Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood

In regards to the review given by Melissa B and Aaron C. Melissa we all have opinions and we all have a right to have one. Its very sad and unfortunate that you crossed the line from giving your opinion to bullying. Every business is going to have a bad day. Every server is going to have a bad day or an off night. As you should know since you were a server per your own words. That does not in any way dictate who they are as a person. You attacked the character of the server you had by calling her names. Which by the way I see you went back into your review and erased the low class comment. Was that because you realized that was low class behavior on your part?. Just remember when you give a review keep it about the business. If the business is bad say they are bad. If the server is rude say they were rude or not impressed with the service. You don’t personally know the server you dont know whats going on with them at the time and your harsh mean words could be enough to put someone over the edge. Remember that the next time. As for Aaron C you also should know about having an off night being in your own words a bartender and manager. Not a lawyer. There was nothing in Tessies response that was condescending, chastising or libelous intent. Tessie didn’t attack anyone in her response she stated the facts very clearly and with professionalism. I know all the staff at Holdrens and they are good people who sometimes have a bad day. Lesson learned here is this is a platform to review a business and give your opinion not to bully people online. As said by a group of 5^th graders bullying is when you call people names and make them feel bad. Doing and saying things to embarrass and/​or humiliate someone.

Lunch on the patio was great! Friendly staff and the best blackened halibut I’ve had in along time.

It’s rather unfortunate that their business model includes a SOP of picking up signed credit card receipts from their guests while they are still sitting at the table (as mentioned in a previous review). As a professional server/​bartender with 15 years of experience, and a manager of a $ 15 million restaurant myself I can’t decide if it’s worse that its policy to do such a rude and tactless action, or the way that their business manager responded to the review was worse. I am appalled by the way «tessie» handled the situation and will be honest in saying if one of my employees responded to a customer in such a way (chastising, condescending, and with clear libelous intent) there would be some serious repercussions! We have a saying in this industry «the customer is always right». And this is why, one thoughtless and clearly unprofessional response to a guest can lead to a world of unintended consequences. Hopefully someone learns their lesson.

The food is hit and miss. The bacon wrapped shrimp is yummy, crab cakes good but the steaks, salad, and garlic mash potatoes were nothing to write home about. For the first time in my life i was able to cut the mash potatoes with a knife. They were not warm and had been sitting, it was obvious.
Not a complainer but i expect more for $ 50 per plate.

Great wine list, had a nice porterhouse. I’d skip the twice baked potato though.

The food was just okay and think it’s pricey for what it is. I was appalled by the server we had as well as a highly accusatory message from one of the owners as a result of this review. The server who was not only socially awkward IMO (my mother-​in-​law had to verbally excuse the server for excessive lingering), she was curt, somewhat pushy, and just plain rude. As a previous server myself, I know it is extremely rude to pick up the signed bill to check your tip before the table leaves — I have since learned this is SOP at Holdren’s. We obviously paid by credit card, so it’s not like she was in any kind of danger of us dining and dashing, but it felt like a slap in the face. I eat out at least 3 times a week, to less swanky joints, and I’ve NEVER had the bill picked up before we leave. I’m shocked that a restaurant as expensive as this one clearly does not trust their customers. Never returning and advising others against it as well! Since writing this review, one of the owners messaged me and accused me of slander for this review lol. I will continue voicing my opinion through various social media outlets about my beyond disappointing experience here. Thank you Unilocal for allowing me to exercise my freedom of speech.
PS — Please see screenshot of what one of the owners said to me. You judge for yourself.

Delicious food. Happy to see this place busy and brining in a lot of business. They opened up an outdoor seating/​patio section, which is very nice. I would give it 5 stars but the service was not quite on point.

Excellent steak! Filet mignon’s tender with fresh mushrooms go v well. NY strip’s flavorful and well grilled. Soup cheddar broccoli bacon is yummy delicious too! Good for romantic dinner or business meals.

AMAZING food!!! AMAZING service! AMAZING bus boy!!! Just so PERFECT!!! I am the Bartender T the Court Yard Marriott next door and always recommending people to go there because the feedback is ALWAYS so positive! So nice to FINALLY get to enjoy a OFF THE CHARTS meal there!!!

Best value for steak dinner in all of Los Angeles. Good service & atmosphere too.

Went to Holden’s for the first time on a Saturday night and we really liked it. Reservations a must it was very busy and too noisy. The ribeye steak was cooked to perfection and my wife had the Beef Wellington which was very good. Service was excellent. Price is a little high but what steak house isn’t. I would give it five stars but the noise level was pretty bad.

I don’t want to be too skeptical about this place but I expected more for the price I paid. This is not your typical steak house but their price is comparable to a high end place. It’s more of a local neighborhood joint. Our server was really slow. It took almost 15 mins before someone came to our table and only for water. The place wasn’t even busy. Our server was non attentive and sloppy. Menus were still on our table even when appetizers were served. We had to ask for them to be taken away. Very slow and inattentive service. As for the food, i had their Porterhouse steak and ordered it medium rare. Not the case. Just a tad bit medium. The flavor was good and did not require any sauces or additional condiments. It was served with a side of soup and potatoes. I had the tomato basil soup which tasted more like it came from a can. The scalloped potatoes were very good though with the right texture not too over baked or under baked.
I know the service could be better and maybe it’s just our misfortune that we had a less than subpar server but I’m too enthused to return.

I had dinner at Holdren’s today for the second time in as many weeks. Ordered the special today; white bean soup with Italian sausage and the potato encrusted halibut with risotto and asparagus. I like the ambiance of the place, cozy and comfortable. The service was prompt and adequate. I did not feel rushed even though I was one of the last patrons and it was near closing time.
The soup was really tasty with a fusion of tastes that hinted of Indian spices (couldn’t really put my finger on it) in a light tomato base. The Italian sausage could’ve been a little bit more savory though. But overall, it worked really well.
The potato encrusted halibut was a little disappointing. The potato crust tasted too much like hash browns and together with the glaze detracted from the taste of the delicate halibut. The parts of the halibut that were not encrusted tasted good and was well prepared. Some parts of the halibut was overcooked because of the longer cooking times to get the potatoes cooked thoroughly. I mentioned the hash brown taste to the waitress and she offered to let me switch but not one to waste food, I declined.
I had a glass of Coquelicot’s 2010 Back Seat Blonde and really enjoyed the fresh and clean taste. It was delicious. I would consider buying a case.
I had the filet the last time I was here and it was prepared perfectly. So maybe next time I won’t order the special since it might be an experiment. But on the other hand, no venture no gain. I will probably be back to try the ribeye, my favorite cut. The rating above is a combination of both my visits.

Great Happy Hour! My favorites are the $ 5 Lemon Drops, Clams, & Ahi Tartar. The new outdoor patio is a great addition.

Went last night to celebrate a birthday for a friend. Small party of 7. Reservations were kept and staff was friendly. Waiter was awesome. Very attentive and not rushing us to get out. The bar made tasty drinks and the beer was cold, but I always have them put my Stella in the freezer for a few minutes first. Salad was fresh and when the meal came we were all extremely impressed. The filet was perfectly cooked and had that melt in your mouth quality that steak lovers love! My baked potato came loaded and the twice baked
Potatoes were tasty and perfectly done. The dessert was on par with the meal, spectacular. Get the flourless chocolate cake! Or the apple crisps! Or the cheesecake. It’s all great. With our party gratuity was added which was nice cause it made it easy but they offered to split it up if we wanted.
For a first time eater here I will be back. The ambiance is relaxing but you can be loud too and nobody cares. Their bar is appealing and comfortable. Great restaurant and a good value!

I’ve been back 3 or 4 times since my first visit. I still like Holdren’s because you can get a great steak without paying Maestros’s prices and it’s got a laid back feel.

Seriously good food… and service… and drinks …
I ordered the «Cowboy Cut» bone-​in rib eye and it was cooked perfectly. The menu indicates that it comes with Jalepeno & Onion Rings. I expected more than one but the menu was clear (my fault). I complained and was promptly brought a BOWL of delicious Jalepeno peppers… More than I or the gentleman next to me could devour. This is the kind of place that give me the opportunity to brag about on Unilocal.HAPPY to do it!!!

I was disappointed in the quality of the meal. The ambience was nice, romantic and quaint. The service was friendly and attentive. The food however was in my opinion not worth the price. I would rather have spent a little extra and enjoyed a much better meal at Ruth’s Chris or even spent less and had a decent meal at Outback.
What I ordered:
Filet-(asked for medium) it was prepared well done. The texture was off which led me to believe it was not fresh. I did not finish it.
Risotto-​it was too mushy and lacking in flavor, also did not taste fresh. I only ate a few bites.
Side of vegetables– sautéed squash tasted fresh and had a perfectly cooked texture.
Chocolate cake– excellent!

So where do I start? I guess every dog has its day but this was not one of them. This is not meant as a bash but as constructive critique to the management.
Holdrens has UNBELIEVABLE potential. Its really staggering to think of what Holdrens could be with some minor changes in service, and attention to details with the cook of the food.
I decided to redo this review because it is what it is.
The food, is very good, although I think a bit less reliance on sauces would be a good idea and let the quality of the food they purchase stand out. particularly on the steaks and on the ahi. There is no reason to panko an awesome ahi tuna dish.
The bar and service is a little weak but its a great place for locals.

We called ahead on a Sunday night to let them know we had a group of 15 – 20 coming. They set up tables in a gorgeous banquet room (so many wine bottles!) and, even understaffed, they served us well.
I had the Rosemary & Bleu Cheese steak with scalloped potatoes. I ate every bite. It was so tender!
Our server seemed overwhelmed, but with the help of the manager, we were taken care of pretty well. We will definitely keep Holdren’s in mind next time we are craving a steak!