Subject of Don Henley’s ” Sunset Grill” from his “Building The Perfect Beast” album. The album reached #13 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 3x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The restaurant is next door to the Rock Walk at the Guitar Center.
In 1989, the Building The Perfect Beast album was ranked No. 73 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s”.
Tracks on Building The Perfect Beast
1. The Boys of Summer
2. You Can’t Make Love
3. Man with a Mission
4. You’re Not Drinking Enough
5. Not Enough Love in the World
6. Building the Perfect Beast
7. All She Wants to Do Is Dance
8. A Month of Sundays
9. Sunset Grill
10. Drivin’ with Your Eyes Closed
11. Land of the Living
The Sunset Grill
7439 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90046
Hi Everyone: Many Many Years Ago, In The 1950’s And 1960’s The Orignal Hollywood Crowd Like Myself And My Friends Who Went To Gardner Street School. And our Famliys Called This Place JOE’s, The Reason Is Because We Knew Joe His wife His Son michael And His sisters. I Still Like The orignal Place BETTER!…Michael Renee/ Pepperdine
Joe never “called his customers by name” –
I was a teenager and worked at Freedom Guitar in 1978 (then, directly across from the Sunset Grill). I ate at Joe’s hundreds of times over a few years. Don Henley had it wrong though. Joe never “called his customers by name”. Never.
What I remember most about Joe and the Sunset Grill (aside from Joe’s amazing burgers), was how busy he was wiping sweat from his face… some of it making its way into the grill. Not kidding.
Joe always called me by my name between 1978 and 1993. Even after I moved away in ’93 and came back every 6 months or year until he sold it. Joe also disliked when I wanted to order my burger with no onions and pickles. He said don’t be negative in telling me what you don’t want and tell me what you do want. Even if it meant writing down all the other condiments. The definite go to burger was the double chili cheese on a Kaiser roll. Never put it down after picking up until you finished. You had to learn the bite and wipe technique, lol. Also had killer ham and egg breakfast sandwiches.
Joe never “called his customers by name” –
I was a teenager and worked at Freedom Guitar in 1978 (then, directly across from the Sunset Grill). I ate at Joe’s hundreds of times over a few years. Don Henley had it wrong though. Joe never “called his customers by name”. Never.
What I remember most about Joe and the Sunset Grill (aside from Joe’s amazing burgers), was how busy he was wiping sweat from his face… some of it making its way into the grill. Not kidding.
Listen to the song “Whose Cadillac Is That” by WAR and there is a line “We stopped in at Joes and got some burgers to go” and I have to think that is exactly where they are referring to. I never went to Gardner but, my friends also called it Joes.
I went to Gardner Street Elementary School, in the 60s, and have fond memories of Joe and his wife, and those delicious, savory burgers. It’s true, everyone knew this place as “Joe’s” or “Joe’s Grill,” and we knew him by name. I don’t even know if the sign said “Sunset Grill” back then. All I remember is Joe cutting up slices of Velveta cheese and throwing it on a sizzling burger that I had saved up a few days of my extra lunch money for. Friends and I would stop there on the way home from school when we weren’t buying candy from Gardner Drug down the street.
The present day restaurant that occupies the same location is NOTHING like the original, which Henley captured the flavor of (with some creative license, of course). There is another hamburger stand in West Hollywood, on Santa Monica, called, “Irv’s Burgers,” that is close, but I’ll always remember Joe and his wife, and his grill on Sunset.
Mrs Redfern, Mrs Redhead. the whole School standing at attention in the yard when President Kennedy was killed
The Flag at half mast.
I know how to make a Joe burger. Ground meat half pork half beef. 150 grams flattened between two plates and two wax papers. Large buns toasted on the grill with wooden blocks weighing them down. Pour lots of coffee on the grill or frying pan. Fry pattie medium well.buns well toasted. Crispy sallad, beef tomatoes,onions. A little piece of heaven. God bless ya Joe!
Mrs. Redfern was my teacher at Gardner in the 60s….Mrs. Valens was my teacher at the time when JFK was assassinated.
Oops! Forgot lots of salt and pepper! I used to buy jaw breakers at Joes and sell them at school. Mrs Sullivan was the principle. I remember Ron Howard. I bought wax candy lips and wax softdrinks at the Five And Dime on Sunset.I ate at Joes from 1961 until 1975 and 1977 to 1979. I asked Joe once if he remembered my mom and he said ” No, but I remember you.”
Mrs Damewood was the principal of Gardner St School.