Gaslamp Strip Club

By the name of this place, you would expect there to be a heavy bouncer with sunglasses at the door, a $10 cover, strip poles, and Pacman Jones "making it rain." The reality is that it's a wonderful place in the heart of San Diego's Gaslamp District to grab a steak, sip a chilled cocktail, and chat with your friends over the hum of someone's funktastic iPod mix. With open air seating, exposed brick, cute waitresses, dimly lit mood lighting, and large '50's-style pinup girl paintings on the wall, the mood seems to be sultry yet energetic.

The thing that sets the Gaslamp Strip Club (GSC) apart from other steak places is that the novelty is that you grill your own steak (or other meat) exactly how you want it to be cooked. The prices are cheaper than a normal steakhouse by a longshot, but the GSC's menu offers 21-day old aged cuts of angus beef, including a nice thickly cut 20 oz. Porterhouse for only $20.95. That is an exceptional deal, and you'd probably pay twice that at some of the city's other fine steakhouses (with the difference of course being that you do the work here). I've been here a handful of times, and the lively atmosphere and great food will ensure that I keep going back whenever I'm in town, if past visits are any indication.

On my last visit to the GSC, we waited about 25 minutes to be seated on a Friday night (around 7:30pm), because the place was packed. We sat down at the bar and had a couple rounds of drinks from their custom cocktail list, is really one of the main attractions. For the wine drinkers there is a large wine list and even a walk in self-service wine cellar, with each section priced clearly. The bar is fully stocked with premium liquors, and our bartender Matt Stanton really knew how to mix the house drinks, and also freestyled some drinks for us based on what type of ingredients we like. My last cocktail was delicious, and was some concoction of Booker's bourbon, Tuaca, and some kind of fresh juice.

Once seated, our party was promptly served a large house salad, which everyone shares. Our order was taken, and the cuts of aged meat were brought out after about 10 minutes, and we were then on our way over to one of the multiple industrial strength 5x5 foot fixed gas grills, spread out throughout the restaurant. With cocktails in hand, we stood over the flames of the grill, tending to our cuts of NY Strip steak, kabobs, and more. At each grilling station there is also a rack of spices and rubs to add flavor to the meat, if you so desire. I threw on some Montreal steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, and then watched my steak closely while chatting up other guests around the grill. In addition to the free house salad, every order of meat is accompanied by a thickly cut portion of garlic bread, which you can also grill lightly (I'd recommend about 10-15 seconds, near one of the edges of the grill).

If you, or one of your guests knows how to cook a steak, it's pretty easy to come out of here with a fantastically cooked and tasty steak. The cuts of meat are good looking, juicy, and you can truly grill it just the way you want it. The grills are allegedly kept around 450 degrees in the middle, and around 400 on the edges, so you can really get some nice grill marks without burning your steak. Aside from the complementary house salad and garlic bread, there are also a plethora of interesting side dishes available, from 'Sauteed Asparagus' to 'White Truffle Mac & Cheese.' With prices ranging from about $6-8 each, the sides are large and meant to be shared by 2-3 people each. We sampled the 'Cheddar Potatoes Au Gratin,' and it was steaming hot and delicious. I've had quite a few things on the side menu in the past, and I'd recommend all of them except the 'Sauteed Broccoli & Carrots,' which is frankly rather boring, especially compared to the other available options.

A lively dining experience here isn't cheap, but it isn't very expensive either, especially when compared to other steakhouses. It's about on par with most of the other restaurants down in the Gaslamp, with most entrees ranging from $12-20 each, with salad and garlic bread included. Sunday and Monday nights during the football season feature deals on different cuts of meat (dropping the price to $11 each), and bottled beer at $2.50 for domestics and $3.50 for imports. I've had a great time each time I've gone to the Gaslamp Strip Club, and it has delivered time and time again to all of the guest I've brought with. I've eaten all over the Gaslamp District in San Diego the past 6 years, and this is probably my favorite place. It's a great place for a date, a night out on the town, or even a birthday party for adults. Do take note that it is a 21-and-over establishment, so if someone in your party is under 21, try to call ahead of time and speak to a manager to see if you can slip someone in who won't be drinking.

Gaslamp Strip Club
340 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-3140
Visit: Friday October 10, 2008
Food: 5 out of 5
Service: 5 out of 5
Ambience: 5 out of 5
Overall: 5 out of 5