Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Listener-Favorite LA Steakhouses To Try (Bring Your Appetite)
Listen
• 23:25
The oldest steakhouse in Orange County since 1968, Trabuco Oak Steak House
(
Courtesy Trabuco Oak Steakhouse
)
Steakhouses are a beloved iteration of restaurant that we've adopted from coast to coast. They are loved for their comforting vibe and distinct style, defined by crisp white linens, wood paneling and, of course, steak.
In the classic American steakhouse “employees hone the art of performance,” writes New York Times reporter Rita Bullwinkel in a recent piece.
We asked LAist 89.3's AirTalk listeners which SoCal steakhouses were their favorites. This is what they said:
Dal Rae in Pico Rivera
Dal Rae in Pico Rivera "is like stepping back in time," said AirTalk host Larry Mantle, who is a fan of this particular steakhouse. "Where else are you going to get oysters Rockefeller so beautifully executed?"
Support for LAist comes from
Opening in 1951, the steakhouse has become an L.A. institution and is one of the few that still prepares its Caesar salad and steak tableside. "To me, that is a pinnacle experience," Larry said.
Damon's in Glendale
Damon's in Glendale has a simple offer, "Thick Steaks and Tropical Drinks." What more could you want?
Damon's got not just one, but two shoutouts from AirTalk listeners. Jeremy in Hollywood said "the strongest drink and best Mai Tai's. Plus, the servers and the team know everybody!"
Mark in Silverlake adds the steakhouse is "very old school, with beautiful saltwater fish tanks. It's just terrific."
With its backyard feel and Tiki-bar décor, this might be the steakhouse for you if you're seeking laid back vacation vibes.
Support for LAist comes from
Jar on Beverly Blvd
Since 2002, Chef Suzanne Tracht and her family have delivered on its signature pot roast, Kansas City steak, award-winning French fries and so much more. Jar is located in the heart of Los Angeles and is a listener favorite.
"The food is phenomenal, the setting is great, and the menu is beautiful," says AirTalk listener Jay from Hollywood. "It really has that steakhouse feel."
Besides being a critic favorite, Jar has some other claims to fame, like being featured in the 2016 film La La Land.
But at the end of the day, it's not screen time that makes it a special place. According to Larry Mantle, it's the atmosphere. "You really get the sense of community there," he said "You feel like she [Chef Tracht] has so many returning customers."
Also, Larry says "Suzanne's pot roast is incredible."
Support for LAist comes from
555 East in Long Beach
Food, service, ambiance...the reviews are in and 555 East in Long Beach rates high on many people's lists. Why?
"It's not just the most amazing steak, but the service is extraordinary. All the servers treat you like Sinatra would have been treated," said listener Don in Redlands.
If you want to be treated like Frank Sinatra would have been, this might be the restaurant for you.
Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse in Orange County
Kimberly in Costa Mesa called us to give her top recommendation for SoCal's best steakhouse: Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse, the oldest in Orange County.
Support for LAist comes from
While she hasn't been there in a long time, she recalls how she "would always take family members from out of town." But there's a twist she warned us about. Spoiler alert!
"They cut off your tie!" she warned us. So if you go wearing one, just know you won't leave with one.
Matū in Beverly Hills
"Best steak I've had in a long time was Matū in Beverly Hills," Sharon in Mid-City told us in an email. "They had amazing service that wasn't stuffy."
Matū is a Māori (Indigenous New Zealand) word that means “essence, the gist of the matter, richness," which is what the steakhouse aims to serve with regard to its beef, which is 100% grass-fed from a farm in New Zealand.
The Tam O'Shanter in Atwater Village
What list of L.A.'s best steakhouses would be complete without this longtime mainstay? The historic Scottish steakhouse The Tam O'Shanter in L.A.'s Atwater Village opened in 1922 and, according to its website, is the oldest restaurant in the city that's owned and operated by the same family in the same location as it opened. For side dishes expect classics like mashed Idaho potatoes and gravy, Yorkshire pudding and freshly prepared horseradish.
Special shout out to Robert in West LA for recommending this historic steakhouse.
Listen to the conversation
For more recommendations not in this story, check out the full interview that aired on LAist 89.3's AirTalk:
Listen
• 18:59
LA’s Grade A Steakhouses – Tell Us Your Prime Picks
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist