Monty's Steakhouse closed

On Monday, the employees at Monty’s Steakhouse in Pasadena received one week’s notice. That was all the employees, including manager Debbie Levine, granddaughter of Monty himself. After 66 years, one of L.A.’s oldest restaurants was closing.

The Monty’s story began in 1941 when a restaurant named Perry’s opened at the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and California Boulevard. In 1947, Monty Levine bought out his partner and named the place for himself. It became a favorite of sports fans and USC students.

There was no surprise in the closing, only in the fact that it had abruptly been moved up from July 31 to June 23. Monty’s employees (and customers) had gotten a pretty big tipoff a year or so ago when people went around taking soil samples in the parking lot. The only reason anybody’s ever interested in what’s under your asphalt is that they’re thinking of tearing it up.

There are said to be plans for a medical building on the spot, which makes sense; Huntington Memorial Hospital is just a block away. But a local builder speculates that they may be stalled for some time because the natural entrance would be on Raymond Avenue, which is now awkward because the Metro Rail line runs alongside it.

Monty’s has long had a loyal fan base. Regulars say that if they didn’t finish a steak, the house would offer to take it off the bill. But now it’s so long to Monty’s shiny red booths, creamed spinach, distinctive “steak sauce” and, most of all, its steaks.

-- Charles Perry

Comments

[Joan Doan]

There is still a Monty's on Topanga Blvd, just south of Ventura Blvd. It's the only place I know of that still has Grenadine of Beef on the menu. If you're looking for retro, this is the place to go.