The 7 Best Steak Houses in NYC
For all our love of greenmarket veggies and kale salads, sometimes we just really want a steak. And while steak houses have earned the reputation of being stuffy, pricey and oftentimes not-so-female-friendly (cut to waiters commenting on your “appetite” when you order a big cut of beef… ugh), New York’s rising scene of contemporary, inclusive and absolutely delicious chop shops means there’s no shortage of places to indulge your carnivorous side.
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Quality Eats
This proudly nontraditional steak house offers affordable cuts, like the hanger ($34) or bavette steak ($26), along with playful sides riffing on typical steak-house options, like creamed spinach hush puppies and cacio e pepe orzo. This may also be the best steak house for pescatarians, with seafood options mimicking traditional beefy fare—think branzino frites and tuna au poivre.
Multiple locations; qualityeats.com
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The Beatrice Inn
Helmed by the inimitable chef Angie Mar, this swanky steak house set in a classic West Village townhouse transports you to another carnivorous realm—and of course a woman is in charge. Cozy up in the candlelit dining room with a fellow carnivore to share a butcher’s block, like the 60-day dry-aged côte du boeuf, served with tangy charred prawn butter and blackberries.
285 W. 12th St.; thebeatriceinn.com
American Cut
Chef Marc Forgione’s ode to the old-school New York steak house offers the classic meat eatery (meatery?) experience with a bit of added elegance. Think Caesar salad tossed tableside, oversize tomahawk chops (finished with flames right in front of your eyes) and a slew of meal-worthy sides like creamed spinach with fontina, buttery potato puree and the mac and cheese du jour. (Our kinda place.)
Multiple locations; americancutsteakhouse.com
M. Wells Steakhouse
You have to be in the know to even find this quirky steak house, located in a former auto body shop. The playful menu is the opposite of a buttoned-up Manhattan fine-dining establishment, with items like a “dog bowl” full of seafood and a “wobbly egg” atop duck succotash intended for guests to see the fun in dining. Steak-wise, expect major flavors, like a New York strip in a maple bulgogi rub and a rib eye seasoned with coffee and porcini.
43-15 Crescent St., Long Island City; magasinwells.com
Cote
It’s still hard to snag a reservation at this Korean barbecue–American steak house hybrid, where dry-aged meats are served raw and ready to grill on the tabletop, and for good reason: The food is fantastic, well priced and a joy to make. For an interactive dinner, get a group together for the Butcher’s Feast ($48 per person), which includes a selection of chef cuts, salads, stews and soft serve for dessert.
16 W. 22nd St.; cotenyc.com
Boucherie
Boucherie (“butchery” in French) is a full-on French bistro you would expect to see more on Paris’s Place de la Concorde than Manhattan’s Seventh Avenue, but there it is, in all its grandiosity. A full bistro menu is complemented by a dedicated steak list, featuring plenty of cuts pour deux (or more) like the lovely chateaubriand, starring a sizable filet mignon, marrow-based Bordelaise and a side of veggies. Daily specials and a weekly cut make Boucherie a good contender for your new regular spot.
Multiple locations; boucherie.nyc
St. Anselm
Not too far from that other, v. famous Williamsburg steakhouse, this no-frills exposed-brick andEdison-bulb-lit steak restaurant is the iconic picture of a “Brooklyn restaurant” with a penchant for all things grilled (plus natural wine!). Lunchtime brings an excellent rendition of steak and eggs, but for dinner you’ll be saturated with grill-cooked small bites (like halloumi or clams) and a substantial range of cuts for mains, like a veal flank with chimichurri and salmon steaks with garlic butter.
355 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn; stanselm.net