Bob Baker Marionette Theater has been an L.A. institution since 1963, when it first opened inside a scrappy scenic shop near Downtown. It’s the kind of place that feels stitched into the city’s creative underbelly. In 2009, it was officially designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, cementing what locals already knew: this wasn’t just a theater, it was part of the fabric.
Bob Baker passed away in 2014 at 90, but his spirit still floats through the rafters of its theater, which has since relocated to Highland Park, where a glowing neon marquee–white, red, yellow, and blue–beams like something out of a timeless storybook.
Push open the doors, and you’re met with a kaleidoscope of color: velvet curtains, hand-painted sets, and hundreds of lovingly crafted marionettes. It’s retro without being ironic. It’s earnest. Joyful.
I met the staff in the theater’s ice cream parlor to talk about their favorite puppets and, of course, their go-to L.A. restaurants. One by one, they told me about the East L.A. mom-and-pop spots their parents took them to, the cash-only spots they hit before a Saturday matinee, and the neighborhood bakeries that taste like home.
Pull almost anyone who grew up in Los Angeles aside, and they’ll have a Bob Baker story from a kindergarten field trip, sitting cross-legged up front, craning necks toward the stage lights. The hush before the curtain rises. Now those same kids bring their own children. Few places manage that kind of generational magic. Fewer still survive long enough to become ritual.
The current show, “Hooray L.A.,” is a love letter to the city, equal parts whimsical and winking. Fish swim through a glittering L.A. River. Cars stack into traffic jams. Landmarks shimmer and sway. It captures the strange poetry of this place: chaotic, tender, sun-soaked, and stubbornly imaginative.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater loves Los Angeles. And Los Angeles, in return, keeps showing up for Bob Baker Marionette Theater.
As its website puts it: “We look forward to another 60 years (at least!) of puppetry joy in L.A. and beyond.”
May the strings never tangle.
ADRIAN, PROJECT MANAGER
Adrian loves the Marimba Player puppet, “identified by his career, like so many of us,” they joke.
“So I'm gonna rep the LBC. My favorite restaurant is this Peruvian place called Ajii," Adrian says. "It's incredible. I am a big fan of their ceviche, specifically their classic one; they are all flavorful and unique. I'm Peruvian, and I'm pretty picky, I'd say, with my places. Their lomito saltado is always my litmus test for whether a place is good, and theirs is really perfect. They have the Peruvian beer there, not a lot of places carry that. So it's just an excellent experience all around. The owner is such a sweetheart. She has been our server a lot of the time, too. They're just like a really incredible business.”
2308 E. 7th St. Long Beach, CA 90804
DAHLIA, PUPPETEER
Dahlia lights up while talking about Wiggles the Fish, a newer puppet, sparkly, sweet, and a little bit magical.
Her L.A. comfort food? Porto’s. Porto's has been a Los Angeles staple since 1976, when the owner, Rosa, opened her first official storefront, Porto’s Bakery, on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, which closed a few years later in 1982 due to having such high demand, which is what made them expand to their Glendale location.
“Whenever I pick up my mom from the airport, we stop at the one in Burbank. Spicy torta milanesa, potato balls to go, guava cheese, always,” she says.
During the pandemic, stuck in Texas, her family shipped take-and-bake Porto’s.
“It really was a little taste of L.A. in Texas,” Dahlia recalls.
3614 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505
BIRDIE, FRONT OF HOUSE
Birdie’s favorite puppet is the glittering birthday cake—“a princess, glam, celebratory.” One of the most notable puppets that comes out at the end of a show to wish guests a happy birthday, give them a gift, and take a photo.
Their go-to meal matches the drama: crispy zaab chicken with garlic rice and a big broth from Heng Heng Chicken Rice.
“I’m convinced it’s medicinal at this point,” Birdie laughs. “Because of this broth, I’m going to live to be 110.”
4354 Fountain Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029
BENNY, FRONT OF HOUSE
Benny’s favorite puppet is the Teddy Bear Riding on Car Number 4.
“That’s his God-given name,” he jokes.
At Quarter Sheets, Benny doesn’t hesitate to name a favorite.
“Princess cake,” he says. “ But honestly, anything Hannah [Ziskin] makes. And if I’m there . . . I’m getting a whole pie. The Sicilian corner is one of my all-time favorites.”
Quarter Sheets opened their official spot in Echo Park in January 2022, though before that, real ones knew it as a little pop-up out of their house in Glendale, which then started the Detroit (ish) style pizza revolution in Los Angeles.
1305 Portia St. Los Angeles, CA 90026
DAISY, PRODUCTION MANAGER & PUPPETEER
Daisy’s favorite puppet is Happy Birthday Dog, a celebratory, loyal, always-ready-for-a-party dog. Her restaurant pick carries that same sense of occasion.
“La Parrilla in East Los Angeles,” she says. “I’ve been going there my whole life. Family dinners, grown-up dates, it’s just the best.”
La Parrilla offers a vibrant, celebratory Mexican dining experience that captivates both locals and visitors alike and has been serving the Boyle Heights community for almost 50 years.
2126 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90033
JOIE, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Joie’s favorite puppet is the late P-22, L.A.’s beloved mountain lion who resided in Griffith Park.
“I even have the P-22 library card,” she says, confirming that the love of P-22 doesn’t just stop with the puppet.
At Little Izakaya, “the sauces can’t be beat,” she says. “I get a lot of things. But right now? The seabream.”
Little Izakaya and its sister restaurants have been a valley staple since they swung the doors of their first restaurant, Sushi Katsu-ya, in 1997. Little Izakaya is the laid-back, chill little sibling of the group, where you can still have the upscale experience without having to get all dressed up.
4517 Sepulveda Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
RAY, FRONT OF HOUSE
Ray loves the black cat puppet.
“She’s a glamor girl. She’s a doll—and doll representation is important,” Ray says. “As a Cubana from Miami, Café Tropical tastes like home. Breakfast burrito with all the additions, guava cheese to go, cold brew in hand.”
“It’s such a community staple,” Ray says, noting its AA meetings and partnerships with Feed the Streets. In L.A., restaurants double as lifelines.
2900 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026
BRISA, PUPPETEER
Brisa Sisk loves Huunot the Bear, who represents the L.A. River and honors Tongva culture.
At Delia’s, she orders sopes piled high with carne asada and “everything on top.” The masa base soaks up salsa until it’s almost custardy at the center. It’s affordable, family-run, and steps away from the theater’s Highland Park home.
“It’s fresh,” Brisa says. “And it feels like community.”
5530 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042
JEN, PUPPETEER AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jen’s favorite puppets are the lucky money cats, who wear top hats, carry canes, and wear vests.
Her Los Angeles staple is O Banh Mi for shredded lemongrass chicken on bread that’s “soft and fresh and crispy.” The menu highlights Vietnamese cuisine with sandwiches, curries, and salads. Each sandwich features fresh vegetables, pickled toppings, and other flavorful fillings. “This spot has real mom-and-pop energy, it’s the kind of place you almost don’t want to tell people about because you want to keep it all to yourself.”
3119 Hyperion Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
SOPHIE, PUPPETEER
Sophie’s favorite puppet is Emery the Onion, one of the oldest in the collection.
“You can really see Bob Baker’s original vision in him,” Sophie says.
Her mornings begin at Valerie. A coffee shop that has been in Echo Park since 2013 and is known for its pastries and unique market offerings.
“Huge shoutout to Jerry,” Sophie says. “That’s who I want my coffee from, always.”
“My close second is Quarter Sheets, though,” she says. For appetizers and dessert. People know the pizza is great but I think they sleep on the apps.”
1665 Echo Park Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026
