LA Prime Steakhouse — Restaurant in Los Angeles

EXCELLENT service, views, ambiance and food. Our server Norma was the best! Friendly, funny and she knew the menu so well she was able to make suggestions when items we wanted to enjoy weren't exactly what we wanted. The restaurant was a little busy Christmas Eve, but we did not feel pressured to eat and run! We enjoyed a leisurely meal with cocktails appetizers our entree and dessert!

The Westin Bonaventure has quite rich history in Los Angeles, having opening in 1970s. If you use valet parking (no cost when just dining here), you pass their "Wall Of Fame", the posters of blockbuster movies over past 20+ years that used the hotel. The wall is not a complete representation films and television shows using this location, but you get the idea! There were several movies I know of not on the wall (High Anxiety), however, I was reminded of my first years working in downtown; I visited the hotel during its use for "In The Nick Of Time".

In order to reach the iconic glass elevators transporting you to restaurant (excellent view of Los Angeles skyline), you traverese 3 levels of escalators which drops you on main floor. There is comfortable seating on both sides facing soothing trickling waters, complete with frogs spouting water. Take a moment to look up at balconies and enjoy the view! The fountain surrounding the terrace restaurant has zen art, definitely feeling of comfort and well being.

The restaurant has great ambiance. You are made comfortable from moment you arrive to time you leave. Dimly lit, candlelit tables, comfortable booths, open space and did I mention the view? Waiting area is small, however there are comfortable chairs and tables to right of checkin, and the revolving cocktail lounge can be accessed easily.

Excellent wine list! Order by glass or by bottle. If you're trying something new, they will pour taste for your approval.

This is primarily a steakhouse but we found the Australian lobster and Chilean Sea Bass fresh and flavorful. Our Escargot appetizer was very good, melted on my palette; also fresh and flavorful.

A must here is the sour ice cream. It is made locally and served only at Bonaventure. It has citrus flavor and pairs well with Dark Chocolate cake with raspberry and blueberry, however just as good by itself!

This is excellent place for romantic dinner, large groups or even business meeting. Even as busy as it got, the conversations of other patrons did not interfere with enjoyment of the experience and the meal.

I look forward to...

Disappointed is a nice way to put it. The views were nice but the attentiveness of our waiter was unbelievably bad. The host was friendly and sat us and we were eventually greeted by our server Mark. We ordered the lobster bisque and oysters rockerfeller. The bisque was salty and lacked any other flavor and the oysters were alright but nothing to come back for. Then we finally get out entree - we ordered to split the 10oz filet medium with the Oscar since it seems rather large and a side of the au gratin. The server places it on the table and it is the wrong entree. It was a filet with vegetables and a lobster tail. I felt so bad to send it back but it wasn’t what we wanted. We figured they’d just reuse the filet and put the Oscar topping on top and switch out the sides for the potatoes. Nope. It took 20 minutes for the entree to be corrected. To make matters worse the steak came out much more rare than I asked for. At this point I didn’t want them to take it and have to wait again. I pointed this out to the waiter who just apologized and did nothing about it.

What the biggest issue was was that there was no attentiveness from our server whatsoever. He greet us - took our order and never engaged in any way. He never asked why we were dining at this place. And it was because we were celebrating our wedding that was happening in a month and this was our last trip out of town before the big day. And I know the restaurant would have been excited for celebrations since there was a table around the other side singing happy birthday multiple times. He never checked on us when we got the appetizers so it wasn’t like we could provide any feedback to the below par lobster bisque. And after waiting a total of 40 minutes for an $79 medium filet that came out bloody didn’t care to involve any sort of leader to follow up with us even though the manager was stopping by the table next to us talking about wine. I ate about 50% of my portion and then just couldn’t stomach anymore. We ended up at our destination much later than anticipated which was disappointing.

We understand that mistakes happen but our server did nothing to make the experience great. We wanted to have a nice evening out so we felt speaking to a leader would have just upset us more. So we paid our bill and left. Never again will we return back nor will have the opportunity to since we are from...

Dear LA Prime Team,

I have been a loyal patron of your restaurant for over 20 years, and I’ve always enjoyed the experience—especially the stunning views and ambiance. However, I noticed a few changes during my recent visit that I believe could be improved to elevate the dining experience to its former greatness.

Atmosphere: The energy in the restaurant seemed a bit lacking. I’d recommend injecting more vibrancy into the environment, perhaps through a livelier ambiance or engaging servers who smile more to create a welcoming atmosphere for newer clients.

Food Quality: The French onion soup, which I’ve always adored, seemed different this time. The cheese didn’t have the usual richness, and the soup itself was too salty with an overwhelming amount of bread. It seemed like it had been simmering too long, resulting in a condensed and overly salty flavor. This is a dish that could use a bit of refinement to return to its former glory.

Steak: I ordered my steak to be well-seared, but unfortunately, it arrived colder than expected. It lacked the flame-grilled taste I’ve enjoyed in the past, and while the plate was warm, the steak itself didn’t live up to expectations. A bit more attention to temperature and searing would make a huge difference in ensuring the quality of the steak is consistent with the high standard you’ve set.

Menu Suggestion: I’d love to see the return of the pork chop to the menu. It was, without a doubt, the best dish you served a decade ago, and bringing it back could be a great way to re-establish the restaurant’s strong culinary reputation.

LA Prime is located in such a prime spot with incredible potential to thrive. I truly believe that with some tweaks to the food and atmosphere, you could double your success. You’ve got the location, the view, and the foundation—you’re just missing a few ingredients to bring it all together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this feedback, and I hope to see these improvements...