I think I’ll file this one in the “Now I’ve Seen Everything” file. In 1965, art patron (and empty nester) Edith R. Wyle opened The Egg And Eye at 5814 Wilshire Boulevard. It was a restaurant that offered an omelet-only menu combined with an art gallery that displayed international folk art and crafts. It must have been an interesting place to gobble down a Spanish omelet! The place lasted until 1973 and these days, it’s the Craft and Folk Art Museum, which I assume Edith (who died in 1999) thoroughly approved of.
Susan says: This was a really neat place – so interesting to walk though and look in there. They also gave art classes upstairs. I can remember taking a painting class and wreath making there always during the holiday season. Looking at this photowith fond memories, I realize you can see into the art class room on the second floor. It’s in the two windows to the left. Edith’s office was the one on the far right. It had a door that opened into the classroom. She would often poke her head out to see how the classes were going.
This is how that building looked in January 2018(!)
This was one of my mother’s favorite places for lunch. She would either meet up with her girlfriend or take me. The omelets were wonderful and the place was bright and airy. Afterwards we would go to the May Co. or Orbach’s to shop. It was right across from the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
My husband Gary and I ate there with our group of patrons in c.1972 as part of a visiting contemporary art tour of Wilshire galleries and private art collections organized by the Friends of Art, University of New Mexico Art Museum in Albuquerque. We were very impressed with this novel restaurant and never forgot it. That was an important time in LA’s modern art prominence.
Hi, I am working on my uncle’s obituary. He worked at the original Egg and I restaurant on Wilshire Blvd. I have limited information and no picture of him during that time. I am wondering does anyone know anything about the wait staff, chefs, sous chef. If I recall correctly, he started there as a dishwasher, then a waiter, then moved to the kitchen as a cook, until the restaurant closed in 1973. His name is Nat Wilmore. If anyone has any information that they can share it would be a huge help. Thank you.
Thank you! My apologies, I just noticed my mistake, correction: Egg and the Eye. Do you know if the Egg and the Eye initially only have male wait staff?
I’ll always remember my dad, a petroleum exploration geologist, taking my sister and I to the La Brea Tar Pits, and then to The Egg and the Eye restaurant…. It was wonderful!!
They had 52 types of omelettes on the menu, even Russian ones with potatoes and sour cream inside! And you could watch the chefs cooking them in the kitchen in real time!!!
Would love to have tried them all!!!
Sad that they’re gone…☹️
My wife and I would go there when we were Grad students at USC. Kids were in town this week and thought we would take them there. Sorry it’s closed. We loved this place.
I remember going there twice when I was in middle school. We walked over after a visit to LACMA. I loved the potato omelet and ordered it both times I was there. The thing is, this would have been in about 1977-78. Everything I’m reading says it closed in ’72. Was there a revival of some sort?
I had been to the restaurant and the downstairs museum/shop lots of times. I still have some of the pieces I bought there. I LOVED the restaurant. The variety of omelets was so huge, it wasn’t a big deal that it was omelets only. Plus, in my memory, it was only open through the early afternoon, so, they didn’t need an elaborate menu.
I loved the lox and cream cheese omelet with capers, but the African omelet was awesome — dried apricots, prunes, peanuts, and a delicious spicy brown sauce. Yum!
This place and Bit O’ Scotland are two places I think I miss the most.
Well well..I was Edith Wyle’s assistant 1971-72….met grandson Noah Wyle as a Babin arms…..all of the best craftsmen exhibited there….all the best celebrities came to see and have lunch.
Not sure how I got on your mailing list, but this is a boon!
I think I’ll file this one in the “Now I’ve Seen Everything” file. In 1965, art patron (and empty nester) Edith R. Wyle opened The Egg And Eye at 5814 Wilshire Boulevard. It was a restaurant that offered an omelet-only menu combined with an art gallery that displayed international folk art and crafts. It must have been an interesting place to gobble down a Spanish omelet! The place lasted until 1973 and these days, it’s the Craft and Folk Art Museum, which I assume Edith (who died in 1999) thoroughly approved of.
This was one of my mother’s favorite places for lunch. She would either meet up with her girlfriend or take me. The omelets were wonderful and the place was bright and airy. Afterwards we would go to the May Co. or Orbach’s to shop. It was right across from the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum.
My husband Gary and I ate there with our group of patrons in c.1972 as part of a visiting contemporary art tour of Wilshire galleries and private art collections organized by the Friends of Art, University of New Mexico Art Museum in Albuquerque. We were very impressed with this novel restaurant and never forgot it. That was an important time in LA’s modern art prominence.
Hi Kathleen, thanks for sharing your experience with us. I wish I had a chance to experience it.
Hi, I am working on my uncle’s obituary. He worked at the original Egg and I restaurant on Wilshire Blvd. I have limited information and no picture of him during that time. I am wondering does anyone know anything about the wait staff, chefs, sous chef. If I recall correctly, he started there as a dishwasher, then a waiter, then moved to the kitchen as a cook, until the restaurant closed in 1973. His name is Nat Wilmore. If anyone has any information that they can share it would be a huge help. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping by, Marguerite. I anybody contacts me or leaves a comment here, I’ll let you know.
I knew nat very well and have a couple interesting stories to tell you.
Thank you! My apologies, I just noticed my mistake, correction: Egg and the Eye. Do you know if the Egg and the Eye initially only have male wait staff?
I really don’t know anything about this place other than what’s written here.
I’ll always remember my dad, a petroleum exploration geologist, taking my sister and I to the La Brea Tar Pits, and then to The Egg and the Eye restaurant…. It was wonderful!!
They had 52 types of omelettes on the menu, even Russian ones with potatoes and sour cream inside! And you could watch the chefs cooking them in the kitchen in real time!!!
Would love to have tried them all!!!
Sad that they’re gone…☹️
52 different omelettes – that’s amazing. And mouthwatering. I’d certainly be a regular if they were still around today.
My wife and I would go there when we were Grad students at USC. Kids were in town this week and thought we would take them there. Sorry it’s closed. We loved this place.
I remember going there twice when I was in middle school. We walked over after a visit to LACMA. I loved the potato omelet and ordered it both times I was there. The thing is, this would have been in about 1977-78. Everything I’m reading says it closed in ’72. Was there a revival of some sort?
Not that I know of. It’s odd then that you remember going there in the late 70s.
I think there was a revival at some point because I went there in the 80s after a day at the museum.
This was an awesome restaurant!
Wow, just found this oldie, Martin!
I had been to the restaurant and the downstairs museum/shop lots of times. I still have some of the pieces I bought there. I LOVED the restaurant. The variety of omelets was so huge, it wasn’t a big deal that it was omelets only. Plus, in my memory, it was only open through the early afternoon, so, they didn’t need an elaborate menu.
I loved the lox and cream cheese omelet with capers, but the African omelet was awesome — dried apricots, prunes, peanuts, and a delicious spicy brown sauce. Yum!
This place and Bit O’ Scotland are two places I think I miss the most.
Well well..I was Edith Wyle’s assistant 1971-72….met grandson Noah Wyle as a Babin arms…..all of the best craftsmen exhibited there….all the best celebrities came to see and have lunch.
Not sure how I got on your mailing list, but this is a boon!
Hi, Dianne, nice to “meet” you. That’s one place I really miss.