Connie & Ted's to close summer

Connie & Ted’s, the West Hollywood seafood restaurant opened by chef Michael Cimarusti and partners in 2013, said this week it will close on July 1 after 13 years on Santa Monica Boulevard. KTLA reported on May 15 that the restaurant had announced it was going out of business this summer, and Eater Los Angeles said the final day is July 1. The restaurant became known in Los Angeles for lobster rolls, oysters and a New England-style seafood menu. Connie & Ted’s said on its website that it serves fish and shellfish inspired by clam shacks, oyster bars and fish houses on the New England seaboard and the West Coast. The closure adds another restaurant shutdown in West Hollywood, though the owners in this case tied the decision to business conditions rather than a redevelopment plan or relocation. (ktla.com) KTLA, citing a statement the owners gave to Eater Los Angeles, said the restaurant faced “overwhelming” challenges since the pandemic and rising costs. ### When is Connie & Ted’s actually closing? (ktla.com) July 1, 2026, is the date reported by Eater Los Angeles for Connie & Ted’s final service. KTLA’s report said only that the restaurant would close this summer, but multiple local outlets published July 1 as the closing date after the restaurant’s May 13 announcement. (ktla.com) May 13 was the date Connie & Ted’s announced the decision, according to Eater Los Angeles. The restaurant’s own website remained active as of May 16, listing its address as 8171 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood and continuing to offer reservations, ordering and visitor information. (la.eater.com) ### Who owns the restaurant, and how did it start? Eater Los Angeles identified chef Michael Cimarusti, Donato Poto and Crisi Echiverri as the owners who opened Connie & Ted’s in 2013. Cimarusti is also known for Providence in Hollywood, which Eater reported received three Michelin stars at the 2025 Michelin Guide California ceremony. (la.eater.com) The restaurant’s website says Connie & Ted’s was named for Cimarusti’s grandparents. A team page on the site describes the project as a seafood-focused venture rooted in Cimarusti’s interest in New England fish houses and sustainable seafood. ### What reasons did the owners give for shutting it down? KTLA reported that the owners said the closure followed “overwhelming” challenges since the pandemic and rising costs. (la.eater.com) Eater Los Angeles published a fuller version of the statement, saying the operators had held on “as long as we could” before deciding that continuing had become untenable. (connieandteds.com) Those explanations were given by the owners in statements carried by local media. The reporting did not cite a landlord dispute, sale of the business or immediate replacement tenant as the reason for the shutdown. ### What made Connie & Ted’s a fixture in West Hollywood? West Hollywood gave Connie & Ted’s a prominent corridor at 8171 Santa Monica Blvd., and the restaurant built a following around lobster rolls, oysters, chowder and other East Coast-style seafood dishes. (ktla.com) KTLA and other local outlets described it as a neighborhood staple after more than a decade in operation. The menu still posted online includes a Maine lobster roll priced at $39, fish and chips at $29, mussels and clams at $32 and market-priced lobster and catch of the day. Those listings offer a snapshot of the food the restaurant is continuing to serve during its final weeks. ### What can customers still do before the last day? Connie & Ted’s website remained live on May 16 with ordering, menu and visit pages available to customers. (ktla.com) The mobile site listed current opening hours, including dinner service on Wednesday and Thursday and lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday. July 1 is the date customers should watch if they want one more meal there, based on Eater Los Angeles and other local reports. (connieandteds.com) Until then, the restaurant is still listed at its West Hollywood address, 8171 Santa Monica Blvd., with updates available through its website and social channels. (la.eater.com) (connieandteds.com)