Miceli’s was Hollywood’s first pizzeria and is its oldest Italian restaurant, originally established by Carmen and Sylvia Miceli in 1949, along with Tony and Sam Miceli. The decor features carved wooden booths, which Carmen purchased from the original Pig ‘N Whistle restaurant upon closing its doors in the same year of 1949. Miceli's is located at 1646 North Las Palmas Avenue.
All photos below are of the Hollywood location and from the Miceli's Restaurant website, unless noted. The site indicates there was at one time a Miceli's in Beverly Hills and one on Restaurant Row on La Cienega. I'm not sure if those are the same places as some addresses near WIlshire are in Beverly Hills. There's also currently one located in Universal City, which opened around 1980.
http://www.micelisrestaurant.com/photo-gallery.htm
Miceli's under construction
Tony, Sam, & Carmen
The following photos are from 1950 and show Miceli's at night and day.
The bottom two photos are how it currently appears at night, left, as seen in the filming of the second episode of Mob City aired last year, and during the day at right. (Bottom photos/Lindsay Blake/L.A. Magazine)
Tony, Sam, Sylvia, & Carmen
Supposedly, the I Love Lucy writers got the idea for the Lucy episode where she takes over making pizzas in a restaurant from watching the chefs here and that Lucy took lessons there for that episode from one of them.
The restaurant and alley beside it have been used in many films and TV shows including American Dreams, Mob City, Pretty Woman and Knocked Up.
Film Noir - A commenter posted:
For another movie filmed at Miceli’s, look for NIGHTFALL (1957), a film noir starring Brian Keith, Aldo Ray, and Ann Bancroft and directed by Jacques Tourneur. There’s a lengthy scene in the early part of the film that depicts Miceli’s, and some other parts of Hollywood Blvd., such as the nearby newsstand.
At the moment, I don't know if there's been any posts about the still open Boardner's establishment a street over from Miceli's, but there's a story on this link below about it, full of anecdotes about Hollywood Blvd. establishments we've heard of and not heard of before, the characters and celebrities who frequented them and about the owner, Steve Boardner. There's some details about Carmen Miceli included. A good read.
http://www.boardners.com/boardners_story.php