After 42 years Genghis Cohen is closing its original Los Angeles location
For over four decades, Genghis Cohen has been serving the city of Los Angeles its spin on New York-style Chinese food and hosting musical acts of all genres, but the LA cult eatery will soon be closing its doors, well, sort of.
Genghis Cohen, famously known for inspiring Larry David’s “The Chinese Restaurant” episode of “Seinfeld,” will serve its original location at 740 N. Fairfax Ave. one last time on Saturday, May 31. It will then temporarily relocate to the former Sweet Chick space at 448 N. Fairfax Ave. on Sunday, June 1.
“83 till infinity…” the eatery wrote in an Instagram post that referenced their opening year. “After doing our best to secure a long-term lease at a reasonable rate, the property is being redeveloped, and we will be leaving in search of a permanent location for this LA institution.”
“Operating with longevity in this current climate is hard,” the post continued. “Even with all the challenges, we are prepared to surmount them with your support, and are more energized than ever on keeping the Genghis Cohen legacy alive for generations to come. We are so thankful for the incredible memories filled with family, music (and egg rolls) and are excited to welcome you to the new space with open arms.”
While the eatery isn’t closing for good, the move marks a growing trend of cherished restaurants disappearing from Los Angeles, including staples such as the Original Pantry Café, Le Petit Four, Patrick’s Roadhouse, and The Rose. Some users on social media commented on the post, expressing their frustrations with learning another one of their favorite restaurants will soon disappear.
“Developers, greed, and an erasure of history are destroying my beloved hometown and turning it into mixed-use . Sad day for Los Angeles, but that building doesn’t make Genghis, the spirit of what you two continued, and grew even bigger and brighter does. Onward and upward,” a user wrote.
“They can gut the block, but they can’t touch the spirit. Genghis forever. Can’t wait to see what’s next,” another user commented.
Genghis Cohen first opened in 1983, under the helm of music producer Allan Rinde, who had worked at Cherokee Studios. Rinde was a former New Yorker who yearned for New York-style Chinese food that wasn’t readily available to him in his new home on the West Coast. He purchased the pizza joint across the street from his music studio to open Genghis Cohen.
With a background in music, Rinde attached a venue to the eatery where he would invite bands he worked with to perform alongside the greater music community. In 1997, he sold Genghis Cohen to long-time maitre d’ Raymond Kiu, whose family had run the restaurant until they sold it to current owners Marc Rose and Med Abrous in 2015. The latter were regulars and also New York natives.
Since then, Rose and Abrous have aimed to keep Genghis Cohen consistent with its legacy and longtime regulars who continue to order favorites like the queen chicken, no name duck and the New York style eggrolls for the past 40 years, while sitting at “their” unofficial tables. The eatery has also provided a space for Los Angeles’ Jewish community, as well as New York City-style Chinese food enthusiasts, musicians, actors, skateboarders, and others to congregate around tasty food and entertainment.
Genghis Cohen will continue to be open from its temporary location seven days a week for delivery and dine-in, as well as cocktails and live shows, according to a press statement.