Farewell to Dan Tana: The man behind LA's legendary ‘Little Yellow House'
Dan Tana, the unforgettable restaurateur behind the iconic West Hollywood spot Dan Tana's, has passed away at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy as rich and comforting as his famous chicken parm, Variety reported.
Born as Dobrivoje Tanasijević near Belgrade, Serbia, Dan Tana began his life journey as a professional soccer player, weaving in and out of Canada's leagues. Then he shifted gears, tried his hand at acting, and even appeared in The Enemy Below in 1957. Eventually, he found his calling, in hospitality, starting as a dishwasher at Villa Capri and later maître d' at La Scala.
In 1964, Dan Tana took over a humble burger joint on Santa Monica Boulevard and transformed it into Dan Tana's, a cozy Italian-American gem serving hearty classics like chicken Parmesan.
He envisioned it as a late-night hideaway, because back then, if you wanted decent pasta after midnight, your only option was a diner.
Slowly but surely, it caught fire, especially after Richard Burton became a regular. Soon enough, stars like Johnny Carson, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and the Rat Pack were all elbows-deep in fettuccine. The lore says Vega$ even named its main character, 'Dan Tanna,' after the man himself.
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What made Dan Tana's magic wasn't the fanciest menu, it was the vibe. Wooden booths, red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, and green neon glows, it felt like the L.A. you didn't know existed anymore. As some classics shut their doors in the city, Dan Tana's held on, staying just the same. Patrons could vanish for years and come back, and the same bartender would remember their favorite drink.
On August 16, 2025, the restaurant posted a simple, heartfelt tribute:
'The great Dan Tana has passed on.
We all know that he created a very magical place. Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence. 'Dan started out working for La Scala and The Villa Capri in the 1950s. It was working for those classic eateries that encouraged him to open his own! And he did just that. He was always proud of where he came from and what he accomplished, a former soccer star from Yugoslavia."
'Dan had wonderful stories about Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis.
In fact Robert Urich's character was named after Dan Tana on the classic TV show, 'Vega$.'
'Today Dan Tana's is owned by his dear friend Sonja Perencevic who's kept it exactly the same since 1964.
'This man is a legend, and as you know a legend never dies.'
Dan Tana's journey, soccer, acting, and then creating a home for stars, reads like a good screenplay. But the real screen magic happened in that dining room, where storytelling happened one table at a time.
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