Santa Monica hotspot The Georgian Room is a rare, well-done steakhouse speakeasy

In Los Angeles, the city of perpetual youth, places with genuine history are worth clinging on to – a sentiment felt all the more in the wake of the recent wildfires. The Georgian Room, an intimate, sophisticated steakhouse tucked away beneath Santa Monica hotel icon The Georgian is one such rare gem. If it feels like a discreet speakeasy that’s because it really was one once upon a time, first opening its doors in 1933 right at the tail end of the prohibition era and becoming a favoured beachside hangout of mobster Bugsy Siegel and movie stars Clark Gable and ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle alike. Today, thanks to a gorgeous renovation completed in 2023, it serves up both Hollywood Golden Age nostalgia and contemporary elegance.

Inside The Georgian Room

It’s hard to miss The Georgian. The towering turquoise Art Deco hotel – one of Wallpaper*’s LA favourites – has been known as Santa Monica’s first lady since it went up almost a century ago, becoming one of the very first skyscrapers on Ocean Boulevard. Slip around to the right and down a flight of stairs and you’ll find The Georgian Room hidden behind a set of doors with distinctive mermaid-shaped handles.

Inside, the space has been meticulously restored by hotel owners Jon Blanchard and Nicolo Rusconi of BLVD Hospitality, who enlisted Tom Parker of design firm Fettle and worked off dozens of vintage photographs to bring the room back to its former glory. On the right, a 1918 Steinway & Sons piano is built into the beautiful Italian-Quartzite-topped bar. To the left as you enter rich red walls and vibrant art, including framed prints of The Georgian Room’s original menus, provide an eye-catching backdrop to the row of racing green leather booths. The sound of twinkling jazz fills the air. The place is picture-perfect, although a no photography policy preserves the discreet ambience.

The drinks are playful twists on familiar classics, like the Writers Room version of an Old Fashioned made with Zacapa XO rum, Cognac and Pedro Ximenez and served in a plump Cognac glass. The food is Italian and universally excellent, which makes the 'Leave It To The Chef' option perfect for the indecisive and the adventurous alike. Ask the chef to serve up a bespoke family style meal and four courses will arrive in turn. The classics - Caesar salad, caprese, agnolotti, dry aged New York strip steak with peppercorn sauce - are done very well. The rest – Crudo Hamachi, Grilled Blue Prawns with Calabrian chili, sea bass with romesco sauce – is even better.

The Georgian Room is the sort of setting that makes for those magical, romantic Los Angeles nights you wish might never end. Little wonder Dick Van Dyke has been known to join the jazz musicians for an impromptu performance. It’s exclusive - only 65 people are allowed in at any one time - without ever feeling pretentious. A place to soak in the history, then make a little of your own.

The Georgian Room is located at The Georgian, 1415 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA, thegeorgian.com

• Book in at Los Angeles' hottest new restaurant openings