Everyone asks the same question upon entering this Santa Monica establishment, “How long has this place been here?” Since 1949, the Golden Bull has served stellar chops in an old-school dining room with serious Mad Men vibes, stiff drinks, and friendly service. Golden Bull is also one of the few places on the Westside that serves prime rib roast every night.

Starting in 1933, the Georgian Room served stars over decades including Judy Garland and Dick Van Dyke. Santa Monica’s Italian steakhouse reopened mid-2023 a few months after the historic Georgian Hotel. a cold bar with a daily crudo kanpachi, broiled blue prawns with Calabrian chile, pasta, and a heaping tomahawk ribeye prepared on a 1600-degree broiler topped with sea salt and olive oil. Always leave room for All Day Baby veteran pastry chef Thessa Diadem’s incredible-looking desserts.

A busy option in Venice Beach for steak lovers, American Beauty excels because of its menu, ample outdoor seating, casual manner, and striking midcentury space on Rose Avenue. Stop in for cocktails, dry-aged porterhouses, thick grilled bacon, and stuffed hash browns with melted onions and sour cream.

Head to the top floor of Eataly in Century City Terra and take a moment to observe the sprawling views with a whiff of smoky flavors emanating from the grill. Always take recommendations from Terra’s seasoned staff, but it’s best to start with burrata, grilled bread, and salads before moving on to grilled fish and meat skewers. The flavorful culotte bistecca and thin bone-in tagliatan are beautifully served on a cutting board. Or opt for the 45-day dry-aged wagyu tomahawk that should feel the entire table.

Chef David LeFevre’s midcentury modern steakhouse uses a white oak grill to deliver outstanding steaks in Manhattan Beach. The Arthur J steak menu falls into two primary categories — USDA prime and certified Angus — though one can also score a deluxe Japanese wagyu beef rib-eye cap. Every night features a nightly special, including a veal parmesan on Wednesdays and comforting beef stroganoff on Mondays.

In Redondo Beach, this elegant steakhouse does beef exceedingly well with a wood-fried sear on the outside while maintaining a juicy, tender core. Chef Walter Nunez assembles a crowd-pleasing menu of clams casino, gnocchi with lobster, and lamb shank doused in rosemary. The main draw is an eight-ounce filet, bone-in tomahawk, but the wagyu flight showcasing two-ounce portions from the US, Australia, and Japan is equally great.

Beverly Grove’s Carlitos Gardel features Argentinian-grilled USDA prime steaks at exceptionally reasonable prices. Opt for the parrillada plate, as it comes with skirt steak, short ribs, sausages, and sweetbreads for a sampling of everything grilled and glorious. And don’t forget the chimichurri.

Burbank’s 77-year-old Smoke House is a time capsule with red leather booths, white tablecloths, a carpet that’s likely decades old, neon signs, and so much casual charm. The slow-roasted prime rib is the house specialty and is served au jus for a reasonable $42. In fact, the Smoke House’s menu is one of the best deals in town, especially the tri-tip sandwich for $22.

Part butcher shop-part restaurant, Gwen is chef Curtis and brother Luke Stone’s Hollywood meat sanctuary, which earned a Michelin star in 2022 for its overall excellence. The upscale steakhouse has more of a fine-dining feel with dishes like Josper-grilled squid with Thai chile or lobster tortellini leading into dry-aged cuts that are butchered on the premises. The wines and cocktails are also exemplary, but the real differentiator at Gwen is the service.

On the second floor of the towering Intercontinental Hotel in Downtown LA is chef Shin Thompson’s meat emporium serving high-end yakiniku and omakase for Japanese beef aficionados. Though it might feel overly extravagant, two people can enjoy the substantial tomahawk steak dinners, priced from $335 to $499 (before tax and tip) which is packed with appetizers, sides, and a huge bone-in wagyu ribeye seared at the table with an open fire.

Though Damon’s opened in 1937, it didn’t move to its current Brand Avenue location until 1980. Inside and out, it’s pure kitsch at Damon’s, where bartenders prepare potent mai tais with a proprietary recipe. Study the interior (while acknowledging tiki culture’s troubling past) and order the coconut fried shrimp, marbly coulotte steak topped with butter, or the Nebraska Angus ribeye with a side of creamed corn.