The world of Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” a wealthy crescent of comfort and despair on the Westside of L.A., abounds in real-life locations that anchor pivotal scenes of conflict and humiliation in the series. As in any changing city, many sites have come and gone, but these highlights are open for business and — should you find yourself in the Curb Belt — well worth a gawk.
(Matt Hollings for The Washington Post)
585 Moreno Ave.
Larry’s home from Season 9 onward, shared with his profane roommate Leon Black (J.B. Smoove), looks like an oversize Tuscan villa overgrown with manicured ivy. Larry’s house from Seasons 5 through 7 is just up the block at 537. A block from the Brentwood Country Club, Moreno is particularly heavy on opulent Italianate mansions.
Lantana complex
This group of buildings in Santa Monica houses several production offices, often used by HBO for pre- and postproduction (writing, editing, etc.) on shows such as “The Sopranos” and “The Leftovers.” “Curb” filmed Larry’s office at Larry David’s office here, including both the workaday interiors and the sleek, ivy-covered exterior.
Brentwood Country Mart
This upscale mall on the Santa Monica border, decked out in red wood and white beams evoking New England barn country, houses Farmshop, a pricey restaurant and grocery store where, at the start of Season 11, Larry pursues a man who has “forgotten” he owes him $6,000, using dementia as an excuse.
Riviera Country Club
Though “Curb’s” golf scenes were shot in various locations, this course separating Santa Monica from the Pacific Palisades is a Larry David favorite and the inspiration for the club with which Larry has a contentious relationship all the way through Season 12. Fictional owner Mr. Takahashi is an homage to real-life owner Noboru Watanabe.
Zankou Chicken/Sunnin Lebanese Cafe
Al-Abbas, the fictional Palestinian shop with the irresistible chicken that might just bring peace to the Middle East, is a clear nod to Zankou, a Lebanese Armenian mini-chain with its own lurid backstory and a location in West L.A. — though the restaurant interior scenes were shot in Sunnin Lebanese Cafe nearby.
Amici Brentwood
Cater-cornered from the Brentwood Country Mart, yet another spot on the “Curb” tour of upscale Italian places (burrata, white linen, framed photos on color-washed walls) becomes the setting of a fun Season 8 gag in which Larry and Richard tussle over whether a lunch plan requires a day-of “confirmation” (in L.A. it absolutely does).
Matteo’s
An upscale Italian restaurant of the more red-sauce variety is the star of a Season 7 episode: Larry insults the live opera singers who roam the place, complains about the osso buco to the doctor who recommended it, and gets beat up by his date’s angry boyfriend (with an assist from an irate Christian Slater).
Palisades Village
This shiny, haute-contemporary outdoor mall (think Aesop, Lululemon, Bottega Veneta) hosts many a casual run-in, including the one between Larry and a sex offender new to the neighborhood (played by Rob Corddry) who turns out to be a huge “Seinfeld” fan and ends up being invited to Larry’s Passover Seder.
Tiato Kitchen + Garden
“Benvenuto a Tiato!” The perky and pretentious greeting by the maitre d’ (Nick Kroll) is an unforgettable intro to “the Ugly Section,” which centers on the alleged funneling of less attractive customers to the back of the restaurant. Though “Curb” turns Tiato into (yet another) upscale Italian spot, the real Tiato is Asian fusion (named for a Vietnamese herb).
Enzo’s Pizzeria
This New York-style pizza place and UCLA favorite, co-founded by the son of Lenny Montana (Luca Brasi in “The Godfather”), serves up a delicious chicken sub, which is what Larry orders, helping himself to far too many napkins in defiance of the owner, which leads to his arrest.
About this story
Illustrations by Matt Hollings. Photography by Alyson Aliano. Editing by Jonathan Fischer. Photo editing by Moira Haney. Design and development by Brandon Ferrill.
