The Taix family came to Los Angeles from the Hautes-Alpes region of France in 1870 and opened a hotel in downtown Los Angeles.[1] French immigrants represented 20% of the city's population in the middle of the 19th century, and the neighborhood that is today's Chinatown was home to a French hospital, French theater, and weekly French-language newspaper.[2] Owners Marius Taix, Marius Taix, Jr., and Louis Larquier ran the casual restaurant with French country meals served at long communal tables. The brick building had a tin ceiling, hanging chandeliers, and dark wood floors.[3]
Owing to its location in the civic center, the restaurant was popular with government workers [1] and reporters from the Los Angeles Times, and held a special table reserved for staff.[4] When the restaurant was demolished, the Los Angeles Times noted that its patrons “included the celebrated and the notorious of Los Angeles civic life.” [5]
The building at 321 Commercial Street near Union Station had originally housed a pharmacy belonging to Marius Taix,[6] and during prohibition the restaurant served “medicinal” wine to city officials and other select customers in a private dining room.[7] 10 The original Taix closed in 1964 when it was purchased by the city of Los Angeles and replaced with a parking structure.[5]
Two years before the closure, Marius Taix Jr. and Louis Larquier opened a new Taix in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The New York Times described the architecture of the restaurant as “Los Angeles chalet.[3]” Food critic Lois Dwan described the fare in 1970 as “bountiful portions of simply prepared foods at moderate prices.[6]” Taix is a destination for baseball fans before or after a game at nearby Dodger Stadium.[8] The 321 Lounge is named for the restaurant's original address at 321 Commercial Street in Los Angeles.[8]
Fourth-generation owner Michael Taix sold the restaurant to real estate developers in 2019 who plan to replace it with a multi-story apartment building.[9] In October 2020, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission began discussions on the designation of the Taix building as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.[10] In 2021 it was decided the building would not be a monument, but rather the property and restaurant features, thereby allowing the demolition and redevelopment to proceed.[11]
