Tail o’ the Cock
The photo above is of the Tail o’ the Cock at 44 S. La Cienega Boulevard, aka “Restaurant Row.” There was another at 12950 Ventura Boulevard — both popular dinner joints famous for their America menus (steak, prime rib, etc.) and bar scene. The Tail o’ the Cock claimed to be the first place in Los Angeles to serve Margaritas and it may well have been, I don’t know.
As one might gather from the name, the big selling point at Tail o’ the Cock wasn’t the food so much as the cocktails. It was a popular place for people to meet for drinks, especially late in the afternoon. An awful lot of Hollywood deals were consummated there over martinis. It was where a voice actress named June Foray met with two animation producers — Jay Ward and Bill Scott — and they told her they wanted her to play a new character named Rocky the Flying Squirrel. And there were probably less important roles cast there involving big Academy Award productions.
I ate once at the one on Ventura. I recall the food being satisfactory but not much more. I recall the room being somewhat dark and depressing. I recall the service being quite friendly and efficient. It was the kind of place where the servers and the bartenders had been there for a decade or more and had no intention of going anywhere else. Then the two places closed down, one after the other.
Owner-founder Sheldon A. (Mac) McHenry sold the one on La Cienega in 1982 and it closed in 1985. There’s an office building there now though it does have an Indian restaurant on the ground floor.
The one in the Valley closed a few days after New Year’s, 1987. It was razed and a shopping mall was built in its place. A lot of people still remember the two restaurants fondly.
11 Responses to Tail o’ the Cock
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I ate at the one on La Cienega once as a very young lady (early 70′s). I remember a lovely place with very good food. It was also the first restaurant where I encountered an attendant in the ladies’ room!!
I remember the restaurant on La Cienega, I was there only once but as a child growing up in Los Angeles , remember their Christmas decorations. The roof was covered with fake snow and Santa and the reindeers strung up on the roof. I can still see the beautiful display !
I ate at the Tail o’ the Cock on my prom night in 1964 with Bob Mosher III. I also ate at the one on La Cienega a few years later twice. I loved eating there. I always ordered steak and Lobster. Great Place. My date for the Prom’s parents use to eat there all the time. Thel one in the Valley.
My father worked at both restaurants for many years as the manager. I remember he was never home for dinner on holidays because he was always at work. I also remember having wonderful steak sandwiches for lunch along with a “shirley temple” or a “sputnik” to drink. My brother and I spent a whole day packing the gift bags for celebrating New Year’s Eve at the restaurant. Pink bags for the ladies and brown bags for the men; filled with streamers, hats, balloons and noise makers. Parking lot attendants, hat check room, cigarette girls, tables with white tableclothes, sugar cubes and breadsticks…all a thing of the past, but great memories growing up.
I worked there as a busboy 1980-1982. To this day, THE BEST JOB I EVER HAD!!! Great food and you would always leave work with money. In high school having $10-30 a week was like the lottery! My dad was the head waiter. Lots of characters worked there. And the celebrities all around. I still have my Cheryl Ladd autograph! And 30 years later restaurant service is a joke at best. With “order takers” and “food food runners” whatever!!! My dad took me to Ollie Hammonds basement area when I was a kid and the Beverly Hills Cafe on the corner of La Cienega and Wilshire. Oh, and the address of the BH Tail was 477 South LaCienega. I know because I had to write it on my school emergency card for 12 years! Directly across the street was Fatburger and up LaCienega I remember they were constructing some shopping center, it turned out to be the Beverly Center!! I went in there before all the stores were opened! I was a teenager working around grown men and women and I held my own! It was no picnic, I still had to catch the RTD to and from work although my father worked there! He was not a ride giver! It made a man out of me and I thank him to this day for making me find my own way to and from work! It was also my introduction to Chateaubriand! It was $25 for two and I thought that was outrageous. And when someone would order it I would always hang around to see it cut and served for two. The ultimate date dinner! I havent found Chateaubriand for two in LA yet other than a porterhouse for two. In Vegas Chateaubriand for two goes for $125!!!
I recently went to my local family owned deli (Henry’s in Downey) and came across an award on the wall. It was for a drink competition that was won by a gentlemen bartender in 1963 at the Tail o’ the Cock.
I’ll always recall the one on Ventura Bl as my family would go there from time to time. My father passed away when I was a child, and one of the memories I have of him is a night out to eat at this place….
here’s a link to a photo of Lon Chaney Jr, Tor Johnson, and Bela Lugosi at the Tail o’ the Cock…the menu in the foreground has the restaurant name, and I found your site googling that…thanks http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=557060494315294&set=a.118967638124584.13914.111378268883521&type=1&theater
I remember going to this restaurant with my mother in the late 60′s. The food was great and I always felt so special hanging out with the sophisticated grown ups. I remember they had black waiters and one waiter would stand by our table throughout the meal just in case we needed anything. Does anyone remember that?
my father, pat doherty, was the manager at the valley “Tail of the Cock” FOREVER! all the writers, and actors made their appearances over the years…. all the families that loved that warm, clubby feel,…. personal attention, and cool vibe were adored by my father…. and it was recipricated…. soooo many greats enjoyed the Tail……. my father just passed recently……. and thank you to all who made that magic part of his life sooooo rich….. they can’t take that marvelous history from us that were so lucky to be a part of the “Tales of the Tail”……..
There is an episode of CHiPs where it is in the background. Someone steals a car from the valet area in front. you can clearly see the building and it’s sign.
Season 1 Episode 10. What memories.