05-04-2025
Another Legendary LA Restaurant, Genghis Cohen, Set to Close
Landlords for the Genghis Cohen, a landmark Chinese eatery on Fairfax featured in "The Chinese Restaurant" episode of Seinfeld will shut the doors of its red-hued eatery at 740 N. Fairfax on May 31. "After over a three year long lease negotiation, the original location of the close," according to a statement released by the restaurant's owners Marc Rose and Med Abrous. They added that they were "unable to secure a long term lease solution at a reasonable rate as the property is being redeveloped by the landlords."The landlords N. Fairfax Holdings LLC filed an eviction order against Genghis Cohen in November, according to property records. It's unclear what the classic Chinese restaurant will be replaced with.
Genghis Cohen, long considered a New York Style Chinatown eatery for Angelenos, will be moved to a temporary space a few blocks south on Fairfax once occupied by Sweet Chick this June until they are able to find a more permanent home. But the last service will be held on May 31. The closing marks the loss of yet another iconic L.A. eatery. Original Pantry, a DTLA staple for a century, closed last month. A slew of Sunset Boulevard restaurants are also preparing to serve last suppers in the coming months, among them Hudson House and the Den. "With so many iconic restaurants closing (from the past year alone Original Pantry Cafe, Le Petit Four, Patrick's Roadhouse, The list goes on) Marc and Med were hellbent on protecting this piece of LA restaurant history that they have stewarded over the last decade and tirelessly worked on finding a temporary location for the restaurant," the owners said in the statement. Genghis Cohen opened in 1983 by New York City native, music producer Allan Rinde who was working for Cherokee Studios at the time. He bought a pizza joint across the street and created Genghis Cohen, which served as a bit of home and a practice space for the bands he worked with. In 1997, Allan sold Genghis Cohen to long-time maitre d, Raymond Kiu, whose family ran the restaurant until they sold it a couple of regulars, the current owners.
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