Pacific Dining Car

The Top Steakhouse

by Roger M Grace

Back in the 1950s, a thick, juicy steak could be found even at the counter of a drugstore, costing about $1.45. Today, a steak is seldom juicy at restaurants--the fat is trimmed, it's "choice" beef or a lower grade, not prime--and the cost of good meat is now high.

The Pacific Dining Car charges a hefty price for something that used to be common but these days can rarely be found: succulent, char-broiled meat.

The prices are reasonable, given the quality.

The only restaurants I know of that serve steaks on a par with those of the Pacific Dining Car are John's Grill in San Francisco and a Japanese restaurant in Hollywood, the Yamashiro, which offers a steak, priced at $68, cooked at a temperature of more than 400 degrees and served on a bed of ancient salts.

The Pacific Dining Car has been outstanding through the years, and, yet, has actually improved in various respects since its longtime top waiter, Nick Lerner, was promoted not long ago to general manager. For years, my wife and I, in entering the restaurant, asked to be seated in Nick's section. With the consummate waiter now in charge, there is no bad service.

In years gone by, I did encounter some dishes that were not of high quality, and realized that this was not a place to go for seafood. That's changed. The sand dabs, in particular, are excellent. The crab cakes, which were once the exception to the rule there as to seafood, were and remain superb.

My favorite dishes are the cajun-spiced prime rib and the rack of lamb.

Last Sunday, my wife and I felt impelled to go to the Pacific Dining Car upon returning to L.A. after encountering dry, unpalatable, over-done hamburgers in Portland and Coeur d'Alene. We craved juicy, thick burgers, and got them. Actually, we had the breadless hamburger steaks, stuffed with onions.

Their lamb burgers, served at lunch, are quite appetizing. Their onion rings--not in the form of rings but more onion than breading--are unsurpassed.

The PDC's own steak relish is a worthy accompaniment to their meats. Another ideal accompaniment to beef is a bloody bull (a bloody mary with beef boullion), and they can make it, and quite well.

Another plus is that conversation is not impeded by the blaring of music (or pounding noise which some would describe as music, and others would not) over a loud-speaker. There is, I was once told, a PA system set up there which has not been utilized for decades. Quiet is pleasant!

I have no knowledge as to the quality of the desserts. I've never had room for them. I do often have a hot chocolate after the meal. That once-common beverage is now rarely found on menus.

The PDC provides old-timers an opportunity to experience, again, good cooking associated with the past and for younger persons to experience food better than they may ever have tasted.

Great Place for quiet dining close to downtown

by earlydiner

My husband and I eat at Pacific Dining Car about once every month after the Sunday afternoon concerts at Disney. We don't eat meat but we are mad about their sand dabs. I like to have a cocktail or two before dining and I have always found the help polite and helpful. We are seniors and the fact that this is an old-style restaurant with the sound muted so that you can hear the companions at your table is a plus plus for us. I was shocked to read that some complained of the service. That is the opposite of our experience.. of course we come when it has not gotten busy; however, if I was poorly served I would go to the manager and ask for a change of server...That always works.

• Pros: Good Service, Good Food, Huge Portions that can be shared
• Cons: A bit Pricey for regular dining

Great Los Angeles Spot

by llyonize

Went here for a holiday lunch. Ordered the rib eye, figured i would end up taking half of it home, like I usually do, but nope, I devoured the entire thing, it was so delish. Got a side of asparagus to go with it. And to top it off creme brulee for desert. The whole meal was great. The wait staff was great too, very attentive. I would go back again.

• Pros: Great Steaks

Classic Steakhouse Feel

by Sheauen

I cannot explain how excited I am to live in a city where you can get a perfectly aged and cooked steak 24 hours a day. PLUS if you eat there they have a free shuttle to all the Downtown entertainment venues, pick up and drop off. And its a good place for star sightings.

Donald Sutherland sighting aside, I do want to balance my review with both pros and cons.

Its a steakhouse. Its old school. You don't get hurried out in favor of seating another party. Granted its not usually packed. I never found the wait staff absent or non-attentive, just discreet and unobtruscive. It's one of those places where they seat you, take your order, ask if you need anything else, bring that if it applies, and leave you alone with your date, family, business partner, etc. If you should need service, it isn't hard to flag down someone who can get your waiter to you, or a busboy to refill your water.

Its pricey. Don't expect to come here and spend less than $50 a person. its a steakhouse. Its a good steakhouse that dry ages their prime beef. You're getting what you pay for. Its a special dinner kinda place. Its not your weeknight dinner kinda place.

Their breakfast is good. I'd skip their afternoon tea though.

I've had the crabcakes and the shrimp with no problems. I have never ordered their fish, mainly because its a steakhouse. I don't order steak at McCormicks, I order seafood there.

Its an old schoo menu. I don't think its changed much. Its not fasionable cuisine. Think Humphrey Bogart...not George Clooney.

Its charming, I'd be sad if it ever closed. Nothing but good memories so far.

• Pros: Old School LA, Convenient to Downtown Venues
• Cons: Old School Food, Pricey

I was so disappointed...

by MMiller101

I am just retuning from a dinner at the Pacific Dining Car restaurant and was extremely disappointed.

? Our server lacked adequate communication skills. He never made eye contact and was generally creepy. It is very difficult to hear him. He speaks too quietly and you have to ask him to repeat everything.

? If there were specials, we did not hear about them.

? Many of the people at the table had never been before. As we ordered out steaks, he made no mention of the various sauces available. Personally I forgot until the steaks arrived. At which point I asked Alex, because he was the only one around, for sauce which he brought promptly.

? Our waiter served our food. We had asked for a baked potato with everything on it. The potato was served plane?no toppings and no toppings were offered by our waiter. Alex, noticed that the potato had nothing on it as asked if we had ordered a plain baked potato?we said no and he promptly brought the toppings. If that is how things typically work, the waiter should have said, we will be right over with the toppings for your potato.

? Our waiter never checked back with us to see if our food was good, cooked right, etc. We did not see him again until he brought the dessert menus and offered coffee.

? We had to ask that the crumbs be removed at which point the waiter proceeded to swipe them on the floor. Alex did come by a few minutes later to get the rest of the crumb with the proper equipment.

? One of my guest had a gift to open. We had not really decided about dessert yet. As the person started opening the gift?paper half torn off?the waiter came over and said something like, ?Your not having dessert? and picked up all the menu.

I was so disappointed.