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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gwen image
8.5

Gwen

SteakhouseAmerican

Hollywood

$$$$Perfect For:Corporate CardsFine DiningSpecial Occasions
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When Gwen opened in 2016, it was a big moment in Hollywood dining. The upscale Art Deco steakhouse run by a famous handsome-slash-Australian TV chef marked a return to a more opulent style of dining that the neighborhood hadn’t seen much of since, well, the Rat Pack was getting hammered at Musso’s. These days, however, things have changed—Hollywood is brimming with flashy, big-name restaurants jockeying for diners with deep pockets and corporate cards. But even with all the new options, Gwen is still the most consistent high-end dinner spot in Hollywood and a place where spending $200 on a hunk of meat feels worth it.  

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Gwen image
Gwen image
Gwen image
Gwen image
Gwen image

If it’s unclear what kind of food Gwen serves, you’ll know immediately once you walk inside. Near the door is a long glass case of sausages, sirloins, and short rib (Gwen functions as a butcher shop during the day). As you round the corner into the dining room, floor-to-ceiling lockers with even larger cuts of meat glow like a beefy trophy case. It’s all a little on the nose, but presented in a way that is subdued and classy. There are crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, pendant light fixtures illuminating dramatic white pillars, and multiple hearths roaring with fire in the open kitchen. You’re probably going to spend at least a hundred dollars per person eating at Gwen, but in an epic environment like this, it’s easy to pretend (at least for two hours) that you’re someone who collects vintage champagne for sport. 

As for the menu, prepare for meat. If there’s a vegetarian/vegan in your group, we might advise them to either snack heavily beforehand or simply agree to hang out on a different night. That’s the reality of a restaurant where the lighter dishes are a wagyu tartare and seared scallops in carrot butterscotch. If you and your cardiologist are on good terms though, you’re in for a feast with few misses. Though the menu changes seasonally, you can generally expect dishes like hearty charcuterie boards arranged like a meaty painter’s palette, parmesan risotto with a marrow-filled bone towering from the center, and some of the best steaks in Los Angeles. Even the free table bread—also the best in town—is so rich and buttery that it should arrive with its own sign reminding you that your actual order is still coming. Or maybe not. Gwen is a place built to splurge.

Food Rundown

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Charcuterie

When the restaurant you’re eating at doubles as a high-end butcher shop, starting your meal with charcuterie is a smart move. The cured meats on this platter change regularly, but you can expect five or so salumi, a few paté, and pickled vegetables. It’s one of the best charcuterie plates in LA and a great way to get the free bread to arrive as quickly as possible (see below).

Gwen image

photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Table Bread

This. This right here is the greatest table bread in LA. It’s perfectly flaky on the outside with a warm, pillowy interior. The fact that it’s also free and unlimited makes it Gwen’s greatest contribution to our city. Hyperbole? Go try some and get back to us.

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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Ribeye

Gwen’s menu is filled with hits, but if you aren’t planning to put at least one steak on the table, we question your strategy. At $195, the 30-day dry-aged ribeye might blow out your budget, but if you’re with a big group, this 36oz charred, beefy medium-rare steak can feed at least four and arrives cut into thick slices that makes it easy to share.

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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Pork Chop

Apologies to the ribeye, but this might be the protein everyone will be talking about on the drive home. The succulent bone-in chop is served on a bed of roasted beets and grainy housemade mustard. It’s a straightforward dish where the high quality of meat does the heavy lifting. And yes, we did gnaw the remaining bits from the bone.

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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Lamb Chops

This is our favorite of the appetizers. The lamb is smoky and slightly gamey, with a nutty crunch from the pistachio crust. The peri peri sauce on the side provides a spicy-tangy pop, just be sure not to use all of it on the lamb chops (see: table bread).

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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Josper Squid

We love this dish. Sure, the charcoal-roasted squid could be a tad crispier, but the intense heat from the Thai chili combined with the briny squid ink sauce make this a unique, must-order dish.

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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Risotto Alla Milanese

Gooey, cheesy, and thicker than your boss's company card, this is the most decadent dish on a menu where decadence is a given. The flavor of bone marrow gets a little lost amid all the richness, but if you’re looking for pure, soul-warming indulgence, make room for this parmesan-heavy risotto.

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photo credit: Jessie Clapp

Scallops

Each of the four scallops on this plate are about the size of a half dollar (or a Pog, for millennials), making this dish easily shareable. The sweetish carrot butterscotch sauce on the plate might seem like an odd pairing, but once you wipe it up with the buttery seared scallops, no one will be questioning anything.

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FOOD RUNDOWN

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