The owners of Burbank's longest-running restaurant say it's in danger of closing down. Chili John's is a Burbank institution. It's been in the community since 1946 serving up its signature chili on spaghetti, hot dogs, Frito's, or by itself.
But now, owner Steve Hager says they are struggling to keep the doors open. He blames the quadruple whammy of COVID, the entertainment industry strikes, recent wildfires, and the economy for keeping people away. He says they only have enough money to keep the place open for another month or two at most.
Chili John's started when Lithuanian immigrant John Isaac began to selling cowboy-style chili from a Midwestern chuck wagon in the late 1800s. As time went on, Isaac began serving chili inside a bar-restaurant space in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1900, and by 1902, Isaac’s food was so beloved that he made sure to trademark the restaurant’s logo.
In 1946, Isaac’s son Ernie moved to California with plans to open a Chili John’s in Burbank, just before the big Hollywood movie studio boom in the surrounding community. Over the years, the restaurant passed into the hands of the Loguercio family, and eventually, operations were handed over to niece Claudine Hager and her husband Steve.
Stepping inside is like stepping back in time. The orange chairs and curved countertop are inviting for anyone who wants to pull up and fill up with a bowl full of chili. The recipe for Chili John's has won awards over the years and hasn't changed much since Isaac's chuck wagon days.
Photo: Heather Brooker
Despite the nostalgia, Hager says he thinks people would rather visit chain restaurants than smaller businesses. He says they need at least $100,000 to stay open and pay for operating costs and improvements. So they've started a GoFundMe asking for the public's help to keep this piece of history, and their family legacy going.