Tarantino's LA
- charlie6081
- Sep 26
- 7 min read
Don't miss TARANTINO LIVE, returning to the stage October 3rd - only at CineVita!
Quentin Tarantino is one of the world's most celebrated directors. With two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, and four Golden Globes - his works have been both critically acclaimed and popular with audiences. From his first film Reservoir Dogs to his latest hit Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, many of his movies have featured the city that is near and dear to his heart - Los Angeles. You probably saw a couple posts about Tarantino and his relationship with LA on our Instagram the past week and we're going to dive a bit further into the connection between the director and our city here in this blog.
Before he was one of the most celebrated filmmakers of his generation, Quentin Tarantino was just a movie-obsessed kid growing up in the South Bay of Los Angeles. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee but raised in neighborhoods like Torrance and El Segundo, Tarantino soaked in the city's eclectic energy from a young age. He wasn’t raised in the glittering Hollywood Hills, but in the more working-class corners of L.A.—places that would later give his films their gritty, lived-in texture.
His mother, a nurse, and his stepfather encouraged his early love of movies, often taking him to local theaters and letting him stay up late to watch old films on TV. As a teenager, Tarantino would ride the bus across the city just to catch a double feature or browse the aisles at video rental stores (he even worked at one—Video Archives in Manhattan Beach). L.A. wasn’t just where he lived—it was where he formed his identity, piecing it together through cinema, pop culture, and the city’s endlessly shifting landscape.
That early intimacy with Los Angeles—its strip malls, diners, dive bars, and fading movie houses—never left him. Instead, it became the visual and emotional backbone of many of his films. Whether it’s the back alleys and pawn shops in Pulp Fiction, or the dreamy, sun-soaked Hollywood of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino’s L.A. is deeply personal, rooted in memory and experience.
Below is a more detailed list of filming locations used in Tarantino's films...
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Tarantino’s debut film was made on a shoestring budget, but it made brilliant use of gritty, industrial areas of Los Angeles, especially in neighborhoods far from the Hollywood spotlight. These real locations give the film its grounded, street-level energy.
The Warehouse / Hideout 2676 Pomona Boulevard, City of Industry
The bulk of the film takes place in this grimy warehouse, which was actually a former mortuary. Both interior and exterior shots were filmed here, giving the film its bleak, claustrophobic atmosphere.
The Opening Diner Scene Pat and Lorraine’s Coffee Shop, 4720 Eagle Rock Blvd.
The now-iconic opening scene—with Tarantino’s signature blend of pop culture banter and tension—was shot in this no-frills diner that still operates today. It’s a must-visit for fans of the film.
The Street Where Mr. Orange Gets Shot Near 800 S. Avenue 21, Lincoln Heights
After the off-screen heist, Mr. Orange bleeds out in the back seat while Mr. White drives through this industrial part of town. The raw surroundings emphasize the chaotic, unglamorous aftermath of the botched job.
The Parking Lot Shootout South Santa Fe Avenue & Mateo Street, Downtown
This downtown intersection was used for the scene where Mr. Pink flees the heist and exchanges gunfire with police. The location fits the film’s lean, guerrilla-style production.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Arguably Tarantino’s most L.A.-infused film, Pulp Fiction makes use of locations all over the city.
Jack Rabbit Slim’s, the retro-themed restaurant where Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace dance, was a set—but it was inspired by classic diners around the Valley.
The pawn shop scene was filmed in Van Nuys, and Butch’s apartment was located near Glendale Boulevard in Atwater Village.
Even the iconic “clean-up” scene with The Wolf was shot in Toluca Lake, bringing a slice of the Valley into the film’s climax.
Jackie Brown (1997)
This film is Tarantino’s most geographically accurate love letter to L.A.'s South Bay, where he grew up.
Much of Jackie Brown was filmed in Hawthorne, Torrance, and El Segundo—areas rarely spotlighted in major films.
The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance plays a central role in the film, not just as a setting, but as a space that grounds the film in Tarantino’s own adolescence.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
This film is Tarantino’s most elaborate ode to L.A.—specifically, Hollywood in 1969.
He meticulously recreated Hollywood Boulevard, going so far as to transform entire blocks to match their late-'60s appearance, including period-accurate storefronts and neon signs.
Musso & Frank Grill, L.A.'s oldest restaurant, features prominently, as does Cinerama Dome and the now-demolished Melody Ranch in Chatsworth, which once served as a Western TV set.
The film even includes scenes shot on Benedict Canyon Drive, near the site of the Manson murders—a chilling piece of L.A. lore woven into the story.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2 (2003–2004)
While Kill Bill is a globe-trotting saga with scenes set in Japan, Texas, and Mexico, several key sequences were filmed right in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. These locations helped ground the Bride’s revenge story in a version of L.A. that’s raw, stylish, and full of genre callbacks.
Vernita Green’s Suburban Home — South Pasadena
The intense kitchen fight between The Bride and Vernita Green takes place in a quiet, residential neighborhood in South Pasadena. The calm, tree-lined street and modest home provide a jarring contrast to the sudden burst of ultraviolence—classic Tarantino.
Hospital Escape — Huntington Memorial Hospital, Pasadena
After waking from a four-year coma, The Bride’s eerie escape down dim corridors was filmed at Huntington Memorial Hospital. The sterile environment, paired with the silent tension, makes this one of the most unsettling sequences in Vol. 1.
The Wedding Chapel — The "Two Pines" Chapel, Lancaster
Though technically just outside Los Angeles County, this small, desert-side chapel in Lancaster plays a crucial role in both volumes. It’s the site of the “Massacre at Two Pines,” the brutal event that sets The Bride’s revenge mission in motion. The setting evokes old Westerns and adds a mythic quality to the narrative.
Driving Sequences — Various Los Angeles Freeways and Streets
Several of the transition and driving scenes throughout both volumes were filmed on well-known L.A. roadways, including the 405 and 101 freeways. These sequences offer a subtle reminder that parts of The Bride’s journey are unfolding in Tarantino’s cinematic version of modern-day Southern California.
Tarantino’s Hangouts: Barney's Beanery and Toi
Barney’s Beanery
A classic West Hollywood watering hole with a long history of attracting artists, misfits, and filmmakers, Barney’s Beanery has long been associated with L.A.'s counterculture. Tarantino was known to hang out here in the early days of his career, and it's widely reported that he spent time writing parts of Pulp Fiction at the bar. Its gritty, unpretentious atmosphere fits the tone of his early work—a place where Hollywood dreams collide with real-world edge.
TOI on Sunset
An eclectic, late-night Thai spot with walls covered in band posters and a playlist heavy on Led Zeppelin and The Clash, TOI is very much a rock 'n' roll version of L.A.'s dining scene. Tarantino has been a regular here for years, and the restaurant’s loud, chaotic energy feels like something out of one of his scenes. It's the kind of place where you could imagine Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace sharing a booth—messy, loud, and completely authentic.
Tarantino’s Theaters: The New Beverly and the Vista
Quentin Tarantino’s love for Los Angeles isn’t just preserved on film—it’s also alive in the city’s theaters. In a time when many classic cinemas have closed or been converted into retail space, Tarantino has taken an active role in preserving L.A.’s moviegoing culture by purchasing and operating two of its most beloved theaters: The New Beverly Cinema and The Vista Theatre.
The New Beverly Cinema
Located on Beverly Boulevard, the New Beverly has been a cornerstone of L.A.’s repertory film scene since the 1970s. Tarantino officially took over programming in 2007 and became the full owner in 2010. Under his guidance, the New Beverly became a shrine to celluloid—screening only 35mm and 16mm prints, many from Tarantino’s own personal collection. The theater’s programming often reflects Tarantino’s deep love for exploitation films, grindhouse classics, Hollywood deep cuts, and iconic double features—making it a haven for cinephiles seeking something far from the mainstream.
The Vista Theatre
In 2021, Tarantino announced that he had purchased the historic Vista Theatre in Los Feliz, another single-screen movie palace that dates back to the 1920s. While the Vista had a more modern focus than the New Beverly, Tarantino emphasized that the theater would continue showing first-run films—but still projected on film, not digital. He’s described the Vista as "a crown jewel" of L.A. movie theaters, and its restoration has included everything from technical upgrades to preserving its vintage charm.
With so many Tarantino spots around LA, it can feel like you're living in a film (though, I guess that's one of the special things about this crazy place that we call home - we're always living in a movie).
🎬💥 If you're looking to experience Tarantino to the fullest - CineVita's TARANTINO LIVE (returning October 3rd) is a must. This electrifying rock-and-roll cabaret transforms the director’s most iconic characters and scenes into a full-throttle stage experience, powered by 14 performers and a live six-piece band—all inside the largest Spiegeltent ever built.
It’s an unforgettable night of music, mayhem, and montages, set against a backdrop that’s as spectacular as the show itself: 3,000 mirrors, more than 200 stained-glass windows, and hand-carved wooden details.
At 15,000 square feet and with capacity for 750 guests, the venue is a spectacle in its own right—a rare chance to step inside a space that feels as cinematic as the stories being told within it.
Be sure to check back here for more features on Tarantino, CineVita, and upcoming giveaways on Instagram @laxplained for your chance to win free tickets, Tarantinos entire film collection & more!
