pmc editorial manager
Fire breaks out at former Pacific Dining Car restaurant location in Westlake District
One of Los Angeles' oldest restaurants, once frequented by stars such as Mae West, top politicians and city officials, was badly damaged by fire early Saturday morning.
The Pacific Dining Car restaurant, a century-old building on the edge of downtown Los Angeles, was a replica of a train car. In its heyday, it was a fixture of L.A.'s upscale dining scene, appearing in television shows and movies, including the 1974 film Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, and the 2001 film Training Day starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.
The restaurant was closed during the pandemic, but the family vowed to bring it back, even after auctioning off its items. Last year, the vacant building was officially designated a Los Angeles City Historical Cultural Landmark.
