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Like many in the 1950s, New York Yankees star hitter Joe DiMaggio was enthralled with Marilyn Monroe. Of course, the blonde bombshell was regarded as one of the most famous sex symbols in Hollywood before her untimely death in 1962.

Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio smiling, sitting at a dinner table, in black and white
Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio | Bettmann/Getty Images

However, even today, Monroe remains synonymous with beauty and serves as a prominent pop culture icon. While most of her fans know about her whirlwind romance and short-lived marriage to DiMaggio, many are probably unaware that the love affair almost never happened. Find out more about DiMaggio and Monroe’s relationship and their first date below. 

Marilyn Monroe did not expect to like Joe DiMaggio 

Being the poster girl of the era’s sexual revolution, everyone wanted their chance to woo the beautiful Hollywood film star. Of course, this included DiMaggio. After Monroe’s four-year marriage to police officer James Dougherty ended in divorce in 1946, she had fellas lined up at her door for the chance to take her out on a date. 

After DiMaggio saw Monroe at a photo shoot, he asked one of their mutual friends to set them up on a date. Monroe was hesitant to go on a date with DiMaggio, fearing he would be like the stereotypical arrogant athletes she had dealt with before. Ultimately, Monroe agreed to go on a date with DiMaggio, but only if it was a double date.

According to I Am Not a Stalker, Monroe was surprisingly smitten with DiMaggio on their first date and enjoyed the fact that more people were coming over to their table to meet the world-famous Joltin’ Joe rather than herself. 

Monroe and DiMaggio’s first date was at the Rainbow Bar & Grill 

While Monroe ended up getting along well with DiMaggio, she really didn’t want to go on a date and, as a result, ended up showing up over two hours late. This left DiMaggio at the sunset strip hotspot, wondering if he was ever going to meet Monroe in person. Luckily for the MLB star, he got his wish when Monroe waltzed into the Rainbow Bar & Grill a couple of hours after initially expected. 

So, DiMaggio and Monroe’s first real encounter occurred at the historic West Hollywood restaurant now known as the Rainbow Bar & Grill. However, at the time of their date, the establishment was known as Villa Nova and an exclusive Italian Eatery. According to the book Dishing Hollywood, DiMaggio and Monroe shared a plate of Villa Nova’s scallopine of veal on their first date. 

The Rainbow Bar & Grill has always been a favorite among Hollywood elites 

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In the late 1960s, the Villa Nova restaurant moved to the exclusive Newport Beach area, and the original site, where DiMaggio and Monroe had their first date, was sold to music producer Lou Adler and restaurateurs Elmer Valentine and Mario Maglieri. The group founded a new restaurant, the Rainbow Bar & Grill, in April 1972. 

With its strict “no press” policy, the restaurant quickly became a favorite hangout spot for actors, singers, athletes, and all the Hollywood elite. Stars like Jack Nicholson, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Mick Jagger, Sylvester Stallone, Robin Williams, John Lennon, and Robert De Niro, among others, all shared meals at the Rainbow Bar & Grill over the years. 

In addition, the Rainbow Bar & Grill also served as a filming location for two Guns N’ Roses music videos and the Season 2 episode of Californication titled “The Great Ashby.” Fans looking to feast their eyes on the spot where DiMaggio and Monroe had their first date back in the early 1950s are in luck, as the Rainbow Bar & Grill is still open for business and can be found at 9015 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, California. 

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