Los Angeles: Dusk Till Dawn
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Los Feliz | Fred 62, a 24 hour diner in Los Feliz is a popular alternative to IHOP or Denny's. The lights are dimmed from about 2am until 6am, making it hard to decipher if it's even open.

The Economy | The recession has hit everywhere—including Fred 62.

Check out more about Fred 62:

"Bowling alley fashion sense...and classic Hollywood charm."

By Ruth Frantz

That's what one local food critic called it, anyway. Fred 62, known for it's atmosphere and long lines any weekend night after 1am, has been a fixture of Los Feliz and the surrounding hipster scene since 1997. On their website, Fred 62 boasts that it has "been serving the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year since 1997…including your birthday…and Christmas too…" mostly amusing the public with such favorites as the "Mac Daddy & Cheese Balls," served 24/7.

Upon walking into the almost hidden joint on any weekday after 3am, you can usually find regulars, such as "Tiger," a music promoter, and waitresses who really do like saying up at night, even though there is usually only one of them working at a time. Surprisingly enough, the place stays busy even on weeknights, usually hauling in about 250 customers between 2 and 5am. That might be a far cry from chains such as Denny's or IHOP, but the people at Fred 62 like it that way.

"We offer something different, and that's why people come here," night manager/waiter Cameron Stewart said. "We are an alternative, we have more atmosphere, ambiance."

But with that, comes higher prices. While Fred 62 prides itself on fun alternative, and continues to do business while others have shut their doors, Stewart says the recession has taken a toll.

"Yes, it's hit us too. When we used to make $300 hundred on a good night, it's now about $140," Stewart said. The weekend business has stayed strong, on Saturday night alone; the wait time for a table of four around 3am can be upward of 40 minutes. Most late-night waitresses don't seem to mind the inebriated guests though.

"Hey, that's how I make my money. And if I weren't working here, I'd be coming in here drunk just like them," waitress Allison Goddard said. Goddard routinely works the night shift, both during the week and on the weekend. "I like it. I can't really sleep during the night, so this is fun. I like the crowd way better here than West Hollywood."

Fred 62, the brainchild of the “two Fred’s,” takes a creative menu and mixes it will cool architecture, each Fred a master at one. The name happens to be the year both Fred’s were born. The décor has caught attention, thanks to its retro style, and Fred 62 also does business by renting out the place for shoots.  The place has racked up its fair share of reviews as well, including a four-page review in Gourmet magazine and a small review in GQ.

But really, what it comes down to is the food. A diner like Fred 62 relies on its staple: breakfast. “I love the food there. I can get anything I want, anytime I want it,” said Ross Arias, a college student who lives nearby. “I go there a lot and my favorite is the breakfast.”

So if you’re in the area, or up late, try the Mac and Cheese balls…they’re awesome.

The History | Behind Fred 62 are two masterminds: one of architecture, the other of food.

The Waitress | What's a night like in the life of a late-night waitress? Allison Goddard knows.

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Background photo by MikeFinkelstein