Pann’s Restaurant

Stepping Into 1958

The building grabs your attention before you open the door. Sharp angles jut skyward. Glass walls wrap around the dining room. A neon sign spears through the angled roof. This is Googie architecture at its finest, designed when Southern California’s coffee shops competed for attention from passing motorists. Helen Liu Fong created this space in 1958 for the Armet & Davis firm, and the restaurant has barely changed since opening day.

Walk inside and you’re surrounded by the original design: red leather booths, terrazzo floors, fieldstone walls, tropical plants in built-in planters. The counter wraps around an open kitchen where cooks crack eggs and flip pancakes in full view. Giant triangular pendant lamps hang from the ceiling. Everything works together to create what architecture critics call one of LA’s best-preserved examples of Coffee Shop Moderne.

The Food Experience

The menu sticks to diner fundamentals. Breakfast runs all day (the restaurant closes at 3pm). Fried chicken comes with your choice of sides. Waffles arrive thick with a slight outer crispness. The chicken and waffles combination draws steady orders, with bone-in pieces (drumstick and thigh) that stay juicy under a well-seasoned crust.

Hash browns come crispy. Biscuits arrive hot. The Denver omelet fills plates with eggs, peppers, onions, and ham. French toast uses thick brioche slices. Grits can be ordered with cheese. Service moves quickly at the counter, where you can watch your meal being prepared.

Some dishes land better than others. The fried chicken wins consistent praise. Coffee gets mixed reviews (some find it harsh). Portions run large. Prices sit in the moderate range for LA diners. Weekend mornings bring crowds, with lines forming outside before the 7am Saturday and Sunday opening.

The Scene

Regulars claim their usual spots. Tourists snap photos of the building. Architecture students sketch the roofline. Movie fans recognize it from xXx and other films (though Pulp Fiction was actually shot at Holly’s, another Poulos family restaurant in Hawthorne). The walls display movie stills and celebrity photos from decades of visits.

Counter seats fill first on busy mornings. The open kitchen creates a show as cooks work the grill. Booths curve along the glass walls with views of the tropical plants outside. The space feels simultaneously retro and functional, like a perfectly maintained piece of midcentury California.

Planning Your Visit

The parking lot holds about 20 spaces for a restaurant that seats roughly 150 people. Arrive early on weekends or be prepared to wait. Some visitors park across the street at the shopping center and walk over. Weekday mornings see lighter crowds.

The restaurant closes at 3pm daily (8am-3pm Monday through Friday, 7am-3pm Saturday and Sunday). Show up hungry. The portions reward appetites. The building rewards camera phones. Both together make this more than just another breakfast stop near LAX.