A beloved Wilshire Boulevard corner has come back to life with the opening of Diner Antonette, a heartfelt reinvention of one of Santa Monica’s most architecturally striking restaurant spaces. The new bistro, which opened quietly on June 18, is a deeply personal project for restaurateur Bob Lynn, whose vision merges California-seasonal cooking, neighborhood hospitality and a sincere commitment to long-term community building.
The space, formerly Ingo’s Tasty Diner, has undergone a meticulous transformation. The building itself is one of the last true examples of authentic Art Deco Streamline Moderne design in the area, and has been nominated for a second time by the Santa Monica Conservancy for its adaptive reuse and preservation. Outside, a bold neon sign greets guests under curving chrome and soft stucco edges. Inside, warm neutrals, soft black leather and three large-scale paintings by Lynn’s wife, artist Sara Abbott, plus the original terrazzo floors remain intact, giving the space a refined but relaxed atmosphere.,
It is not just a new restaurant, it’s a tribute. Diner Antonette is named after Lynn’s late mother and shaped by decades of industry experience, including years spent opening restaurants for the Hillstone Group. But this one is different, this one, he says, is for Santa Monica.
“This is home,” Lynn told the Daily Press. “We live four blocks away. We’ve always loved this building, even when it was Callahan’s back in the day. So this is very much a long game for us. We own the property. We want it to become part of the neighborhood’s DNA, just like Callahan’s and Vienna Bakery were.”
That neighboring bakery, also owned by Lynn, was carefully deconstructed after its closure in 2021 and folded into the restaurant footprint. In its place now stands a whimsical, welcoming retail shop and a 60-seat patio space tucked behind the building, still undergoing finishing touches. The boutique, curated by longtime buyer Jennifer Steele, offers an eclectic mix of wines, gifts and plush novelties that reflect the restaurant’s broader spirit: thoughtful, local and unpretentious.
“We built in layers,” Lynn said. “A proper diner, a retail experience that’s warm and fun, and a back patio for relaxed gatherings. We wanted three experiences under one roof, depending on your mood or who you’re with.”
That sense of hospitality runs throughout the business. Steele, who also manages the team’s Arizona outpost, called the shop “a joyful extension” of the guest experience. “Everything in there is meant to make you smile,” she said. “It sounds corny, but it’s true. People are looking for joy again.”
In the kitchen, Lynn’s son Jordan Lynn, the restaurant’s executive chef, has kept about 70 percent of the original Ingo’s menu while adding new seasonal offerings that reflect his own culinary journey. Among them is a now-signature crispy chicken dish subtly spiced with Bombay-style flavors, inspired by his travels to India and time spent learning home-style techniques from family cooks in Mumbai.
“India changed the way I look at food,” Jordan said. “There’s such depth to the everyday cooking there; nuance, emotional connection, respect for ingredients. That experience still finds its way into how I cook here, even if it’s just a braised green or a spice blend.”
Other standouts include a fermented pine nut dressing served over radicchio, a tender filet mignon steak au poivre and a house-ground burger that Jordan describes as his most ambitious swing. The patties are ground to order using a custom low-temperature setup and cooked in Japanese cast iron omelet pans to develop a crisp exterior while preserving a soft, meaty center.
“I wanted the texture of a pub burger with the crispy lace of a smashburger,” Jordan said. “We’ve worked really hard to make that balance right.”
The menu changes frequently, especially when it comes to fruits, vegetables and fish. Items are drawn from local farmers markets several times a week. Even the pasta and pickles are made in-house.
“We don’t do it for the ego,” Jordan said. “We do it because it shows a level of care. That kind of attention resonates with people.”
Bob Lynn, for his part, speaks as passionately about municipal governance as he does about hospitality. He remains supportive of the city’s potential, though he feels the current structure is overdue for modernization.
“Santa Monica is still run like a small beach town, but it’s not one anymore,” he said. “It’s a global destination. I think it’s time we had a directly elected mayor. The city charter was written for a different era.”
When asked if he would ever consider running for office himself, he didn’t say no. “If the structure changed, maybe,” he said with a smile. “I think we need more business people with real-world experience getting involved. People who understand what it takes to get things done.”
He may never seek public office, but Lynn is already doing more than most to lift Santa Monica. In a city still wrestling with retail vacancies, turnover and economic recovery, Diner Antonette stands out not just for its elegance or menu, but for its optimism and for the man behind it, who is humble, modest and refreshingly genuine.
“This was a labor of love,” Lynn said. “We didn’t do any public relations stunts, we’re not rushing anything. We’re just doing it right, we want people to feel like they belong here.”
Diner Antonette is open daily for happy hour from 4pm and dinner from 5pm, with brunch and lunch service expected later this year. The restaurant is located at 1213 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica.
scott.snowden@smdp.com