Electric Owl, a railway-themed restaurant and bar in West Hollywood, has closed its doors after nearly 10 years in business. The establishment, located near Sunset Boulevard, announced its closure on Instagram on Tuesday.
"After almost 10 incredible years, Electric Owl has closed its doors," the owners wrote in a farewell post. "We’re deeply grateful to everyone who walked through them, worked beside us, and made this place what it was."
The restaurant did not provide a reason for the sudden closure, leaving patrons surprised. Opened on a triangular lot that once housed an old Pacific Electric train station, Electric Owl was designed to evoke the Golden Age of rail travel, featuring 1920s-style banquettes and brass fixtures. Its name was a nod to early 1900s slang for night shift train conductors.
The closure adds Electric Owl to a list of other established West Hollywood venues that have recently ceased operations. Patrons expressed sadness and nostalgia in the comments section of the Instagram post, recalling the restaurant's atmosphere and signature dishes.
Some patrons noted a decline in quality or service in recent years, with one Reddit user mentioning that the restaurant "went downhill quality wise" before the pandemic and another recalling "unfriendly host" encounters. The establishment was conceived by chef Ernesto Uchimura.
