Landmark LA restaurant Pacific Dining Car demolished after sustaining damage from second fire in months
Demolition is underway at the Westlake District of Los Angeles site of the shuttered Pacific Dining Car restaurant after an early morning blaze forced fire crews to begin dismantling the structure for the sake of public safety.
Thursday morning's incident marks the second major fire at the iconic restaurant within one year. The century-old, official historic cultural monument was heavily damaged by flames in August 2024. Fire officials said the building has burned more "than a half-dozen times in recent memory."
Los Angeles Fire Department crews first responded around 6:50 a.m. to a fire at a vacant, two-story office building at 1310 W. 6th Street. Crews discovered the flames spread to the attached Pacific Dining Car restaurant, according to LAFD.
The fire was knocked down within 45 minutes and no injuries were reported. LAFD firefighter David Ortiz said firefighters were very familiar with the building.
"It is believed that transients were occupying the building," Ortiz said. "There is evidence that a lot of the electrical has been pulled out of this building to be sold as recyclable material, and the plan for it now is for the one-story section to be demolished by the fire department because it poses a hazard ..."
The remodeled railway train opened as the Pacific Dining Car restaurant in 1921, offering diners a unique experience.
Over the next nearly 100 years, it was a fixture of fine dining in LA and featured in various television shows and movies including "Training Day" and "Chinatown."
In 2020, several months into the pandemic, the restaurant closed and auctioned off its equipment, furniture and décor. Bidding for the marquee sign reached a price tag of $1,500 at one point, while the vintage cash register was also a fan favorite at auction.
The historical designation came about in 2023, intending to be the beginning of restoration efforts bringing the famed LA restaurant back to its former glory.
On Yelp's website as of Thursday morning, Pacific Dining Car was listed as "temporarily closed, with a reopening date of June 24, 2025."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
