Oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood: Miceli's celebrates its 70th anniversary

HOLLYWOOD (KABC) -- Miceli's, the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood, is celebrating its 70th anniversary.

Carmen and Sylvia Miceli opened the restaurant on Las Palmas Ave in 1949.

Today, Frank Miceli and his brother run both Miceli's locations; there is a sister location at Universal Studios.

"My daughter and my brother's daughter are all also getting very involved in the restaurant business so hopefully the family will keep the restaurant running. I think that that's what keeps people coming back, we are a family business as opposed to a big corporation," said Miceli.

Family roots run deep at Miceli's.

When you visit the restaurant, there's usually a family member there at all times.

Miguel Quinteros, a waiter at Miceli's, has been working there for six years.

"I started working here because my cousin he got me in here. And that's pretty much how everybody works here, it's through their family so everybody just kind of knows each other," said Quinteros.

Famous hollywood stars like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe were known as regular's at Miceli's.

Lucille Ball even learned how to flip pizza at Miceli's for one of her icon scenes in "I Love Lucy".

"She actually learned how to flip pizzas at our Beverly hills location. She worked two nights there learning how to flip pizza and my father refused to allow any cameras in the restaurant at that time," said Miceli.

But it's not just celebrities that have made their mark on the iconic pizza joint.

Strung throughout the restaurant, there are empty Chianti bottles signed by customers that hang from the ceiling and the staircases.

The oldest bottle dates back to 1952 and is sitting behind the bar.

Los Angeles isn't the easiest city to own and run a restaurant.

After 70 successful years, Frank Miceli can't help but wonder: why they haven't made an exclusive top 100 best restaurant list?

"There are a lot of other old family run businesses in Los Angeles that have been around for years and years. What makes a top 100 restaurant? Well we've been here for 70 years. I'm going to have to say the people of Los Angelenos have spoken. We've evidently been doing something right for 70 years," said Miceli.