First Visit to the Proud Bird Restaurant

by Brad Jacobson

I have lived in the South Bay for approximately 15 years and have driven by the Proud Bird countless times without ever stopping.  Every time I drive by I think “that place really looks interesting, I should stop in one of these days”.  One of these days finally came around, on a shoot for the Easy Reader Newspaper.  It’s much larger than I expected, I always though it was the same size as a Denny’s or Coco’s.

For those of you unsure about what the Proud Bird is, it is an aviation themed restaurant located on Aviation Blvd right next to LAX giving diners front row view of airplanes coming in for a landing.  With windows lining the main restaurant seating, diners can watch planes landing at LAX and view classic planes parked on the Proud Birds back yard.

I was there for lunch.  They are only open for lunch M-W from 11am-3pm, and they are open for lunch and dinner Thurs-Sun 11am-3pm and 4-8.  They also have a Sunday brunch from 9am-3pm.  During my lunch time visit, they were serving a buffet as well as off a menu.  The buffet had plenty of food (meats and seafood) as well as a salad bar and desert table.

After lunch I took a walk outside to take a closer view of their planes and the incoming planes to LAX.  I’ve never been much of a plane enthusiast, but it was fun to watch the modern planes fly over the antiques.

One of the biggest surprises was how big the Proud Bird is.  They are more than a restaurant and planes.  They have 8 banquet rooms and their main ballroom offers a seating capacity of 1,200 guest.   I was also impressed with their aviation memorabilia which lines the halls and the walls.

Overall I would recommend making a stop at the Proud Bird for a meal and a show, even if you’re not an aviation geek!

To read the full culinary review from the Easy Reader, CLICK HERE.