The Hollywood Canteen operated at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, California between October 3, 1942 and November 22, 1945 (Thanksgiving Day) as a club offering food, dancing and entertainment for servicemen, usually on their way overseas. Even though the majority of visitors were U.S servicemen, the Canteen was open to servicemen of allied countries as well as women in all branches of service. The serviceman's ticket for admission was his uniform and everything at the Canteen was free of charge.

The driving forces behind its creation were Bette Davis and John Garfield, along with composer Jules Stein, President of Music Corporation of America, who headed up the finance committee. Bette Davis devoted an enormous amount of time and energy to the project and served as its president. The various guilds and unions of the entertainment industry donated the labor and money for the building renovations. The Canteen was operated and staffed completely by volunteers from the entertainment industry. By the time the Canteen opened its doors, over 3000 stars, players, directors, producers, grips, dancers, musicians, singers, writers, technicians, wardrobe attendants, hair stylists, agents, stand-ins, publicists, secretaries, and allied craftsmen of radio and screen had registered as volunteers.

Glamorous stars volunteered to wait on tables, cook in the kitchen and clean up. On September 15, 1943 the one millionth guest walked through the door of the Hollywood Canteen. The lucky soldier, Sgt. Carl Bell, received a kiss from Betty Grable.

A Hall of Honor at the Hollywood Canteen had a wall of photos which honored the film actors who served in the military.

In 1944, Warner Bros. made a star-studded film about the Hollywood Canteen. At the time the Canteen closed its doors, it had been host to almost three million servicemen.

On May 5, 2001, after being closed for more then 50 years, the Hollywood Canteen re-opened their doors at a new location on Santa Monica Boulevard within a few miles from it's original location. The grand opening was a star studded event with stars such as Paris Hilton and Marylin Manson and ushered in a new era for the Hollywood Canteen. Keeping in touch with it's roots, the Hollywood Canteen is adorned pictures of the past, Betty Davis's original make-up trailer, and art deco interior that is a throw back to yesteryears. The Hollywood Canteen design is an homage to the original Hollywood Canteen that has received numerous praises and awards from local and national peers.

The Hollywood Canteen has had the opportunity to cater to some of Hollywood's biggest names including: Paris Hilton, Marylin Mason ,Keith Jardine ,Vince Vangh , and Lindsay Lohan to name a few. Although the Hollywood Canteen is a central hub for many “a list names in Hollywood”, the Hollywood Canteen's door always welcome their local community as it is a beacon for many entertainment studios to wine and dine at this location.