Nick & Stef's Steakhouse LA

(213) 680-0330

330 S Hope St (Between 3rd & 4th)
Los Angeles, CA 90071 34.05334 -118.252679

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Neighborhoods: New Downtown, Downtown, Central LA

patinagroup.com/nickStef/

Hours:

LUNCH: Mon - Fri, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

DINNER: Mon - Thurs, 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Fri, 5:30 - 10:30 p.m.

Sat, 5:00 - 10:30 p.m.

Sun, 4:30 - 8:30 p.m.

HAPPY HOUR, EXTENDED!

Mon - Thurs 3:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Friday 3: 00 - 10:30 p. m.

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 1.06.12

What People Are Saying About Nick & Stef's Steakhouse LA

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – The golden-hued dining room is architecturally modern, at once elegant and unfussy, with plush booths and rich lighting. Lunch attracts attorneys and MBA-types. At dinner, the crowd widens to include those on their way to Staples Center, and couples enjoying pre-theater meals or romantic dates. Beef is dry aged on-site, and patrons linger at the glass-walled "aging chamber," which showcases marbled slabs of prime and certified Angus. A spacious patio hosts lively weekday happy hours. – – The Food – Prime rib, steaks and chops dominate the menu, naturally.…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Weekday happy hour, 3pm-7:30pm, offers a separate menu, which includes jerk pork, buffalo wings and hummus platter. Dinner menu items can also be ordered in the bar.
Parking:
The restaurant validates for the Wells Fargo Center garage on Hope Street. There's a $7 lunchtime flat rate for two hours; after 4pm, the first three hours are free with a maximum of $5.
Save Time:
Complimentary evening shuttle service is provided to the Music Center and Staples Center.
ambiance
84.37999725341797% positive
  1. The atmosphere was great, semi romantic, great customer service.
  2. We're two guys, it's not hard to please us - we don't need atmosphere, we just wanted a good steak, and if we're charged top-notch steakhouse prices, we expect commensurate service and quality.
  3. Disappointing customer service, poor quality food, uninspiring decor
  4. The restaurant itself featured nice views, formal setting and great atmosphere.
  5. The location is beautiful and the dinning room is modern yet has a homey feel to it.
  6. It is unfortunate that the service is so poor because the atmosphere, location and food are excellent.
  7. Top of the line steaks, properly cooked in a comfortable, if noisy room.
  8. The service was great & the atmosphere was intimate yet informal.
dessert
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. Their desserts were pretty good too and overall I did enjoy the experience, but I couldn't help but think that I'd had a better steak elsewhere.
  2. Surprisingly the desserts here did not sound appetizing compared to the many fancy restaurants I've been to.
  3. even their appetizers and dessert were "average" at best, so i will not be back to try their more famous steaks.
  4. was concerned that the waiters all seemed to recommend the same wine, steak, sauce, dessert - of course this is expected, but I need to believe that a recommendation for a particular menu item is "real" rather than what they have a lot of.
  5. The service was ok, nothing special, my steak was tasteless and over cooked, the side dishes are too small, the creamed spinach was more "cream" than spinach.
  6. After a great meal, I always look forward to the dessert menu.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. The best bet is happy hour where the food is priced right and the drinks are poured competently, if not creatively.
  2. comftable place for wining and dining or to enjoy a couple of drinks with friends.
  3. Our waiter was great and worked with us on a progression through our wines with our meal.
  4. was concerned that the waiters all seemed to recommend the same wine, steak, sauce, dessert - of course this is expected, but I need to believe that a recommendation for a particular menu item is "real" rather than what they have a lot of.
  5. Our party had a 8:00 theater deadline, our guests were 15 minutes late for a 6:30 reservation and we managed to enjoy a fantastic Caesar salad prepared tableside, delicious steaks prepared perfectly with equally delicious sides, a few drinks and we made t
  6. The bar menu for happy hour perfect for after work to hang out and have a burger or calamari with a cocktail or beer.
  7. The wine list is excellent and reasonable, with the house pinot a particularly good value.
  8. Bread was not brought to our table, service was poor, our orders were taken and drinks brought out about 15 minutes or so later.
  9. Considering the high price of the wine list, you think they would give great wine service.
  10. The Aged New York Steak there is bar none the best steak I have ever had!
food quality
82.41999626159668% positive
  1. The steaks are perfectly cooked to order and the service is attentive and polite.
  2. Side dishes are gratifying but over-wrought -- bring your own defibrilator if you try the mac and cheese, and be sure to towel the butter off the otherwise tasty asparagus.
  3. Still the food is great and you will meet a couple of downtown LA's power hitters out for lunch.
  4. Great steaks, ugly restaurant
  5. the food is good, service is pretty decent unless you start having a group in excess of 4 and the lunch wait can be long after noon so reservations are a must.
  6. enjoy a great steak, and nick and stef's is far from that.
  7. The service was ok, nothing special, my steak was tasteless and over cooked, the side dishes are too small, the creamed spinach was more "cream" than spinach.
  8. Great steaks at cheaper prices than dinner.
  9. The food was delicious (side items are very expensive and small portions though).
  10. was hungry, and determined to enjoy this meal.
  11. We're two guys, it's not hard to please us - we don't need atmosphere, we just wanted a good steak, and if we're charged top-notch steakhouse prices, we expect commensurate service and quality.
  12. The best bet is happy hour where the food is priced right and the drinks are poured competently, if not creatively.
  13. After a great meal, I always look forward to the dessert menu.
  14. granted, i did not order their "signature" steaks (they like to rave about their ribeye and new york), i had a sirloin but and it was VERY dissapointing.
  15. The meal was just fantastic!
  16. This meal was very disappointing and embarrassing.
  17. Roy's is much better - outstanding, flavorful food and incredibly accomodating service.
  18. Yes, the steaks are good, but for the price, it's the least I'd expect.
  19. The famous steak was tough, everything is served a la carte, so everyting is separate and served in these little grimey looking pans, making for a terrible presentation.
  20. The flavor was good and the meat came as I ordered, medium rare but the tenderness of the meat was something you get at Dennys.
  21. The bar menu for happy hour perfect for after work to hang out and have a burger or calamari with a cocktail or beer.
  22. The Aged New York Steak there is bar none the best steak I have ever had!
  23. Good food.
  24. The potato was tasty, however I personally think the szechwan long beans did not taste as great as the waitress suggested.
  25. Top of the line steaks, properly cooked in a comfortable, if noisy room.
  26. The cuisine at Nick & Stef's Steakhouse is great, fantastic even.
  27. Have definitely had a great steak here before.
  28. Have had great food there (aged NY, tomato salad, lobster and pea soup) as well as good service.
  29. Plenty of other steakhouses like Morton's, Ruth's Chris and even Petrocelli's arguably fit the same description, but Nick & Stef's is a much more interesting place to eat because of the variety of side dishes and sauces.
  30. It is unfortunate that the service is so poor because the atmosphere, location and food are excellent.
  31. even their appetizers and dessert were "average" at best, so i will not be back to try their more famous steaks.
  32. Nick & Stefs has a great cheeseburger with garlic fries!
  33. Usually I can dismiss bad service if the food is spectacular - it was NOT.
  34. Most importantly, the food is incredible.
  35. The steak was very good, very tender and presented well.
  36. The food was delicious!
  37. I'm a big man and love big steaks.
  38. The food is overpriced, the service is consistently bad, and there seems to be a communication problem between the wait-staff and the kitchen.
  39. The potato offerings are excellent and unusual -- mashed with bacon and onion, garlic fries, and plenty of others.
  40. Best steak for the value I paid!
  41. Nick & Stef's Steakhouse has one of the best steaks in town - tender, juicy, and grilled to perfection, exactly the way you like it.
  42. Our food came out late and service was a bit slow.
  43. As for lunch/dinner - the food is quite good but their strength is definitely in their steaks (don't waste your time ordering the chicken or seafood which is ok, but not great).
  44. Disappointing customer service, poor quality food, uninspiring decor
  45. All in all, a great place for a casual hangout or for a special meal.
  46. The waiter came back and noticed how much we had "enjoyed" our steaks, and made a weak attempt to lighten the mood by asking if we wanted to "get crazy" and take a post-dinner shot.
  47. The steak was good, but all I can remember is the awful, awful lobster salad.
  48. Our party had a 8:00 theater deadline, our guests were 15 minutes late for a 6:30 reservation and we managed to enjoy a fantastic Caesar salad prepared tableside, delicious steaks prepared perfectly with equally delicious sides, a few drinks and we made t
  49. They have a terrific Prime Rib speacial which corners a full 3 course meal from Caesar Salad to Dessert.
  50. The food was excellent!
  51. Which meant our food was cold midway through dinner.
  52. The mashed potatoes with the funky name were amazing.
  53. The mashed potatoes there is the best I've ever had as well!
  54. My boyfriend brought me here for my graduation dinner because he knows how much I love steak and it was great.
  55. have been dining here for a few years now, the beef is excellent; in recent months I have ventured out to try dishes other than the beef; and I have not been disappointed.
  56. In all, the food was excellent and the service I would rate as "ok" for the pricing.
  57. Their desserts were pretty good too and overall I did enjoy the experience, but I couldn't help but think that I'd had a better steak elsewhere.
  58. Great food service is sometimes suspect
  59. personally love beef!
  60. Cut to the chase, the steak was horrible, when the knife your using has difficulty cutting through the meat is the first sign that the meat is not tender.
  61. The happy hour food is consistently superb (try the garlic fries, the flat bread pizza, the mini cheeseburgers and the delectable olive plate).
  62. love steak and I live in L.A....until I came across this place I thought the two were mutually-exclusive.
  63. Our waiter was great and worked with us on a progression through our wines with our meal.
  64. was concerned that the waiters all seemed to recommend the same wine, steak, sauce, dessert - of course this is expected, but I need to believe that a recommendation for a particular menu item is "real" rather than what they have a lot of.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. After a great meal, I always look forward to the dessert menu.
  2. The bar menu for happy hour perfect for after work to hang out and have a burger or calamari with a cocktail or beer.
  3. Plenty of other steakhouses like Morton's, Ruth's Chris and even Petrocelli's arguably fit the same description, but Nick & Stef's is a much more interesting place to eat because of the variety of side dishes and sauces.
  4. was concerned that the waiters all seemed to recommend the same wine, steak, sauce, dessert - of course this is expected, but I need to believe that a recommendation for a particular menu item is "real" rather than what they have a lot of.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. good place for a casual lunch.
  2. All in all, a great place for a casual hangout or for a special meal.
  3. This is by far my favorite restaurant in Downtown LA!
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. even their appetizers and dessert were "average" at best, so i will not be back to try their more famous steaks.
service
68.33000183105469% positive
  1. The service was great & the atmosphere was intimate yet informal.
  2. The service was slow, unenthusiastic, and snobby, our waiter never smiled once, we felt like they were doing a favor by letting us eat there.
  3. It is unfortunate that the service is so poor because the atmosphere, location and food are excellent.
  4. Considering the high price of the wine list, you think they would give great wine service.
  5. Our waiter bent over backwards to provide us with excellent service, making suggestions and answering questions.
  6. The steaks are perfectly cooked to order and the service is attentive and polite.
  7. Disappointing customer service.
  8. liked the restaurant, and the service was OK.
  9. the food is good, service is pretty decent unless you start having a group in excess of 4 and the lunch wait can be long after noon so reservations are a must.
  10. The staff is highly knowledgeable, they prepare all your sauces and salads tableside and the service is great.
  11. Have had great food there (aged NY, tomato salad, lobster and pea soup) as well as good service.
  12. was pleased to be served not by a 75-year-old bitter waiter a la Arnie Mortons, but a lovely and articulate blonde woman who emanated sunshine (a perfect contrast to the mahogany interior).
  13. Food regular, bad service - NOT Patina quality
  14. The food is overpriced, the service is consistently bad, and there seems to be a communication problem between the wait-staff and the kitchen.
  15. The service was ok, nothing special, my steak was tasteless and over cooked, the side dishes are too small, the creamed spinach was more "cream" than spinach.
  16. Great food service is sometimes suspect
  17. service is great and fast.
  18. The waiter came back and noticed how much we had "enjoyed" our steaks, and made a weak attempt to lighten the mood by asking if we wanted to "get crazy" and take a post-dinner shot.
  19. Food is great, but service is poor.
  20. Management is attentive and service is outstanding.
  21. And the wait staff was nice, though seemingly uncomfortable in the role of host for the evening.
  22. asked the server to recommend a martini and he was clueless.
  23. Roy's is much better - outstanding, flavorful food and incredibly accomodating service.
  24. Bread was not brought to our table, service was poor, our orders were taken and drinks brought out about 15 minutes or so later.
  25. However, the entire night was sadly ruined by some of the worst service I've experienced in a high-class restaurant.
  26. was concerned that the waiters all seemed to recommend the same wine, steak, sauce, dessert - of course this is expected, but I need to believe that a recommendation for a particular menu item is "real" rather than what they have a lot of.
  27. I'm always online checking out the reviews but have never written one myself and I know people have bad experiences sometimes in restaurants but we left Nick and Stef's happy and full!
  28. You will not be dissapointed by the courteous and professional staff.
  29. We're two guys, it's not hard to please us - we don't need atmosphere, we just wanted a good steak, and if we're charged top-notch steakhouse prices, we expect commensurate service and quality.
  30. Our waiter was great and worked with us on a progression through our wines with our meal.
  31. Lately the bartenders for happy hour have been terrible so I would avoid ordering a dry dirty ketel one martini.
  32. The host was very polite and friendly.
  33. Disappointing customer service, poor quality food, uninspiring decor
  34. Usually I can dismiss bad service if the food is spectacular - it was NOT.
  35. Our food came out late and service was a bit slow.
  36. Unfortunately, the service was very disappointing, slow, unprofessional and not so friendly.
  37. The atmosphere was great, semi romantic, great customer service.
  38. In all, the food was excellent and the service I would rate as "ok" for the pricing.
  39. The potato was tasty, however I personally think the szechwan long beans did not taste as great as the waitress suggested.
value
85.0% positive
  1. Drinks were poured strong and the portions were huge.
  2. The food was delicious (side items are very expensive and small portions though).
  3. Considering the high price of the wine list, you think they would give great wine service.
  4. Great steaks at cheaper prices than dinner.
  5. We're two guys, it's not hard to please us - we don't need atmosphere, we just wanted a good steak, and if we're charged top-notch steakhouse prices, we expect commensurate service and quality.
  6. The food is overpriced, the service is consistently bad, and there seems to be a communication problem between the wait-staff and the kitchen.
  7. Yes, the steaks are good, but for the price, it's the least I'd expect.
  8. Best steak for the value I paid!
  9. In all, the food was excellent and the service I would rate as "ok" for the pricing.
  10. The wine list is excellent and reasonable, with the house pinot a particularly good value.
wait time
57.14000225067139% positive
  1. The potato was tasty, however I personally think the szechwan long beans did not taste as great as the waitress suggested.
  2. the food is good, service is pretty decent unless you start having a group in excess of 4 and the lunch wait can be long after noon so reservations are a must.
  3. Unfortunately, the service was very disappointing, slow, unprofessional and not so friendly.
  4. Our food came out late and service was a bit slow.
  5. Our party had a 8:00 theater deadline, our guests were 15 minutes late for a 6:30 reservation and we managed to enjoy a fantastic Caesar salad prepared tableside, delicious steaks prepared perfectly with equally delicious sides, a few drinks and we made t
  6. The service was slow, unenthusiastic, and snobby, our waiter never smiled once, we felt like they were doing a favor by letting us eat there.
  7. Bread was not brought to our table, service was poor, our orders were taken and drinks brought out about 15 minutes or so later.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/14/10

Best Dining Experience in LA

by jred26 at Citysearch

Nick & Stef's has a new general manager, Ron Casey. Ron, along with his staff, has created a new speciality cocktail menu which rivals any restaurant in town. These are cocktails that taste wonderful. The dry aged steaks are amazing. Melt in your mouth.

Our FAVORITE this is the Cheese and BEER pairing. That's right, cheese and beer. I had never had a pairing like that and I highly recommend it.

If you want a great meal, excellent drinks and to be treated like royalty, you have to go to the new Nick & Stef's. It is worth every penny and more.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/19/10

Delicious Steak served with Excellent Service

by Krystyne at Citysearch

I went to Nick & Stef's for the first time with three friends on my birthday. The food was excellent! To start, we ordered the Cesar salad, which was prepared right at our table and tasted great. For my entree, I had the petit filet mignon along with two sides (butternut squash & mac & cheese) -- all excellent! The sides are big, so we split them between the four of us. I was treated to a special desert (on the house), since it was my birthday. It was good, but definitely not my desert of choice. I'm not even really sure what it was. They also have a 3 min rule on bringing out drinks. It took about 10 mins before we received our cocktails, so the waitress gave them to us on the house. We didn't even have to ask!! The waitress also told us that if we sign up for the email list that we will get $30 off coupons every year for our birthdays! I was very happy with my experience at Nick & Stef's and will definitely be returning.

  • Pros: Free Valet Parking, Friendly Staff, Nice Ambience
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/24/10

Wow, what a disappointment!

by sam lee at Citysearch

My wife and I love going out to new restaurants once a week. I personally love beef! I heard how famous Nick & Stef was in downtown L.A. Tonight I had porterhouse steak the 22 oz which is the cut I always get at a nice steak house. Cut to the chase, the steak was horrible, when the knife your using has difficulty cutting through the meat is the first sign that the meat is not tender. The flavor was good and the meat came as I ordered, medium rare but the tenderness of the meat was something you get at Dennys. Not worth $50. Never ever go back again. I will rather go to Mortons steak house in Beverly Hills. Great porterhouse and Filet is to die for.

Sam Out. This is actually my first review anywhere, hope it helps you out.

  • Pros: Free parking w/ validation.
  • Cons: Bad beef!
2 Star Rating: Below Average

12/08/09

Inconsistant service and food.

by AllenHop at Citysearch

I usually like the Burger for lunch here. But not on my most recent visit. I ordered my burger medium well, but it was served very rare and cold. They took forever to replace the first burger, which came out as a different order. I ended up leaving after having coffee and bread. My co-worker had finished their lunch by this time.

  • Pros: Usually a good steakhouse burger
  • Cons: Very inconsistant cooking here.
1 Star Rating: Poor

02/27/09

Valentine's Day Prix Fixe

by snax5 at Citysearch

We went here on Valentine's Day expecting something extra special. Have definitely had a great steak here before. The steak was good, but all I can remember is the awful, awful lobster salad. The lobster smelled like death, and it didn't taste much better. I had no choice but to send it back. The staff had no problem taking the lobster salad back and substituted the soup that was definitely nothing special. The lobster was so terrible that my appetite was permanently ruined for the night. Not exactly the experience you're looking for on Valentine's Day. I'm shocked that a restaurant I used to have a lot of respect for would send lobster out that was spoiled. Another member of our party didn't think the steak lived up to previous experiences at the restaurant. It almost seemed like they prepared everything in advance because of the prix fixe menu and didn't bother to give the dishes much attention after that. The staff seemed very unseasoned, as well. I will not go back.

  • Pros: Close to the Music Center and Disney Hall
  • Cons: spoiled food

The Details on Nick & Stef's Steakhouse LA

Place Categories:

  • best great steak
  • great happy hour food
  • great wine service
  • great place
  • liked ugly restaurant
  • overpriced poor quality food
  • bad experience
  • tasteless steak
  • great meal
  • recommend martini
  • third first course
  • very disappointing course meal
  • nice wait staff
  • full stef
  • great steakhouse
  • utterly charming waitstaff
  • pretty good desserts
  • very polite host
  • fabulous happy hour
  • excellent beef
  • awful lobster salad
  • disappointing uninspiring decor
  • unusual potato offerings
  • slow customer service
  • beautiful location
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