Former Location –
Olivia’s was a popular soul food restaurant whose patrons were mostly UCLA students. Jim Morrison loved Olivia’s, which he used as the inspiration for his song, “Soul Kitchen
Jim often stayed at Olivia’s for extended periods of time as it reminded him of his childhood home. Because he was always the last to leave, the staff would regularly kick him out. This is where the line “let me sleep all night, in your soul kitchen” originated.
The Doors
Side One:
Break On Through (To the Other Side)
Soul Kitchen
The Crystal Ship
Twentieth Century Fox
Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)
Light My Fire
Side Two:
Back Door Man
I Looked at You
End of the Night
Take It as It Comes
The End
Doors Discography
1967 – The Doors
1967 – Strange Days
1968 – Waiting for the Sun
1969 – The Soft Parade
1970 – Morrison Hotel
1971 – L.A. Woman
1971 – Other Voices
1972 – Full Circle
1978 – An American Prayer
Olivia’s
2615 Main Street
Santa Monica CA 90405
I knew Miss Olivia like a Grandma. She would take me to church every Sunday and we would go to her restaurant after church to eat dinner. I loved her as many did. I recall her feeding those who were impoverished without charging them. She was a saint in my eyes and really helped me as a child. God Bless her and all that she did for everyone. I was so sad when she passed and her restaurant went away.
Anthony, I loved Olivia. I lived less than 100 yards from the restaurant and she sold you a card for
5 dollars entitling you to 5-$1.25 dinners, so you could save money. She was the sweetest little woman.
I have photos of her I found on the Internet plus I have a 6 minute video a professional photographer
shot of her place in 1966. I want to categorically state that she restaurant was at 2615 Main Street. In
fact, if you go there, there is a heritage museum on the spot. It is not 2618 which is across the street
and now a surf shop. It was on the beach side of Main Street. I know as I almost lived there.
Email me and I will send the pictures I have of her and the front of the restaurant. jefreemcm@gmail.com
I wanna see those pics!!
You say that it was mostly UCLA students that went there and that is not true. It was Santa Monica City College that mostly went there.
I forgot to add that I never new that “The doors ” song “Soul Kitchen” was based on Miss Olivia’s restaurant. I was just a kid when I would go there with her after church but I do recall seeing Jim Morrison inside writing and telling me that he was a musician. Initially, Miss Olivia introduced me to him and she said he was either going to be famous or was already famous but nevertheless, I thought that he was a really cool and nice guy. I was too young to realize who he was and what he had become in the rock world.
Also, I’m not sure if Miss Olivia’s restaurant was located at 2615 or 2618 on Main Street. I lived ion 3rd and Ashland which was just a few blocks away from her restaurant.
Anthony, I am sorry I made an error. It was 2618 Main St. not 2615. I have a picture of the front of the
restaurant as I said and it plainly says in huge number 2618. It is 2615 Main where the surf shop is and I know, I saw
on Ray Manzarek’s site he said it was 2615 but it isn’t. I went there so many times.
I sat at Olivia’s long counter and had pork and gravy some cooked greens and mashed potatoes, this was my first time I had Soul Food I was 14. I remember the Large parking lot out front and parking was easy her restaurant was very homey and Olivia always had a big beautiful smile she was a big girl and she had an even bigger heart. I miss those times in California. My brother was going to UCLA film school with Jim Morrison and Ray Manserik When the film school was only some Bungalo’s made of plywood and there was incredible student film showings that would go Day and night for 3 days, this is 30 years before Sundance and this is was where Sundance got the idea to do A film festival. Who would expect a laid-back soul food restaurant less than a block from the beach absolutely too cool. Los Angeles was super cool you could go to Westwood Village and park anywhere before the parking Nazis started handing out tickets. The best concerts we’re at the shrine auditorium second to none. I am miss Olivia And I hope to run into her in heaven one day.
I lived at 4th and OP Blvd and ate at Olivia’s many times. It was not located where the Surf shop is but on the W side of Main at the corner of Main and OP Blvd where the Heritage now stands. It was great!!!