After 99 years of service, Taix, the beloved French restaurant in Echo Park, is closing its doors for good on Sunday. The restaurant, a fixture in the neighbourhood for 64 years at its current location, will be demolished to make way for a luxury apartment complex. The closure has sparked an outpouring of nostalgia, with long queues of loyal patrons eager for one last meal and a chance to take home memorabilia such as menus.
Taix has been more than just a dining spot; it has served as a cultural hub for Los Angeles. From civic leaders to artists and writers, the restaurant's bar and vast dining rooms have hosted generations of Angelenos. Its loss is particularly poignant for Echo Park, a community grappling with gentrification. The restaurant, known for its French onion soup, mussels, and hamburgers, was a safe space for the gay arts community while also embodying the city's traditions.
The impending closure reflects broader trends in LA, including rising costs and a shrinking entertainment industry. The current 15,000 sq ft building, with its large banquet halls, has become too expensive to maintain, requiring 55 employees for a normal night's operation. The new restaurant will be a more modest 4,000 sq ft, reopening on the ground floor of the apartment complex, though many question whether it can retain its character.
For patrons like Peter Recine, a 38-year-old freelance musician, and Cassie Dailey, a 35-year-old dancer, Taix represents a connection to history. Dailey emphasised the importance of preserving a period of time for future generations. The restaurant's old rotary phone, still in the hallway, is one of the few items not yet pilfered by souvenir hunters.
As Los Angeles reinvents itself amid economic turmoil, the loss of Taix stands as a symbol of the city's grief. The restaurant first opened in 1927 and moved to its current Echo Park location in 1962, a time when grand, car-friendly restaurants were common. While the new iteration may offer a glimpse of the past, the original Taix will be sorely missed.
