| Phil's Diner | |
| Coordinates: | 34.1657°N -118.3749°W |
| Address: | originally 11138 Chandler Boulevard, now 5230 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, California |
| Completion Date: | 1926 |
| Opened Date: | 1928, 2011 |
| Relocated Date: | 1998, 2010 |
| Renovation Date: | 2010 |
| Closing Date: | late 1990s, 2011 |
| Architect: | Charles Amend |
Phil's Diner is a historic dining car originally located at 11138 Chandler Boulevard and now at 5230 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, California. It is believed to be the oldest dining car in California.[1]
The Phil's Diner building was designed by Charles Amend[2] and is believed to have been built by the Phillips Company in 1926.[3] Originally located alongside the Lankershim Train Depot[4] at 11138 Chandler Boulevard, Phil's Diner opened in the building in 1928.[5]
Hollywood set decorator Casey Hallenbeck purchased the building in 1998, around the same time the diner had closed due to B Line construction. The building was then placed in storage for more than ten years, until it was moved to its new location at 5230 Lankershim Boulevard. Here it was restored under the supervision of Robert Chattel and reopened as Phil's Diner Fresh-n-Fast in 2011, only to close again later that year. The total cost for this undertaking was $1.1 million, about 40% of which was paid for by the City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.[6] [7]
Since Phil's Diner Fresh-n-Fast's closure, three additional restaurants have opened and closed in the building. A fourth restaurant opened in 2022.[8]
Phil's Diner was designed using a replica railroad car and features a pink finish and a neon sign.[3] The original sign was stolen, and so a new one was reconstructed based on photographs of the original when the building was restored before reopening in 2011.[8]