Dear John's
Restaurant · Clarkdale ·
Old-school steakhouse with classic dishes and strong martinis
Old-school steakhouse with classic dishes and strong martinis
"The old-school spots that remind us of old Frank Sinatra hangouts are largely concentrated in Hollywood and Weho—except for Dear John’s, the resurrected steakhouse on Culver Blvd. with Old Hollywood vibes. The drinks are strong, and the food goes beyond just steak and martinis. There’s a bone-in chicken parm, fried and stuffed with mozzarella, and a perfectly briny tableside Caesar served by a person dressed like an old-timey butler. It’s also one of the darkest restaurants in LA, which preserves the illusion that Frank could be just down the bar throwing down martinis." - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder, cathy park
"This Culver City landmark will live on after announcing that it had extended its lease in 2024. Revived by chefs Hans Rockenwagner and Josiah Citrin, the historic Frank Sinatra haunt was a throwback mid-century steakhouse with classic preparations and suave service. Expect strong martinis and well-grilled steaks to go along with one of the dimmest, most festive dining rooms in town." - Mona Holmes
"It’s hard to say exactly when Dear John’s will serve its final ice-cold martini and oysters Rockefeller so it’s best to visit this classic, red-tablecothed dining room as often as possible until then. Seasoned chefs Hans Röckenwagner and Josiah Citrin teamed up to re-open the Rat Pack-era restaurant in 2019 and continue to turn out memorable takes on American steakhouse classics like shrimp cocktail, chicken Parmesan, and beef cuts of all stripes. The tableside Caesar salad for two is non-negotiable; add on JLC’s “bougie tots” — crispy Tater Tots, salmon roe, creme fraiche, and chives — if you have an occasion to celebrate." - Rebecca Roland
"As soon as you enter Dear John’s dining room, you’ll be transported to another era, one where servers wore tuxedos, martinis were downed like water, and restaurants were too dark to take pictures of your food. In other words, a much simpler time. This renovated Culver City classic feels like a perfectly preserved relic from the 1960s: you’ll see dark leather booths, red table clothes, and wood-paneled walls covered in retro paintings. The food is pretty interesting, too—think bone-in chicken parmesan, steak tartare served with everything crackers, and tater tots topped with creme fraiche and caviar." - brant cox
"The classic Culver City spot, reincarnated last year as an Old Hollywood-style haunt, is set to be torn down in April 2021. So this is the last time you can celebrate Christmas or New Year’s Eve with a feast here, and we’re pretty sure Sinatra would approve. They have a variety of meals available (seriously, there are like eight of them), and the menus read like Mad Men prop lists, featuring caviar, oysters Rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, lobster thermidor, beef Wellington, and more. For all the info, or to place an order, check out their website." - brett keating
