Bay Area restaurant group Alexander’s Steakhouse debuted their first Southern California branch near Pasadena City Hall in 2015 and instantly gave CUT a run for its money as the ritziest steakhouse in Los Angeles. The dining room boasts A5 grade Wagyu from four different Japanese prefectures, which are all rare treats. The Bull & Barrel bar on the restaurant’s east side provides considerably more value during weeknight happy hour.

I sat on a burgundy cushion at the shiny black U-shaped bar in Alexander’s Steakhouse and ordered a pair of hamachi preparations during a recent happy hour. I enjoyed executive chef Matt Bata’s hamachi lumpia, which looked like cocktail wieners, but tasted completely different. I was particularly impressed with another fish part: Hamachi Kama ($10). Chef Bata broiled this sizable skin-on cut with hamachi caramel, dressed with Fresno chili, mint, basil, and a squeeze of charred calamansi for brightness. This collar was beautifully cooked, with fluffy white meat at one end, flaky dark meat at the other end, and crispy, caramelized skin. I didn’t have a scale handy, but this collar must have contained at least six ounces of meat tucked behind bones and fins. The flavor wasn’t just top-flight; so was the value.