Runas Peruvian Cuisine

The ultimate Hollywood twofer resides in one of its most historic locations. Runas and The Tavern are located in the Old City Hall building on 21st Avenue (corner of Polk) which flourished in the day as Hemingway’s Lounge. Today the northern most slice of the building serves as the “restaurant” while the Tavern is open nightly (with live entertainment on Friday evenings).
It’s rumored that the spirits of Hollywood founder Joseph Young and iconic mobster Al Capone inhabit this most iconic Hollywood haunt.

Owners, Tony Dominquez and Gerardo Landa, carved their respective service industry niches in Miami and beyond.

The owners met some years ago at Acqualina in Sunny Isles, where Gerado worked and where Tony would often visit after his bartending shift at a nearby eatery. What the two guys from Peru quickly realized was a shared desire to open a restaurant of their own and their search began.

From Miami to Lauderdale they sought the right space—nada, until a Craigslist search turned up the Hollywood property.

“When we walked in that first time we all knew this was it,” says Tony. “There was a ton of work to be done, especially the kitchen. But the vibe was overwhelming. While we knew nothing of its storied past, we could sense it nonetheless.”