Los Angeles’s restaurants continue to face difficult headwinds, starting in 2020 with the onset of the global pandemic and exacerbated by theHollywood labor strikes in 2023, which led to an industry-wide slowdown that continued into 2026. From the lingering
effects of the Hollywood strikes to rising costs (labor, rent, ingredients, etc.), many factors continue to strain restaurant owners operating on razor-thin margins. Los Angeles restaurants also continue to struggle with the impact of the 2025 fires, including slow business and devastating property loss, as well as the ongoing effects of ICE enforcement. Here are notable restaurant closures fromAugust 2026. For more closure news, read ourpast closure coverage.
Employees Only — West Hollywood’s Employees Only, which debuted in 2018 on Santa Monica Boulevard slightly west of Fairfax Avenue, served its final cocktail on September 27. Managing partner Tom Sopit cited challenges with the general dining slowdown in Los Angeles, as well as cost increases with labor, rent, ingredients, and more. He told Eater that the current business and consumer climate made it difficult to stay open. Throughout the years, Employees Only had become a regular destination for those in the industry.
Macleod Ale Brewing Co. — Van Nuys longtime brewery and gathering spot for darts, cornhole, and role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons closed on September 27. Macleod co-founders Jennifer Febre-Boase and Alastair Boase debuted their pub in 2014 in a warehouse district near the Sepulveda Wildlife Basin. They even opened a Northeast Los Angeles location in 2022, though it later closed in 2023.
Kurrypinch — Sri Lankan specialist Kurrypinch announced that its final day of service would come at the end of September 2026. Chef Shaheen Ghazaly developed a following starting in 2018 by interpreting modern Sri Lankan cuisine from a modest Van Nuys storefront, before opening a larger space in Thai Town in 2025. In addition to being one of the few Sri Lankan spots in Los Angeles, Kurrypinch also hosted community events with fundraisers, live music, DJs, and trivia nights.
Levant Bistro – Anita Khalek’s healthy food journey became the blueprint for her restaurant, a gluten-free, soy-free, allergen-friendly Lebanese bistro. Sadly, the Echo Park restaurant closed on August 30. Levant Bistro opened in 2022 on the busy corner of Sunset Boulevard and Alvarado Street.
Electric Owl — After a decade in Hollywood, mid-aughts hangout Electric Owl closed on September 1. Chef Ernesto Uchimura took over the short-lived Gardner Junction space in 2016, establishing it as a festive, railroad-themed, mostly outdoor space that became one of the best places for cocktails and happy hour in its immediate neighborhood.
Chris & Pitts BBQ — On September 2, Chris & Pitts BBQ announced that its Bellflower location is closed. Chris & Pitts Bellflower is one of Los Angeles’s oldest restaurants, having opened 75 years ago in one of the region’s most distinct restaurant spaces. It served old-school barbecue, including ribs, steaks, sandwiches, and other classics. The Downey location remains open.
Meymuni — West Los Angeles’s Persian cafe with its alluring menu of barbari sandwiches, lavash wraps, fun smoothies, and coffee drinks paired with cross-generational events, closed on September 6. Meymuni translates to “party” in Farsi.
Boneyard Bistro — Chef Aaron Robbins operated Boneyard Bistro for two decades before closing its doors on September 12. The Sherman Oaks hangout became a central San Fernando Valley spot drawing patrons from all corners of the region. In an emotional Instagram announcement, Robbins stated tearfully that he needs a break.
Senfuku — One of the South Bay’s oldest restaurants closed on September 16. In 1974, Senfuku debuted in San Pedro and moved to its current location in 1983. KABC reports that writer Charles Bukowski was a regular.
Un Solo Sol — Boyle Heights’ plant-based restaurant spent nearly 16 years operating from a charming storefront across the street from Mariachi Plaza. Un Solo Sol’s final day was on September 28, with an afternoon-to-dinner menu serving chilaquiles, fajitas, enchiladas, taquitos, pupusas, and even Persian ghormeh sabzi to pair with banana date shakes, jamaica, and coffees. LAist says owner Carlos Ortez had not made a profit since 2022.
Mona Pasta Bar — In Downtown Los Angeles, Mona Pasta Bar will close permanently on September 30. Owner Devin Carlson, a partner at the former tenant 9th Street Ramen, a longtime Downtown resident, builder, and designer, wanted to shape the space to reflect Italian design movements from the 1980s. The restaurant served staples like Bolognese, spaghetti alla vongole, and a veal chop Milanese.
Sushiya on Sunset — Sushiya on Sunset almost made it to 30 years on the Sunset Strip. Sushiya opened in 1988 and was one of the less formal sushi dens in the region with a wide slate of Asian diasporic dishes. The restaurant closed at the end of September and left a heartfelt post on Instagram.
