The Palm Restaurant in the Neighborhood with 12-lb Lobster, World’s Best Bourbon
South Park Business Feature
I had the pleasure of sitting down at The Palm Restaurant (on Flower at 11th Street) with the charming Lydia Behrens, Sales and Events Manager, and the gregarious Jeff Kops, General Manager. Both have joined The Palm within the last six months. Jeff was previously the GM at The Palm in Beverly Hills, which closed in October 2023, and has been with The Palm chain for the past 11 years. He and his wife now live in South Park. Lydia comes from a hospitality background and recently discovered the benefits of taking the Metro from Pico Station to her home in Pasadena.
I remember getting lobster sandwiches from The Palm during the pandemic, but to be honest have not thought about them much since. The Palm opened at 1100 Flower Street in 2002. The first Palm opened in New York in 1926. Their philosophy remains: “treat guests like family, serve great food, and always exceed expectations.”
There are currently 16 Palm locations around the globe. However, the one in South Park includes “authentic” caricatures of neighbors, family, as well as celebrity patrons. They are currently open for an incredible “Happy Hour,” Sunday-Friday from 4-6:30 pm and dinner seven nights a week. They are considering reopening for lunch in the future. Lydia advised that The Palm has the biggest private event space (other than hotels) in DTLA with capacity of 140 seated and 200 in total.
Jeff advised that The Palm was an Italian Restaurant and has kept many of its original dishes. His favorite is chicken parmigiana, which uses muenster cheese rather than mozzarella. He also loves lamb rib chops. He claims their lobsters (3+ pounds) have the best flavor and texture as they are from the deep, cold waters of Nova Scotia. Lydia favors the pappardelle bolognese and ribeye steak.
Jeff is not only the GM, but also doubles as the maitre d. They are targeting a younger crowd and stress you can come as you are. There is no dress code. Jeff says, “wear jeans, Kings jerseys, or whatever you like.”
As of March 2020, Landry Hospitality purchased The Palm restaurants. They offer Landry’s Select Club for $25, which gets you $25 off your next visit and $25 credit for every $250 spent at all Landry Restaurants (excluding Maestro’s).
Whether you want to treat yourself to their famous “Palm Old Fashioned”, using Garrison Brothers Bourbon, voted best bourbon in the world, or order (in advance) huge 12-pound lobsters or enjoy the flavors of family-styled Italian fare, The Palm may be the place for you to get reintroduced. Personally, I am salivating for some chicken parm. And yes, they still have white tablecloth service!
By Marty Goldberg