Historic Bay Area restaurant once frequented by John Wayne closed

The Milias, a historic restaurant in Gilroy that dates back to 1922, has closed its doors. Owners Adam Sanchez and Ann Zyburra announced the closure on September 1 on Facebook, as reported by the Gilroy Dispatch (the Facebook page has since been deactivated). 

“We hope that you have some great memories of the times that we shared at the Milias,” the post read. “We made some wonderful friends and worked with some amazing people. We will miss each and every one of you.”

Sanchez and Zyburra took over the Milias in 2011, renovating the old restaurant while still preserving its horseshoe-shaped bar, marble flooring and other historic features. The two had worked together before at a car dealership, but shared a passion for food, according to the Mercury News. Before taking over The Milias, Sanchez frequently competed in the Gilroy Garlic Festival’s Great Garlic Cook-Off, and won in 2001 for his Grand Marnier Marinated Duck Pot Stickers.

In the 1920s, the Milias was a hotel and restaurant that attracted the Hollywood elite, including Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Abbot and Costello, Carole Lombard, Will Rogers and John Wayne, who visited while raising cattle at a nearby ranch, according to Visit Gilroy. It was a popular destination during Gilroy’s “Cowboy Era,” when the Gilroy Rodeo (known as the Gymkhana), which ran from 1930 to 1956, was the place to be.

The Milias’ last day in operation was August 30. SFGATE could not reach Sanchez or Zyburra for comment in time for publication.

“We noticed business was dwindling, and we noticed our ability to serve our guests was suffering,” Zyburra told the Gilroy Dispatch.

The Milias served steaks, burgers, seafood pasta, wedge salad and cocktails, and also hosted live music events. It was first opened by George Milias Sr. in 1922 and changed names from the Milias Restaurant and Steakhouse Restaurant to Harvest Time in 1964, according to the Gilroy Dispatch. Sanchez and Syburra restored it to its original name, the Milias Restaurant, in 2011.