A Very Classic Evening | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Beverly Hills, CA

A Chef, Sophie Gayot, GAYOT's Wine & Spirits Editor Dirk Smits

By Sophie Gayot

Beverly Hills, CA, June 2021

• GAYOT’s Rating: 13/20
• Cuisine: Steakhouse
• Dinner nightly; Brunch Sun. 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. upon reservation only.
• Lawry’s The Prime Rib is one of GAYOT’s:
Best Classic Restaurants in Los Angeles Area

The reason why people flock to the doors of Lawry’s The Prime Rib is because it is a classic, not to say an old-fashioned, restaurant. Sometimes that feels great as it brings a sense of security, and you know what to expect when spending the evening at this restaurant located on “Restaurant Row” in Beverly Hills.

You would be far from the first: the restaurant opened in 1938. Just imagine LA and La Cienega Boulevard back in those days, and the dining room can accommodate 450 guests. After all these years, it is still family owned — they also hold the record of LA’s oldest restaurant owned and operated by the same family in the same location with Tam O’Shanter in Atwater Village.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib has built its fame on the prime ribs of beef hand-carved tableside from rolling silver carts (see video below), and The Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad (see video below). Different cuts are offered, so choose according to your appetite, and the cooking of your taste — of course, I would recommend medium rare. They are accompanied by less-worthy mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and creamed corn. While it is fun to watch the turning salad, the dressing is not very good and its vintage recipe could be rethought. Diners’ palates have changed, especially in LA where the culinary level keeps getting higher and higher.

When the restaurant first opened, there was only one prime rib (the family had a meat business in the early 1880s); the menu has since seen additions like shrimp, corn & jalapeño fritters, grilled artichoke, lobster bisque, lobster tail, rigatoni pasta and three steaks. Finish with the English trifle. The hot fudge sundae will put you to the task, as you will have to mix for yourself the almonds, chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream with the vanilla ice cream.

Before dinner you can stop at the luminous bar for a cocktail. Despite a private room boasting an elegant wine cellar, the wine list is short, but includes some hefty labels. The staff is very courteous and professional (the waitress who took care of my table and spinning the salad has been here since 2006).