Is Gladstone's Actually Closing? The 53-Year-Old Pacific Palisades Restaurant Just Responded To The Controversy

The Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles has been through a lot recently, but for locals worried that the iconic seaside restaurant Gladstone's was about to close, there will still be plenty of time to enjoy more meals. The seafood restaurant has been a staple of the community since 1972, and is especially beloved for its location on the Pacific Coast Highway overlooking the ocean, where it has been since 1981. It was so connected to the area and city that it was even once owned by former LA Mayor Richard Riordan, before changing hands after he passed away in 2023.

In the California wildfires that made national news by devastating the neighborhood in early 2025, Gladstone's suffered damage, but managed to reopen. However, not long after came the news that Gladstone's had been approved for demolition, with plans to replace it with a new restaurant designed by Frank Gehry and operated by legendary LA chef Wolfgang Puck. There was immediate sadness over the loss of another classic LA restaurant, but after Tasting Table reached out for comment, the restaurant's general manager, Jim Harris, told us the end of Gladstone's is still years away.

Harris explained that while the demolition will eventually happen, it could be years before all the government approvals are finalized, during which time Gladstone's will stay open. The plan has actually been in the works for years, with Harris saying, "We've been living under the guise of them tearing us down for about 10 years now."

While no exact end date for Gladstone's can be predicted, Harris tells us, "We're hoping to be here through the Olympics," which will be held in Los Angeles in the summer of 2028. It should also be noted that while some in the community will be upset over the loss of a favorite spot, the staff of Gladstone's supports the plan, with Harris saying, "We do support Wolfgang," and adding that "the building they want to put up looks spectacular."

Puck and Gehry actually won the right to build a new restaurant in place of Gladstone's back in 2018, but the complications of the site have delayed development. The restaurant is beachfront on state land in Will Rogers State Beach, and the development is a public-private partnership requiring the buy-in of multiple agencies, including the California Coastal Commission, which just approved the plan. In addition to the new restaurant, as an updated fact sheet from the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors confirms, the redevelopment will improve public access to the beach, add a snack bar open to the public, construct a larger public viewing deck, and improve a public coastal trail through the property.

Gladstone's is going away, but likely not for years, so anyone with fond memories of the beachside restaurant has plenty of time to plan a final few visits. And while the loss of any old-school LA restaurant is sad, residents are getting something much more than just an expensive new restaurant in its place.