Coral Reef in Millbrae, Millbrae, CA (restaurant)

Name:Coral Reef in Millbrae
Type:restaurant
Street:900 El Camino Real
City:Millbrae
State:CA
Zip:94030
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
The Coral Reef in Millbrae was part of a group of Coral Reef named businesses opened by the Malevilles. It was known as a Nightclub and Restaurant. The location is now a medium sized Chain Hardware store.

Well...an internet search on the Millbrae location turned up a book on Amazon. You can see some images on Page 101-search Coral Reef. I don't know how to capture those images, but here is some of what it said; One of Millbrae's exciting restaurant and nightclub destinations was the tropical Coral Reef seen here in 1946. It was owned by Buddy and Roberta Maleville (see the Lodge sign images in Sacramento)and was located at 900 El Camino Real. No chance of any cool locale left--it is now an Orchard Supply Hardware Store. The name of the book is; Millbrae (Images of America: California)(Paperback) by Millbrae Historical Society.

Nice find Mr. Smiley.

Here is the photo and the ad from the book.

A mid-century fascination with Tiki themes....hmm, sounds familiar.

This place looks like it was around for a while and had a sister restaurant in Sacramento as shown on this napkin posted by Taboo Dan.

DC

Thanks for capturing the images, DC !

I picked up an old, crusty, worked matchbook from the Coral Reef in Millbrae.

The cool part about this one is that it shows the same type of sign that was used at the Sacramento location, different than what was shown in the book photo previously.

DC

Newspaper ad for a Luau at the Coral Reef in Milbrae - Polynesian dress mandatory!

I could find info dating as far back as 1946.

It closed in 1953

And became the and became the Carriage House.

DC

A 1950 Playgoer ad, during the run of "South Pacific" in San Francisco

Spotted this old drink menu from the Coral Reef in Milbrae, some great drink names!

Also found this little tidbit of information on the Milbrae Historical Society website indicating that Bing Crosby (and Bob Hope) frequented the joint.

"The Coral Reef earned its fame from being Bing Crosby’s watering hole. Bing would occasionally bring his buddy Bob Hope along for a drink. The Coral Reef advertised itself as the most unique dining place in the Bay Area, serving “American Chinese Food”."

DC