A Brunchy Westside Restaurant Staple Has Closed After 50 Good Years

The historic Overland Cafe in Palms has closed after more than half a century in business. The white and black building at 3601 Overland Avenue, known for its all-day menu of broad California fare and a busy weekend mimosas-with-brunch crowd, currently sports a For Sale sign following the passing of longtime owner Mark Sands.

The Overland Cafe’s website offers the following statement: “We are sad to report we have permanently closed our doors. We thank you all for your support over the years.” A similar message has been left on the company’s Instagram page, thanking patrons for many “fun brunches” and lots of “community support.” That page, as well as the restaurant’s Facebook page, still uses the name Overland Cafe Tap + Kitchen, a more recent rebrand attempt from Sands that had tried to give the place a more gastropub feel.

While never seen as a glitzy, must-visit destination, the casual Overland Cafe did play a large role in helping to expand the current culinary landscape of Palms and other nearby neighborhoods like Mar Vista over the decades. Originally a sandwich shop, in the 1980s the restaurant began to offer full-service dinners and ongoing jazz nights, seen at the time as some of the best on the Westside. Jazz music with dinner eventually expanded into jazz brunch, and for years the restaurant did robust brunch business even if midweek dinners were slow. In April 2020, the Los Angeles Times spoke with Sands about the state of the Overland Cafe as a result of the pandemic (then in its earliest days) and the loss of on-site dining. At that time, Sands said, his business had fallen by 90 percent, and he did not know how long he would be able to continue to operate the restaurant.

Multiple sources tell Eater that Sands passed recently, leaving the building and land behind. The property is expected to be sold, though current ownership has not replied to a request for comment.

Update: August 8, 2023 3:08 p.m.: This article was updated to include information on the passing of Mark Sands.