APL Restaurant

"Nobody just stumbles into a steakhouse for a last-minute meal. You go to a steakhouse because your best friend is engaged or your cookie-delivery app got an investor, you’re not terribly concerned with prices, and you want to eat the rare part of a cow. When these situations come up, there’s a short list of places in this town - Chi Spacca, Taylor’s, Lawry’s - that get the job done. It’s time for APL to be added to that list. Located at the corner of Hollywood and Vine, it’s difficult to mention APL’s location without receiving some look of distrust. Outside of seeing a show at Pantages or restocking your Halloween wig drawer, there are very few reasons to be at this intersection. That said, it takes about ten seconds inside APL before you realize that it’s one of the few high-end restaurants in Hollywood. Or, at the very least, one that definitely looks and acts the part. Filled with brown leather booths, tile floors, and a bar showcasing rare bottles of whiskey, APL has the touches you want in a classy steakhouse. But there are also some key differences - namely, it’s kind of a party here. It’s loud, Jimi Hendrix is playing over the loudspeaker, and that group in the corner is on their fourth round of gimlets. There’s also a “felony knife” on the menu, which means that if you steal one of the monogrammed knives that comes with your steak, you have to pay $950.01 (one cent over the California fine for grand theft). These are just details, but they go a long way in making APL feel more special than your standard place to eat meat and brag about your accomplishments. At first glance, APL’s menu reads like a steakhouse Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There’s a shrimp cocktail, caesar salad, creamed spinach, and massive plates of meat that hover around $75. That might seem like a lot of money for a cut of meat, but know that everything off the “Dry Aged” section is meant to be shared between two people. If your pilot just got picked up by Netflix, go for their $180 short rib. Otherwise, the $78 T-bone is just as fantastic. APL’s non-steak dishes aren’t exactly going to induce gasps of wonderment, but they will round out your meal nicely. The caesar comes as a giant wedge topped with housemade croutons you’ll consider wrapping up in a napkin and saving for later. The cauliflower steak is massive, covered in crispy garlic, and despite its residency on the “sides” section, could be its own entree. And the fresh honeycombs that come with the burrata will make you feel like this is the first time you’ve eaten it. Do you really need burrata at a steakhouse? No. But that’s what makes APL different. When the time comes for a throw-down meal where the only currency is cholesterol, APL has everything you could want and more. Even a felony knife. Food Rundown photo credit: Jakob Layman Caesar Salad This is one of the best caesars in the city. It’s basically a giant wedge of lettuce, doused in dressing, and covered with huge house-made croutons. This definitely needs to be the first thing that hits the table. photo credit: Jakob Layman Burrata The burrata itself is a tad runny, but this is a good dish. Also, the combination of fresh pear and honeycomb makes the whole thing feel more like a dessert than an appetizer and we’re not complaining. photo credit: Jakob Layman Ham The house-cured meats are a specialty at APL. Ordering the plate of ham out loud is more empowering than you’d think. Spaghetti APL is not a steakhouse where you should get a pasta. The sauce on this is flat and the spaghetti itself is undercooked and grainy. Skip this section entirely. photo credit: Jakob Layman Cauliflower Steak This is one of our favorite dishes at APL. Though it’s located on the “sides” section, this thing is truly massive, and if your doctor told you to lay off the red meat this month, it could definitely work as an entree. photo credit: Jakob Layman T-Bone Its $78 sticker price is definitely a tough pill to swallow at first, but know that this, and everything else on the dry-aged section, easily feeds two people. It’s also very good. Short Rib The only thing anyone wants to know about a dish that costs $180 is whether it's worth that kind of money. While you have to decide for yourself if you want to spend that kind of money on a piece of meat, we can tell you this is fantastic and easily shareable between two or three people." - Brant Cox

"What It Is: A new steakhouse in Hollywood Perfect For: Corporate Cards, Dinner With The Parents, Guys Night Unless you’re seeing a musical at Pantages or got tricked into a dinner at Katsuya with your friend who still likes clubbing, there are few good reasons to be at Hollywood and Vine. Add APL to the good reason list. This is a fancy steakhouse that doesn’t feel like a typical fancy steakhouse: Jimi Hendrix is playing on the loudspeaker, the waitstaff is energetic and not taking things too seriously, and there’s something called Fuck Dat Fries on the menu that surprisingly doesn’t make you hate the place. The Verdict: A tremendous upscale steakhouse in a part of Hollywood where you wouldn’t expect one. We’re putting it on our Hit List." - jess basser sanders, brant cox, brett keating

"Movie Pairing:There Will Be Blood (Netflix) “There’s no better main course for a true Daniel Plainview-style dinner than a big piece of beef from APL. This Hollywood steakhouse is certainly fancy enough for any self-respecting oil man, and they’ve got NY strip steaks and BBQ platters for takeout - not to mention brisket, fried chicken, and Cornish game hen. Whether you choose to eat them with a napkin draped over your head is entirely up to you.” - JM" - brant cox, kat hong, brett keating, james montgomery

"Kinky Boots is at the Pantages, Mom is dying to go, and the only way you’re going to get Dad to agree is if he eats enough food so that he’ll fall asleep five minutes in. This is a time for APL. It’s a steakhouse - but a fun one. Sure, The Doors coming on during dessert means Mom will have another excuse to tell her drinking-with-Jim-Morrison story, but that’s a small price to pay for an enormous steak you couldn’t afford on your own." - jess basser sanders, brant cox, brett keating

"One of the newest steakhouses in LA, APL is a great spot for when you accomplished something big in life and you want to reward yourself. The price point is high (there’s a $180 short rib on the menu), but nobody here is taking things too seriously. Also, the food is very good - the caesar is one of our favorites in town. It’s loud, Jimi Hendrix plays on the loudspeaker, and the table in the corner is drinking whiskey like it’s tap water. You should consider getting on their level." - brant cox