5 days ago
Iconic Hollywood restaurant made famous by the Kardashians suddenly closes
An iconic Chinese restaurant in West Hollywood made popular by the Kardashians and other celebrities is now closing after more than 40 years in business.
The first location of Chin Chin - which opened on the Sunset Strip in 1983 - will close on July 27, the restaurant abruptly announced on social media last week.
The eatery's other locations in Brentwood, Studio City and Las Vegas will remain open, the announcement said.
The casual-dining spot, known for its dim sum and Cantonese specialties, was a frequent hangout for stars like Britney Spears, the Kardashians and Sean Hayes.
Back in October 2019, Khloe Kardashian was seen at the restaurant with her sister Kourtney's ex Scott Disick.
With the de-facto celebrity endorsements, Chin Chin amassed a legion of die-hard fans over the years.
When Chin Chin changed ginger suppliers two years ago because of a supply chain issue, customers immediately noticed that the Chinese chicken salad tasted different and complained, according to David Choi, a partner in the restaurant.
A representative for the restaurant told the Los Angeles Times that the building's landlord decided not to renew Chin Chin's five-year lease at the location.
'At the last minute I think the landlord had a change in vision for the place, and as much as we wanted to be part of that, Chin Chin just wasn't part of their vision,' Choi told the outlet. 'It was just a very sudden change, and so we were kind of left scrambling.'
Fans of Chin Chin took to social media to share stories about their times at the restaurant, while also grieving the loss of an iconic piece of Hollywood.
'The go to place for me when I lived on Sunset in the 90's. It was like a cozy nightclub,' one person wrote.
'First the Palisades and now Chin Chin… I worked there in the 80s. I feel like my childhood is disappearing,' another said.
'Another slice of L.A. going away. I used to take my daughter there all the time. when she was a little kid. Great people watching,' a third said.
Among Chin Chin's most popular dishes are its Chinese chicken salads, dumplings and pan-fried noodles.
Many commenters on social media said they'd miss the chicken salad at Chin Chin.
Chinese chicken salad with deep-fried wontons mixed in was likely created by Madame Sylvia Wu at her Santa Monica restaurant Madame Wu's Garden, but there is no doubt that Chin Chin popularized the dish in the 1980s and 1990s.
'Owner and founder Bob Mandler is the man responsible for making Chinese chicken salad a household name in Los Angeles County, the man who elevated the fine art of Chinese grazing to undreamed-of plateaus,' former LA Times food critic Max Jacobson wrote in 1992.
Chin Chin has been operated by First to Market Hospitality for around a decade. The hospitality group wants to relocate some of the West Hollywood restaurant's staff to the other locations.
It also launched a GoFundMe to help the employees who will unfortunately lose their jobs after July's closure.
The fundraiser has pulled in $5,280 toward its $20,000, the vast majority of which was donated by Choi.
The Brentwood location has seen sales go down ever since the Palisades wildfire in January, Choi told the LA Times, while Studio City's location has languished in the face of entertainment industry strikes.
Since delivery is a big part of Chin Chin's business, Choi said customers who want to help the restaurant should order directly from them, instead of from the food delivery apps that take a 20 percent to 30 percent cut.
Choi said the idea of immediately investing in a new restaurant won't be a wise decision unless he can find 'a sweetheart deal or a great location.'
Many fans of Chin Chin have already visited the Sunset Plaza location to pay their respects.
'We've been around for [nearly] 45 years and that's been incredible, and we couldn't have done it without our customers,' Choi said. 'It's been a very pleasant surprise that we've had so many people that felt so strongly and had so many memories with us.'
