Pickle Bills

Does anybody remember a place called Pickle Bills on Pico Blvd. around 30th? in santa monica. Probably closed in the early 70's, the best hot beef sandwich mashed potatoes and gravy around. Sawdust on the floor, was around since it served to world war 2 workers at Douglas Aircraft just south on Ocean Park Blvd. What happened to the family and where can one get similarly wonderful hot beef sandwiches?

[Kate is always hungry]

Hi Ike!

I grew up on hot beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes and gravy and it's not the same as a French dip or an Italian beef sandwich. As a Chicago native living in LA,I love those sandwiches, too, but the hot beef is my favorite. I order mine dry with extra gravy on the side. I'm sure my arteries are thrilled.

Most of the places where I remember having the best hot beefs are long gone except for Rae's on Pico in Santa Monica. I'm pretty sure the potatoes are homemade and not instant.

I think I also had a decent hot beef at Vip's on Ventura Blvd. in Tarzana. Vip's is a little independent coffee shop in an office building. The late. great John Wooden ate breakfast there. :)

[pitta]

Pickle Bills closed in the late 70s. The Davenport family were the owners (Harvey and Florence). I am not sure but i would guess they moved to Utah. Yes they did have the best hot beef sandwiches in town!

[malibumike]

I know they used brisket roast, cooked with some kind of pressure roasting, but their gravy was unbelievable , anybody know the recipe???

[carolwinder]

Thanks for the memory. My grandparents owned a Fosters Freeze soft ice cream parlor very near Pickle Bills. When I visited we always at there.

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Fosters Freeze
31754 Castaic Rd, Castaic, CA 91384

[malibumike]

Was that Fosters west of Pickle Bills on the same, south , side of Pico, best malts I ever had.

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Pico Cafe
8944 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035

[carolwinder]

Yes, that was the place. My grandmother had her own recipe for soft ice cream which included a lot of real cream. In the 40's they were one of the first ten people in the country to buy and make soft ice cream.

[encino1]

I remember going there as a kid and having the mac n cheese. I can still see the sawdust. It was great! I have had great sandwiches out in San Pedro. Try the Busy Bee Market. 2413 S. Walker Ave. They always have a line, but it is worth the wait... Good people, great food.

[malibumike]

I can make the brisket they served myself, but the thing I cant duplicate was their fantastic Gravy.

>>>"where can one get similarly wonderful hot beef sandwiches?"

Check out "The Hat".

The closest thing to the long lamented Pickle Bills is the original -- Philippe's -- wonderful French dip, in downtown LA -- near Olivera Street and the train station. The other downtown place I've been taken to when home that is reminiscent of this class of beef bin is The Pantry.

[Poindexter118]

There's another place like Phiippe's- It's called Cole's on 8th street in downtown L.A. They claimed to make the first French dip. They're both good.

There has been quite a bit of discussion over the years about Chicago style Italian beef sandwiches, if that is the style you are looking for. I know there was a place that recently opened in OC that came out of Chicago, but can't think of the name right now. (I'm sure someone else will chime in with it). I have had the same type of sandwich at QT's in the San Fernando Valley (see location information below) and thought they were pretty tasty.

QT Chicago Dogs
8650 Reseda Blvd
Northridge CA 91324
818 993-1999

[The Chowhound Team]

Hi Ike. The local boards, like Los Angeles, are for the discussion of where to find great food or perhaps where to miss bad food. Unfortunately we are not set up to talk about places that have passed from the scene or to find out where the folks who ran those places might have gotten too, (unless someone knows that they are currently operating another restaurant in the greater Los Angeles/OC/Ventura area possibly).

Please concentrate on Ike's central food question, where to get great hot beef sandwiches only.

Thanks for everyone's cooperation.