A Sequel That Tops the Original
Back when Melrose Avenue was a strip of furniture stores and garden-supply warehouses, Fellini’s was an oasis on a street that got quiet after dark. More a low-attitude hangout than a bar/restaurant, it was a place where stars and civilians alike could chat, loaf, cruise and listen to live music.
As the ‘80s progressed, Melrose got hip, and Fellini’s closed. The space reopened briefly in the early ‘90s as a tony club called Trinity, but the doors were shut again within a year.
The good news: Fellini’s is back.
The better news: It’s been improved in all ways, while retaining the no-fuss vibe that defined the old Fellini’s. Since it reopened quietly in early September, the crowds have been growing, old regulars and newcomers jamming the place to listen to blues, eat homemade Italian food or relax with a drink.
New owners Joe and Lora Esposito and Mark Schulman spent most of the summer re-creating the old Fellini’s. The exterior, with its verdigris window trimmings, was painted and restored. The elaborate wood interior was cleaned and polished and the kitchen rebuilt. Even the original neon sign, which had been thrown on the roof and left to rust, has been restored and hung in its former position.
The result is one of the most comfortable spaces in town, neither stuffy nor divey. Inside the long, dark bar--with its burnished walnut and marble inlays, vaulted ceilings and soft lights--it’s easy to imagine that you’ve been transported to a cozy hideaway in Boston or New Orleans.
Many of the musicians from the old days have returned, and the regular customers are even helping in the restoration, Joe Esposito says. “When Fellini’s closed the first time,” he explains, “people took things home as souvenirs. Now they’re bringing back everything, from signs to the red carpet.”
And, yes, there’s still a portrait of Federico Fellini hanging at the entrance. When the director died last month, the staff donned black armbands and draped the picture with bunting.
* Name: Fellini’s.
* When and Where: 6810 Melrose, Los Angeles. (213) 936-3100. Live music Thursday through Saturday.
* Dress Code: “Casual but neat.”
* Money Matters: No cover charge. Domestic beer, $3.
