There’s nothing more primal and alluring than the scent of meat cooking on the grill, and we’ve found 50 outstanding steakhouses that will have you salivating for the best cuts of beef, starters, and sides. We excluded the well-known chains, so our list features many cool, hard-to-find places, some hole-in-the-wall operations, and also some quite fancy and romantic places with dazzling views.
These are generally not the steak world’s usual suspects — but instead, chef- or family-owned steak joints to seek out based on their overall customer ratings, awards, local word of mouth, and expert recommendations. Take a tasty road trip with us to a carnivore’s idea of heaven in each American state. They’re ready to be explored and savored with their classic menus and twists on old-time favorites.
Alabama: Nick’s Original Filet House (A.K.A. Nick’s in the Sticks)
Tuscaloosa
Claim to fame: Since 1934, this humble-but-packed-to-the-rafters steakhouse with dollar bills tacked to the ceiling rocks it with Crimson Tide fans. Nick’s is famous for a ruby red Nicodemus cocktail and mouthwatering onion rings that accompany a staple bacon-wrapped filet. No fancy sauces, just straight-up meat and sides presented on a wooden charger in old-school steakhouse style.
Alaska: Club Paris
Anchorage
Claim to fame: Home to 4-inch thick filets, this top-rated establishment has been slinging fine meat since the 1950s and offers a fancy blue cheese stuffing for all its steaks. Club Paris has fresh local seafood and French onion soup starters, chef’s special sautéed mushrooms, and a killer bar and dessert menu. You need the extra calories to stay warm in Alaska.
Arizona: J&G Steakhouse at the Phoenician
Scottsdale
Claim to fame: The signature steak is the 8- or 12-ounce filet mignon. J&G Steakhouse at The Phoenician boasts Chef de Cuisine Jacques Qualin, a native of the Franche-Comté region of France. In 2009, he opened J&G Steakhouse, and the menu reflects his European heritage with Comté-cheese-laced potato gratin and other dishes. It has stellar dining room views, too.
Arkansas: Doe’s Eat Place
Little Rock
Claim to fame: This unpretentious hole-in-the-wall operation is a favorite of former President Bill Clinton and a hot spot for corporate movers and shakers. Doe’s is famous for its starters, hot tamales with chili, and broiled or fried shrimp. But its main attraction is the porterhouse steak. You can buy steak by the pound, served up family style, sliced and accompanied by French fries, and Doe’s pecan pie is legendary. This establishment has been making it onto “best of” lists since the mid-1980s.
California: The Old Place
Cornell
Claim to fame: The staple oak-grilled “Old Place Cut” 12-ounce sirloin is a bestseller here, along with exotic meats such as venison, wild boar, elk, and whatever else arrives fresh from local sources, and the Cast Iron Apple Crisp with hand-whipped cream is a popular dessert. Established in 1970 and run by the same family who settled in the area decades earlier, The Old Place sits between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Malibu coast. Wild peacocks roam the property, which is also home to a winery. The glowing interior is a kitschy gallery of California Old West cool featuring an upcycled longboard bench hugging an antique bar. A location near the Paramount Ranch movie and television set made this restaurant a celebrity hangout for Steve McQueen and Sam Peckinpah, and it’s still a hotbed of celebrity spotting.
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Colorado: The Fort
Morrison
Claim to fame: Proprietress and culinary director Holly Arnold Kinney has created an eclectic exotic steak menu at The Fort since its establishment in 1963, including a Game Plate with elk medallion, buffalo sirloin medallion, and grilled teriyaki quail. The Incorrect Steak is a 14-ounce Colorado natural beef New York strip topped with a blend of melted Mexican cheeses, New Mexico Dixon red chile sauce and a fried egg. The Gonzales Steak is a 14-ounce Colorado natural beef New York strip stuffed with New Mexico Hatch green chiles, topped with a freshly grilled chile pod and served with seasonal vegetables and potatoes. Fun fact: Kinney once had a pet black bear that lived at The Fort.
Connecticut: Washington Prime
Norwalk
Claim to fame: A relative newcomer with an enviable location, Washington Prime has garnered significant praise in a remarkably short time, including accolades from the Food Network and Connecticut Magazine. Being on the coast, it has plentiful seafood appetizers with oyster and clam options; the steak menu boasts a 50-ounce tomahawk rib-eye that’s been wet-aged for 21 days and a 40-ounce porterhouse for two that gets dry-aged for 28 days. At the other end of the scale is an 8-ounce filet mignon. Its six sauce options include the house WP Umami Bomb steak sauce.
Delaware: 1776
Rehoboth Beach
Claim to fame: Since 2007, 1776 has dazzled with its “Steak 1776,” a filet mignon plated on mashed potatoes and finished with lump crab sautéed in a cream reduction. Starters include a slew of local seafood dishes. After petite filets or a unique “Barrel” 10-ounce steak, make sure to finish with a crème brulee. This classic steakhouse in vacation destination Rehoboth Beach is a find.
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District of Columbia: Medium Rare
Cleveland Park
Claim to Fame: This steakhouse doesn’t give you many choices, which makes ordering a breeze. Come for dinner and you get fresh bread, a green salad, and a culotte steak with hand-cut fries (vegetarians can order a grilled portobello mushroom). The dessert list is longer, with choices of everything from Key lime pie to chocolate fudge cake. The brunch menu is longer, but equally steak-heavy. Bring your appetites for dinner — a refill of steak and fries will come to the table when you least expect it.
Florida: Prime 112
Miami Beach
Claim to fame: Myles Chefetz’s Prime 112 steakhouse sits in the South of Fifth neighborhood. Chefetz has twice been named a semifinalist for the James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur. Prime 112 serves only prime dry-aged beef, including a 14-ounce New York strip and bone-in rib-eyes and porterhouses for two. The menu also includes seafood, from caviar to lobster and fresh locally sourced fish dishes.
Georgia: McKendrick’s Steak House
Atlanta
Claim to fame: Since 1995, family-owned McKendrick’s has served up steaks in an old-school masculine decor, with chef Thomas Minchella offering aged USDA prime beef in an array of delectable cuts, including a famous 24-ounce chef’s cut bone-in rib-eye. There are also good seafood starters.
Hawaii: Hy’s Steak House
Oahu
Claim to fame: At the moment, Hy’s is undergoing a major kitchen renovation and is expected to reopen in mid-May. Meantime, Hy’s has a pop-up restaurant at La Vie at the Ritz-Carlton Waikiki Beach. Start with a free basket of Hy’s cheese bread, then choose from an assortment that includes prime filet of beef Wellington, garlic steak, filet and foie gras, Kiawe broiled steaks, New York strip, Delmonico, filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, and 32-ounce porterhouse steaks. There’s a choice of several sauces to accompany the steak. Hy’s Steak House is inside Waikiki Park Heights Hotel and provides dazzling views to go with the fare.
Idaho: The Narrows Steakhouse at Shore Lodge
McCall
Claim to fame: The Narrows Steakhouse two hours north of Boise offers guests custom steak knives: a Laguiole from France; a Shun from Japan, or a Chroma from Germany, designed by Porsche. It serves USDA prime beef, and its 45-day dry-aged bone-in New York strip and a 40-ounce bone-in tomahawk rib-eye are bestsellers. Patrons dine with breathtaking views of the Salmon River Mountains and Payette Lake from the dining room. The steakhouse features an exceptional wine cellar and an adjacent spa if you strain something while enjoying the steak.
Illinois: The Barn
Evanston
Claim to fame: Owner Amy Morton is culinary royalty, the daughter of Chicago-born restaurateur Arnie Morton — founder of Morton’s Steakhouses. Amy’s place is a much smaller affair nestled inside a restored 19th century brick barn. The Barn pays homage to her father and the classic American steakhouses and food with Heritage Black Angus steaks from local purveyor Meats by Linz. Steaks include prime Heritage Angus steaks served with red wine demi-glace and marrow-butterball potatoes and sides such as roasted asparagus. An extensive selection of Old and New World wines makes this steakhouse a great reason to get to Evanston.
Indiana: Bynum’s Steakhouse
Martinsville
Claim to fame: Locally owned and operated for more than 20 years, this Indianapolis-area fixture has built a reputation on excellent prime rib and Madagascar lobster tails. The prime rib is a 32-ounce, bone-in cut, and the lobster tails are equally oversized at 24 ounces. (The restaurant sometimes has 40-ounce lobster tails on hand.) But this is a steakhouse, after all, and the beef is certified Angus, with cuts ranging between a half-inch to 2 inches in thickness. You won’t have many choices for sides (onion soup, a house salad, and a potato come with each meal) but there are always several freshly made desserts ranging from cheesecake to blackberry cobbler.
Iowa: Archie’s Waeside Café
Le Mars
Claim to fame: Owner Bob Rand’s grandfather, Archie Jackson, created Archie’s in 1949. The menu boasts nine cuts of dry-aged, hand-cut mouthwatering steaks such as Archie’s Special Extra Thick, filets, rib-eyes, and porterhouses, all sourced from farms in northwest Iowa and northeast Nebraska. Rachael Ray named Archie’s Waeside Café one of the best steakhouses in America, and its wine selection was a semi-finalist for a James Beard award in 2014. In 2015, Archie’s was awarded the James Beard American Classic award.
Kansas: Metropolitan Steakhouse
Leavenworth
Claim to Fame: Dubbed the “Little Steakhouse Across From the Big House,” Metropolitan Steakhouse has been serving up delicious, reasonably priced, hand-cut steaks since 1999. Options include a hefty 16-ounce porterhouse, a 10-ounce top sirloin, an 8-ounce filet, and more, all accompanied by a vegetable, Texas toast, a choice of spud, and a soup or salad: a menu its neighbors in the “Big House” can only dream of.
Kentucky: Pat’s Steak House
Louisville
Claim to fame: Established in 1958, Pat’s boasts an 18-ounce bone-in ribeye and a 24-ounce porterhouse T-bone served in a historic landmark inn. Dry-aged prime beef is served up with a selection of starters that includes Irish stew and baby frog legs. The family recipe Irish Whiskey Cake is a popular dessert.
Louisiana: Mr. John’s Steakhouse
New Orleans
Claim to fame: A lot of NOLA culinary blue blood is behind Mr. John’s Steakhouse owners Desi Vega, Paul Varisco, and Rodney Salvaggio. They serve up dry-aged prime beef seared to perfection in a special Montague broiler with more than 10 tantalizing a la carte sides to choose from. Starters include fresh local seafood specials that earn rave reviews.
Maine: The Grill Room & Bar
Portland
Claim to fame: The Grill Room & Bar is a cozy, warm, and rustic urban steakhouse in the historic Port District. Chef Harding Lee Smith prepares locally sourced prime grass-fed beef ranging from tender filets to a 20-ounce ribeye. He offers locally sourced seafood for appetizers such as clam chowder, as well as locally grown organic produce. There are nine sauces for dipping and 17 a la carte sides, including Maine sea salt fries.
Maryland: Lewnes’ Steak House
Annapolis
Claim to fame: Sam Lewnes, a Greek immigrant, started this family-owned restaurant 87 years ago. Lewnes’ is a small-scale steakhouse known for tender, butter-basted corn-fed USDA prime beef and incredible seafood starters, along with its signature Spiro’s Famous Greek Salad, making this unpretentious but classy chophouse a must-visit restaurant.
Massachusetts: The Bancroft
Burlington
Claim to fame: Established in 2014, The Bancroft features executive chef Mario Capone, who turns out prime steak au poivre and 40-ounce butcher-cut salt-and-pepper tomahawk rib-eye steaks for two along with traditional cuts of dry-aged prime beef. Starters include a seafood tower, baked clams, and, of course, house-made Boston clam chowder.
Michigan: Vernales
Harbor Springs
Claim to fame: Vernales co-owners Joe Guthrie and Keith Lynch, the executive chef, source local products and offer prime American wagyu beef, including a dry-aged 30-ounce tomahawk rib-eye steak for two and a 16-ounce New York strip. Make sure to check out steak enhancements such as king crab Oscar.
Minnesota: Mancini’s Char House
St. Paul
Claim to fame: Mancini’s Char House turns out prime beef the Italian way, with dry-aged beef grilled on huge open-hearth charcoal pits. This decades-old, family-run business still boasts a cool retro bar and New York strips that earn rave reviews, along with loads of surf-and-turf options, live music, and garlic bread to die for. Save room for Flute Limoncello dessert or a cannoli.
Mississippi: Marshall Steakhouse
Holly Springs
Claim to fame:
Marshall Steakhouse, though far from the state capital of Jackson and the casinos on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, has snagged accolades from the Food Network as well as the Mississippi Beef Council with grain-fed Angus beef cooked over a hardwood charcoal grill. Steaks range from a 7-ounce filet to a 40-ounce tomahawk.
Missouri: Kreis’ Restaurant
St. Louis
Claim to fame: The restaurant has stayed true to the original owner’s vision since 1948. Kreis’ serves only USDA prime Midwestern corn-fed Angus beef, dry-aged four to six weeks in-house. New York strips, filets, prime rib, and porterhouse steaks are served with eight steak accompaniments to choose from and 11 a la carte side dish options. Veal dishes such as Schnitzel a la Holstein are offered too. Make sure to save room for a raved-about dessert: warm apple strudel, an in-house-made treat from a Kreis family recipe.
Montana: Land of Magic Steakhouse
Logan
Claim to fame: Land of Magic has a no-nonsense menu that delivers certified Angus beef in various cuts, notably the 16-ounce boneless rib-eye, with sides that include famous twice-baked potatoes and starters such as classic shrimp cocktail. This cozy family-owned-and-operated steakhouse is one of the better restaurants in all of Montana.
Nebraska: Farmer Brown’s
Waterloo
Claim to fame: Farmer Brown’s Steak House has been family owned and operated since 1964; its bestseller is the large filet. All steaks come with three sides and freshly baked bread. Start with some of its popular “dinosaur eggs” (cream-cheese jalapeños) or battered green beans with ranch dressing. The Travel Channel selected Farmer Browns as one of America’s “Steak Paradise” spots.
Nevada: Oscar’s Steakhouse
Las Vegas
Claim to fame: Get out of the casino and off the Strip and head for Oscar’s Steakhouse. Named after mob attorney and former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman, this is a retro must-visit for everything from the restaurant’s signature martini to the Jonny’s 44-ounce tomahawk.
New Hampshire: Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery
Raymond
Claim to fame: Chef Bobby Marcotte’s fresh prime beef steaks are hand-cut daily in the Tuckaway’s award-winning retail butcher shop and served with two sides. The Tuckaway serves humanely raised and vegetarian-fed Braveheart Black Angus beef from the Midwest. Make sure to order the 16-ounce boneless rib-eye and its award-winning steak tips. Finish with Bloo Balls: fried blueberry cheesecake with Gifford’s blueberry ice cream, blueberry jam sauce, and whipped cream.
New Jersey: Steakhouse 85
New Brunswick
Claim to fame: Steakhouse 85’s core menu features dry-aged steaks prepared with a simple combination of sea salt, black pepper, and fresh herbs seared on a 1,200-degree cast-iron grill and broiled to order. Steakhouse 85 boasts an award-winning wine list. Order an aged prime rib-eye, Delmonico, or strip steak, and top it with Maytag blue cheese, applewood bacon, or seared foie gras.
New Mexico: The Bull Ring
Santa Fe
Claim to fame: Established in 1971, The Bull Ring serves USDA prime corn-fed beef hand-cut daily in-house and served sizzling in butter. Steaks are available in classic cuts from filet mignon to porterhouse, but a specialty of the house is the El Matador — a specially aged 14-ounce U.S. prime sirloin strip charred and served with green chile, sautéed mushrooms, and onion straws.
New York: Benjamin Steakhouse
New York
Claim to fame: Benjamin Steakhouse was launched by two Albanian brothers-in-law in 2006 — both named Benjamin. Its chefs have a signature tomahawk steak, a special cut from meat purveyor Pat LeFrieda, as well as a steak for three and a steak for four, for those who like to share.
North Carolina: The Angus Barn
Raleigh
Claim to fame: Opened in 1960 only to be destroyed by fire, the Angus Barn rose from the ashes in 1965 to offer 11 perfectly aged cuts. Try the 14-ounce certified Angus rib-eye. Dinners come with a choice of three sides and freshly baked bread; homemade crackers are served at every table.
North Dakota: 40 Steak and Seafood
Bismarck
Claim to fame: 40 Steak and Seafood offers five dining rooms and a menu featuring USDA certified Angus beef aged for a minimum 21 days for optimum tenderness, flavor, and juiciness, seasoned with an in-house spice blend. Go for the cowboy rib-eye aged for 100 days and add the house hash browns.
Ohio: Rennick Meat Market
Ashtabula
Claim to fame: This historic venue offers dry-aged steaks, homemade pickles, mustards, sausages, and cured meats. Rennick Meat Market serves steaks ranging from New York strip to Picanha cuts, a Brazilian lean sirloin cut with a thin fat cap. Choose from 10 sauces to accompany a steak, along with sides such as pierogi and roasted wild mushrooms.
Oklahoma: Cattlemen’s Steakhouse
Oklahoma City
Claim to fame: Since 1910, the historic Cattlemen’s Steakhouse has fed cowboys, ranchers, movie stars, politicians, and power brokers. The “Presidential Choice” T-bone steak is a bestseller, but it’s just one in-house-aged, hand-cut prime, and choice steaks to choose from. Add some lamb fries or okra, and finish with a simple-but-delicious house-made dessert.
Oregon: Laurelhurst Market
Portland
Claim to fame: Laurelhurst Market‘s in-house butcher shop turns out hand-cut steaks and 12 hand-stuffed sausages. Menu items to savor include the popular grilled New York strip with roasted maitake-hazelnut relish and pickled green garlic, or the Brandt Ranch rib-eye. Finish with the Apple Miso Butterscotch Cake.
Pennsylvania: Urban Farmer
Philadelphia
Claim to fame: This highly rated Philly steakhouse is a farm-to-table masterpiece. Urban Farmer sources local ingredients for the menu and cuts and dry-ages its butcher’s cuts of heritage-bred beef, which includes grass-fed, grain-finished, and corn-fed varieties. The rustic pantry features house-made preserved and pickled local produce, and Urban Farmer grows its own herbs, makes and dries charcuterie, and even creates the candles on its tables.
Rhode Island: 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar and Grille
Newport
Claim to fame: At 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar and Grille, a harbor-side tavern, begin with the bestselling chilled New England shellfish sampler, then move along to a USDA prime beef masterpiece such as the 22B Filet Mignon served with French-style mashed potatoes and green beans, mushroom bordelaise, and whipped blue cheese.
South Carolina: Oak Steakhouse
Charleston
Claim to fame: Chef Jeremiah Bacon, a Lowcountry native, sources locally from sustainable farms for the menu at Oak Steakhouse, housed in a building that dates back to 1848. Try a carpaccio of beef or pan-seared scallops before the main dish: prime-certified Angus beef, like the aged New York strip and bone-in and boneless rib-eyes. There are more than 200 wines by the bottle. Inside are three floors with five dining areas boasting arched windows, 20-foot ceilings, fireplaces, and 150-year-old heart-pine floors.
South Dakota: Deadwood Social Club
Deadwood
Claim to fame: This Italian steakhouse offers pasta, as you might expect, but you can also get the surf and turf with a 20- to 22-ounce bone-in cowboy ribeye or an 8-ounce coffee-rubbed filet mignon, or even a 14-ounce bison ribeye. Kevin Costner has donated photos and memorabilia to the joint, so check out the walls before you go.
Tennessee: Sperry’s Belle Meade
Nashville
Claim to fame: Family-owned Sperry’s Belle Meade has been serving steak since 1974. Start with some scallops Benedict served on country ham and asparagus over Byrd’s Mill stone-ground grits, then choose from aged and heavily marbled Western-beef dishes, including the popular 18-ounce bone-in rib-eye. Dressings, soups, and sauces are made from scratch and can be bought to go at Sperry’s Mercantile behind the restaurant.
Texas: Vince Young Steakhouse
Austin
Claim to fame: Locally owned and operated, Vince Young Steakhouse has found success in Austin since 2011. It uses local and seasonal fresh ingredients along with house-made items including bread, bacon, charcuterie, and dressings (even its own ketchup). There’s an impressive array of USDA prime steaks. Order the prime 42-ounce porterhouse for two or the “Perfect Ten” with Texas-raised wagyu beef. Start with the deep-fried Texas quail with bacon-infused tangerine marmalade.
Utah: Milt’s Stage Stop
Cedar City
Claim to fame: Milt’s Stage Stop has been serving steaks since 1956 in a stunning mountain view setting. This log cabin serves prime and choice USDA beef seasoned simply with cracked black pepper and salt, offering two sides and hot oven rolls. Order the popular rib-eye or a 10-ounce filet mignon after a starter of artichoke hearts.
Vermont: Southside Steakhouse
Rutland
Claim to fame: In business for 25 years, Southside Steakhouse offers dry-aged and wet-aged beef. Dig into a filet mignon with classic béarnaise, or maybe a dry-aged bone-in rib-eye with crab cake, or a dry-aged bone-in sirloin served with blue cheese butter. Add some sharing sides such as a prime-rib egg roll, and you’re in business.
Virginia: Piedmont Steakhouse
Culpeper
Claim to fame: Set inside a historic 1890s building, Piedmont offers 27-day dry-aged prime steaks and bestsellers that include a petite filet mignon and a bison rib-eye. A specialty cocktail includes the James Bond “007” Martini. Start with mussels of the day or fried pickles, and make sure to try the risotto side dish.
Washington: John Howie Steak
Bellevue
Claim to fame: Chef-owner John Howie revised his menu during the pandemic to emphasize simple meals that offer the most value, but John Howie Steak still features USDA prime beef aged 28 days or 42 days and American, Australian, and Japanese wagyu beef. You can buy the same steaks to go, carefully packaged and partnered with the perfect seasoning and instructions.
West Virginia: The Wonder Bar Steakhouse
Clarksburg
Claim to fame: Since 1946, The Wonder Bar Steakhouse has served USDA choice- or prime-certified Angus beef aged a minimum of 21 days. Popular steaks include The Host Choice, a 12-ounce Delmonico that comes with a glass of house red, white, or blush and a wine-sauce parfait. The steak is served with a house salad, choice of baked potato, pasta, shoestring fries, or rice. The restaurant has received many awards, including the Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence from 2014 through 2023.
Wisconsin: Suzy’s Steak & Seafood
Claim to fame: Thursday is prime rib night at Suzy’s, where $17 will get you 10 ounces of prime rib. On Saturday and Sunday, there are also prime rib and seafood specials featuring jumbo shrimp, crab legs, or lobster tail.
Wyoming: Miners and Stockmen’s Steakhouse and Spirits
Hartville
Claim to fame: Serving only aged prime USDA beef, Miners and Stockmen’s Steakhouse and Spirits is Wyoming’s oldest bar. Its steaks run the gamut from filets and rib-eyes to porterhouse cuts and sirloins, served with soup or salad and two sides to choose from. This unpretentious steakhouse boasts an extensive wine list and 35 types of whiskey.
