Born just two years before his father Marius Taix opened Taix in 1927, Raymond Taix grew up in the restaurant business. The original location opened at 317-321 Commercial Street (near San Pedro Street) as a 'style pension bourgeoise - a real French dinner' just blocks from the post office during a time when European cuisine was very fashionable in Los Angeles (other 'European cuisine' establishments of the time included the Paris Inn, Marcell Inn, Brandstatter's Cafe Montmartre, Hotel Alexaandria's Franco-Italian Dining Room and Italian Village). Taix French restaurant featured 'typical French lunches and dinners served either family style or with waiter service'. In 1928 (during Prohibition) Marius Taix pointed out "It was to show that a French restaurant can be run successfully without serving wine that I started this one. It's a matter of sentiment too. My father started the first French bakery here in 1885. C'est tres interesant n'est ce pas?" Within a year of opening, Taix was bucking the trend of the usual dine and dance establishment that was popular at that time (a la Cafe Montmartre, Ambassador Hotel and Miller's Cafe Lafayette) with their slogan 'We sell you food , not MUSIC', they featured the cuisine and pointed out they had a seating capacity of 225. Drinking coffee from a water glass after the meal 'instead of a regular cup' was an odd feature of their service.
Raymond took over managing the restaurant from 1950 on and supervised their move to the current location in 1962. Eighty three years and this family owned business is still going strong. Viva la Taix!
