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My kindergartener had a school fundraiser recently in which families dined out at California Pizza Kitchen and partial proceeds of the receipts went back to benefit his school.

Watching him giddy with anticipation all day at the thought of being in close proximity to his friends and teachers at a restaurant reminded me of how excited I used to get when my elementary school used to do the same thing. But this was a while ago and before the existence of the comparatively ritzy locale of CPK.

To raise money for my son’s school, a dine-out is held in a different restaurant every month but when I was little and attending Kenter Canyon, we had just one Pizza Night a year and it was always held at the same place -- an iconic restaurant familiar to Brentwoodians of a certain generation: Regular Jons.

Located where the sleeker Coral Tree Cafe now sits, Regular Jons was a sprawling, somewhat dark, old-fashioned pizzeria with thick plastic tables painted in red and white checks. You ordered at the counter and sometimes on Pizza Night the school kids were allowed to throw on an apron to help bus tables or pop in to the kitchen to assist the chefs.

Either you loved its cracker thin crust or you hated it but no matter what, you had an opinion and no one was ever on the fence about a preference. Big pitchers of soda on the tables signified a big little league win, sawdust on the floor probably intended to hide the obvious pizza toppings droppings, kids of my generation flocked to Regular Jons as the go-to meeting spot for years. We climbed and played on the permanently parked fire truck stuck in the sidewalk out in front.

We competed on the Ms. Pac Man and Centipede video games and who among us did not get excited seeing those very games in a cameo scene from the classic John Hughes movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off? It was like seeing someone we knew in the film -- not terribly rare since growing up in Brentwood meant often knowing someone on the silver screen but still exciting nonetheless.

Regular Jons might have been the first restaurant on San Vicente to offer a salad bar but no one would have experienced organic quinoa or tempe paste concoctions here. We are talking ambrosia, red Jell-O and cling peaches chilling in fake silver bowls embedded in crushed ice. Tacky, tasty yet totally progressive at the time.

I think what I love most about my memories of Regular Jons is that it represents what I know to be the Brentwood of my youth. When I tell someone where I am from and they give that look of Aaaha, privilege! -- I know they do not really have an understanding of the old days, back when the eighties disco lights of Hamburger Hamlet predated the Tavern or the Jumping Frog Saloon was the hippest bar in town -- long before Katsua set up shop in that same location.

Brentwood may be slightly ritzier now than when I was growing up. It has been well over twenty years since Regular Jons shut its doors and even longer since I enjoyed my last Pizza Night.

I got a kick out of watching how excited my son was at his version of pizza night and wondered if it might be genetic -- that feeling of how fun it is to see friends and teachers outside the classroom and breaking bread in a shared location.

He might not be able to climb on top of a parked fire truck outside or break health codes by helping out in the kitchen but he was as happy as could be and had a great time nonetheless.

Comments to date: 8. Page 1 of 1. Average Rating: G-B    Las Vegas 12:19pm on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011  I was just thinking about this long lost pizza of my childhood and decided to run a search. After finding this article, I found another interesting link. One that seems to suggest Regular Jons might be coming back. I have no idea if this is real, or cruel internet hoax. regularjons DOT com Take with a grain of salt. Ian Voyagis    Reseda, CA 12:34pm on Monday, October 31st, 2011  There will never be another Regular Jon's. Such an iconic part of my childhood. I remember the first time I was legally able to order a pitcher of beer. So many great memories. Robert Campbell    San Pedro, CA 10:06am on Friday, October 14th, 2011  I remember so fondly the pizza night fundraisers Westwood elementary school had a Regular Johns. My dad and other parents would work the kitchen, and my friends and I would play, eat and have a great time. I agree with Lou - I don't think I've ever found a pizza as tasty as Regular Johns. I don't know if that's because of the nostalgia or because it was actually great pie. Either way, it holds a lot of memories for me. Ralph Trueblood    Portland 5:47am on Saturday, December 4th, 2010  Regular Jon's was part of the community in a way that nothing has been since. Thanks for writing this. Jeff Hall    Brentwood 10:25pm on Sunday, April 25th, 2010  I really miss the place, too. Brentwood has never quite been the same without Regular Jons. Lilli, you have really struck a chord here. Steve Goldberg    San Jose 6:43pm on Sunday, April 25th, 2010  My very favorite place growing up. If I had a time machine, I'd go back to 1979 for my seventh B-day party sit in the corner and eat a large cheese pizza. Maybe it was 1978 for my sixth B-day... Oh ya I had ALL my childhood birthday parties there! Brooke Harris    Los Angeles 6:39pm on Friday, April 23rd, 2010  What a fabulous article! I also miss Regular Jons! This was just fantastic. Lou Lahana    NYC 4:06pm on Friday, April 23rd, 2010  So glad you wrote this. I have yet to find a pizza as yummy as Regular Johns. I heard a rumor the secret ingredient was Buttermilk. Remember the silent movies? The white bin of Lollipops? Karate Champ? I friggin' miss that place. Your Name: Your Location: Vote: Choose 1 - Dreadful 2 - Poor 3 - Fair 4 - Good 5 - Excellent Your Comment: Security check *