Canter's Deli — Los Angeles

Canter's Deli has been open 24 hours a day on Fairfax Avenue since 1953, and for decades it has been the unofficial late-night canteen of Los Angeles's rock scene. After gigs at the Whisky, the Troubadour, or the Roxy — all within a short drive — musicians would pile into the booths at Canter's for pastrami sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and whatever came next. The Kibitz Room, a small bar tucked inside the deli, hosted its own live music and jam sessions.

The list of musicians who have eaten, drunk, argued, and written songs at Canter's reads like a hall of fame. Guns N' Roses were regulars during their Sunset Strip years. Frank Zappa held court in the booths. The Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan's band, were essentially formed here. Jim Morrison, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Waits all passed through. The Kibitz Room saw early performances from acts that would go on to fill arenas, played to audiences of a few dozen people eating cheesecake at 1am.

Canter's remains open and largely unchanged — same neon sign, same vinyl booths, same massive menu. Ask to sit in the Guns N' Roses booth — it's still there, and the staff know which one it is. The Kibitz Room still hosts live music most nights. It sits on Fairfax Avenue in the heart of the historic Jewish neighbourhood, surrounded by vintage shops and the culture that has defined this stretch of LA for decades. No reservation needed, no cover charge for the Kibitz Room. Just walk in, order a Reuben, and sit where the Sunset Strip came to decompress.