Brown Derby

California, United States

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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Further readingAtlas Obscura↗

The Brown Derby was a Los Angeles restaurant chain whose flagship location, opened by Wilson Mizner in 1926, was shaped like a giant derby hat—a whimsical example of novelty architecture that became an iconic emblem of Hollywood's Golden Age. Founded in the 1920s by Robert H. Cobb and Herbert K. Somborn (the latter a former husband of actress Gloria Swanson), the chain expanded across the city, though the original locations closed or were repurposed by the 1980s. The brand was later revived through a Disney-backed franchising program in the 21st century.