So many suits have slid into the deep burgundy booths at the Smoke House, the leather has been rubbed to a deep shine. There are too many famous Hollywood power players to remember across the Los Angeles restaurant’s 78-year history, but one stands just slightly taller than most. Actor, director and Amal’s husband George Clooney spent so much time at the Smoke House as an up-and-comer that he chose the restaurant’s moniker for his production company, Smokehouse Pictures.
Spend an evening inside, with the crimson-and-gold carpet and dark wood paneling, and it’s easy to see why. The classic Burbank steakhouse has served thick slices of prime rib to countless luminaries and Hollywood executives since 1946, and today it still feels just as inviting as ever. Even after all those decades, a meal at the Smoke House is like stepping back in time — and that’s exactly what diners still love about it.
A Hollywood-rich history
Originally located several blocks away from where it currently stands, Smoke House restaurant started off as an intimate 46-seat chophouse frequented by Old Hollywood stars like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Since 1949, it’s been stationed on the site of the Tudor-style Red House Inn, just across the street from the massive Warner Bros. Studios. The location, within sight of so many entertainment types, has made Smoke House something of an unofficial clubhouse for generations of actors, producers, directors and writers.
In 1955, ownership commissioned lauded California architect Wayne McAllister, known for his work on other legendary LA restaurants like Lawry’s the Prime Rib and Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake, to expand the property from 6,000 to its current 18,000 square feet.
Nods to the entertainment industry are everywhere in the sprawling restaurant, which has multiple dining and private rooms. All told, the space can seat more than 500 people. Black-and-white photos of classic movie theaters greet diners in the substantial lobby, and in one dining room, director’s chairs named for everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Kirk Douglas line a shelf. In yet another area outfitted with a fireplace, oversized framed movie posters for “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the like adorn the walls…