Hollywood’s Hidden 19-Year-Old Comfort Specialist Grub to Close

Hollywood’s longtime semi-hidden bungalow restaurant Grub closes this weekend. Owners Denise DeCarlo and second season Top Chef contestant Betty Fraser — also known as the “Grub Gals” — will instead focus on their catering business moving forward; the final day of service is Sunday, March 1.

DeCarlo and Fraser opened Grub in 2001 as an extension of their catering company, taking up residence inside a funky former home hidden deep in Hollywood’s Media District. There, the pair created a menu full of comfort food classics, from tomato soup and big-plate scrambles to croissant french toast, and their popular ‘crack bacon.’

In a statement to Eater LA, Fraser and DeCarlo shared that timing played a factor in the decision, as well as rising operating costs and competition. “We’re proud of the fact that we held true to our convictions - with both our food and belief that dining can be fun,” says Fraser. “But you can only get pulled in so many directions before you need to decide on one. This will allow us to focus solely on our catering business and drive us forward as chefs.”

Grub’s closure takes place at an interesting time for the once-sleepy Hollywood Media District. The area has long been surrounded by sound studios, production companies, and storage houses, but a new influx of retail and apartments means the dining scene is changing too. Though the closures of Grub and Spoonfed/Bar Joe are significant losses, SF’s Sightglass Coffee and Gigi’s Alex Wilmot will join the neighborhood in just a few months, as the newly bustling Tartine Hollywood did in 2019.

Grub is open today until Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

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