I haven’t worked downtown since the 1990s, so I haven’t eaten at many restaurants outside of Chinatown, Little Tokyo and the Music Center since, but when I heard that Cole’s was closing after 107 years, I decided to try and get down for one last taste.

Originally, we were going to pre-order on Friday and pick-up on Saturday, but by Friday, 11 July 2025, the GrubHub link was closed. So instead of a quick pickup run, we knew we’d be in for a wait.

Cole’s Order

• Kat: half combo beef dip with Swiss cheese, side of slaw
• Paul: half dip beef with Swiss. Side of tater tots
• Esther: Half dip pastrami with Swiss. Side of extra pickles.
• Ian and Jana:  Lamb with goat cheese full sandwich with slaw and extra pickles

Backup plan:

• Kat:  pastrami or lamb, side tots. Backup cheese is cheddar
• Paul: backup cheese is cheddar.  Backup side is slaw.

We arrived a little before 3 p.m. on Saturday and there was already a healthy line. Flyers posted on the wall told us the wait would be at least one hour. You have to add more time to for the food.

Timeline:

• 2:50 p.m. In line
• 3 p.m. Cole’s opens
• 3:51 at the front of the line
• 3:54 at the backroom bar waiting to order.
• 4:04 p.m.–placed our order. A few minutes later, we heard the kitchen had closed to orders so people after us had to wait longer to make an order.
• 5:10–Got our order #333 and got in our car to head home.

The bartender told us that Friday, they had run out of lamb, our meat of choice.

In 1908, entrepreneur Harry Cole  established, Cole’s in the hollow of the historic Pacific Electric Building, which was once the center of transit tycoon Henry Huntington’s railway network. At its peak, 100,000 passengers passed through the city’s vital transportation hub daily. In 2008, Pouring With Heart reopened Cole’s after a  $1.6 million year-long restoration. In 2009, Cole’s was awarded with an outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation by the Los Angeles Conservancy (Preservation Award).

We got a side of four-cheese macaroni to eat on the way home. By 5:50 p.m., we were at Del Amo food court eating with our friends.

So go early. Go with friends or for friends. If you stay and dine, you can play pool while waiting to order and eat. If you’re ordering to-go, have a backup plan.

I love the pickles and I love the pickled eggs.  There is no choice of bread and as French bread goes, the rolls are average–not particularly crusty. The lamb was tender.

What’s irreplaceable is the atmosphere. The bar is dark. There’s a bit of a musty smell, a century of sweat and booze, food and conversation. After 7 p.m.,

Cole’s, 118 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014. Happy Hour: Sundays–Thursdays;  3 p.m. – 6.p.m.; 10 p.m.– Close. Cole’s opens every day at 3 p.m. and closes at 2. a.m. on Fridays and Saturday. All ages welcome until 7 p.m. After 7 p.m., the crowd is  21+ . Last day is 3 August 2025.