Hillstone

"Known for its consistent quality, a favorite of Karen Palmer." - Eater Staff

"If you’re wondering where everyone in Downtown Santa Monica is at 8pm on a Tuesday, the answer is Hillstone. Yes, the upscale chain restaurant, with locations across 13 states, is the place to be for business dinners, seeing the in-laws, or rolling up your sleeves with an ice-cold martini and gooey spinach-artichoke dip. The air inside smells like tortilla chips and the overhead lighting is less than flattering, but none of that matters when you show up to the giant, two-story space for a reliably wholesome evening in a giant red booth. This moody American spot isn’t necessarily the best at any one thing, except maybe consistency. The service is fantastic, the crisp caesar comes on a chilled plate, and the juicy french dip is served on a roll baked in-house. Use Hillstone whenever you want a dim room, a good cocktail, and an enjoyable meal that plays out exactly the same way it did a dozen or so times before. Food Rundown photo credit: Sylvio Martins Spinach & Artichoke Dip Your server will probably push this Hillstone signature before you can order a Diet Coke and we say go for it. It’s the kind of salt bomb you mentally prepare for at a chain restaurant and the tortilla chips it comes with arrive warm. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Caesar Salad For the anchovy averse, this is your ideal caesar. The dressing leans mustardy but is still wonderfully salty. The chilled plate is also a nice touch because it keeps the kale and lettuce blend crisp. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Famous French Dip Au Jus We don’t know how Hillstone does it, but the thinly sliced prime rib in this sandwich is softer than the bread roll, which means your teeth sink right through with one gentle chomp. We highly recommend dunking the whole thing in the side of mild horseradish cream." - Sylvio Martins

"The Order: Caesar Salad We’ve had caesars at chain restaurants that taste like leaves dipped in mayo dusted with cheese from a can. But Hillstone is no ordinary chain restaurant. The salad here is light and crisp, served on a chilled plate as cold as your ex’s heart. The lightly toasted croutons are still soft, so they double as table bread to mop up the mustardy dressing. One odd thing about this salad is the addition of shaved corn—it's not bad, but it reminds us of one of those pre-packaged cobbs you'd pick up at Sprouts. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder