On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Downtown
Loading...
A friend and I went to the Vodka bar it was fabulous! Our Bartender "Allen" was attentive, creative and was playing very good vibing music. They have a HUGE selection of Vodkas and serve complimentary amuse-bouche which for this evening was Salmon topped with Cavier on Toast Points on a bed of herbed cream cheese DELISH!! We ordered the Seafood Trio for 2 and enjoyed the delicate Lobster, Oysters, Crab Claws and Lump Crab YUMMY!!
Can not recommend this place enough the staff is wonderful and the view is spectacular perfect place for a intimate date with someone special or an evening for you and your friends to just hang out at a nice bar... which is what I was doing!
Respectfully Reviewed
It's really a shame that I have to rate this restaurant with only 2 stars because the food is amazing. If I was reviewing it on the food and the spectacular view alone, it would be 5 stars without a doubt. Unfortunately, service counts as well and that is where LA Prime lost 3 stars.
The night started off great. We were seated promptly for our 8 p.m. reservation and had a nice booth with a great view. We were introduced to our server and his assistant and a basket of 5 different breads was brought out right away. We ordered a bottle of wine and in speaking with our waiter, he mentioned that he was a bit flustered because the restaurant was especially busy. We looked around at all the empty tables and kind of wondered about that but thought there was possibly a section we could not see.
I heard the chef come out at one point and offer the table next to us free desserts because of some of problem that happened earlier and really started to wonder if we made a mistake or had just picked a bad night. The manager was also offering a couple free drinks on their way out, as an apology for something...not a good sigh.
We ordered our salads and entrees and waited. Ate some more bread and waited a little longer. Our salads finally arrived and we finished, ate some more bread and waited a little longer. After a while, as our bread and salads started to settle, I was getting a little worried that we wouldn't even be hungry by the time our steaks came out. Finally, our server popped over and said our food would be out in "2 minutes." Fifteen minutes later, at close to 9:30, our steaks and shared side of mashed potatoes came out.
My fillet was perfect but my husband's medium rare New York was bloody rare and completely cold in the center. So almost 90 minutes after we sat down, he had to send his food back. The chef came by to personally apologize and to offer us free dessert but by that time, we weren't even hungry anymore but we took it to go anyway.
Like I said before, it's a shame that there were problems in the kitchen that night because I can't give a 5 star review on food alone, especially when they charge $40 for a fillet...JUST a fillet alone, a la cart style. Service is a huge part of every restaurant experience, especially one where 2 salads, 2 steaks, one side of potatoes and a bottle of wine runs almost $300 and it just wasn't there.
The best steak I've had so far!
-Great service! They actually stand right at the corner just in-case you need them. Very attentive and they make you feel special.
-Beautiful/elegant ambiance. You can see a 360 degree view of downtown (if you walk all the way around). Glass windows all around so you can see down-town LA.
-Pricey $45+ for steak but well worth every bite! I recommend the Delmonico Steak if you like a little fat (marble) in your meat. =) The steak is big enough to feed two people but trust me, you'll want your own.
-Great selection of wine.
-Great for special occasions or if you want to splurge for the heck of it!
Best. Filet Mignon, Ever.
So delicate, every piece I cut melted in my mouth. Of course, as in all high class steak restaurants, the sides need to be ordered individually. The creamed corn, garlic mashed potatoes, and sauteed spinach was also amazing. The shrimp ceviche appetizer was SO fresh and the citrus complimented the shrimp so well! My steak, ordered medium well-done, was cooked to perfection. It was seasoned to perfection. However, I was done with it way too quickly so the portions need to be perfected... Haha.
The view of Los Angeles from the top of The Westin Bonaventure is amazing and the restaurant twirls very slowly so every time I looked up, it was a different view of L.A.
If I could eat steak EVERYDAY, it would be from L.A. Prime hands down. I love this place. A GREAT place for a date because they have individual cozy booths with very cute curtains which are openly draped around the booth, however it gives it a bit of "privacy".
5 stars ALL the way! Wish i can give more!!!
I think I love steak little too much for an Asian girl...
I have to admit... gotta love downtown for their awesome steakhouses.
LA Prime was pretty disappointing until my recent re-visit since I was craving some high-class steaks....
i have phases... light Japanese sushi cravings...and lately it's visiting steakhouses again...
Anyhow, update since last review:
Ambiance/ Scenery -5 stars
Service -3 Stars
Food -4 Stars
Parking-3 Stars
Crowd - 3.5 Stars
Price-3.5 Stars
Overall-4 Stars
Very romantic and entertaining.
The food is pretty over priced...
didn't see much difference from…
Read more »
seafood appetizer combined w/ rib eye steak, perfect combo for dinner
LA Prime is a very special place for my husband and myself. This is the first nice restaurant we went to when we were dating. He proposed to me there, and we have celebrated numerous occassions since then. Birthday's and anniversary's are the most popular for us! They even have us in their computer showing all the things we have celebrated there, and the servers always comment on how wonderful it is to see us again!
I have not had a single meal there that I have not LOVED! We have had wonderful service and the view can not be beat!
I've been coming to the Bona Vista Lounge for years, but never had dinner at LA Prime. If you liked the old Windows Restaurant at the top of the SBC building on Olive, you will love LA Prime. Granted, Windows provided a much better view of the LA skyline, but the food at LA Prime is outstanding! Now, I wouldn't get carried away and call it "The Best I Ever Had", but I think that it should at least make my steakhouse list. I recommend the filet or the rib eye or the shrimp ceviche for an appetizer. Desserts are pretty good, but nothing less was to be expected. Had the Crème Brule and Tiramisu.... they didn't suck. Overall, I give the four star rating based on the whole package: Food is good (but not in my top 5 steakhouses); ambiance/view is pretty awesome on the 35th floor of the Westin Bonaventure; Service was excellent. I will definitely be returning and would recommend LA Prime. However, I do have an area of caution to note: Trendy LA scene and pricy... so bring your Black AmEx or Black Visa... and btw, the restaurant doesn't spin, only the Bona Vista Bar downstairs does.
Food: originally came here to get some steaks but opted for the dinela menu instead. we all had the lobster bisque to start which was very good but wayyy salty. for entrees i had the petite filet mignon medium rare. it was very good and the flavors were wonderful. unfortunately it lasted me about five bites. my mom had the sea bass which was just okay. it was way overcooked and dry. for desserts i had the apple tart which was good but the ice cream was very yummy. my mom had some chocoate dessert that was not so good.. a little on the sour side.
Ambiance: very dim lighting with great views of the city. all the tables next to the windows seats were large tables. the rest of the seating are booth seating which looked very nice and intimate and are facing the windows.
Staff: friendly but a bit slow. our waters were hardly ever refilled.
Price: $$$$
I was highly reccommended to go here, so I went for my bday. I was extremely dissapointed. The place is over priced and the food wasnt even that great. The popular lobster bisque was good but it was not soup HOT, more like Warm.
The view was really nice. The place was pretty stuffy. I wouldnt go here again. I would rather goto Flemings or Mastros.
UPDATE on 2/22/09: so after talking to my boyfriend, im going to knock off a star. he claims his delmonico ribeye was tasty but a little overcooked (he asked for medium rare and the outside was a little more medium well). this threw off the texture, apparently. this fact, combined with my underdone filet mignon and the hefty prices make it a fabulous place but not the BEST place. down from five to four stars :(
------------------------------------
i would first like to say that i am completely bummed that i missed the dineLA special.
second, i love this place. love.
boyfriend and i stayed at the westin bonaventure for a night and decided to head upstairs to this beautiful restaurant.
service was excellent - our very friendly & helpful waiter,rafael, even had an assistant who helped us out when rafael was busy with other tables. when i called ahead to inquire if the prix fixe or the a la carte menu was the better deal, the server i spoke to was extremely patient and very helpful.
reservations at 930, seated promptly in a lovely little booth that overlooked the city. sitting in a booth is, like some of the other reviewers mentioned, like sitting in your own little world.
we split a bottle of merlot that our waiter recommended, went perfectly with all the food we ordered. and we ordered a ton of food:
1. braised pork belly w/ apple confit. um hello, heaven. i've never had pork belly before and am usually a pretty conservative eater. 'pork belly' just sounds unappetizing to me. but holy moly it was delicious. do yourself a favor - order this, make the perfect little bite w/ some pork belly, a little apple, a little of the fried onion and some greens and YUM. if you've ever seen one of the beginning scenes of ratatouille where he puts together some strawberry and cheese and all these sparks go whirling about the air, it's sortof like that...only criticism - we ate it too fast and i wanted more.
2. arugula salad. standard, nothing exciting but yummy parmesan shavings. not dry, not too wet w/ dressing - just perfect. i think i added too much crushed black pepper to mine, though.
3. boyfriend ate the delmonico dry aged bone-in ribeye -- medium rare and deeeelicious. the waiter explained to us the difference between dry aged and wet aged - apparently dry aged is supposed to be a treat and much much more tender/flavorful. he was right, it was amazing. however, i think the plating was a little boring - they basically brought out a big hunk of meat on a plate. kinda dull. they did have roasted garlic cloves on the side though. so tasty :)
4. i ordered the filet mignon. it pretty much melted in my mouth. and was definitely big enough for me. i too had leftovers. i also ordered it medium and it was still pretty red on the inside, so i was happy about my decision. very buttery, very good. same criticism about the plating.
5. sides - mashed potatoes and creamed corn. the corn was still crunchy! yummm. the mashed potatoes needed a little salt. but then again, im a salt fiend.
6. no dessert because we were stuffed and could barely finish our entrees/sides.
best meal i've had in a long time. great service, beautiful views, just a good experience altogether.
now if i could somehow figure out how to get the same quality for about $200 bucks cheaper....
This was my last stop in my dineLA extravaganza, and it was a perfect end to a delicious two weeks.
I can't talk enough about the view. I've been to Yamashiro before because I was told that the view was amazing, but this is the place to go for an amazing night view.
Also, some of the WeHo restaurants I went to had this oppressive feeling with the feel of condescending eyes on your back, but this place was cozy, romantic, but still made me feel comfortable.
The seating in the little booths are perfect, because it gives your party a secluded feeling - it's like you have your own private room overlooking all of LA.
The menu was great too...I was on a dineLA budget but I almost decided to go with their February Chocolate Special. If I could afford it I would go back this month. Their February Chocolate pre-fixed 5 course meal looks delicious.
I ended up getting the Lobster Bisque (Delicious), the seared veal pork (perfectly seared), and the apple tart (not a dessert fan...and this didn't win me over).
Overall, a great experience, and this is now on my list of restaurant-musts when you go to L.A
Visit http://www.sixtaste.co... for more reviews.
J takes good care of me so I like to return the favor and surprise him with nice dinners here and there. I was thinking of taking him to this place or Morton's and decided on the former because of the view and Bona Vista downstairs is where we once had drinks when we were only friends.
Comparing with the steakhouses such as Morton's (DT and BH), Ruth's Chris (BH), Mastro's (BH), Flemings (DT) and Pacific Dining Car (DT), I would say that I really liked LA Prime. For around the same price (give or take $5-10 difference on the steaks), you get a private booth and unbeateable sky-high view, which is especially great for out-of-towners such as our uncouth neighbors, the loud and vulgar party of 8. Too bad the restaurant part doesn't rotate, only Bona Vista downstairs.
LA Prime insists on slow, relaxing service here. Time slows down and though sometimes you wonder where your waitress is going, you can take your sweet time cutting into your steak all night long. Just make sure you watch the clock and don't go over 3 hours. That's how long the validation is good for. Else, parking will cost you $15.
Now, for the tab:
Under the "Interesting Reds" section, he got the Marques de Caceres, Grand Reserva, Rioja, Spain, '00 ($16) and I got the Torres, "7:00pm," Celeste Red, Spain, '06 ($12). His glass tastes better if you compare it to the "7:00pm," which I arbitrarily picked for our reservation time, but by itself, the "7:00pm" is not bad.
For steaks, Deanna the waitress told us that the restaurant gets their steaks from their aging facilities in Chicago. Their pride is in the wet aged steaks (juicier) but for a few bucks more, you can get dry aged as well (more flavorful). The 24 oz bone-in delmonico ribeyes are the most marbled (i.e. fatty).
I asked J which two cuts he was thinking of; the 16 oz primal cut New York Strip Wet Aged ($47) and 24 oz porterhouse wet aged ($52) were favored. I ordered the smaller of the two. My medium NY Strip came out medium well. The Porterhouse came out a little bit on the medium rare side. For side dishes, instead of ordering two (which would have been mac and cheese and asparagus - our default favorites), i thought it might be nice to get a soup instead (for about the same price).
We shared a side of Vermont white cheddar macaroni ($10) and a Daily seafood bisque soup, which was lobster on this evening ($11), to start. The bowl of bisque is large enough to share - there was one chunk of lobster (or was it crayfish). Deanne was gracious enough to bring two spoons.
The meal was quite delicious. We opted to have dessert downstairs at the Bona Vista (see review and pics here: http://www.yelp.com/bi...) for old time sake, but next time, I would definitely stay and finish on a sweet note up here.
See pics: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
See review of the Bona Vista here: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
went there awhile back so it isn't too clear in my memory but few good things that I remember are as follows:
nice view (at night)/ great private seating just for you and your company
great service
quiet setting unlike obnoxious highend restaurants with ppl trying their best to talk over other groups, or music...maybe it's the height/dim lit restaurant
now the food was good, but I don't remember it as being great. I may go there if I feel claustrophobic being in LA too long, but then again...there is beach on the west side where I can look out the ocean instead...
so I give it a 4 star, not for the food but for the ambience and the service.
Absolutely, positively LOVE LA Prime. No, check that. I adore LA Prime.
The reviews I read here helped me make my decision - now the only thing I had to do was try it for myself. It became our choice for the pre-opera dinner.
Window table, party of three. Beef all around. Wife: filet mignon, medium rare. Daughter: filet mignon, medium rare. Me: prime rib, medium rare. Split the side of macaroni & cheese because it's a pre-opera tradition, and being superstitious, I didn't want to break with tradition. All three pieces of meat were done to perfection: not too pink, not too gray - just right (I had to Goldilocks-style sample the other two selections). The mac & cheese was pretty good, but it lacked a little something that I can't quite put my finger on. Not the best I've had, but better (by far) than most I've had.
Split an appetizer with my daughter - lump crab meat on an avocado with a light garlic aioli. This was outstanding. My wife had the salad wedge with maytag bleu cheese crumbles. This is possibly the VERY BEST bleu cheese that I've ever tasted.
Great wine selection, too. Half-bottle of a 2000 Serghesio Old Vine Zin that was to die for.
No dessert, as we ran late and had to hit the road to make it before opening curtain. All in all, I would definitely go back. Great food, great wine, unbelievable view, GREAT company. The ONLY complaint that I have is that the service was a little slow - especially in light of the fact that we arrived at the "Blue-Hair Hour" - about 5:30 PM, and the place was almost empty. Mark, our waiter, was friendly enough, but only came around rarely to check our status. I hate it when I have to ask another waiter for our check because I can't find our waiter.
I would absolutely recommend LA Prime.
i liked the interior, being so high up, but i didnt really get to see much of the view because we were seated in a cozy booth against the wall. i relaly liked the closed off seating, its like youre in your own little dining area cul de sac.
first we had a couple cocktails, i had some lemondorp cocktail and i dont remember what my bf had but it was green. those were ok, kinda strong, but not too strong.
we had crabcakes for appetizer which was reallly good. lots of crabmeat.
and i really relaly liked the olive tepenade thing they serve you with the bread. it was reallly good.
i had the filet, and my bf had a ceasar salad. haha he was on a diet at the time, and we were having a really late dinner. my filet was ok...not the best, but alright. the ceasar salad on the otherhand...i felt bad for the bf because he was only eating that salad, and that salad was not even good.
we had creme brulee for dessert which was veryy good.
overall, it was a nice experience, but not a place i would go outta my way for.
I'm noticing that I've been kind of on a meat-kick today. Guess what I'm going to have for lunch? Whatever it is, it had better be something that used to be alive.
So in sticking with my meat fixation, I thought I'd finally write a review of this place. I haven't been here since March/April, but the story is too good to not share.
I was dating this guy starting around February, and things were going pretty well. I had even taken him to see Wicked (mostly because I wanted to see it again, and needed an excuse to go), which as many of you know is no inexpensive feat. But after a couple months, this dude seemed to get more and more boring and awful. I don't even think it was a case of me getting bored with him; I actually believe he possessed the ability to BECOME boring as time went on.
So in my head I had decided that it was over, but I was still a little pissed that I had spent all that money on him and hadn't gotten much ROI. In order to right this situation, I managed to guilt him into taking me out. He came up with a date which included LA Prime for dinner.
Now this little place is CLASSY, with a C. It's at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel on something like the 52nd floor. I recommend getting a table near the windows, because the views of downtown are absolutely fantastic!
I made sure that I maxxed out the bill, in keeping with my vengeful plan. Had about three cocktails, a filet mignon, and a lobster. And desert. From start to finish, this place didn't fail to impress. I have no idea what the bill came out to, because you see, I didn't pay.
So to finish up my story, we went to the show afterwards (not as good as Wicked but still pretty good), he took me home, and I never called him again. Now we're even.
this place is awesome.. go over and check it out!!
I'm not sure why there are 3 different listings for this restaurant, but I decided to review on the one with the highest rating...
My experience here was REALLY great. Some of the other reviews seem pretty mixed in terms of service and quality, but maybe it's because I was here too long ago (circa... 2005?)
Anyway, from what little I DO remember of our dinner, the ambiance is gorgeous and very romantic. We were seated in one of the booths that looks out onto the LA skyline, and with the dimly lit setting, we were settled in for a romantic and yummy dinner.
The filet mignon was REALLY REALLY good. That's all I really remember about this meal. Probably one of the best I've EVER had. We asked how they had prepared it and it was some complex procedure of broiling and grilling and searing, like all in one or something.
Regardless, it was amazingly tasty, and I will always remember that filet mignon. Definitely definitely definitely check this restaurant out for a special date night, either before or after inducing drunkenness in the rotating cocktail lounge downstairs.
View= Incredible
Food= Inedible
Go here for some over-priced drinks and a great view. Besides that, it's baaaaaaaaaaaaad. Lemme explain: they bring out some potato chips and spinach/artichoke dip when you sit down. What the hell is that? Random! If you're going to give out warm dip, serve it with some baguette for the love of god. If you're all about cold potato chips, serve 'em with a cold onion dip or something. The two together was just weird.
Dinner- ordered the Chinese Chicken Salad. It was all cabbage (no lettuce) and it was DRENCHED in dressing. Here is the kicker: I found an anchovy in the salad. All fishy and nasty. Gross. Sent that sucker back. Didn't even want to eat anything else. the food was very mediocre for the price.
The furniture is old and tired. It is very outdated. They chairs are faded. It was just sad.
Anywho- LOVED the view, hence the 2 stars... but this is no place to eat. Stay away. There are better options downtown fo sho!
My ex and my best friend took us (me & another birthday person) here. It was first a surprise location at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown LA. All the way on the top is this romantic restaurant.
Atmosphere: The view is amazing here. Make sure you go during sunset. This place looks pretty classy and elegant.
Food/Price: I don't recall which steak I got, but it was amazing! The best steak I have ever tasted. The food is about $50 a plate. The steak is worth it's price. Valet parking was free to those who ate here.
Overall: This is pretty much the first suggestion I would give if any couples out there is in need of a romantic place. Be sure to go a floor down right after for maybe some desserts and drinks. It rotates 360 in about an hour so you can to see a whole view of downtown LA. A way to end the night after a nice dinner.
We came here cuz Ahnold filmed a movie in this building. KIDDING! I saw the plaque by the elevator.
The service was great but not NYC great. The food was good but not worth the prices they charge. I did enjoy the sunset view. The smog casts a lovely shade of yellow-orange. It's a great place for celebratory dinners.
Valet is free!
LA Prime can't get steak right.
I ordered the Porterhouse for 51 bucks...24 oz...by the way. And I prefer my steak medium rare, but since I am preggers, I ordered it medium.
It came well done. I sent it back, then it came marbleized in fat! It was chewy and medium rare. UGH!!
So I sent it back and got the filet...it was dry, but cooked medium. They didn't discount anything! That filet was 45 bucks. What a waste!! It was my birthday dinner too. :(
The server was fantastic and sweet, but the management should have discounted something, especially since my date was finished eating before I got my second steak. :(
Did someone say foie gras for $6? Hello, I'm there.
4.20.08 I have finally found another steak place that made me want to come back. If money is not a problem for you I would say come here for a nice romantic dinner and just simply enjoy the view.
I had a wedge salad to start. The only thing that was missing was the bacon. Where is it?? I mention it to my friend and well I guess our server overheard and she brought it out..How sweet huh? Well so the service was impeccable. I can't remember her name but she was really sweet and she just gave us time to sit and chit chat. My friend had the prime rib, it was good and nicely cooked to his liking. I had the petite filet and it was delicious. Medium rare just the way all steaks should be.
Along with a good wine the dinner in itself was amazing. Our server came by enough but not too much to interrupt our conversation. Being the chocolate lover I am there's no way we can stop eating now, there has to be dessert. We did not get chocolate instead Creme Brulee which was my friends favorite. Compromised. ha ha.
Like any fine dining this place is a la carte. This is not a place for first dates since its really expensive. I would say once you already gotten into each other pants then go for it...ha ha .. j/k... I would say this makes a good 10th time date place..ha ha..
K just don't listen to me about that..come here whenever with whomever because its worth it..
I used to work here, so I know it pretty well.
This place is romantic and intimate but the Steak is just okay.
For a prime cut it should be more tender.
It doesn't seem like the Chef/Cook puts a lot of attention into flavoring the steak.
Lets just let the A1 do all the work - kind of attitude.
I'm a firm believer that if your reason for eating somewhere is anything other than the food, you're eating at the wrong place.
If you want a nice view go down one floor to the rotating cocktail lounge. I would give that place 4 stars. The drinks aren't outrageously overpriced and you get a really great view (rotating lounge, steakhouse not rotating)
And you can pick at some great appetizers.
But I'm too lazy to write 2 reviews.
LA Prime is located inside of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown LA. This Steakhouse restaurant is very elegant with great views of downtown LA at night.
I just don't think LA Prime has the best steak if comparing to Ruth's Chris steakhouse but that is my opinion of a good steak (although i am not a steak-lover but i can tell the difference between a good and an okay steak)
If you are a seafood lover don't go here and waste your money, if you are a steak lover go to Ruth's Chris instead.
Prime is just okay but not worth a 3rd trip for me.
nice place the service is very nice specially a waitress named josh he was so nice to me and my husband the food incredible i order sheep ribs and they were delicious
The only good thing I can say is that the valet was free. I heard this place was THE PLACE for steak. I didn't want to order the filet mignon because someone else at the table had ordered it so I decided to try the primal cut. DO NOT ORDER THE PRIMAL CUT! Or, ask them for a knife sharpener because you're going to need a damn sharp knife. I was cutting so hard that the entire table was shaking. If I wanted beef jerky, I would go get Sweet 'N Hot Jack Links. When I finally cut a piece of the steak off, I was chewing it forever! I finally had to swallow the whole piece because I didn't want to be rude and spit it out. I didn't eat any more of the steak. I took it home and gave it to my friend, who subsequently fed it to his dogs. We also got sides of mashed potatoes and mushrooms, both of which were mediocre. It's overpriced and just awful.
The server was nice, I guess. The bread was OK. The view was beautiful so if you can get away with going just for the view and not ordering ANY food, sure, why not.
The Service was alright it was very hard for my party to keep the full attention of the servers.
The price is not worth it. I get better steak at Morton's and was disappointed that the price point did not match the taste.
Only order steak, some of the people in the rest of my party tried to mix it up and go for the Sea Food, they had badly under/overcooked portions that did not taste very good. Maybe it was an off night but the total bill was over $2,000 for seven people. This should have been one of the best culinary experiences of a lifetime. It was shy of extraordinary, more like average. The view was great and I was able to see my condo from my seat. That was a little plus, at least I could check in on my plants while eating the overpriced substandard cooking.
As for some of the comments bellow the place is empty because they are not consistent and way overpriced.
Went here for dinner for Valentine's Day. I wanted to go somewhere where it felt un-rushed, dressy, good service, decent food, and a place you could see all of downtown Los Angeles. This place was it. It was perfect. Thanks to my hubby for planning a great night!
We made reservations, got their late, and they still let us have a table even though people kept coming up for a table. They were organized and very courteous. The servers were very nice and sincere. They were low key and laid back. They gave great service - filling waters, drinks, getting orders, but without the "hovering". They gave at the same time a lot of space for privacy. The view was gorgeous. I haven't been to downtown for sometime to just soak it in and i loved it. I usually have only gone to the bonaventure lounge upstairs so i kept imagining the floor was turning, but the restaurant doesnt turn like the lounge. They give free bread basket with olive tampenade and butter. The "pretzel" was really good.
The food was good. I know i know, I didnt have the steak. But if you ever for some reason go with vegetarians or dont want to have steak at LA prime... the fettucine pasta with porcini mushrooms is pretty good. Its really oily and rich though, so watch out. The beet salad was good. Tomato salad was good. The risotto was pretty good not extremely mushy but I dont usually like risotto. This one though was decent. I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars because the food wasn't 5 star delicious, but it was really good still. And they gave us a rose at the end of the evening. How romantic! Thanks for a great evening!
Pasta was like $35. Parking was $7 with validation STILL. (downside)
Yes, it's another one of those modern day steakhouses, but there are some things about this place that stand out. First off, the place spins! No, not like a carousel. Well, actually, yes like a carousel....but at a much much slower pace. It provides a spectacular panoramic view of Los Angeles. It's also located in the Bonaventure hotel downtown, a landmark in itself. The service is great, on top of receiving complimentary dishes. The manager must have come over to us 3 or 4 times to make sure we were being taken care of. At one point, even the chef comes out to introduce herself! The place is a little pricey, but I didn't mind spending the money at all. It's definitely a great place for those special occasions...uh hem....
Do:
Eat the steak
Have drinks before-hand in the downstairs bar/lounge (directly below the restaurant)
Try and get a booth facing the windows
Best steak in los angeles with a beautiful wine selection. Yes they serve caymus!
The setting is almost as romantic as geoffrey's malibu, hotel bel aire, or yamashiros. Its a great view of los angeles from above.
Definitely in the same field as mortons, ruth chris, flemings, houstons, parkway grill... the service is amazing
make sure you drive up on flower for the valet, its part of the LA Prime treatment
LA Prime is a perfect choice for a romantic date when you just want an intimate setting with a large and tasty steak. The service is great and the staff was very attentive to our needs (ie. we asked for an outward facing booth and received it). The view is the closest thing to LA's version of the Rainbow Room. Highly recommended for large appetites, not so much recommended for a culinary affair.
You're dining at one of LA's premiere hotel up on the top floor in the heart of downtown LA. The view is gorgeous and perfect for any type of romantic date. It is no secret that this is an expensive restaurants, $$$$ so don't criticize base on price, as so many do with other places like Maestro, Ruth Cris, Morton, etc. If you can't afford it, go to Claim Jumpers or Sizzler, and you'll probably get a better deal for your dollar.
I have dine at alot of steakhouses all over the US, including more than half of the Top 10 on Best of Citysearch and top Yelp steak places, and how any of those receive the ratings they do, beats the hell out of me. I have to say the steak at LA Prime has to be the softest, most buttery tasting steak in all of the US. Only thing I had better are Kobe Steak, but that's not in the same catagory. The creme bulee are the best and most creamy bulee I've tasted so far.
Some members in my party state that this is one of the best place for Sea Bass, but who goes to a steakhouse for fish? HAHA
Appetizers are not worth it and you're better off just skipping that. The variety of bread you get to start and the olive spread are excellent. Ask for the raisin bread if you have the time to wait for it to be made.
I am a regular here, usually once a month and I tell you, it's worth every penny.If you're not light in your wallet, this is well worth the experience.
First of all, this restaurant boasts one of the best skyline views of the trendiest city in America. Nestled on top of the Westin Bonaventure in downtown Los Angeles and befitting of its name, it never ceases to entertain the eyes while sophisticated dining ensues. Oversize tables and comfy chairs, sofas if you're lucky, hint at what's to come.
The night started with crab cakes and escargot. The former was tasty while the latter needed more time soaking in a less bland butter-garlic bath. Most snails need a delicate balance of butter and herbs to accentuate their flavor and, at the least, be a good dip for the bread.
Moving on, the New York strip was requested at medium. As the entrees were being prepared, our party took advantage of the healthy wine list and uncorked a french and Napa red to coax the USDA prime down a slippery slope. The entree arrived as promised and tasted, well, good but not fantastic as the scenery emphasized. Some parts were charred rather than blackened. The flavor was subdued and lacked the heritage equivalent of succulence associated with a proper aged steak/chop houses. However, variety of steaks such as the Wellington keeps things interesting.
The evening was topped off with excess consumption of Creme Burlee and decadent chocolate cake since they were definitely designed to be shared.
In conclusion, the expectations from the ambiance did not match the offerings. Even being masked by charming views, friendly staff, and impeccable presentation, it doesn't excuse you from offering mediocre steaks especially at their suggested retail prices. I can only imagine that the clientele is looking to impress their dates more than their taste buds.
[IMG_0159]
Unimpressed. I went to L.A. Prime for Dine LA Restaurant Week, so I'll give it some grace. I was quite disappointed. L.A. Prime is a "New York" style steakhouse, whatever that means, on top (35th floor) of the Westin Bonaventure in the heart of the tall buildings of Downtown LA. The only nice thing was the view, that raised the rating to a very generous 3. They also have a rotating lounge on the 34th floor, which I got kind of dizzy, but was pretty cool. If I ever do come back, I'd only go there. Excuse the quality of the pictures (my phone doesn't do well in the dark), the food wasn't much better.
[IMG_0162]
The first course, I had the traditional lobster bisque. If you know bisques, it's supposed to be thick and flavorful because it is reduced. This soup was very watery, almost to the point of it being watered down. There was some taste of lobster and some very tiny pieces that I'd assume was lobster, but nothing much. I didn't like it very much.
[IMG_0163]
Main course was the petite fillet mignon. It sure was petite, but given it was restaurant week, I won't deduct any points. It was cook well, I mean medium rare, the way I like it. The flavor was a bit salty at first, then it got better, but nothing special at all. The quality of the meat, sure it was tender, but I've had better (Morton's). As you can see the plate is very plain, they didn't even give us sides, especially during restaurant week, I'd think they'd want to showcase their sides (as Frankie & Johnnie's Steakhouse in NY did).
[IMG_0164]
I was already unimpressed with the appetizer and main course (giving it an 2.5 at that point), so the dessert had to blow me away for the overall score to get better. This place is supposed to be one of those fancy, nice restaurant, yet they did not clean the crumbs off the table, I was very disappointed by that. The tiramisu was good. You can't really screw up on tiramisu I guess, as long as it is moist and layered well with appealing presentation. You couldn't taste the alcohol at all! The fudge brownie was pretty good though.
Overall, I wouldn't go back to this place, not even to give it a second try on a normal night. I paid $45 for this! I would have been happier if I'd go to Ruth Chris and pay for a $45 steak with nothing else!!!
x-posted on my Yelp!
Next up...LAWRY'S! I'm really looking forward to this Thursday!!!
Overall good experience.
I also went for the DineLa week, and I enjoyed my meal. I love lobster bisque, steak, and tiramisu, so ordering all of that was just natural. It wasn't the BEST steak I've ever had, but it was tasty and well cooked. The lobster bisque was almost too creamy, but I love cream, so I enjoyed it. We ordered the spinach side, and both of us loved it. We're asian, so we appreciate spinach cooked with soy and garlic. It wasn't heavy or buttery like a lot of american sides, so it really complimented the meal.
View was nice too, and the free valet was convenient. Overall a nice night.
Amazing view of downtown LA and interiors. Booth seating is a must.
the escargot had great texture and smelled as good as it tasted. they had a hefty selection of wines but i'd seen better for steaks. i ordered the new york strip medium-well and although it was full flavored and tender as I had expected, the over charring the surface didn't impress me. they have a good selection of oversized sides and the cream corn was delicious. the service was up to par, although our otherwise attentive waitress failed to keep our wineglasses full.
The service was slow I will say though in the defense of the restaurant that there was a holiday party going on upstairs. Which is the reason why my date and I were in revolving cocktail lounge. Since it was taking so long the manager actually came up and offered us an apology and a free dessert.
The steak was pretty good though although I hate to so much just for sides. When I order steak I want baked potato not rice.
So here is the breakdown
2 cocktails
2 steaks
1 broccoli
1 baked potato
1 asparagus
161.00 way overpriced
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Steakhouses
My preference of the best, and restaurants that…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I normally don't visit a restaurant twice but…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
