When you think of the Lawry’s brand in Los Angeles, the first thing that comes to mind is its signature prime rib. However, the world-famous Lawry’s Prime Rib in Beverly Hill is not the first location of a restaurant under the Lawry’s brand. That distinction belongs to Tam O’Shanter, this charming little gem located in the heart of Atwater Village.
Tam O’Shanter was established by Lawrence Frank and his brother-in-law Walter Van der Kamp in 1922. That is exactly 100 years ago at the time of writing. Its longevity has earned the honor of being the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles County at its original location.
The Tam was founded as a roadhouse, and still keeps the tradition of being a versatile venue to this day. On Fridays and Sundays evenings, the restaurant is a true Scottish pub with live traditional Celtic music. This place is sort of legendary for the matter, and being a member of the Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles, I would know. However, today, after a brief hike at the nearby Descanso Gardens, I am here for the food.
What I had was a corned beef sandwich. The kind of corn beef that they have is served hot, and sliced to a decent thickness, rather than pastrami-like kind. While I love the ultra-thin, uber-salty kind as well, it is always nice to have this slightly healthier and more natural version.
The de facto sides that come with a sandwich are cole slaw and beet slices. While I think they are there to provide balance in countering the supposed heaviness of a deli sandwich, I would not mind having fries as one of the sides.
My partner-in-crime ordered a filet mignon, which was decent. Interestingly, one of the highlights of their meal is the side of roasted root vegetables that come with the steak. It is reminiscent of what you would find at a place like Josiah Citrin’s Charcoal.
The roasted Brussels sprouts appetizer is surprisingly good as well. When done right like this, even the most commonly hated vegetable can be quite enjoyable. The version they have here is roasted to crispiness with some understated seasoning oil and bacon bits to combat the bitterness; Honestly, it reminded me of kale chips or gim (Korean roasted seaweed).
Overall, I am glad that we stopped by this legendary place for lunch and explored parts of the menu not involving prime rib. The Tam really has something to offer for everybody, whether you are into steak, roasted vegetables, fish n’ chips, or, just plain ol’ traditional Celtic music.