Formosa Cafe

The Formosa Cafe is a restaurant and bar at 7156 Santa Monica Boulevard at Formosa Avenue, West Hollywood, California, that has a long history of patronage from movie stars and movie industry people because of its location immediately adjacent to Samuel Goldwyn Studio (referred to as "The Lot").

The restaurant was started in 1925 by Jimmy Bernstein (who was described as a 1920s prize fighter). Bernstein operated initially in a Red Car trolley and it was located just east of The Lot Studios (which changed ownership over the years from Pickford-Fairbanks Studios to United Artists, to Samuel Goldwyn to Warner Hollywood Studios) where movies from Some Like it Hot to Scary Movie 2 were filmed.

In 1945 Lem Quon became a partner and then took full ownership in 1976 when Berstein died. In remains in the family Quom's grandson Vince Jung managing it.

Generations of movie stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable have eaten meals at the Cafe. It is located on Santa Monica Boulevard, State Route 2, in West Hollywood, just over the border from Los Angeles (and a short block away from the eponymous Formosa Ave). Legend has it that Frank Sinatra spent many nights at the Formosa in the 1950s, pining over Ava Gardner.

In the 1990s it was threatened with demolition or...
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