The SoCal. Steak House Thread

[Coheteboy]

I'm a Ruth's Chris gal myself. But... will definetly try Morton's after reading the other comments.

For a decent steak dinner (can't believe no one else has mentioned it), I say go "Outback tonight" [chuckle]. I've never had a send-back type meal there and I get out for about $25 for an entree plus martini.

-- Cannot stand the Chizzler.
-- Couldn't pay me to eat steak at Benihana's.
-- Was unimpressed with the Northwoods Inn.
-- Didn't care at all for the Wood Ranch BBQ place, although the garlic-ish rolls were light and fluffy.
-- Steer Inn = scary (and over priced considering they market themselves as family / affordable).

If you're a Ruth's Chris gal, then I think you always will be one. Reason being, Morton's is just downright WAAAAAY more expensive. I had a way better meal at Ruth's. Mortons was still good but my wallet was really hurting. (okay, maybe no more magnum of wine)

And I have to fully agree with you on Outback. I used to ridicule this place to no end... like it's a fancy T.G.I.Friday's or something... but it's actually a great value with above average taste.

Also, the last time I went was on a sunday and they had $2.50 margarita's and beer all day!

[JesterMn]

I'm not sure if Prime Rib counts in discussion of steakhouses but I am in complete agreement with the earlier poster regarding the utter excellence of Lawry's Prime Rib in Beverly Hills.

Dining in such a large and luxurious dining room with such great food and incredible service is worth every penny. I think we usually end up paying about $40-$45 per plate.

The fresh Idaho baked potatoes are HUGE and amazingly delicious. Their fresh cream spinach and corn are amazing too. The prime rib carts are something you won't see many other places either. They wheel a stainless steel cart up to your table and carve off the cut exactly as you ordered it.

I've rarely had a salad as good as the ones they prepare right at your table. They put your glass salad bowl on top of a bowl of ice and spin the salad as they slowly pour in the Lawry's brand salad dressing. I believe it's pretty simlar to thousand island dressing. It's delicious and a real fun experience!

I also like the little touches like the way the servers take care of each guest and make everyone feel special. Even down to sweeping crumbs off the table between courses. It's a wonderful feeling.

And of course being able to casually mention that you drove over to Beverly Hills for a luxurious dinner is kind of nice too.

I know it isn't unique to LA either but there are only a few other ones out there.

Prime Rib? Why not go to Tam O' Shanter in Los Feliz, and get the Walt Disney connection as well! It's owned by Lawry's.

I second Jocko's, even though it is more Central California. And I can't resist the salad at Northwoods Inn, it gets me every time... yummers!

To be honest, the best steak I ever had was at the little known Steak Joynt in North Hollywood... but sadly, it's gone now.

[Freddie Freelance]

Hey guys,

Just thought I'd chime in. My last real meal as a meat eater was at a local steakhouse down here in San Diego. Its called Donovan's. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend it if you are ever in the San Diego area.

I'll second Donovan's La Jolla (its actually in University City not La Jolla), but expect expensive prices and service that runs toward benign neglect.

[loveberri87]

a couple of weeks ago a very generous friend of mine took me out to Mastro's in Beverly Hills.

It was my first ever steak house experience and my 2nd steak ever (I live a very deprived life). We started off with a seafood tower appetizer (crab legs, shrimp cocktail, and caviar). The caviar was absolutely delicious, never had it before and was pleasantly surprised. Also had the ahi tuna tartare which was good as well. As for steaks my friend got a prime rib (medium plus) and I got a porterhouse (medium well). Kinda just threw a dart at the menu since I don't know my steak cuts AT ALL, but it was very delicious. And someone mentioned before that the plates are hot, and they are. 400 degrees are something you don't want to mess with. My friend was also very please with the way his steak came out, I had a bite and it was great. For sides we had steamed asparagus and broccoli which were ok. Merely ordered them just to have veggies. We also got lobster mashed potatoes which were a little pricey, but sooooo good. I'd recommend it to anybody. For dessert we got a slice of chocolate sin cake and a butter cake. They were really good, but extremely rich. We couldn't finish dessert.

Overall very satisfying experience, although I will say it was the first time I've ever been in a restaurant of that caliber so probably anything I would've gotten there would've surpassed anything I've ever eaten in my entire life.

Wish I could go back for more, but at those prices I'd probably have to wait 30 years or until my friend decides to be generous again.

[cositaluvsmickey]

Actually, if you want a good steak, Clearman's own an actual steakhouse in the Pico Rivera/Whittier area named Steak and Stein. It's more upscale than North Woods Inn and, perhaps because of that, has better food. The restaurant itself is dimly lit, perfect for a night out, and has a lovely waiting area. As for the food, the steak is absolutely perfect. Great texture and always cooked how you want it. The steak is typically served with a baked potato and their signature cheese sauce. Of course, like North Woods Inn they have a never ending basket of cheese bread. If you are in the area, you should defintely give it a try.

I second that motion...I love love love.. North Woods inn espically their salad...yummy..sadly I've never tried the one in Pico cause its either closed or doesn't open early enough...but one day mark my word I will definetly go there.

[Carl West]

Being a Northern California Boy I heartily endorse McCormics ate at their location in Washington D.C. last year and they took over a local Berkely Fish House and brought its quality and kept its charactor. If you're up in the Bay Area search out Cattlemens. Good steaks, they dry age and cut their own from carcasses of Harris Ranch Beef. Full Bar and is a family type house. Price Range is from Medium 20's up to the fourty dollar range.
If you're a couple they have a fixed price with appetiser, choice of 4 or 5 entrees and Desert for mid fifty range. Standard is a family salad unlimited, Beans, Veg, Choice of Potato and Entree.

Good Food Moderate Price. And they didn't bicker when one of our party sent back the two pound Porterhouse, Twice.

[Coheteboy]

Good Food Moderate Price. And they didn't bicker when one of our party sent back the two pound Porterhouse, Twice.

Ah, but a great steakhouse wouldn't need to send something back to the kitchen twice.


I went to FLEMING'S last week, the new location by Staples Center and Nokia theater. It was fine. Service was a bit on the slow side but polite and courteous at least. The food was really good, but I somehow wasn't as impressed with the steak as I thought I'd be. It was really fatty compared to other locations I've been.

Bone-in RibEye - about $50ish



Here are the sides:




The mashed potatoes were good, onion rings (according to my friends) were good, fries suck (i hate shoestrings... too much fat and not enough potato), but the mac n cheese were OMG OMG OMG AMAZING.

[aashee]

I know this is all about SoCal, but the best one I've been to was called Chops in Sacramento. It's walking distance from the state capitol building.

[MickeyMaxx]

That would be Camarillo.

And they're building a new one in Ventura, just outside the Pacific View Mall.

it's open now. We ate at Mimi's next door last night.

[Hook's Pointe]

The mashed potatoes were good, onion rings (according to my friends) were good, fries suck (i hate shoestrings... too much fat and not enough potato), but the mac n cheese were OMG OMG OMG AMAZING.

Want the recipes??

[Coheteboy]

Want the recipes??

Shoot me a PM! Yep!

[Coheteboy]

Last month I went to a restaurant called TONY'S on Sunset. It was DEAD. My party was the only table there!




But it's really nice inside:












Bruschetta



Calamari



Pear and Gorgonzola Salad




The Bone in Ribeye



Strawberry Shortcake dessert




All in all... I'd say this was a nice place with good food and amazing dessert. Although my steak was on the cool side, everyone else had no problem with temperature, so I'm guessing mine was the first one done and just sat too long.

So while I recommend it, it's not a huge strong recommendation because they were so dead. I don't know if this place will be around much longer with sad business like that.

[Coheteboy]

Earlier this week, my buds and I went to STK on La Cienega, north of the Beverly Center. We heard good things so decided to give it a try.

The bread was very good




I'd like to buy 2 vowels please.



Compared to Tony's, this place was PACKED. Partially because there's a lounge upstairs and O_O the girls were drop dead gorgeous. But I don't think they were here to eat pieces of meat. They were there to look like it.


I ordered the porterhouse 24oz which was $59. It dawned on me a few days later that I ate a video game. $59 could have bought a video game and it would have lasted a lot longer. oh well.





The meat was cooked just as I liked it: medium rare. The problem with STK though is that every steak comes with a sauce of your choosing (on the side). You can choose between red wine, buttered bleau cheese, bearnaise, peppercorn, bold, etc etc.

I tried the steak without sauce and it was ALMOST there in flavor. Just not quite. It's bland enough so that you use the sauces... but the sauces were just too over powering. Once you try the sauce though, there's no going back. The steak tastes even more bland after that so you continue to sauce it up.

My entire party agreed that the sauces were distracting and unnecessary. And so far, Black Angus and STK were the only steakhouses we've been to that required sauces, so that's not a great sign.


The sides were great but the dessert... very disappointing. BJ's does it better.




Service.. a bit spotty. Waiter wasn't present when food was delivered and some of it wasn't right. This wasn't the only time something was delivered incorrectly either so that was disappointing. Even when it was time to pay up, we gave him the credit cards and sent him on his way.. but he came back to say that we're $100 short. Turns out, instead of charging one card $180, he charged $80. Dumb him. Too bad the gratuity was already included.

Suffice to say, the service and the sauce became so disappointing by the end of the night that we really ended up hating the place. Definitely not deserving of repeat visits.... except maybe for the eye candy. But $9 valet definitely wasn't worth it.

[Coheteboy]

Oh I forgot to mention this too: AVOID BLACK ANGUS AT ALL COSTS. That place BAAALOOOOOOOWS. Awful awful food.

Here's the ribeye:




It was so bland. The waitress asked us all if we needed any steak sauce. We were appalled first of all and said "no thanks".

Then we all took bites and asked for sauce. Never again.

[Eagleman]

Oh I forgot to mention this too: AVOID BLACK ANGUS AT ALL COSTS. That place BAAALOOOOOOOWS. Awful awful food.

Here's the ribeye:




It was so bland. The waitress asked us all if we needed any steak sauce. We were appalled first of all and said "no thanks".

Then we all took bites and asked for sauce. Never again.

Your right about BLACK ANGUS they are BAD!

So were south Orange County,HB area- there a good place?
Your tread goes back to SEP. so what latest good place !
I love a good steak!