Flickr/jesswebb

Well, this may actually be it. After years of thwarting attempts by the site's landowners to toss Irv's Burgers off the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Sweetzer in West Hollywood, Irv's owner Sonia Hong may have to hang up her spatula once and for all. Despite being one of our favorite old school burger stands, Irv's Burgers is slated to shutter at the end of June, according to the site Route 66 News. And the reason, as you might guess, is money.

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instagram/animalvinny

The photo of Damiano's Vinny Dotolo posted as the announcement he and Jon Shook would be taking over the space

We in the food media tend to get excited over the news of change and newness -- it gives us something to write about, if nothing else. But change, especially in the world of restaurants, can be fairly traumatizing to a neighborhood.

In the aftermath of the news that Animal's Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo would be taking over the space that has housed Damiano's for more than 50 years, many people felt that this was an example of the true soul of L.A. being eradicated in the name of hipster progress. On our site and others that reported the news, commenters expressed anger and frustration. And in an "Open letter to the LA Weekly Re: Damiano's Pizza and the three dudes" blogger Eric G. Johnson takes us to task over our coverage of the decision by Shook and Dotolo to not renew Damiano's lease and put their own business in the space.

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Photo credit: Waffle Chix

Since May 20th, Bruins have had to search elsewhere for deep-fried chicken and waffles. Family-owned Southern diner Waffle Chix, which opened in 2011 in Westwood Village, adjacent to Five Guys and Le Pain Quotidien, posted signage telling fans, "We are expanding our footprint around Los Angeles. Get ready for new Waffle Chix food truck, delivery service and restaurant coming soon."

ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, owned by Chipotle Mexican Grill, will replace Waffle Chix on Broxton Avenue in late 2013, with a liquor license application to sell beer and wine posted on the store-front window.

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Empress Pavilion

Shrimp har gow at Empress Pavilion

If you haven't already heard, Empress Pavilion locked its doors for the final time this past Sunday, evicted after operating in Chinatown for 24 years. For insiders, the shutter had hovered as a very real possibility for a while, as landlord and tenants struggled to reconcile issues related to building disrepair and overdue payments.

According to Daily Dish, the eviction came after the restaurant's owners, including Ricky Chan and Joe Lee, were unable to pay rent and meet the landlord's demands. The story goes on to report that, for his part, landlord Anek Bholsangngam was slow to address problems such as the broken outdoor escalator.

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Photo credit: Caroline on Crack

Aguachiles at Petty Cash

Big-name chefs are doing big things this summer. Opening June 4 is L.A.'s newest clam "shack" Connie & Ted's. Chef-owner Michael Cimarusti's (Providence) friends and family previewed the goods last week; the rest of us are soon to follow.

Possibly the most notable recent opening is Petty Cash Taqueria, a collaboration between Bill Chait and chef Walter Manzke, with assists from food blogger Bill Esparza and chef Guillermo "Oso" Campos Moreno. For Angelenos whose first memories of Manzke's cooking are not Bastide but Church & State, where the chef convinced many guests of the worthiness of pig's ears, the pig ear nachos are utterly fitting.

In more opening news, Pa-Ord Noodle has a second location in Hollywood. Come for the familiar boat noodles, crispy pork and fried squares of nearly gelatinous swine that offer a nice bite to accompany slices of broccoli swimming in soy sauce. Turn the page for the latest restaurant openings and closings:

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D. Solomon

cobb salad

"It's literally an oasis in one of the most hardcore parts of the city -- and no one knows about it." So wrote Huell Howser in 2007 about The French Garden, an eatery in the industrial side of downtown's Arts District. But plenty of people know about The French Garden; they've sustained this lunch-only, 150-seat bistro for 15 years. And plenty of people are now sorely disappointed. The French Garden closes on Friday.

In recent years, The French Garden has been overshadowed by trendier arrivals such as Church and State, Bestia, and Pizzanista. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before a higher bidder turned up. According to Downtown News, Señor Fish owner Enrique Ramirez will replace French Garden with an upscale restaurant -- and put current tenant Benoit Lesure out of business.

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Garrett Snyder

Bacon Cheeseburger at Storefront Deli

Word is beginning to come down from the social media-sphere that Storefront in Los Feliz is shuttering. After a few unconfirmed and seriously clandestine hours, it now appears certain that chef-owners Zak Walters and Chris Phelps will be closing up the popular deli space immediately.

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A. Scattergood

exterior of Black Cat Bakery

Black Cat Bakery & Cafe, the 2-year-old bakery and sandwich shop on Fairfax Avenue, has closed its doors permanently. Signs taped up on the windows apologized to the bakery's regulars, thanked them and cited "the current business climate" as the reason for the closing.

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M.A.K.E.

Drink your veggies at Matthew Kinney's new juice bar M.A.K.E. Out.

Something about springtime makes Angelenos long for a healthier lifestyle. Perhaps the constant Victoria's Secret commercials, or research claiming junk food will kill a man's sperm. Whatever it is, more juice bars and macrobiotic foods have arrived, namely at new restaurants including Shojin, M.A.K.E. Out, LYFE and others.

While some are trying to be healthy, others are enjoying dumplings, smoked hocks, creamy grits, sweet tea, crab soup and other decadent, country-style fare thanks to Govind Armstrong's Willie Jane in Venice.

Bringing more carbs to downtown L.A. (in the FIG at 7th Center) is Mendocino Farms, opening April 2. Read on for a full list of March openings and closures:

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Anne Fishbein

The interior of Playa, which will close after service this Wednesday

Chef John Sedlar has just announced that Playa will be closing after service this Wednesday. From the email statement we received:

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