6 Of John Wayne's Favorite Restaurants You Can Still Eat At Today
Celebrities have long played a powerful role in shaping our everyday decisions, from what we wear to where we dine. In the popular imagination, there seems to be an assumption that famous people have good taste. Or perhaps we just like the idea of living a celebrity lifestyle by dining at the restaurants they do, wearing the same perfume, or drinking their favorite cocktail.
Such inspiration is normally drawn from the hip and trendy celebrities who are perhaps engaged in the world of influencers. Those descriptions hardly apply to John Wayne, the old-school actor who lived during a time when the minutiae of celebrities' lives weren't so closely scrutinized. That's exactly why following Wayne's restaurant choices might do us some good — we know he didn't pick his favorite eateries based on a desire to create Instagram-worthy content. They were most likely chosen purely based on his enjoyment of the food and atmosphere.
Since we're looking at restaurants that have been around since Wayne's days, we can assume there's been a good reason why they've stood the test of time. And given that Wayne was known for his rugged authenticity — someone who prioritized substance over style — we might also expect to find a running theme in terms of aesthetic. If Wayne's personality is reflected in his choice of restaurant, it's likely that he focused less on what was popular, and more on good, honest cooking.
Gulliver's
You might expect that an actor firmly typecast as a cowboy would enjoy a good steak, and you'd be right. John Wayne's favorite steakhouse was Gulliver's, an Orange County eatery themed on 18th-century England near his home in Newport Beach, California.
The place specializes in prime rib — as it did back in Wayne's heyday — and diners can enjoy the dish in various forms. The menu includes a thin-sliced Traditional English Cut, the heftier Gulliver's Prime Cut, and the extra-large, bone-in Brobdingnagian. There's also the O.C. Cut for those with a smaller appetite, and each comes with a selection of sides, such as creamed corn, creamed spinach, and Yorkshire pudding. A slew of steaks are also available, along with poultry dishes and a seafood-focused gluten-free menu. You can even request a seat at Wayne's favorite table.
(949) 833-8411
18482 MacArthur Blvd, Irvine, CA 92612
Tam O'Shanter
If you've ever wanted to feel like you're dining in a fairytale, Tam O'Shanter is perhaps the closest you can get. One of California's oldest restaurants, Tam O'Shanter opened back in 1922 and takes its name from a famous Robert Burns poem. The venue was specifically designed to have a rich, storybook aesthetic, which is perhaps why Walt Disney loved to lunch there. It was a regular haunt of multiple Hollywood stars, including John Wayne.
Today, the place is just as magical as ever, with an interior adorned with medieval Scottish weaponry and other such paraphernalia, and a recently restored patio area. Diners can enjoy long-time menu items like toad in the hole made with braised beef, carrots, onions, mushrooms, kale, and Guinness gravy; or a hearty steak served with mashed Idaho potatoes.
lawrysonline.com/tam-o-shanter
(323) 664-0228
2980 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
The Formosa Cafe
This swanky Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles has been catering to the Hollywood elite for decades. After a brief closure and refurbishment in 2017, The Formosa Cafe came back with a bang, set on honoring its historic roots. Not only has the restaurant long been praised for its excellent food and friendly atmosphere, but its location right next to a major film studio certainly helped draw in some of the most recognizable icons of the era. Known regulars included James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, Elvis Presley, and of course, John Wayne.
According to the original owner, Lem Quon, Wayne would occasionally drink so much scotch that he'd pass out in his booth. Rather than wake him up, Quon would lock him in the restaurant overnight, and when he returned the following morning, he'd find Wayne making himself scrambled eggs in the kitchen. Today, you can take a seat in a traditional red booth under elegant Chinese lanterns, and sip on "John Wayne's Hat," a signature cocktail named in the star's honor, while tucking into classic dishes like dim sum or Kung Pao chicken.
(323) 794-1106
7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
The Cannery
Built in 1921, The Cannery started out as a commercial fish cannery before it was transformed into a waterfront restaurant in the 1970s. It was shut down in the late '90s with plans to turn the site into housing, but it was fortunately saved by a local resident determined to preserve an iconic piece of Newport Beach's history. As it happens, part of that history included frequent visits from John Wayne, who lived nearby and regularly took a seat at a corner table with a view of the bay.
Although we don't know what Wayne liked to order at The Cannery, the restaurant is well-known for its seafood offerings. Today, the menu includes appetizers like oysters and Alaskan king crab legs, with entrees ranging from cioppino to whole branzino to lobster pot pie. If fish isn't your thing, there are also burgers, steaks, and chicken dishes to choose from.
(949) 566-0060
3010 Lafayette Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92663
El Charro Cafe
The wilds of Tucson, Arizona, have provided the backdrop for countless Western films, so it's only natural that John Wayne would have spent some time in the area. During this time, it is said that Wayne would frequently join the owner of the El Charro Café, Monica Flin, on the restaurant patio, playing card games and sipping martinis out of teacups.
But that was just a slice of the restaurant's history. The place has been recognized as America's oldest continually running family-owned Mexican restaurant, and it continues to serve customers to this day. Its specialty is The Carne Seca Platter, featuring marinated, sun-dried Angus beef, shredded and served with tortillas and a range of sides, including guacamole and pico de gallo. The menu is packed with classic Mexican dishes, such as enchiladas, tamales, and fajitas. Interestingly, the restaurant is also commonly credited as having invented the chimichanga – a result of Flin accidentally knocking a burrito into the deep fryer.
(520) 622-1922
Multiple Locations
Durant's
Phoenix, Arizona, may not be the first place you think of as a celebrity hot spot, but Durant's — a famous old-school steakhouse — proves otherwise. Since opening in the 1950s, the place has drawn plenty of politicians, pro athletes, and Hollywood actors — including John Wayne.
It's likely that founder Jack Durant was a big part of the steakhouse's early draw. An ex-minor league baseball player, Durant would invite other players to visit when they were in town training. It's also said that Durant was once a casino pit boss for Las Vegas gangster Bugsy Siegel, giving him even more connections with the world of celebrities and lawmakers. Despite renovations over the years, the place retains a decor that oozes nostalgia, with its red leather booths, patterned wallpaper, and dim lighting. The food is your typical steakhouse fare, and while recent critics have called it mediocre at best, they admit Durant's is still worth visiting for a taste of American history.
(602) 264-5967
2611 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004