Beverly Hills Dining

Mastro's

By: Sun-Kai Pan

As a fine connoisseur of meat, I have tried all the best steakhouses from LA to New York to Asia.  What makes a steakhouse good is not just the meat that is served to you that first time you go, but the consistency of good meat being served to you every time you eat there.  Mastro’s in Beverly Hills has shown and proved to me that they are hands down the best steakhouse I have been to so far.  Another test to determine if a steakhouse is good is if the waiter / waitresses understand meat.  When you order a rib eye with more loose ends, end cut and cooked to a rare plus(+) and the waiter gives you a dumbfounded look, that’s a sign you won’t be fully satisfied with your steak.  Mastro’s has trained all of their waiters / waitresses to fully understand meat.

You can’t go wrong with ordering the bone-in rib eye, prime rib, or porterhouse.  The bone-in rib eye is full of flavor, while the prime rib is large, but still very tender and flavorful.  If you order the porterhouse for two, I would highly recommend that you have them slice the meat into strips before they bring it out.  Most of the meats are large cuts, so don’t hesitate to share a steak. 

To get the most flavors out of your steak, you need to have the fatty tissue within the meat cook.  At most steak houses I order either a medium rare, more on the rare side.  But at Mastro’s I order a rare plus(+) because the steaks come out on a 400 degree plate that cooks the meat even more when it is placed on your table.  This guarantee’s that the meat arrives hot and cooked to perfection.     

I wasn’t a huge oyster fan until I tried the blue point oysters at Mastro’s.  The oysters are fresh and taste great with their atomic horseradish, cocktail sauce and Tabasco sauce.  The horseradish is atomic because it will clear any sinus problems you may have. You definitely get a head rush if you put too much on.  The seafood tower is also a great appetizer to try, but only order this if you are really hungry or eating with a large group.  The seafood tower usually consists of oysters, large shrimps, crab claws and lobster tails.  You can customize how many pieces of what you want and they charge accordingly.

The signature side dish is their gorgonzola macaroni in cheese.  This is definitely a piece of carb heaven that you must order when you eat at Mastro’s.  The sautéed mushroom’s are also a hit and so are the shoe string fries and onion rings.  The portions are large and should be hared family style.

If you still have room for dessert, you have to try the warm butter cake.  The cake is moist and the vanilla ice cream served on top acts as a great compliment.  This dessert was originally only offered at Mastro’s Ocean in Laguna Beach.  After numerous requests from customers, they finally started serving it at Mastro’s in Beverly Hills.

The atmosphere of the restaurant makes you feel you’re in an old Frank Sinatra movie. They use a great deal of dark colors on the wood and walls, added with dim lighting get’s this full affect.  The dress code is classy, but I’ve gone in nice jeans and a blazer.  Reservations are a must and arrive either early or on time, they will cancel your reservation if you’re late.  Mastro’s used to allow customers to reserve pieces of prime rib, since they are a hot seller.  But you no longer can do that, so if you want to try the prime rib, book an early dinner reservation.  I recommend sitting downstairs if you’re going for an intimate dinner.  The seating upstairs is much louder because they have a live pianist playing all night.  The Mastro’s room, which is a smaller more intimate room, is used when both upstairs and downstairs have been fully occupied.  I don’t recommend sitting in the wine room upstairs because the room is much colder and you don’t get the full Mastro’s experience.  

Every time I eat at Mastro’s, I have always seen a celebrity. From Rick Fox to Denzel Washington, if you’re looking for a great place to eat where celebrity sightings are a norm, then Mastro’s should be your choice.

I hope your Mastro’s experience is as good and also becomes your favorite steakhouse.

Mastro’s Steakhouse
246 N Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 888-8782
Located on Canon Dr. between Wilshire Blvd. and Dayton Way

Reservations: yes
Prompt seating: no
Good for groups: yes
Good for kids: no
Romantic: yes
Parking: valet or street
Touristy: no
Payment types:  visa, MC, AmEx, cash...
Cuisines: steakhouse
Price: $50+ a person
Pros: Great food, nice décor and attentive service.
Cons: Steaks at Mastro’s Ocean isn’t as good as the location in Beverly Hills
Amenities: Open 7 days a week, smoking patio upstairs, wine room seating for large parties
Additional info: Make a reservation in advance, and if you’re eating alone or with a friend, try sitting at the bar downstairs if you don’t have a reservation.

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