Fanny’s recently made its dinner debut at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The restaurant welcomes diners with a modern take on old Hollywood glam. Ceilings are high, the booths are classically tufted red velvet and the walls are lined with sketches of famous figures from pop culture then and now—most importantly, of Barbra Streisand’s iconic role in Funny Girl, Fanny Brice herself.
Los Angeles natives and visitors alike will enjoy steak carving and caesar salad tossed tableside, but the show does not stop there. The DJ behind the vintage booth cranks up the music on Wednesdays through Sundays for mandatory dancing in the space designed by Commune Design and conceptualized by the late architect Osvaldo Maiozzi.
Commune’s design combines contemporary design and Hollywood glam. The sprawling space pays homage to studio back lots and the museum’s modernist Saban building. Industrial themes showcase warm textures and organic materials such as maple, marble, zinc and leather come together to make space for local artists such as Atelier de Troupe and Adam Pogue. The mural that wraps around the entirety of Fanny’s was specially commissioned by LA-based artist and illustrator Konstantin Kakanias.
The cocktails are a highlight of the Fanny’s experience and reference some of Hollywood's most famous movies like Some Like It Hot, Kill Bill and the Gladiator. At the bottom of the cocktail menu, you’ll find the “World’s Best Martini” which I am here to tell you, is aptly named.
After dessert, guests are encouraged to walk around the 10,000-square-foot space where they can play eye spy with the art and stroll up the stairs to a wall lined with sketches of Fanny Brice’s most iconic on-screen looks.
With support from the Fran and Ray Stark Foundation, restaurateurs Bill Chait and Carl Schuster joined forces with executive chef Raphael Francois, a familiar face in Michelin-starred kitchens across the United States and Europe. Chef Francois brings classics from around the world to the menu like homemade cacio e pepe, a whole orata fish grilled on the kitchen’s hearth and a killer burger.
Fanny’s is already the go-to stop for breakfast and lunch. Now when it comes to dinner, whether you’re popping in after your visit to the Academy Museum or simply stopping by for a cocktail, Fanny’s would make the legendary vaudeville, comic and radio star, played by Babs herself, extremely proud.
