A sad story is Phil's. Back in the 70's Phil Everly thought the diner so interesting (and obviously relevant) that he used the diner's name and likeness for the cover of his solo album. A couple years back, the Danbury Mint decided to issue a series of miniature diner statuettes and selected Phil's as one of a handful that were most representative of dine architecture. Phil's has become perhaps the only true, factory built diner still being used as a real diner in California and it is also one of the oldest in the country, built be the Charles Amend company in the 1920's.

The diner, situated on a side street in North Hollywood has always had a tough time of it. As more restaurants sprung up on the main drag, customers started supping elsewhere. A couple of years ago, an Asian couple were serving healthy California cuisine as well as traditional diner fare and it seemed like business would survive, but they couldn't make a go of it. Then it was sold to a guy who planned on restoring it and possibly moving it to a better location. He operated the diner until recently, when Los Angeles stepped in the way.

The much-ridiculed LA subway system decided to dig a spot at the end of the street that Phil's rests on. The street soon became a one-way, dirt-covered road with Phil's at the least populated end of it. Now, Phil's is vacant, for lease, and empty of all of it's equipment.