When John Toman bought Curley’s Cafe 15 years ago, he was given a piece of advice: Don’t mess with the chili.
To this day, it’s still handmade following the same secret recipe used since 1965. Toman estimates they make around 15 gallons each week. It’s one dish, but the chilli and Curley’s signature “coldest beer in town” are a symbol of something bigger. Curley’s has a deep local history and continuity that’s kept it running and beloved for 94 years.
“I think the key is earning the trust of people,” Toman said.
Curley’s opened in 1932 as a watering hole for the oil workers who crowded into Signal Hill to tend thousands of derricks that sprang up after the discovery of crude. Curley’s was loud and rowdy, a place where roughneck arguments often broke out, according to an interview with Curley’s son Ewing Turner recorded in 1989 and now stored in the California State University Digital Archives.
Curley himself, whose real name was Everett Turner, eventually sold the bar to his son. Since then, it’s changed hands multiple times, losing some of its edge along the way. It’s now more of a family diner than a bar, but it’s kept its connection to Signal Hill’s oil industry origins.
The walls are adorned with photos from the oil boom showing the fields full of oil drills. An oil derrick is still the restaurant’s logo.
On the menu, items like “The Roughneck” (3 eggs, 3 bacon strips, 3 pancakes, a sausage patty and a side of hashbrowns or home-cut potatoes) and “The Driller” (2 eggs, 2 bacon strips, 2 slices of French toast, and a side of hashbrowns or home-cut potatoes) pay homage to the restaurant’s origins.
And if, by chance, you’re still looking to cool down after a long hot day on an oil rig, Curley’s prides itself on beer that’s kept between 28 and 31 degrees and served in a frozen cup.
Toman himself didn’t understand the charm of Curley’s when he was first given the chance to buy the restaurant. “I drove by, and I was unimpressed,” he said. “The whole front corner was all thorn bushes, and just from the street, the first thing I saw was not good.”
A couple of years later, after the price was lowered, Toman decided to give it one more shot. He took his friend to have breakfast there and was immediately sold.
His friend wanted his food prepared in a very particular way, with his bacon cooked perfectly and sliced tomatoes on the side instead of potatoes. The server, Gabby, didn’t take any notes on their order, but brought out everything they asked for. The chef, Gustavo, cooked it all exactly as they wanted.
“Gabby and Gustavo are the reason I bought this place,” Toman said.
Gustavo died of cancer a few years ago, but Gabby is still a server at Curley’s Cafe after more than 20 years. Toman said familiar faces like hers are key to building so much trust with customers.
“The people trust the core. That’s what keeps us going,” Toman said.
Now, Toman proudly tells tales about Curley’s history himself.
According to one Toman tells, the building that stands today is the third iteration of the restaurant. The original building allegedly blew up after someone turned on a faulty light switch. Then, as Willow Street expanded, the second building was removed and replaced with the current building further back.
Now that he’s found his place in it, Toman says he’s committed to keeping Curley’s history alive. All he wants is for the restaurant to keep going strong.
“There’s nothing like this,” he said.
Curley’s Cafe, 1999 E Willow St. in Signal Hill, is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.