9 Places Humphrey Bogart Was Known To Dine At Around The US
Old Hollywood feels closest when it shows up in ordinary places: a corner booth, a late lunch, a room humming with quiet confidence.
Humphrey Bogart carried that kind of presence, the sort that makes people lean in even decades later, still curious about his routines when the cameras stopped rolling.
Celebrity culture has changed, yet the urge to trace a star’s footsteps hasn’t.
Restaurants become time capsules, holding onto stories in menus, matchbooks, and the lingering sense that a familiar face once claimed a favorite seat.
Tracking down where Bogart liked to eat also turns into a mini road trip through American dining history. Pull up a chair – Bogart’s off-screen trail is closer than it looks.
Disclaimer: This article reflects editorial opinion on restaurants historically associated with Humphrey Bogart and is intended for entertainment and historical interest. Details are based on reported accounts and may vary by source or over time.
1. Musso & Frank Grill
Hollywood’s oldest restaurant still looks like it did when Bogart walked through the door in the 1940s.
Dark wood booths, white-jacketed waiters, and that unmistakable scent of grilled steaks create an atmosphere you can’t fake.
Bogart loved the back room, where he could eat in peace away from gawking fans.
The menu hasn’t changed much either. Flannel cakes, chicken pot pie, and perfectly mixed martinis remain house specialties.
6667 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028
2. The Formosa Café
Right next to the old Warner Bros. lot, this Chinese-American joint became Bogart’s go-to spot between takes. The trolley car dining room made it quirky, but the strong drinks made it legendary.
Photographs of Bogie still hang on the walls, reminding diners that this wasn’t just any watering hole. It was where stars came to unwind without pretense.
7156 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046
3. Barney’s Beanery
Forget fancy tablecloths and snooty waiters.
Bogart and Lauren Bacall preferred this divey roadhouse when they wanted chili, beer, and pool tables. Nothing about Barney’s screamed Hollywood glamour, which is exactly why they loved it.
The couple could sit at the bar, argue about politics, and nobody bothered them.
Comfort food ruled here. Burgers, nachos, and endless coffee kept the conversation going late into the night.
8447 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
4. Chasen’s
Before it closed in 1995, Chasen’s was the place where Hollywood royalty went to see and be seen.
Bogart practically had his name engraved on a booth, showing up so often the staff knew his order by heart.
The hobo steak became his signature dish, cooked tableside with all the theatrical flair you’d expect.
Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Alfred Hitchcock all rubbed elbows here. Those red leather booths witnessed more movie deals than any studio boardroom ever did.
9039 Beverly Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048 (now closed)
5. Romanoff’s
Prince Michael Romanoff wasn’t really a prince, but his Beverly Hills restaurant was genuinely royal in the eyes of Hollywood’s elite.
Bogart adored the place, ordering the same thing every time without even glancing at the menu.
Strawberry shortcake became his obsession here, though the prime rib ran a close second.
The fake prince and the real movie star formed an unlikely friendship over countless dinners. When Romanoff’s closed, a piece of old Hollywood left with it.
326 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (now closed)
6. The Brown Derby
Shaped like an actual derby hat, this Hollywood landmark was impossible to miss.
Bogart joined the parade of stars who treated the Derby like their personal cafeteria, stopping by for Cobb salads and celebrity sightings.
Gossip columnists practically lived at certain tables, scribbling notes about who ate with whom.
The walls were covered in caricatures of famous faces, including Bogie’s.
When it closed in the 1980s, Hollywood lost one of its most photographed restaurants.
1628 North Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028 (now closed)
7. Chumley’s
Finding Chumley’s required insider knowledge since it had no sign outside. This former speakeasy in Greenwich Village attracted writers, actors, and rebels who valued privacy above all else.
Bogart fit right into the bohemian atmosphere, sipping drinks surrounded by book covers on the walls.
The mythology around who drank there reads like a who’s who of American culture.
Chumley’s closed in 2020, but its legacy as a hidden gem lives on in countless stories and memories.
86 Bedford Street, New York, NY 10014 (now closed)
8. Sardi’s
Broadway actors need to eat, and Sardi’s became the official dining room of the theater world.
Bogart’s caricature still hangs on the walls alongside hundreds of other famous faces, proof that he ate there often enough to earn the honor.
Pre-show dinners and post-curtain celebrations happened under one roof here.
The atmosphere buzzes with opening night energy even on quiet Tuesdays. Cannelloni, veal piccata, and strong cocktails fuel the theater crowd before they head to nearby stages.
234 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036
9. Stork Club
Velvet ropes, celebrity tables, and an owner who decided who got in made the Stork Club both exclusive and controversial.
Bogart was part of the scene until an argument got him banned, which somehow makes the story even better.
Before his exile, he enjoyed the club’s supper atmosphere and people-watching opportunities. The Stork Club closed in 1965, taking with it decades of gossip, glamour, and late-night intrigue.
3 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022 (now closed)
