The two-story building that houses La Fonda restaurant is a prime example of the Spanish Churrigueresque style practiced in the mid-1920s by the firm of Morgan, Walls and Clements and perfected by its chief designer, Stiles O. Clements.

The building was designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1983.

Several popular Wilshire restaurants have occupied the space, notably the Cafe Opera in the 1930s and '40s and the Vagabond's House later. La Fonda opened in 1969 as a venue for mariachi music. After being open for nearly forty years, La Fonda closed in 2007. The restaurant reopened in 2016, and once again offered live mariachi music.

The building's second floor had been beautifully rehabbed into entertainment production space at the time. During the pandemic of 2020, La Fonda closed. Owner John Hinojosa told Spectrum News 1 that it was a difficult decision. “It is very, very sad, and unfortunate. We wish we could keep it, but financially we cannot afford it,” Hinojosa said.