Brown Derby

Entrance

Exterior

The entrance to the Brown Derby is under a canvas canopy. A brass sign outside the door reads as follows:
"This building is inspired by the Vine Street Brown Derby originally built in Hollywood, California in 1928."

Also outside the Brown Derby is a small grass hill with Mickey Mouse as a living bush and six brooms from Fantasia holding buckets with flowers in them.

Foyer

The entry foyer to the Brown Derby has framed caricatures of famous celebrities on the walls, along with some photos of the original Brown Derby from the 30's and 40's. There are leather chairs and love-seats for guests to sit while waiting to be seated in the restaurant proper.

Apparently at the original Brown Derby, they started to collect the caricatures in 1929.

Main Room

The main room has a vaulted ceiling with three wings, the fourth wall holding a full bar. It is decorated in 1930's art deco. All of the tables are set with green linen, and wall lamps are in the shape of small derby's.

Reservations

Reservations are pretty much required in order to eat here. Usually you can make reservations that day, at least for lunch, and not have any problems assuming you get in early enough.

There is no apparent dress code.

Wait Staff

Wait staff handle only four to five tables at any given time, so attention to patrons is good.

History

Original Restaurant

• Clark Gable proposed to Carole Lombard in booth 5.
• Lucille Ball and Jack Haley fought a duel with flying dinner rolls.
• Cobb salad was invented by the owner, Robert Cobb, one night for theater magnate Sid Grauman.

Experiences

14 January 2007

I walked up to the host and requested a seat for lunch, and was given a reservation at 1pm by Paul.

At 1pm I arrived back at the restaurant and informed Paul that I was there for my reservation. He then proceeded to get a host (Brent), who called me soon thereafter to seat me. As he seated me, he informed me that my waiter would be Crispin. According to Crispin's nametag, he is from Bolivia.

While I was eating my meal, I observed a child (perhaps three years old) completely attracted to and mesmerized by one of the guide lights along the path in the room. This light was at mid shin level, used to illuminate the carpeting in the room when it gets dark.

At another time, it was apparently someone's birthday. As such, the wait staff decided to sing Happy Birthday to them. Now, this is not like the Happy Birthday song you would hear at a place such as Fridays or Ruby Tuesdays. This was a much sweeter and simpler version, just the normal song sung without raucousness. Really, it was one of the best renditions of the song I have ever heard, particularly inside of a restaurant.