If you can get Dizzy Gillespie to play at your restaurant, your restaurant might become a cultural institution. That's one lesson learned during Catalina Bar & Grill storied history, which began in 1987 and was profiled by the Los Angeles Times in 2008. The bebop-improvising trumpeter wasn't the only star, or even jazz great, who's graced the Catalina stage—others include Art Blakely, Chick Corea, Betty and Benny Carter, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, and Jimmy Scott. And things have not slowed down. Each month, the discerning booker schedules dozens of soloists, bands, and orchestras—but he's only interested in top-level talent. While live music is the true star, Catalina also features a full menu, which brims with entrees such as filet mignon, rack of lamb, and shrimp scampi.