Where can I buy the best steaks?

[Speedracer5]

Can anybody help me find the best steaks available for grilling in LA area?

[epop]

Lobel's mail order. They're consistently great.

[mbh65]

Also try Taylor's in Sierra Madre or Harmony Farms in La Crescenta,

[Rachel529]

I am an absolute steak lover and eat a good steak at least once a week. I just moved down to Southern California but have found a couple good spots to buy beef (all mentioned here already). You should really try Whole Foods though. I'm not saying they are the best but I was really surprised how good the quality of meats they have. The problem is I know not ever Whole Foods is the same for some strange reason. The best one I've found is in Tustin which seems to be the biggest one I've seen so far.

How you cook the steak plays a big part in it too!

[ExtraCheesePlease]

I was in Whole Foods last month to grab some Spencer steaks. The butcher was cutting some 24-day dry aged boned-in rib eye for another customer as I was waiting so instead of the $14.99/pound Spencer, I got the $24.99/pound dry-aged for my dinner party. 4 fairly large boned-in, dry-aged rib eye came to about $200 but my guests (and I) were in meat heaven. A simple grilling with kosher salt and freshly grounded pepper was all I needed. I love Harvey Guss but Whole Foods was surprisingly close.

[Joe Blowe]

You served ~2 lb. rib eyes to your guests?! You're quite the host...

[ExtraCheesePlease]

Two were women and they finished everything, sides and all. We're still talking about it.

[Speedracer5]

Thank you for all the replies, I was raised in Argentina and just came back from a trip to Buenos Aires. I can't get over the beef that I had over there. Last weekend I bought some Rib eye steaks from Bristol Farms and my brother and his girlfriend were telling me how good they were but I didn't think they were anywhere close to the steaks that I had in Argentina. So, I'm trying to get the best the US has to offer so I anyone has more suggestions I will be happy to read.

[glutton]

The primary difference is that Argentine beef is grass-fed, not corn-fed like American beef. Your best bet for getting decent grass-fed beef in the US would be looking on the internet. I cannot promise that it will be as good as Argentine beef still, but it will at least be a similar style.

[ozhead]

Whole Foods carries some cuts of grass-fed beef, I think.

[Hughlipton]

Go to Google, type in Peter Luger's, order the New York Strip steaks, go to your bank, apply for loan. Eat steaks when they arrive, they are the best according to my wine tasting group after having done a steak tasting, then used borrowed money to pay off credit card. Lastly, pay off loan Cook the steaks anything but rarre or medium rare more towards the rare side and you will have committed sacrilige

[carln]

I know that this is not in the LA area as you requested, but if you truly want the BEST steaks, i have found that nobody matches the dry aged prime steaks from Lobels in NY. They overnight them anywhere in the US and they are well worth it. I have cooked their steaks for Ruth Chris fans, Morton fans and other meat lovers and have been told that they were the best steaks they have ever eaten. You can find them at www.lobels.com . I highly recommend them

[ebethsdad]

HOWS Markets carry prime beef (choice as well so check the label) for a ridiculously low price. It is not dry-aged as far as I know so if price is no option by all means go to one of the butchers mentioned here.

[suzyshi]

If you are ever in the Valley, Jim's Market on Fallbrook (in between Ventura and Canoga) has really great meat. I used to have a friend who was really terrible on the grill and when he bought steaks from Jim's they still tasted good because the quality was so high that even he couldn't ruin them. Not very nice to say but completely true.

[ozhead]

Second Jim's. Nice and helpful butchers, too.

[jkao1817]

You are correct. Hows is prime but not aged. However they are not really having any more deals on Prime, except for their Prime prime rib (9.99/lb) around Christmas time. It is now 11.95, still goo though.

I really like Alexander's Meats in San Gabriel.

[Jack Flash]

No specials this week, but that changes weekly. They run specials on rib eyes/spencer steaks fairly regularly, and a couple times a year they run specials on NYs as well. A couple months ago, I bought some Choice NYs for $4.99/lb, and some Prime ones for $8.99 (usually $15.99).

[ebethsdad]

It may be just a local special, but I just picked up Prime bacon-wrapped Tournedos for 2.99/lb. Now filet is not my favorite cut, but at that price I can whip up a sauce to boost their flavor. 2.99/lb for Prime filet. It must have been a time warp.

[Akitist]

I'm headin' for How's! Might get lucky...

[Servorg]

http://hows.foodmagic.com/fmap/jsphow...

[jlrobe]

I havent been to every place yet, but when I first moved to LA I looked around to find out where all the meat suppliers were. This is what I found

European Deluxe Sausage Kitchen, 9109 W Olympic Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Alexander's Prime Meats, Howie's Ranch Market, 6580 N. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel, [phone]
Bel Air Prime Meats, Beverly Glen Market Place, 2964 Beverly Glen Circle, L.A. [phone]

The Farms, 2030 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, [phone]
Harvey's Guss Meat Co., 949 S. Ogden Drive, Los Angeles, [phone]
Huntington Meats & Sausage, Los Angeles Farmers Market, 6333 W. 3rd St., [phone].
Marconda's Meat, Los Angeles Farmers Market, 6333 W. 3rd St., [phone]
Owen's Market, 9769 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, [phone]
Vicente Foods, 12027 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, [phone]
Victor's Meats & Delicatessen,10002 National Blvd , los angeles

Of course, Costo is the cheapest and most decent
and gelsons, bristol, and whole foods are your typical chains

[Renault78law]

Has anyone been to Owen's Market lately? It reopened recently with new ownership.

[WORX4FUDE]

PS, Victors Deli ((National and Palms... yes, they cross)) has AMAZING deals on sandwiches that are VERY reasonably sized. The hot BBQ chicken sandwich is mouth-watering and their deli meats are never pulled from a package. All fresh stuff. Heartily suggested

[nosh]

Is Victor's Deli in that minimart right across from Hu's? About how much are the sandwiches? I'm at Hu's for lunch probably about once a week or so...

[mungus]

No, Victors is about 1/2 a mile further east on National, in the same strip as Co-op Pizza. I recall that Victor's had a good meatball plate, sort of like a grandmother from Iowa would make - starchy, rib-sticking, put you in a deep slumber.

Hu's is closer to National & Motor. The place across the street is Cheviot Farms which has decent smoothies.

[nosh]

Thanks. Gotta try them. Second time I've gotten them wrong -- once confused them with Victor Jr.'s, the excellent sandwich, salad, and pizza place on Washington in Culver City.

[Clinton]

Both Sam's Club and Costco have excellent beef. Their ribeye steaks are hard to beat! Prices are reasonable for that quality.

[Akitist]

Costco beef is good value, but not ultra-high quality, IMHO. Quite good, but short of top-drawer. I buy it, but my requirements aren't as stringent as some folks'.

[rogermexico]

Save a buck over Bristol (which doesn't even always carry prime beef), and at half the price but better quality, go to Huntington Meats in the 3rd/Fairfax farmer's market. That's your best bet by far.

If you feel really compelled to get the "best" also consider Vicente Foods in Brentwood. They're the only retailer I'm aware of in the area that sells wagyu beef (granted it's Snake River from America). The catch is it runs about $70pp. Also, in my personal experience the marbling and look of the beef despite being wagyu is comparable to what I get at Huntington.

[lalaw05]

I second the emotion on Hunnington Meats. That place is the best butcher I have found in LA. I did a prime grade prime rib for $100 for 8 pounds on NYE, and it was to die for. Gorgeous meat. Their sausages are also the best in town hands down.

[budlit]

Vicente foods does have very good meat and kurobuta pork. I love the meats from Snake River farms.

[WORX4FUDE]

I second Roger's call on this one. Vicente foods, at San Vicente and Bundy, has AMAZING meat as well as everything else. Amazing selection crammed into a seemingly small building. Bristol Farms, Whole Foods, the Ralphs in Malibu Colony (ASK FOR REGAN!!!!) are all good places. And for the prime Omaha shit... OMAHA STEAKS on Pico, east of Sepulveda, has large aged filets. Off the hook.

[Servorg]

I never noticed Omaha Steaks selling prime grade meat. Is this something new?

[WORX4FUDE]

Ooops! ha ha... not Prime with a capital "P." More prime like... wow, "that is a prime parking spot." =) I'm not sure what the quality is... Choice? Either way, I've cooked with these.... some wrapped in bacon, some grilled, other cubed into soups.... ALL good. =)

[Ernie]

We've had good experiences with the USDA Prime selection at Bristol Farms. Pricey, but definitely worth it

[blackbookali]

UGH. a chain . . . Bristol is good but there are FAR BETTER - try Alexander Meats

[ipsedixit]

Don't be so quick to pooh-pooh Bristol Farms. I've found some of the best Wagyu beef at Bristol Farms. Expensive, sure, but when you're slicing it thin for shabu-shabu you don't need very much.

[blackbookali]

went there today for pork tenderloins and watched them peel em out of the Farmer John wrapping . . . same thing I have seen at Ralphs. Bristol is GOOD but I would take Harvey Guss over them any day of the week.

[Frommtron]

Any day of the week except on the weekend. Or in the afternoon. Or most of the other times that place is closed, which seems to be most of the time. I appreciate that the shop is open at all to the general public but damn you've got to plan way ahead to enjoy Harvey Guss meats. :)

[blackbookali]

so true, and i have not done Harvey Guss nearly as often as I have places like Alexanders, Maracondas or Jims but they have stood out as the one of the best steaks i have ever had, including restaurants. If you are looking for "the best" - its Guss by a mile.

[Ernie]

I tried Alexander Meats once for some filets and rib eyes and not impressed at all considering the price. Would definitely not go back.

[eefoodgeek]

Try Whole Foods.

[wilafur]

harvey guss

-----
Harvey's Guss Meat Co
949 S Ogden Dr, Los Angeles, CA

[Bob Brooks]

I strongly second Harvey's Guss. They are a wholesale butcher to some of the best restaurants in town. Prime beef, well aged at a price no market can compete with. Note that you must call a day ahead with your order and pick it up by about 1:00 p.m. the next day. Bring cash.

[glutton]

Does Harvey Guss only do beef or can I also get chicken, pork, veal, etc. there?

[budlit]

yes

[wilafur]

yep, they are a full service butcher.