Fia Steak

Should You Book Fia Steak?

Getting a table at Fia Steak on Wilshire takes genuine effort — this is not a walk-in steakhouse. Reservations move fast, for a special occasion in Santa Monica's upper-$$$$ tier, the effort is justified. If you are planning a celebration dinner on the Westside and want something that delivers on both the kitchen and the cellar, book here. If you want a loud, buzzy steakhouse energy with walk-in flexibility, look elsewhere.

The Room and the Experience

Fia Steak is a grown-up dinner, built for the kind of occasion where the table conversation matters as much as the food. The atmosphere reads as composed rather than electric — this is a room designed for anniversaries, client dinners, the sort of birthday where the guest of honor expects a serious meal rather than a party. Noise levels stay at a level where you can actually hear the sommelier's recommendation without leaning across the table, which, on the Westside of Los Angeles, puts it in a useful minority. For a comparable room energy among LA's fine dining set, Camphor in Downtown reads similarly composed, though its French-Asian format is a different proposition entirely.

Chef Tim Cardenas leads the kitchen, with General Manager Joseph Guzman overseeing the floor. Wine Director Patrick Ney anchors a three-person sommelier team that includes Elias Cuevas and Isaac Dean, the depth of that team is a signal about how seriously the wine side is taken here. Owner Michael Greco has built the operation with a clear emphasis on the full dining arc: from arrival through the final pour, the pacing and attention are consistent with what the Michelin Plate recognition reflects.

The Wine Program Is a Genuine Differentiator

At 730 selections and 4,280 bottles, Fia Steak's cellar is not a gesture, it is a working program. The list is priced at $$$, meaning you will find bottles north of $100 throughout, but the France, Italy, California weighting gives it enough range that a sommelier-guided pairing can be as rewarding as the food itself. For a steakhouse, that matters: the difference between a good bottle list and a great one shows most clearly when the kitchen is sending out high-quality beef, having Ney and the team available to navigate that pairing is worth using. Tell them your budget upfront and let them work. Compared to the wine depth at Gwen on Sunset, Fia Steak's program is broader in inventory terms, though both houses take the cellar seriously.

Pricing and What You Are Paying For

Cuisine pricing sits at $$$ (meaning a typical two-course meal runs $66 or more, not including beverages), while the overall venue price range is $$$$. That gap matters: expect beverages, especially if you engage the wine program, to be the primary driver of a higher final bill. For the Westside, this is consistent with the category. Lawry's The Prime Rib in LA offers a less expensive, more casual steakhouse experience if the $$$$-tier feels like too much. Arroyo Chop House in Pasadena is another classic format option at a lower overall spend. But if you are spending this much on a special occasion dinner in Santa Monica, Fia Steak's Michelin recognition and wine depth give you more to show for the outlay than most of the block.

Booking and Logistics

Fia Steak is located at 2458 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Booking difficulty is rated Hard, plan ahead, particularly for weekend evenings and peak occasion periods. The Michelin Plate designation has driven sustained demand, so do not assume you can get a prime Saturday slot with less than two to three weeks' notice. If your dates are flexible, a Tuesday or Wednesday evening will give you more availability and, typically, more attentive service on a quieter floor. Dinner only.

For context on how Fia Steak sits within the broader Los Angeles fine dining picture, see our full Los Angeles restaurants guide. If you are planning a longer LA trip and need hotel or bar recommendations alongside dinner, our Los Angeles hotels guide and bars guide cover the full picture. Wine-focused travelers may also want to consult our Los Angeles wineries guide.

For special occasion dining of a similar caliber elsewhere in the US, Le Bernardin in New York City, The French Laundry in Napa, and Lazy Bear in San Francisco each represent what a seriously run kitchen looks like at the top of their respective markets. For steakhouse travelers with an international itinerary, A Cut in Taipei and Capa in Orlando round out a useful peer set.

The Verdict

Fia Steak earns its Michelin Plate and its reputation as one of Santa Monica's most reliable high-end dinner destinations. The combination of a Michelin-recognized kitchen, a three-person sommelier team, a cellar of nearly 4,300 bottles is hard to match on the Westside at this price point. Book it for a celebration, a serious date, or a business dinner where the meal needs to hold up to scrutiny. Plan at least two to three weeks ahead for weekends. If you want a more accessible steakhouse night out, Nick & Stef's Steakhouse or Bazaar Meat are easier to get into and lower in overall spend. But for the occasion that warrants it, Fia Steak delivers.