Del Frisco’s Grille serves up a scene
Del Frisco’s Grille in Santa Monica never disappoints as a vibrant hangout where friends can meet up, see and be seen, and look good doing it. The crowd at Del Frisco’s for happy hour and into the night is a jubilant bunch, maybe because they are steps away from the Santa Monica beach and the action of 3rd Street Promenade, or maybe just because it’s great to be young and pretty in LA. Whatever the reason, each time I have visited this restaurant/bar it is packed and loud — though not can’t-hear-yourself-loud, just we’re-having-too-much-fun loud – and the drinks are flowing and the food is coming out of the kitchen like an assembly line.
This hotspot has gotten the formula right for LA’s upwardly mobile millennials. Excellent location, good food, reasonable drink prices, and festive atmosphere that equals steady crowds and return customers. Granted, it’s hard to go wrong when your eatery is right on the footpath to the Santa Monica Pier, but still Del Frisco’s has managed to please its clientele with a solid menu with variety for everyone from seafood lovers and strictly carnivores to those who just came for the appetizers.
Del Frisco’s has smartly made their starters, which they label Food to Fight Over, a large part of their menu, with variety for many tastes. Some favorites are the Ahi Tacos, with tuna tartare, avocado and spicy citrus mayo; Jumbo Lump Crabcakes with Cajun lobster sauce; Cheesesteak Eggrolls served with sweet and spicy chili sauce and honey mustard; and for those not too worried about impressing their date with messing fingers, the Lollipop Chicken Wings, served Buffalo style with avocado ranch dressing.
As with every LA eatery that caters to LA’s diet conscious patrons, there’s plenty of salads to choose from, such as the Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad with basil pesto, and the Kale and Brussels Sprouts salad with manchego and creole mustard vinaigrette, best topped with chicken for a filling meal.
For the knife and fork bunch, there’s the Prime Beef Short Stronganoff with pappardelle noodles and tobacco onions, and the Filet Meatloaf, a Southern Comfort concoction of ground filet mignon, served with mashed potatoes and wild mushroom Bordelaise sauce.
After dinner indulgences include my favorite, the Nutella Bread Pudding with coffee ice cream and caramel sauce; and perfect dessert for the baby-faced grown-ups, an Adult Milkshake of Nocello walnut liqueur, creme de cacao, chocolate liqueur, and vanilla ice cream.
Though the restaurant is upscale is causal, reservations are recommended, if you want to get in to eat and drink with the in-crowd.