Pat & Lorraine’s Coffee Shop, located on Eagle Rock Boulevard, was founded in 1977 and named after two sisters-in-law, according to current manager Maria Rodriguez. Today, the breakfast restaurant, frequented by local families and celebrities, is known for its large portions, often shared family-style, Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said she has worked at Pat & Lorraine’s since her parents bought the restaurant from the previous owners in 1999. According to Rodriguez, her father began working at the restaurant as a dishwasher before moving up the ranks. When her parents bought the restaurant, Rodriguez said she was only in third grade, but began working alongside other family members as a cashier.
Rodriguez said she now manages the restaurant and its employees, which include a mix of Rodriguez’s relatives and Northeast LA community members. Rodriguez said she has seen generations of regular customers return to the restaurant and watched families of customers expand throughout her time working at Pat & Lorraine’s Coffee Shop.
“A lot of our customers have been coming here since the ’70s, so they know what they want,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve seen kids grow up. One of our regulars is about to graduate college this year, actually.”
Rodriguez said not all regulars are locals, and that one couple from Whittier comes to the restaurant every Wednesday morning to order the restaurant’s most popular dish: biscuits and gravy.
Nicole Anderson said she ordered the biscuits and gravy while dining at Pat & Lorraine’s for the first time.
“I decided to stop by because I saw the film crew stationed outside and was curious what was going on inside,” Anderson said. “I really like the ambiance here, and I’ll definitely be back.”
Rodriguez said the restaurant has been featured in independent films, movies, commercials and music videos over the years. Rodriguez said the most well-known film the restaurant has been featured in is “Reservoir Dogs,” a 1990s crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The opening scene of the movie was filmed at Pat & Lorraine’s.
“We’ve had a lot of actresses and actors come in because of Reservoir Dogs,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said cast members from “Sons of Anarchy,” “Shameless,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Twin Peaks” have frequented the restaurant.
Despite only being a ten-minute walk from Occidental College, Rodriguez said tables are more often filled by actors, families and older couples than by college students.
“It’s not that we don’t cater to them,” she said. “It’s just that we don’t really sell the matcha and that sort of stuff. I feel like it’s a generational thing. Back in the day, on Saturday and Sunday, we had a lot of college students come in for breakfast.”
Lani Young (sophomore) said she enjoys occasionally coming to Pat & Lorraine’s with friends for breakfast or to study.
“I love exploring different cafes around Occidental and really like how Pat & Lorraine’s has a homey feel,” Young said. “When I come here, I instantly feel relaxed.”
According to Rodriguez, business decreased at Pat & Lorraine’s due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The business went down, so we’re still trying to climb back,” said Rodriguez. “We’ve definitely added a lot more Mexican elements to [the menu], but the restaurant hasn’t really changed that much.”
Rodriguez said Pat & Lorraine’s has always been a place that makes people feel like they are at home.
“Hopefully [customers] feel like Pat & Lorraine’s is part of their home,” said Rodriguez.
Contact Lilia Tanabe at ltanabe@oxy.edu
