Even though he was far from home, and even though the Great Depression was taking a huge toll on the national psyche, nothing could shake Eiler Larsen. In an effort to cheer people up in the late 1920s, the friendly Denmark native would enthusiastically greet people on the streets of DC, bringing a smile to their otherwise downtrodden faces. He continued this tradition when he resettled in Laguna Beach in the 1930s, standing on a street corner day after day, smiling and waving at passersby until the city named him the Official Laguna Greeter in 1963.

The Greeter’s Corner takes its name from the lovable eccentric, whose greeting spot was the corner located outside the eatery's entrance. Now a bronze statue of the man welcomes people to the building, a five-arched, white-stucco structure that's a part of Laguna history in it's own right, dating back to 1928 and bearing the name of the influential Isch family.

Like the friendly man it's named for, The Greeter’s Corner doesn't put on airs. The casual space features cozy booths in a dining room flooded with sunlight, as well as an outdoor patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Classic American breakfast and lunch dishes, including buttermilk pancakes, burgers, and sandwiches, satisfy grumbling tummies, though patrons can find a few upscale dishes, too, such as mesquite-grilled lobster.