Since its founding in 1978, Jerry's Famous Deli™ has been known for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere and extensive menu of elevated comfort food cocktails and wine.  The original deli, a lunch counter at the Studio City bowling center established by Jerry Seidman, evolved under the guidance of Isaac Starkman into a full-scale New York deli restaurant with a Broadway Theater theme.  Jerry’s served over 700 food items on an extraordinarily eclectic menu as well as a complete assortment of beers, cocktails, and wines.  The hours of operation: 24/7.  

 

Located near CBS Studio Center, NBC, Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal, celebrities galore flocked to Jerry’s.  You’d often find Jerry Seinfeld drop in for his favorite lox pizza. Scores of others, like Tim Allen, Burt Reynolds, Ed Asner, Chris Rock, David Spade, Roseanne, Peter Falk, Milton Berle, Paul Sorvino, Jackie Mason, Tim Arnold, Melissa Joan Hart, Gene Simmons (KISS), Drew Carey, Ben Stein and Leonardo DiCaprio, to name a few, noshed on specialties they most enjoyed. On the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler reminisced about the first time, as youngsters, they met at Jerry's in Studio City.  

 

Andy Kaufman worked at the Studio City Jerry's as a busser and, even after becoming a comedy sensation, took pleasure in returning to perform his old job, donning an apron and clearing tables.  In fact, the MAN ON THE MOON, starring Jim Carey as Andy Kaufman, was filmed at this Jerry’s location.

 

Off camera, the cast of SEINFELD met for years at Jerry’s – Studio City.  They could be found sitting at their usual round table by the entrance at 10PM every Tuesday night directly after taping the show.  Jerry Seinfeld himself held court with co-creator Larry David, and seated with them were Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and their fellow actors.  Jerry’s catered the TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, and the crew often came to Jerry’s after hours. 

 

Screenwriter George Gallo sat at the counter of the Studio City Jerry’s most of the day, every day, for nearly six months penning the script of the 1988 film, MIDNIGHT RUN, starring Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin.  Gallo would have breakfast, lunch and many cups of coffee as he pursued his endeavor.

 

When Shaquille O’Neal joined the Lakers after their move to the Staples Center in Downtown L.A., he quickly became a constant fixture at the Jerry’s on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood, where he’d celebrate nearly every Laker home game victory with a sausage and cheese omelet served with pancakes.  This is the place where newly acquired Shaq and a young, just-signed rookie named Kobe Bryant first met.

 

At the Beverly Boulevard Jerry's, located across from famed Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a renowned billboard consisting of a happy face and the works, “Get Well Soon” faced the patient rooms at the hospital.  Jerry’s built a name for itself among the Cedars-Sinai community.  What topped it off was Jerry’s signature Matzo ball soup that was made from Ike’s mother’s recipe.  It seemed to help cure patients and was beloved by their families, doctors and hospital staff, too. Untold numbers of young men left mom and newborn child and walked across the street to Jerry’s for their first meal as a new father.

 

Will Smith, Octavia Spenser, Jon Voigt, Billy Crystal, Jackie Mason and Brittany Spears, among many others, frequented the Beverly location.  The boys of ENTOURAGE enjoyed their meal with Mandy Moore while an episode of the show was being filmed.  Robert Kardashian and his lawyer, Robert Shapiro, sat together there to discuss the OJ Simpson trial.  It became THE spot to be after the clubs closed on the weekends, and it was not unusual to find a two-hour wait for a table in the 8,000 square foot restaurant.

 

Jerry’s in Westwood Village was a block from UCLA, across the street from the movie theater where many films premiered.  Movie stars Renee Zellweger, Jack Black, Diane Lane, Josh Brolin, Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Barry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Penny Marshall, Tori Spelling and famed playwriter Neil Simon enjoyed this location.  The UCLA sports teams often had their meals at this location too.

 

The Woodland Hills Jerry’s was frequented by the Kardashian family and friends both before and during their Keeping Up with the Kardashian’s shows.

 

In 2002, Jerry’s took over a historic 1940s art deco building, spending nearly two years to complete its historical restoration before opening a new Jerry’s Deli in the heart of Miami Beach.  It was named Best Late Night Dining Venue in 2009 by NEW TIMES, a local Miami publication.  This branch was frequented by LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade.   President Barak Obama once made an unannounced stop for a couple of corned beef sandwiches.   

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Jerry’s Marina Del Rey became the unofficial dining establishment of the L.A. Lakers and the L.A. Kings.  At the time, both teams played nearby and enjoyed the hearty portions of meats and other foods that appealed to everyone from Jerry Buss, the coaches and players of both organizations.

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Jerry’s in Marina del Rey has been transformed.  Extensive renovations to its 10,000 square foot building at the offramp of the Marina Freeway produced a large bar and lounge with two fireplaces, comfortable over-sized booths for dining and a café where food and beverages may be purchased for off-premises consumption.  A trellised, landscaped patio was added where one will find comfortably distanced lounge and al fresco table seating.  Live music is planned for this location.  This new iteration of the establishment is known as Jerry’s Patio Café & Bar™ and is already receiving acclaim for its reimagined menu with upgraded but traditional deli offerings at popular prices.

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OTHER ENTITIES UNDER THE JERRY'S UMBRELLA....

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In 1996, Jerry’s ventured out of state to acquire iconic Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House Restaurant™ in Sunny Isles at the northern end of Miami Beach, Florida.  Snowbirds flocked to the Rascal House for large baskets of fresh rolls and buckets of coleslaw, beet salad, sauerkraut, pickles and other cold delectable.  Don King, Jackie Mason, Singer Vic Damon, and footballer Sid Luckman were frequent guests.  Meyer Lansky regularly brought his family and right-hand man, Hymie Lazar, there for dinner.  Interestingly, Lansky’s son, Buddy, ended up marrying one of the restaurant’s waitresses!  In 2001, a second Rascal House location was established in Boca Raton.

 

Expanding in Miami Beach, Jerry’s then purchased Thal Bros. Epicure Market™,  – THE name in retail gourmet foods and a two-time winner of the National Grocers Association’s Best Specialty Market in America Award.  Founded in 1945, the market played host to luminaries, such as President Harry Truman, Winston Churchill and Joe DiMaggio.  Tougher characters, like Jimmy Hoffa and Meyer Lansky, enjoyed meals from the Epicure, as well.  More recently, the market was frequented by the likes of Heidi Klum, Shaquille O’Neal, and Oprah Winfrey.  Jerry’s also purchased two important trademarks in Florida’s deli industry:  Wolfie’s™ and Pumpernick’s™, which enjoyed renowned clientele, including Milton Berle and Henny Youngman.