Dan Tana's

Dan Tana's is an Italian-American restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, that has operated since 1964. It is one of the best-known old-school establishments in the Los Angeles area, known for its red-sauce cooking, its checkered tablecloths and a clientele that has long included actors, directors, athletes and other figures from the entertainment industry. The restaurant occupies a low-ceilinged dining room that is dark, intimate and cosy, with red leather booths, candles in glass holders, Chianti bottles and walls lined with memorabilia and photographs. The menu is built around traditional Italian-American dishes. Chicken Parmesan is among the best-known, together with eggplant Parmesan, veal dishes, pasta classics such as spaghetti with meatballs and linguine with clams, and the New York steak, a favourite of regulars. Appetisers include shrimp scampi, antipasti and caesar salad. The wine list leans toward Italian and Californian bottles, and the bar is part of the experience, serving classic cocktails such as martinis and negronis. Service is attentive and old-fashioned, with waiters who often know regular guests. The atmosphere is warm and lively, with a moderate to high noise level, particularly on weekend nights. Dress is casual to smart casual. Reservations are advised and are made by phone; tables, especially at peak dinner hours and on weekends, can be hard to secure, and the bar offers a way to wait or to dine informally. Prices are high, with a dinner typically costing about 60 to 100 US dollars per person. The restaurant serves dinner nightly and is a short distance from the Sunset Strip and the Troubadour, which makes it a common pre-show stop. Valet parking is typically used.