost immediately kicked up over who would actually operate the restaurant

That didn’t last long, as a battle almost immediately kicked up over who would actually operate the continuing Yamashiro restaurant. JE Group said at the time they would be hiking the rent to $100,000 a month — and that they had interested parties willing to pay the price. That’s how the whole thing, with Glover on one side and JE Group on the other, ended up in litigation.

Now with a direct path moving forward, JE Group is free to ultimately do with the site what they please. Rumors have swirled that a local nightlife group could be taking over the day-to-day focus of the building, but whether that means gussying up the restaurant and otherwise keeping the name — or moving in new direction altogether — is so far unknown.