West Hollywood’s Iconic Red-Sauce Spot Loses Its Former Owner
Dan Tana, the actor-turned-restaurateur who created one of Hollywood’s most enduring celebrity haunts, has died at 90.
The founder of Dan Tana’s, a red-sauce Italian institution on Santa Monica Boulevard, passed away Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia, according to the restaurant.
Born Dobrivoje Tanasijević near Belgrade, Tana played professional soccer in Canada before moving to Los Angeles in the 1950s. After small acting roles in film and television, he worked in restaurants and, in 1964, transformed a former hamburger stand into Dan Tana’s. With late-night hours, hearty Italian food, and discreet service, the eatery soon became a magnet for actors, musicians, and studio executives.
Over the decades, the restaurant drew the likes of Johnny Carson, Jack Nicholson, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and musicians from the Troubadour next door. Dishes were famously named after regulars, including veal cutlet alla George Clooney and Dabney Coleman’s favorite New York steak.
Tana, who remained active in soccer as a manager and club owner, sold the restaurant in 2009 and returned to Belgrade. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Biljana, and daughters Gabrielle and Katerina Tana.
