Question of the Day - 09 April 2019

Even if DuPar's couldn't keep the diner doors open, it's surprising that the owners of the Golden Gate didn't just take it over themselves, or find someone else to run it. Or am I misunderstanding... the restaurant just didn't take in enough money to sustain itself, even though it had many fans who now miss it?

Best Pancakes. Miss eating there

I don't miss DuPar's, but I sure do miss the snack bar and the 99 cent shrimp cocktails.

I've definitely heard from GG management that Dupar's was behind in rent.  

What is puzzling is how they could be in financial difficulties, at least in that location.  There was a waiting line to get a table most mornings.  And while the food was very good and in my opinion a good value, it wasn't a all that cheap a place to eat.  

I don't see any way that could not have been a profitable location for them.  If they had financial difficulties overall, I would have to think there were other locations contributing to the problem that would have been more likely candidates for closure.

It still makes me wonder if there isn't more to the story.

We've stayed at MSS & The Cal many times the past decade and EVERY stay (until 2017) have observed DuPars take out orders, somtimes huge, by other residents. The evidence? Sometimes stacks of take-out detritus in hallway partly enclosed by DuPars bags, sometimes Hawaiian teens loaded down with multiple Dupars sacks, sometimes overhearing cashier taking lengthy phone order.  We won't be the only ones missing the diner, its breakfasts or its desserts. 

Casinos, and "independent" businesses within them, don't go broke; they "go broke." Skimming of profits, creative bookkeeping, and arms being twisted in, as Benny Binion once put it, "a most artistic way" all could contribute to the demise of an ostensibly thriving establishment. After all, it's no more possible to run a casino in Vegas (or a restaurant inside a casino) without making money than it is to jump into Lake Mead and not get wet (and then dissolve from all the chemicals, of course).

I really liked the diner before Dupar's. The prices became
too high for a Vegas breakfast(and the pie was subpar). No surprise they could not make it. Perhaps GG management was too
greedy with the rent?

This is RE: Kevin Lewis' comments....."Soooo....is this what happened to Binions??  I could never understand why a Casino downtown could go under.  And why is the Mint's old hotel tower still a home for spiders & not people??

I only ate there once. Had what I thought was a gourmet burger. Came with about a 3oz patty and a mountain of lettuce to make it tall. Totally underwhelmed and once disappointed never revisited.  

While I did dine many times at DuPars after they took over the space in the GG, I have always missed the Bay City Diner much more.  As a website that promotes value the LVA should have realized that DuPars may have had drawing cards (pancakes and pies) that they promoted but they were not worth a 50% price increase from the Bay City Diner prices.  And DuPars did not offer many of my favorite special diner meals at great prices of under $7pp.  They had a home made beef stew that was fantastic and I also enjoyed their lasagna, chili, spaghetti & meatballs and more.  Value wise DuPars was badly beaten by Magnolias at the 4Queens, The Market St Cafe at the Cal and the Binions Coffee Shop,  All of those places keep giving me great meals for much less than DuPars cost.

Just for the sake of historical & current accuracy: There are exactly 2 Du-par's locations left in the Los Angeles area. Du-par's began with 2 locations over 70 years ago, first the original in the Farmers Market complex southwest of Hollywood, and then the 2nd in Studio City, a suburb just over the mountain to the north of Hollywood. These 2 locations had the original full menu with all the sweets and all the savory entrees. A few years ago, the Farmers Market location changed ownership and the new owners changed & reduced the menu, killing off the special feeling you got when you ate there, although the bakery counter extending into the shopping complex is still there. The Studio City location closed a couple years ago. Many satellite locations opened and closed, and one remains, in eastern downtown Pasadena, though it also just doesn't fully feel like a true Du-par's.