Clifton's Republic

Clifton's Republic 🧠 We invite you to experience Living History in one of California's most historic venues.
(2277)

Once the starting point of Route 66, Clifton's became a cultural institution that inspired the works of such diverse visionaries as Walt Disney, Ray Bradbury, Jack Kerouac and Jerry Leiber. This fantasy environment, patterned after California's ancient Redwood forests, celebrates the natural and cultural wonder of the Golden State and its people. With its twelve foot diameter Coastal Redwood tower

ing over its three story amphitheater-- Cathedral Grove-- and its massive stone fireplace presiding over brooks, a chapel and an assortment of Natural History dioramas and other wonders, Clifton's is truly the nation's most unique hospitality environment. A highly diverse five floors of dining and cocktail options present much to explore. Families can enjoy walks through woodlands and caves while those inclined towards cocktails and world class entertainment will find plenty to enjoy with four bars, cabaret and a spectacular ballroom housing our lion and other awe inspiring displays. Every nook and cranny holds a story, and the entire space beckons travelers of all ages in search of history and adventure.

07/14/2026

Broadway, Downtown LA, November 2019. At least according to Ridley Scott’s remarkable Bladerunner. We of course glanced at our own version of a dystopian future on Broadway— starting a mere three months after that date with the Pandemic and a hollowing out of our Historic Core and Downtown. A frightening look into our future— both real and imagined— as we confront what our future might look like— and imagine the beauty and horror of what may come to pass. This scene introduced Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford— whose birthday it is today!) and his mission to seek out and destroy machines masquerading as humans. Is this the future we want? Is it what we expect? Is it unavoidable? The answer is in our hands— and from the look of it, we aren’t making a lot of progress if our goal is to avoid broken weather, astonishing gaps between the wealth of those living in modern industrial pyramids and those on the gritty crowded streets below, and a perpetual struggle between mankind and machines. He may have been off in his dates— but if we don’t watch out, this may too come to pass.

✨📸✨We invite you to join online for a FREE historic event: The Diary of a Clifton’s Cafeteria Camera Girl! 👉Link in our...
07/08/2026

✨📸✨We invite you to join online for a FREE historic event: The Diary of a Clifton’s Cafeteria Camera Girl! 👉Link in our profile!
What’s the big deal about an old cafeteria, anyway? Peel back the layers of time and come on a historic journey to discover why Clifton’s was one of the premier tourist destinations in the world, and to hear the charming 1950s diary of one of its Camera Girls, Vilma!

Founder Clifford Clinton was a visionary in the same class as Walt Disney. In the 1930s, cafeterias were all the rage, providing quick, nutritious meals. Mr. Clinton, an already established restaurateur and philanthropist, wanted his new cafeterias to stand out, so he created two ultra-fantasy themed locations in downtown Los Angeles: Clifton’s “Pacific Seas” and Clifton’s “Brookdale.” From the 1930s to the 1950s, Clifton’s was serving 10,000 people per day. More than that, Mr. Clinton created a community atmosphere where all were welcomed. Somewhere along the line, a souvenir photo studio was added to Clifton’s, named “Keepsake Photography.”

Sisters Miriam and Victoria Caldwell discovered their mother Vilma’s handwritten diaries, along with never-before-seen Clifton’s Cafeteria photographs and ephemera, unearthing the story of the photo studio and its staff photographers, known as Camera Girls. Let her diaries transport you right back into this time and space as Miriam and Victoria read some of the best diary entries, tell stories, and share photos, bringing to light one of the unique stories on the history of Clifton’s…and about one camera girl who blazed her own path to become the “Star of YOUR Souvenir photo”!
Follow the link in our profile to sign up for this amazing event! ✨⚡️

What a sad week for classic Cinema. Robert Duvall passed away today at the age of 95– leaving Hollywood to mourn the lo...
02/17/2026

What a sad week for classic Cinema. Robert Duvall passed away today at the age of 95– leaving Hollywood to mourn the loss of another icon and tie to an era of exuberant filmmaking and unparalleled artistic expression. Few individuals have played a single iconic role— yet Duvall made a career out of doing exactly that. From Apocalypse Now to Network, To Kill A Mockingbird, Twilight Zone, The Godfather, The Great Santini, The Conversation— the list goes on and on— he made sure his roles cast an incisive mark on his films and left an indelible impression on audiences— astonishingly even if they were minor roles.

Ninety-five years is a long life— but not nearly long enough for an actor who left you waiting to see his next role— the next character that would inhabit your imagination for the rest of your life and change you, however so slightly, going forward.

An appeal to the AI generation— where we’re all on the verge of being just a prompt away from everything we want. Duvall was one of the last actors who didn’t give us what we wanted— he gave us what we didn’t know we needed. And we were changed by him and his role as a result. And for that we will be eternally grateful. RIP

So incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Bud Cort— who’s Harold to Ruth Gordon’s Maude created one of the most iconic...
02/12/2026

So incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Bud Cort— who’s Harold to Ruth Gordon’s Maude created one of the most iconic— and bizarre— love stories in film history. I can’t think of a film that’s more influential and incisive— owing a debt to Cort and his character’s quirky oddness— his palpable discomfort for life and obsession with death. If you haven’t seen Harold & Maude please watch it. It’s one of the few films that has the potential to change your life. We are so thankful for Cort’s legacy— his gift of Harold, and a life shining a light on a playfully awkward side of life. Far too soon…

01/04/2026

⚡️Fritz Lang’s masterwork imagines a future of dystopian wonder and horror— where technology, conflict, compassion, and greed intertwine in a fever dream of beauty, eloquence, humanity, and Expressionistic dread. That future, depicted by Lang to be 2026, has arrived— and it’s providing to be as challenging a time as he had envisioned. His message: Between the head and the hands the heart must mediate. As true then as it is now— and as poignant a lesson as our past can gift our future.

12/22/2025

WE ARE WATCHING YOU. 👁️✨
The Midwinter Monster’s Ball Costume Contest is on.
THE RULES: No sign-ups. No lines. Our secret judges will scout the floor from 9 PM – 11 PM. If you’re spotted, you get a Golden Ticket to the Main Stage Finals at11:45 PM.
THE BOUNTY: 🏆 GRAND PRIZE ($800 Value): 1-Night Stay at a 4-Star Santa Barbara Hotel + Dinner for 2 at . 🥈 2ND PLACE: $200 Cash 🥉 3RD PLACE: $75 Cash
THE VIBE: Bring us your best: 💥 Anime & Superheroes ⚔️ Dark & High Fantasy 🧛 High-Fashion Monsters
DRESS CODE: Costumes encouraged, not required. Otherwise, Cocktail or Semi-Formal attire. Dress to kill.
🎟️ Tickets in Bio.

12/21/2025

👹 Eat, Drink, and Be Scary! Your Saturday night plans just got a legendary upgrade. 50% OFF FOR AN EXTREMELY LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS NOW! Tonight’s Midwinter Veil celebration continues with mythical characters, cocktails, music, and madness!
Come for the history, stay for the:
    •    Krampus photo ops (bring your best “scared” face 📸)
    •    Mystical Fortune Tellers
    •    Incredible local vendors
    •    Your favorite cocktails & delicious bites
Grab your tickets, grab a drink, and let’s get wild in the woods of Clifton’s. See you there!

📣Use coupon code KRAMPUS for the discount! First 50 tickets only! Follow the link in our profile for tickets and more info

12/18/2025

📣We hope you join us for some exceptional holiday programming beginning Friday the 19th at 8pm!❄️🥳🎄Check the link in our profile for more info & tickets. Walk-ins welcome! 🍾 Get your New Years Eve tickets soon to save your place at our one of a kind Midwinter Veil Ball!

We begin our celebration with this wonderful segment from Strike Up the Band, a 1940 film by Busby Berkeley featuring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. The creator of this segment, George Pal, went on to produce such iconic films as When Worlds Collide and War of the Worlds (in which Clifton’s has a tiny cameo!) It captures the wonder of classic filmmaking and stop action animation— which was pioneered by Ray Harryhausen— a legendary Clifton’s regular.

Don’t miss this opportunity to step into history and make this holiday season legendary!

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Los Angeles, CA
90014

Opening Hours

Friday 6pm - 2am
Saturday 6pm - 2am

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