The Playa Vista location of Hal’s Bar & Grill was the place to be during Runway’s 2017 night market event, photographed by VenicePaparazzi.com
The iconic Hal’s Bar & Grill has gone out of business, shuttering its locations in Playa Vista and Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice this morning.
Notes on the doors of both restaurants state that the business in liquidating and instruct employees to meet in Playa Vista this afternoon to settle final paychecks. The mood inside the building was a mix of shock and sadness, as the surprise closure comes about a month after the restaurant hired a new executive chef and rebooted its dinner menu. The restaurant’s owners could not be immediately reached for comment.
Hal’s original Abbot Kinney location of 30 years closed in April 2015 when its landlord sold that building for $44 million. A more compact version of Hal’s and sister restaurant Casa Linda (now also shuttered) later reopened down the street in the former home of Primitivo. In 2017, owners Don Novack, Linda Novack and Hal Frederick opened a gorgeous new flagship restaurant inside the now-struggling Runway at Playa Vista retail, entertainment and residential complex.
Argonaut food writer and Venice native Jessica Koslow recently wrote a tribute to Hal’s Bar & Grill on the occasion of its new menu.
— Joe Piasecki
Not a surprise. The PV location’s menu was waaaay overpriced for the offerings ($26+ for a half chicken), the food tepid if and when it arrived as ordered. The cavernous room lacked any ambience despite overt attempts with beautiful artwork. It was loud and noisy — no soft surfaces to diffuse the aggression. The original location was intimate, classic, and the two of us always found our evening there more than satisfactory. It’s a shame Hal couldn’t replicate his success elsewhere.
yes went to the one in Playa Vista for lunch w/friends for a birthday. They didn’t have a liquor license yet and the prices were decent. Food pretty good but the one in Venice was more intimate.
We waited three years for Hal’s to open in Playa Vista. I’m going to try not to be be negative.
But his original restaurant on Abbott Kinney had a wonderful menus. The menu in Playa Vista was not the same as Abbott Kinney!
I loved the ambiance of Hal’s in Playa Vista and it was decorated exquisitely!
It’s always sad to see a restaurant close after 30 years.
Would you know where or if Casa Linda will reopen? They are the best!
Am still sad Hal’s is gone. I live in PV so walk past the old spot often and the furniture etc. is all still there. I fantasize they will be back but looks unlikely. So hard to find any place that supports great music with no cover charge. And that last chef was excellent. Definitely a loss.
Hal Frederick was a friend and Hal’s Bar and Grill was one of my favorite spots.