By now, most everyone knows that Connie & Ted’s is closing. The seafood restaurant at 8171 Santa Monica Blvd. has been a West Hollywood fixture since 2013 and will serve its last meal on July 1.
Tonight though, chef Michael Cimarusti and Executive Chef Sam Baxter are hosting “One Last Cast,” a farewell dinner featuring the dishes the restaurant built its name on. Seatings run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at $175 a head, reservations through OpenTable. The menu brings back Tuna Unmelt, Angels on Horseback, Truffled New England Clam Chowder, and Indian Pudding.
The owners said they’ll raise a glass and revisit some of their favorite foods, dishes, and “share one more memorable evening together before Connie & Ted’s closes in July.”
About that name
Cimarusti named the restaurant after his grandparents, Constance and Edward Pointon, both English immigrants who came to the United States as children, married in 1940, and spent their lives fishing off the shores of Rhode Island. He wasn’t just going for a brand. The whole concept was a tribute to them specifically, to that particular kind of New England seafood culture that shaped his family.
He opened back in 2013 with co-owners Donato Poto and Crisi Echiverri. By then, Cimarusti had three Michelin stars at Providence and had won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: West in 2019. Connie & Ted’s was the more casual version of those: raw bar, clam chowder, lobster rolls, sustainable sourcing.
Why it’s ending
The owners called it what it was: pandemic recovery costs that never fully resolved, rising labor prices, and the ongoing cost of goods. “We held on as long as we could, doing everything possible to navigate these challenges, but ultimately, we have reached a point where continuing forward is untenable,” they said in a statement to Eater.
It’s been listed for lease since November 2025, months before they announced it was closing for good in May. The building dates to 1930 and previously housed the iconic Silverspoon Restaurant. It’s currently being marketed through JLL as a turnkey restaurant opportunity. No new tenant has been announced publicly.
The block itself has a past worth knowing, and a reader tip pointed us there. The Carmel Theatre (later the Fox Carmel), then the Paris was originally at 8163 Santa Monica Blvd., just steps from where Connie & Ted’s would eventually open. Built in 1924 with 1,098 seats, it screened first-run films for decades before flipping to porn flicks by the early 1960s under the Paris name. It burned down in January 1976. The L.A. Times ran a photo of the marquee after the fire with the hilarious headline “Is Paris Burning?” The actual building that Connie & Ted’s has called home since 2013 dates to 1930.
There is a rumor that a tiki-themed concept could be eyeing the space. WEHOonline has not been able to confirm that through any official source, and a call to the leasing agent had not been returned as of publication.
“What began as an homage to our Rhode Island roots, a lifelong love of fishing, and the time-honored traditions of New England seafood grew into something far greater than we ever could have imagined,” the owners wrote on Instagram when they announced the closure. “A gathering place for our community, a celebration of responsibly sourced seafood, and the backdrop to countless memories shared around the table.”
Connie & Ted’s is still taking reservations through July 1 at OpenTable.
Almost nobody I know cares about this eyesore closing. The general response I hear is “I tried it once, it was ok but I never went back” followed by the near universal opinion “I miss The Silver Spoon”. All i can say is: “I miss The Silver Spoon”.
…and yet someone liked them if they had such a long run. Cannot deny that.
This line below isn’t exactly true except for the back wall they left up from Silver Spoon. The property dates back that long for sure.
“The building dates to 1930 and previously housed the iconic Silver Spoon Restaurant.“
The 1,100 seat Carmel Theater (later the Paris Theater) was built in 1924 and most likely took up
some of the restaurant property. The address was 8163 SMB and they featured vaudeville, plays, movies and finally porn in the 70’s before fire ended its existence.
Great tip on the additional history. I’ll look into and add what I find. Thanks, Tom.
Before Silver Spoon it was called Theodore’s.
With a full bar.
It is only going to get worse when the sales tax inner Hollywood goes up to 11% The highest in the nation. Way to go West Hollywood. Far from affordable for residents and businesses
IMO this one will one of many to close over the next few months. Costs of operating are just getting to high to be sustainable for a business owner to keep their doors open and have it be financially worth it.
Yup. The hourly raise plus benefits for low skilled labor put a nail in the coffin and now those employees will be out of work and making ZERO dollars. This has happened throughout our city and it’s very sad. People said this would happen but our council -that is owned by the Union Unite Here 11 -pushed it through anyway….and this, in part, is a direct result of this policy. This is just one of the MANY business that we have lost since the policy went into effect. Sad.