The Wilkes: Brentwood Finally Gets the Steakhouse It Deserves

Brentwood Village has always had nice restaurants. What it hasn’t had — until now — is a proper steakhouse. The Wilkes, from restaurateur Dana Slatkin and chef Brian Rigsby, fills that gap with Snake River Farms beef, a wood-burning fireplace, and a 1954 Streamline Moderne building that looks like it was designed specifically for drinking old fashioneds in leather booths.

The building itself is worth the visit. Designed by architect Alfred T. Wilkes in the mid-century heyday of Brentwood’s village core, it sat vacant for years before Slatkin saw its potential. The renovation kept the bones — the curved facade, the original proportions — and layered in dark wood paneling, a long marble bar, and the kind of warm, amber lighting that makes everyone at the table look slightly more interesting. It’s the rare LA restaurant where the room feels like it has history because it actually does.

“The Wilkes isn’t trying to reinvent the steakhouse. It’s trying to be the one your neighborhood has been missing — the Tuesday night spot that happens to serve a perfect steak.”

What to Order

The obvious move is the steak, and yes, the Snake River Farms ribeye delivers. Dry-aged, thick-cut, with a crust that shatters under your knife. The creamed spinach alongside it is legitimately one of the best side dishes we’ve had anywhere on the Westside this year — rich without being heavy, finished with just enough nutmeg to keep you guessing.

But here’s the thing about The Wilkes: the non-steak dishes might be even better. The latke-crusted chicken schnitzel is the signature for a reason. The potato crust is shatteringly crisp, the chicken inside stays juicy, and the whole plate arrives with a little pot of mustard that ties everything together. It’s comfort food elevated just enough to feel like a restaurant dish without losing the warmth of the original idea.

The vegetable sides deserve their own paragraph. Roasted carrots with harissa honey. Blistered shishito peppers with bonito flakes. A wedge salad that actually justifies its existence. These aren’t afterthoughts — they’re the dishes that separate The Wilkes from every other steakhouse that treats vegetables as obligations.

The Bar

The bar program leans classic with a Brentwood twist. The martini is cold and correct. The old fashioned uses a house blend of bitters that adds depth without sweetness. There’s a short but thoughtful wine list that skews toward bold reds — exactly what you want with a ribeye — and a handful of California whites for anyone starting with the raw bar. Get there early enough to grab a seat at the marble bar itself. It’s the best solo dining perch in Brentwood.

Who It’s For

The Wilkes works for almost everything. Dad’s birthday. A Tuesday night when you don’t feel like cooking. A first date where you want the room to do some of the heavy lifting. It’s not trying to be a destination steakhouse — it’s trying to be the neighborhood’s living room, and that’s exactly what Brentwood Village needed. The crowd skews local, the noise level stays conversational, and the valet situation on Barrington is mercifully painless.