LOS ANGELES, CA – Cole’s, the downtown Los Angeles restaurant and bar rumored to be the birthplace of the French dip sandwich, is planning to reopen in mid- to late November under new ownership after closing March 29, according to its incoming co-owners.
The restaurant sits at 118 East 6th Street in the Historic Core. Chef and hospitality entrepreneur Jeremy Fall and Sean Maloney, former chief hospitality officer of Mozza Restaurant Group, received the keys in early August and have been working to revive it since then.
The venue dates to 1908 and closed in March under its previous owner, Pouring With Heart hospitality group. The new team is bringing back the French dip and the atomic mustard, and adding a larger food menu with white tablecloths and pasta.
New owners took over in early August
Fall and Maloney have been working on the restaurant quietly since receiving the keys. Fall grew up downtown and spent part of his childhood living two blocks from Cole’s, above his family’s Angelique Cafe.
Fall said he was among many Angelenos who were saddened to see the restaurant close. He said the decision to take it on did not come in a sudden burst of inspiration. After the previous owner reached out, he thought about it for a day and decided to see whether he could make it work.
Maloney estimates he has opened 11 other restaurants. Cole’s will be his first as an owner.
Liquor license approval still pending
Fall and Maloney currently hold a temporary liquor license. They are awaiting full approval from the state so they can close escrow on the sale.
The owners said they hope to reopen in mid- to late November. The sale had been in the works for more than a year, since before the previous owner announced the end of Cole’s in July 2025.
Previous owner cited financial losses
When Pouring With Heart announced the closure in July 2025, the group cited financial losses tied to the pandemic, entertainment-industry strikes and rising labor costs. It first announced a closing date of Aug. 3, 2025, then extended it to Nov. 1, 2025, with owner Cedd Moses citing support from patrons.
The restaurant ultimately shut its doors March 29 after about 118 years in business. Moses had said earlier that the closure was delayed after a great response, but that business started receding again. The final weekend included collaborations with local chefs, with proceeds benefiting the Independent Hospitality Coalition.
Menu adds pasta and white tablecloths
The new owners say they are expanding the culinary side of Cole’s to draw diners downtown and to help secure the restaurant’s future. Maloney described the vision as what would result if New York’s 4 Charles Prime Rib and Pastis and Los Angeles’ Musso and Frank Grill “had a child out of wedlock.”
French dips and cocktails will return, along with the atomic mustard, which will have a slightly tweaked recipe. The menu also adds white tablecloths, pasta and an expanded line of sauces.
The French dip lineup includes an original version with dry-brined prime rib and 24-hour au jus, a pastrami version and a vegan version with mushrooms and onions. Clark Street Bread is developing a custom sandwich roll for the restaurant.
Other dishes include fresh ravioli, prime rib frites and salmon with trout roe. The drinks list leans classic and includes an au jus-washed martini.
Daniel Nguyen to lead the kitchen
Fall and Maloney designed much of the menu themselves. Daniel Nguyen, formerly of Osteria Mozza and Lolo Wine Bar, will lead the kitchen as head chef.
The former Varnish cocktail bar room behind the dining room will be used for private dining through the end of 2026.
Historic details will remain
Since receiving the keys, the owners have added vintage tin ceiling tiles. They removed the pool tables to make room for more seating and a piano.
The famous plaques above the urinals will remain in the renovated bathrooms, including the one that commemorates poet Charles Bukowski. The booth frequented by gangster Mickey Cohen will also stay in place.
Fall said that “Preserving its history is the priority, but we also have to be mindful of being able to keep the doors open with menu expansion.” He added that the restaurant was closing because people were not going to Cole’s. Maloney said he wants to make the restaurant sustainable so it is there for a very long time.
Building carries city monument status
The restaurant occupies part of the Pacific Electric Building. The City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments list includes the building as No. 104, Cole’s P.E. Buffet / Pacific Electric Building, adopted Oct. 17, 1989.
The listing covers the addresses 601-619 South Los Angeles Street, 600-616 South Main Street and 100-134 East 6th Street.
Reopening targeted for mid- to late November
The reopening depends on full approval of the liquor license and the close of escrow. The owners said they are aiming for mid- to late November.
