92-Year-Old Formosa Cafe Seems to Have Shuttered Overnight

After months of speculation following a rather disastrous attempt at revitalization, it seems that long-running West Hollywood bar and restaurant The Formosa Cafe has indeed shuttered.

Founded in 1925 and for decades a mainstay among movie stars and musicians working in the area, the iconic red booth-ed spot on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Formosa is currently all boarded up. Driving past last night the place was dark as can be, with stools up, lights are off, and mail collecting on the front walkway. Nobody’s home, it seems, and they certainly aren’t answering the phone either.

By way of semi-official confirmation (the Formosa Cafe team has so far declined multiple requests to talk to Eater), Yelp now lists the place as closed, and the restaurant’s variety of social media outlets have been similarly inactive for a while now.

As for the official date of closure, that’s uncertain. As recently as two weeks ago, Eater swung through to confirm the place was still up and running after hearing rumors to the contrary. And any word on a reopening or flip of the space would be premature, as it seems ownership isn’t talking to anybody at the moment.

If final, the loss of the Formosa Cafe would be a blow to preservationists across Los Angeles, who have long been in love with the restaurant’s Old Hollywood charm and history. A more recent effort to modernize the place last year was met with harsh criticism, forcing higher-ups to rethink their course and try to work even harder to return the place to a semblance of its former glory. Now that those plans have stalled, it’s unclear on all counts just what’s next. Got more intel? Feel free to hit the tip line, or the comments section below.

• 35 Classic Restaurants Every Angeleno Must Try [ELA]