THE FOODIST / LA’s Pure Art Deco Dining & Music Extravaganza

Wrapping up PillartoPost.org's year-long salute to the centennial of Art Deco Design

Los Angeles has no shortage of restaurants that call themselves glamorous, but only one feels genuinely carried forward from another era. Cicada, inside the 1928 Oviatt Building, isn’t themed and isn’t nostalgic—it’s the real architectural artifact of a city that once believed elegance was a civic duty. 

The gold-leaf ceiling rises high above the room; a mezzanine runs like an upper-deck observation rail; etched glass and polished metalwork catch the light the way designers intended nearly a century ago. Simply walking in adjusts your posture. 

Cicada becomes its fullest self on nights when music takes the room. A full orchestra or swing band sets up on the built-in stage, warming up as dinner service eases into motion. It’s not background sound. The band is part of the architecture, and when it starts, the restaurant turns into a genuine supper club. Some guests dance. Others stay at their tables and simply let the atmosphere soak in. Either way, the night becomes something more than a meal.  

Deco, Dining, Dancing

Adding live music to the experience is easy, though first-timers often miss how to do it well. Cicada’s music calendar is posted online, and band nights often sell out well ahead of time, especially the big swing evenings. Reservations are essential for those nights; walk-ins rarely find a seat once the first horn sounds. Guests who prefer a quieter musical backdrop can choose evenings with smaller ensembles—jazz trios, vintage vocalists, or orchestral pop sets—which offer the full Deco mood without the packed dance floor. 

The mezzanine works especially well for these nights, giving diners a clear view of the stage and the full sweep of the room.  

Arriving early is part of the fun. Showing up a half hour before your reservation lets you catch the soundcheck, a private-feeling interlude when the musicians warm up and the room seems to wake from a long sleep. Swing-dance nights sometimes include short lessons beforehand, and regulars often arrive in period attire, though nothing about Cicada requires it. The room makes space for everyone—dancers, diners, and people who simply enjoy watching a timeless ritual unfold.  

Oviatt Building Circa 1928

The menu follows the same philosophy: classic Continental and Italian dishes prepared with quiet confidence. Pastas, steaks, lobster, a scattering of traditional starters—nothing forced, nothing ironic, everything in harmony with the room. The food doesn’t compete with the show; it supports it. In a space this visually and musically charged, that balance is essential.  

Cicada stands alone as the last of Los Angeles’s true Art Deco dining rooms, still operating in the spirit in which it was built. Plenty of restaurants try to evoke Hollywood’s golden age; this one simply continues it. Filmmakers use the room because it already looks cinematic. Diners return because it offers a rare sensation in any city: a night out that feels like an occasion.  

For anyone wanting to meet Los Angeles at its most theatrical and most sincere, Cicada remains the essential address—especially when the band is playing and the gold ceiling begins to glow.  

Cicada is located at 617 S. Olive Street in downtown Los Angeles. Reservations may be made by calling 213-488-9488. For event inquiries or larger parties, the restaurant may be reached at events@cicadarestaurant.com . Additional details, menus, and the live-music calendar are available at cicadarestaurant.com.