Carlitos Gardel Argentine Steakhouse
Photograph: Courtesy Carlitos Gardel
Photograph: Courtesy Carlitos Gardel

The best steakhouses in Los Angeles

For holiday dinners, special occasions or a big-ticket business dinner, the city’s best steakhouses are at your service.

Patricia Kelly Yeo
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In a city known for its vegetarian and vegan appeal, we sometimes forget about the bounty of steakhouses serving prime cuts of meat around L.A. True, Angelenos tend to prefer their red meat in Korean barbecue form, but there’s nothing like a steakhouse to seal the deal on an important contract or impress someone after a great first date.

After a year of research and a seemingly endless number of martinis, wedge salads and sides of creamed corn, mashed potatoes and char-grilled broccolini, I’m pleased to present you with our guide to L.A.’s best steakhouses. To exhaustively update this guide, I visited over two dozen steakhouses, criss-crossed L.A. County and made sure that the spots on this guide are the places in L.A. to find a perfectly cooked dry-aged (or wet-aged) steak, plus killer sides, appetizers and dessert.

These protein-heavy joints are the ideal spot to kick back with a martini or two, level up a relationship (or, you know, not) and find solace with other meat-eaters. Check out our list of the best steakhouses in L.A., and keep your knives at the ready.

RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in L.A.

The best steakhouses in L.A.

  • Italian
  • Hancock Park
  • price 4 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Few restaurants can accomplish what Nancy Silvertons ode to Italian flame-grilled meats does on a daily basis. With one of the best charcuterie programs in the city and a stunning open kitchen, Osteria/Pizzeria Mozza’s younger sibling flame-grills tomahawk porkchops, cures fennel salami and dry-ages massive Flannery Beef steaks so big they almost feel like they rock the table when they land. This is a rustic Italian steakhouse that’s worth the meat sweats, and it’s worth the splurge; you may be spending $200 on a steak, but don’t think about skipping the sides of roasted sustainable veggies—nor that focaccia di recco, which oozes stracchino cheese. The expertly trained staff mans the open grill like nobody’s business, so whatever you order, you’ll be in good hands.

  • Steakhouse
  • Southeast Cities
  • price 2 of 4

This well-preserved institution might be all the way out in Pico Rivera, but youll find nowhere else in the city where old-school dining traditions are alive and well, from classic dishes like lobster thermidor to flawless tableside preparations of Caesar salad, steak Diane and bananas Foster. Since 1958, Dal Rae has offered some of the citys best martinis along with a throwback menu thatll bring your taste buds back to the middle of the 20th century. We also happen to think the Caesar salad is the best of its kind in all of L.A. County. Order the pepper steak if youre a first-timer, or the Chilean seabass alla Ben if you tend to pick surf over turf. Though L.A. has plenty of decades-old restaurants and bars, not all offer the same compelling blend of high-quality food and ambience as Dal Rae—so if youre looking for L.A.s best retro steakhouse experience, this is it.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Beverly Hills
  • price 3 of 4

There are steakhouses, and then there are legends. One of L.A.s longest-running restaurants, Lawry’s is an institution and it’s the one that really put prime rib on the map. To say that the atmosphere is formal is putting it mildly: Meat is carved tableside on massive silver carts by men wearing tall chef’s toques, and the service is fantastic. The iconic meal may be traditional—choose what size cut you’d like, what temperature and whether or not to add a vegetable—but Lawry’s recently revamped its menu for the first time in 80 years, adding a slew of new dishes (some even vegan-friendly). So no matter what you order, a few bites in and you’ll know why Lawry’s has been around for nearly a century. By the time you leave, you’ll wonder why you don’t eat from silver carts every night.

  • Steakhouse
  • Manhattan Beach
  • price 3 of 4

Mad Men may be over, but the martini-drinking, steak-consuming era of the ’60s still lives on. In Manhattan Beach, it comes in the form of the Arthur J, a steakhouse by chef David LeFevre. Curved booths and geometric patterns can be found here, along with an equally decade-appropriate menu to go along with it. Steaks—big ones, so you’d be wise to share—are available in various cuts, wet or dry, with both obvious sauces (béarnaise) and ones that might make you pause (Vietnamese caramel). Kansas City strip, rib eye, wagyu, New York strip and more are all represented here, but you’d be wise to start with the popovers, which come with a strawberry butter that is thoroughly addictive. Once you’ve made it through the steaks, old-school desserts await on the other side: a banana split, maybe, or an apple fritter topped with ice cream.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Culver City
  • price 3 of 4
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

In and around Los Angeles, every restaurant that’s been around for more than a couple of decades seems to declare that Frank Sinatra was a regular. In the case of Dear John’s, this was actually true. The steakhouse was a haunt for the crooner and his cronies from the time it opened in the early ’60s. Now, chef Josiah Citrin and the couple behind Rockenwagner Bakery have given this Rat Pack era steakhouse new life, with an old-school-cool ambience and delicious menu of classics with a twist, including a cheese-stuffed chicken parm and “bougie” tots topped with creme fraiche, caviar and salmon roe. Just know that Dear John's is here for a good time, not a long time—the steakhouse narrowly avoided demolition for the umpteenth time last May, and is likely to stick around for just a few more years.

  • Argentinian
  • Melrose
  • price 3 of 4

Run by the Bozoghlian family since 1996 and around for even longer, this Argentinian steakhouse along Melrose Avenue offers an intoxicating mix of high-quality steaks and old-school vibes, all at a fairly reasonable price. For groups of four (or ambitious parties of two), the move here is the parrillada argentina, a family-style mix of sweetbreads, sausages, skirt steak and short ribs served on a miniature grill. I heavily recommend the wedge-like Caesar salad, which features whole anchovies on halved romaine hearts and thick shavings of Parmesan cheese. Sides like creamed corn and garlic fries are effortlessly constructed, and the house chimichurri, served alongside complimentary bread, is second to none. Carlitos Gardel is also one of the rare few spots in L.A. that can boast its own wine cellar, with a curated selection available by the quarter-liter for those who don’t want to commit to a bottle. At meal’s end, indulge in a delightful array of desserts made by matriarch Azniv Bozoghlian, including a set of crepes stuffed with mouthwatering dulce de leche.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Venice
  • price 3 of 4

Forgive the casual atmosphere and unflattering top-down lighting: This Venice steakhouse serves some of the best wood-fired steaks and seafood in the city, plus an array of delicious, globally inspired starters and sides. The wood grilled flatbread with smoked honey and labneh is, quite frankly, out of this world, and the rosti-like stuffed hash browns (which resembles a giant potato pancake) pair well alongside any of their simply finished steaks. For seafood lovers, the must-order are the grilled prawns. Coming two to an order, they’re huge, sweet and delicious even before the side of lemon and herb butter enter the picture. The Flannery 15-day dry-aged prime ribeye is one of the best steaks we’ve ever had in L.A., all at a fraction of the cost of most other steakhouses serving the same quality of meat.

  • Steakhouse
  • Beverly
  • price 3 of 4

For the last two decades, Suzanne Tracht’s Beverly Grove eatery has served a lightly Asian-inspired steakhouse menu that has kept Angelenos hooked thanks to a delicious char siu pork chop (once featured on the Cooking Channel’s Best Thing I Ever Ate) and the melt-in-your mouth signature pot roast. Traditional sides like blue cheese wedge salad and creamed corn get the white-glove treatment here, and every cut of beef, pork or chicken is worth an order. It’s also worth noting the mid-century modern dining room has made several notable film appearances, including in La La Land, and for good reason: with a well-made cocktail in hand and delicious food in front of you, the dim-lit dining room feels downright cinematic.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Venice
  • price 3 of 4

Josiah Citrin, the chef behind two Michelin star Mélisse. Charcoal’s signature blackened cabbage is as good as ever; a few pastas, seafood and poultry dishes break up the meatfest for anyone who’s not into steak. During nightly “glass off” (open–7pm), sit at the wraparound bar for an excellent $12 burger made with white American cheese and discounted cocktails. While Charcoal’s ambience might run more casual than other steakhouses around town, Citrin serves some of the best steaks in the city—especially when chased with the housemade spiced vinegar that graces every table.

  • Steakhouse
  • Beverly Hills
  • price 3 of 4

This luxe, newer over-the-top steakhouse from the family behind Mastros offers top-quality cuts, enormous martinis and ultra-decadent sides, including a warm skillet of complimentary bread that tastes like Pillsbury crescent rolls in the best way possible. Steak 48—named after Arizona, the 48th state in the Union—doesn’t reinvent the wheel otherwise, but the five-star service and attention to details make all the difference. Every diner receives a hot plate (be careful), which keeps the slices of steak warm throughout the meal. Theres not one or two, but five different potato sides, including an au gratin preparation with caramelized onions, plus gouda and mozzarella cheese. While we’ve found quality at Mastros has flagged in recent years, Steak 48 offers the kind of consistently great upscale chain experience most diners can appreciate, including us.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Beverly Hills
  • price 3 of 4

From the same team behind Sugarfish comes this sleek Wagyu specialist in Beverly Hills, where relatively affordable prix-fixe menus demonstrate the many delicious ways you can enjoy this highly marbled beef. Exclusively serving halal, grass-fed Wagyu from New Zealand’s First Light Farms (this isn’t A5-grade richness, mind you), you’ll find à la carte cuts of picanha, New York strip and ribeye as well, but the tasting menus here deliver the most value—all the better to order a couple more of their stiff cocktails. For dessert, Matu keeps it simple with two solid options: a delicious flourless chocolate cake or a few variants on panna cotta. Stop by during lunch (11:30am–2pm) for one of the city’s best cheesesteak sandwiches, available only at the bar.

  • Steakhouse
  • West Hollywood
  • price 3 of 4

With its sultry interior design, reasonable prices (for a glitzy steakhouse, at least) and a commitment to consistency and high-touch service, it’s no surprise that this scene-y Sunset Strip steakhouse has stuck around for over two decades. These days, newly appointed executive chef Brendan Collins—formerly of Fia in Santa Monica—has refreshed BOA’s menu with a slate of new seafood items, including caviar-topped big-eye tuna cones, hamachi tartare served on a bed of dry ice and a knockout lobster pasta spiced up with Calabrian chili. Signature dishes like the Wagyu meatball and classics like truffle mac-n-cheese deliver the sort of familiar, craveable comfort that explain why BOA holds such wide appeal: The restaurant is just as popular among Gen Z influencers and starry-eyed tourists as it is among BOA’s regular, typically older clientele of professionals and Hollywood power brokers. For a more subdued but still sultry vibe, try their Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach locations, both of which are perfect for an oceanside dinner date.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Pasadena
  • price 4 of 4

There are plenty of places in L.A. where you can easily spend $200 or more a person on steak, but the Asian-inflected cuisine, first-rate service and excellent meats (at any price) justify the expense at this Pasadena steakhouse—and distinguish it from overpriced spots around town like Gwen and CUT. Originally from the Bay Area, Alexander’s likes to push its large selection of Japanese and Australian Wagyu, but you’ll have just as fine a time with their far cheaper cuts from Nebraska and California. Dishes like the tobiko-studded fried rice and a Chinese chicken salad-inspired wedge topped with rock shrimp hit the right fusion notes, and the signature hamachi shots never fail to delight. Thoughtful service touches like complimentary cotton candy, plus a delicious cookies-and-cream soufflé, round out an extravagant, beef-centered meal here, though you can also opt for the the “omakase” tasting menu ($185), which includes A5 Wagyu and other seasonal delights.

  • Steakhouse
  • Redondo Beach
  • price 3 of 4

Pitch-perfect cocktails and juicy, marbled steaks might be run of the mill in Beverly Hills or Downtown L.A., but there’s something special happening at the Rex, a standout South Bay steakhouse serving well-executed classics of the genre with hints of pan-Asian flair. Run by Faith & Flower alum Walter Nunez, the Redondo Beach chophouse offers a version of the now-closed Downtown restaurant’s critically acclaimed milk punch, plus a unique, umami-rich steak tartare studded with black garlic and preserved mushrooms. Two different steak flights, including a Wagyu option, allow diners to try a little bit of everything; you can also opt for the bone-in tomahawk or porterhouse cuts, which easily feed two or even three, if you factor in the Rex’s ample vegetable sides. For dessert, the butter cake is better than Mastro’s (we said what we said), but lighter options like soft-serve and a deconstructed pavlova reflect Nunez’s commitment to first-rate culinary distinction, even in more provincial parts of Los Angeles.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Downtown Santa Monica
  • price 4 of 4

West of La Cienega, there’s nothing like the Georgian Room, a stylish speakeasy-style joint hidden away in the basement of the Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica. Restored to its former Old Hollywood glory (the space once served the likes of Judy Garland and Dick Van Dyke), the upscale Italian steakhouse serves premium cocktails and Mozza alum David Almany’s impeccably finished dry-aged steaks, plus a standout seasonal ravioli. The live jazz singers and a pianist manning the vintage Steinway might translate into a higher bill at the end of the night, but the sultry ambience here is unmatched. In our humble opinion, you wont find a more glamorous and delicious way in Los Angeles to enjoy a New York strip and a dirty vodka martini. (And yes, were throwing shade at the kitchen at Musso’s right now.) At night’s end, former All Day Baby pastry chef Thessa Diadem whips up a swoon-worthy rendition of baked Alaska, plus other polished takes on classic desserts.

  • Steakhouse
  • Brentwood
  • price 4 of 4

This Brentwood steakhouse has one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the city—with the sort of well-heeled, designer bag-carrying local clientele that one might expect for the area. Enter through Baltaire’s enormous wooden front doors and you’ll be treated to a refined take on classic steakhouse fare, plus a few standout California-style sides like spicy salmon crispy rice and seasonal grilled artichokes. The menu prices might be steep, but executive chef Samuel Jung’s attention to detail shines through in the juicy, well-marbled and perfectly cooked bone-in ribeye and a crisp wedge salad topped with decadent bacon lardons and plenty of blue cheese dressing. Finish your meal with the freshly made powdered beignets or a slice of banoffee pie—and maybe a cinnamon-spiked tequila espresso martini.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Beverly Hills
  • price 3 of 4

First things first: Mastro’s is not an L.A. original; founded in Scottsdale, Arizona, there are now locations in nine states. Despite flagging consistency in recent years, the Beverly Hills outpost is still packed to the gills every night, thanks to a charming supperclub space that feels like an old-school boys’ club. Excess is the name of the game here and Mastro’s wears it well: Servers in white dinner jackets bring mountainous seafood platters, gargantuan steaks and that mouthwatering butter cake. The two-story restaurant’s less formal Penthouse features an alfresco patio that caters to a younger, clubbing crowd, while the Malibu location is a bit more casual and breezy, literally—it’s right on the ocean, with a dining room view that can’t be beat.

  • Steakhouse
  • Pacific Palisades
  • price 2 of 4

What happens when one of the Westside’s old-guard restaurants gets a modern rebirth? You get reimagined steakhouses classics all in the same sleek leather booths that defined the original Golden Bull. The team that brought us Ashland Hill on Main Street took over the northern Santa Monica staple, a dark and charming old-school steak spot just blocks from the beach. Now you can find vegan-friendly options and excellent sides like sautéed corn, stuffed potato skins and Yorkshire puddings alongside the bone-in rib eye, filet mignon and other cuts that have made the Golden Bull a Santa Monica institution since 1949. Finish your meal off with the fudgy gluten-free brownie or the smores casserole, which will definitely leave a smile on your face.

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  • Steakhouse
  • Koreatown
  • price 2 of 4

What’s an old-school steakhouse doing in Koreatown and La Cañada? Thriving. This place doesn’t look like it’s changed one bit since it opened over more than 50 years ago: The menus still boast classics like shrimp scampi and French onion soup. The steaks here by no means the best in the city, but the affordable prices and sense of history still keep nights at Taylor’s buzzing like it’s 1953. Our advice? Skip the prime rib; instead, opt for cuts from the char-broiler such as extra-thick, prime top sirloin served on a sizzling platter. Taylor’s may be one of the best-bargain steakhouses in town, and also one of the most comfortable. From the big leather booths to the decades-old menus on the walls, this is one Koreatown classic that’s truly timeless.

  • Steakhouse
  • Burbank
  • price 2 of 4

“Fine food at a fair price”: The neon sign outside Smoke House says it all. Since 1946, this Burbank institution located right across the street from Warner Brothers Studios has served generations of celebrities, studio execs and other industry folks of all stripes. Valley locals love the place for its affordable, perfectly cooked steaks, but we also love the funky, generously dressed wedge salad, the fact theres a dessert tray to pick from at the end of your meal and the steak Sinatra—a linguine platter topped with a mix of beef, peppers and onions once beloved by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. You can find better prime rib at Lawry’s (or the Tam), but Smoke House serves that too, as well as a slew of crowdpleasing starters like spinach-artichoke dip and a “world famous” cheesy garlic bread. The red booths, wood paneling on the walls and live music on weekends add to the old-school charm, but wave away the house photographer that’s likely to come around; thatll cost ya.  

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