Jerry's Famous Deli was a chain of Jewish delicatessens. The original deli was founded in Studio City, California, in 1978, by Isaac Starkman and Jerry Seidman.[1] Starkman's son, Guy Starkman, was CEO.[2] In 2020, there was a single remaining location in Marina del Rey, renamed that year to Jerry's Patio Cafe & Bar, which is now closed; that location was previously owned by Jonathan and Mandy Mitchell.
On May 18, 2002, the original Jerry's Famous Deli in Studio City experienced a fire which caused the proprietors nearly $2m worth of damages. The location reopened, over a year after the incident, on September 16, 2003, with the founders present as well as Los Angeles City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky and celebrities, such as English singer Robbie Williams.[10]
On March 20, 2012, the Costa Mesa branch of Jerry's Famous Deli closed permanently, after the landlord did not renew the restaurant's lease.[11]
On May 31, 2013, the Beverly Hills restaurant, which had been open for 20 years, closed permanently.[12][13]
On October 16, 2016, the Woodland Hills deli closed permanently.[14]
On October 30, 2020, the first Jerry's Famous Deli in Studio City closed its doors permanently, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after 42 years of service.[15][16]
On August 25, 2020, the Jerry's Famous Deli in Marina del Rey reopened for several months as "Jerry's Patio Cafe & Bar". Adhering to social distancing standards of the time (as per COVID-19 restrictions),[17] the reopened location offered updated outdoor seating options, pickup and curbside delivery options, as well as traditional takeout. The location, as did many establishments at the time, enforced a lower maximum capacity for the building, as well as altering their operating hours. However, in January 2021, the location would close for good, after over 40 years in the neighborhood, as the owners noted a decrease in business amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.[18]