Posted by: Catman
When I have a few moments, I will post in depth about some of the best steakhouses in NYC.

But some of the best...

*Sparks, on East 46th Street.
*The Palm on East 44th Street and the satellite branch on West 52nd Street
*Ben Bensons, also on West 52nd Street
*Peter Lugar's in Brooklyn
*Ruth's Chris on West 51st Street.

NYC is like a steak capital of the world!

posted October 12, 2000. 06:34.

Replied by: Dorian
Looking forward to these Catman! Come on, give us the goods!

Dorian

posted October 16, 2000. 16:41.

Replied by: PremEx
What Catman!? You forgot to mention the oldest restaurant in all of New York, which happens to also be one of it's greatest traditional Steakhouses...The Old Homestead! Way down in the Village in what used to be the old stockyards of New York at 56 Ninth Avenue 242.9040 $$$.

There are also 2 Morton's of Chicago steakhouses that I would highly recommend. But you haven't had the true unique traditional New York steakhouse experience until you eaten meat at the Old Homestead!

[This message was edited by PremEx on October 18, 2000 at 09:57.]

posted October 18, 2000. 09:31.

Replied by: doc
Personally, Lugers, Palm, Sparks & Old Homestead, in that order, for me!

-Mark

posted October 28, 2000. 15:26.

Replied by: Dorian
Catman taking a catnap? Where in the world are these recos!? (don't get me wrong...I'm glad you got some others up in the interim!)

Dorian

posted October 28, 2000. 15:35.

Replied by: Gaucho
Catman, you seem to be a huge steak fan. I need to do some research about which NY steakhouse serves Argentine beef (the chilled beef that is). Have you ever tried beef from the Pampas? I hear that there's one place in Manhattan called Rincon Argentino, but Ive never tried it. Let me do my homework and we should arrange to meet up for a carnivore session with some other NY based FTalkers.

Gaucho

posted December 10, 2000. 13:05.

Replied by: juuceman
good choices.. not a huge fan of chain steak places (read: ruth's chris, houstons, etc.) although the palm could be considered a chain but i still love it.. especially their crab cakes..

how about cite?? one of my favorite for the overall experience.. several of the others could have great meat but not so great service (luger's) atmosphere (old homestead) etc.. but at cite for bout $59 they have the taste of the grape wine dinner mon-fri after 8pm and all night (i think) on sat and sun.. your choce of appetizer, main dish (about 16 steak and non-meat items) and a dessert.. plus a non-stop flow of decent wines.. always a champage, a white, and two reds.. if you call earlier in the day they're happy to let you know which they're serving that night.. and they're more than happy to give you more or less of any you want.. i've sat there for a solid two and a half hours and drank nothing but moet.. finally they just brought a full bottle over and left it with me.. plus a real pretty room and it's in midtown.. all the regular credit cards are accepted..

re: above question on argentinian beef.. there's a place on amsterdam ave. in the 90's (upper west side) that's called pampa (i'm pretty sure) which serves argentinian beef.. never been buts its supposed to have great meat and garlic fries..

posted December 15, 2000. 19:50.

Replied by: Rssrsvp
Catman,
Bobby Van's Steakhouse located at Park Ave. and 46th St. is another excellent choice. The portions are huge and the steaks are terrific. You will certainly enjoy your meal there.

posted March 11, 2001. 13:19.

Replied by: NYC1
Sparks and Luger's are tops in my book.
I'm not a fan of the chain places either.
Regarding Argentinian places, Novecento in Soho used to be good and relatively cheap BUT now it's no longer a good place. I know there are other Argentinian steak places but do not know their names. There's one in Queens.

posted March 20, 2001. 16:20.

Replied by: Tute84
I would like to add Morton's of Chicago to that list (either location is great). Although a bit more pricey than the others, their steak is different as it has more seasoning and less butter, which gives it a full-mouth kind of taste. They also have great lobster.

posted April 05, 2001. 00:41.

Replied by: redhead
Novocento

I ate here last weekend. I thought my food was quite yummy so I'm not sure that I'd agree with NYC1's characterisation (JMHO). An Argentine friend swears by it for Sunday afternoons.

But I will agree that it is NOT cheap. But it is an AAdvantage Dining member! I just got a pleasent surprise on my AA statment from this.

The restaurant was very crowded at 10 pm on a Saturday night. And the best part of the meal was the Argentine wine (sorry but I can't remember the name - I had too much of it )

I wish I were 1,000 miles away
(edited to mention AA Dining)

[This message was edited by redhead on April 09, 2001 at 15:58.]

posted April 06, 2001. 20:17.

Replied by: Mizu
I ate at Ruth's Chris (thank you, Catman!) and Smith and Wollensky's (3rd Avenue and 49th) last week, both places were great. The Filet Mignon au Poivre at S&W was heavenly (and their split pea soup is worth a try). Ruth Chris', on the other hand, had La Crema Pinot Noir by the glass, a definite double-plus... I'd go to either place again without hesitation.

posted May 14, 2001. 01:03.

Replied by: Catman
More praise for Old Homestead

FOlks, I must agree with PremEx on the Old Homestead. It is one of those classic style steak houses with great service and atmosphere.

I recommend if you are dining for two the Portehouse. It's a great value for 60 bucks and you get the best cuts of meat. Old Homestead has its own steak sauce which is a little too sweet but adds some flavor to the beef.

Probably the WORST steakhouses IMHO are: Sizzler and Bonanza and Beefsteak Charlies (which I think is now out of business.)

posted May 14, 2001. 11:13.

Replied by: dhammer53
Steakhouses
Catman,

Meow Bruddah.
I'm taking a vendor to dinner Monday night at the Old Homestead. Originally I wanted to DO (sorry for the pun) Luger's. I called 3 weeks in advance and the best I could do was 9:30 pm.
Since Old Homestead was my first steak place with my travel buddies, I thought it would be fun to return.

Regards,
Dan First post here.

posted May 20, 2001. 05:34

Sparks is #1 in my opinion - and I used to be a certified "Steak Taster" for USDA.

Lugers - way overrated!

Smith & Wolensky is another fine steakhouse.

Ruth Chris - Great steak if you can handle the fact it's served in a bed of melted butter.

I happen to also like Old Homestead on 14th and 9th Ave.

STAY AWAY from Manhattan Prime down in Battery Park City!

There's a new steak house downtown by the South Street Seaport. It's called MarkJoseph and it's great. The porterhouse is fantastic, the service is courteous and you don't have to cross the East River...

Sparks gets my vote in NYC for #1 steakhouse (both for steak and the reasonable pricing of wines).

I've always liked Sparks best due to,
-great steak (#1 in my opinion)
-one of the best wine lists in NY at very reasonable prices
-good quality non-steak items (salads, fish, lobster, etc.)

I also like the steak at The Palm but, think they fall short in the other areas.

Don't like Smith & Wollensky, Ruth's Chris, Morton's

Cite has ok steak and an excellent all you can drink wine deal starting at 8:00pm.

Ever See a Porterhouse Bow to Brooklyn?

Success, it is sometimes said, is knowing what to imitate. If so, the MarkJoseph Steakhouse has had things right from the beginning. As its model, it took Peter Luger, the Brooklyn institution, which, though I haven't fully completed my research, may well serve the best steaks in the world. MarkJoseph opened only a year and a half ago, which puts it about a century behind. Still, with an owner, Charlie Blair, who used to be a general manager at Luger, it is betting on the burly appeal of the 19th-century steakhouse rather than offering a more refined 21st-century vision.

The backward orientation is fitting. Situated in the South Street Seaport Historic District, MarkJoseph, named for a son of one of the owners, takes its place among cobblestone streets and 18th- and 19th-century structures. It's almost a surprise to happen upon the restaurant in those otherwise quiet walkways, practically under the Brooklyn Bridge, where the smell of the Fulton Fish Market lingers in the air.

With a low ceiling and stout supporting pillars, the dining room feels small, and when the room fills up, it can barely contain the hearty roar of the off-duty traders, bankers and businesspeople who make up the bulk of the weeknight crowd. Without Luger's airy beer hall spaciousness to dissipate the noise, MarkJoseph must fall back on civilizing touches, like tablecloths, to absorb the sound. The dining room, I'm happy to say, has not adopted sepia photos, brass rails and other Olde New York imagery, but a sky-blue ceiling with painted clouds? It's like a vase of flowers in the middle of a rodeo.

Like Peter Luger, MarkJoseph is a porterhouse specialist, offering huge steaks that serve two, three or four people each. You can hear the steaks sizzling and popping from across the room as a troop of white-aproned waiters ferries over an order, ceremoniously propping up one end of the oblong dish on your table — just as at Luger — so the juices run to the other, where they pool at the rim. The steak is presliced, and the waiters quickly distribute the meat, spooning the juices over the slices.

Here is where the resemblance to Luger ends, for while the porterhouse is remarkably tender, with a well-charred, salty crust, it cannot match the firm, chewy texture of the Luger porterhouse or its funky mineral-laden flavor. It has a soft blandness that may thrill those who like their beef buttery but will leave lovers of dry-aged steaks unsatisfied.

Fortunately, unlike Luger, MarkJoseph goes beyond the porterhouse. Its rib steak, served unsliced on the bone, has an excellent, subtle dry-aged flavor that makes it almost impossible not to pick up the bone to gnaw off the last few bits. Sirloin steak, already sliced, is likewise densely flavored and pleasingly chewy, while the filet mignon, like all good filets, will almost melt in the mouth, though its flavor comes more from the crisp crust than aging. One worthy alternative to steak is an order of the meaty double lamb chops, massive yet almost delicately tender and mild, served with a disarmingly small vessel of mint sauce.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/31/dining/31REST.html

---

MarkJoseph Steakhouse

261 Water Street (Peck Slip), Manhattan; (212) 277-0020.

---

Anyone been? Is it worth a try? Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

Peter Lugar has my vote as #1. I find Sparks, The Palm, and Mortons repulsive with the latter two being too much of a chain and Sparks having discurteous service and terrible quality meat. PL has amazing steaks while the service has a lot to be desired. The $5.95 burger for lunch is a steal.

The Palm is running a special: "The Palm Business Lunch" - $19.95 through October 11.

"Just ask your server for 'the Business Lunch' menu (no certificate is necessary)"

I went to Michael Jordan's steakhouse a few months back. The prices are typical ($35+) for a steak, not including apps. or sides. Good eats. What makes this a little more special is that it's perched on the balcony at Grand Central Station, which is convenient and makes for a nice conversation piece. Don't go at rush hour, it would be far too loud. Here's a nice picture: http://www.focuslighting.com/mikejord.html

If you must have steak in NYC... in no particular order (and leaving out the chains http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/smile.gif

*Cite (check out "A bang up Bargain thread" in this forum)
*Sparks... Rules!
*Smith and WOllensky (Rudi and I have been there... and others)
*Old Homestead Steakhouse... the OLDEST and still one of the best!

Sorry Dhammer, but I was underwhelmed by Peter Lugar's. Plus the two times i went there I fell on the sawdust! http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/frown.gif

Curious to know how Don Shula's at the Westin Times Square will do. Hope to dine there soon.

Old Homestead ...UPDATE.

Advice....Pass on this place.

Commentary

Old Homestead was renovated. Now it looks like a REAL steakplace; but sadly, looks are deceiving.

I've had dinner here 3 times in the last 2 years. The first dinner was with Catman and the Alleycats. I was pleased.

This time, my friend and I did the porterhouse for 2. O.H. is no Lugers.
The steak was a bit rough, with some fat. Instead of the meat nicely sliced on the plate, the pieces were overly thick. Also, the plate was plopped on the table, as opposed to the meat being served to us.

My cesear salad was nothing special. Just cold broken pieces of lettuce smothered with dressing. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/eek.gif

Extra charge if we wanted bread. They were pushing the garlic bread; which in hindsite looked yummy.

Showstring potatoes (fries) was mostly crunchy.
No more beer on tap, so we did bottles.
No desert or coffee. Price for one $55 with tax / tip.

If you're asking why I went to O.H, it was because it was centrally located for both of us. Never again.

Next time I'm going back to Sparks.

Dan

Any 2004 updates please?

Austin's Steakhouse
8915 5th Avenue
Bay Ridge (Brooklyn)

Awesome prime steaks, great wine list, premium spirits, free valet parking, beautiful ambience.

Peter Luger? What-the-heck-is-a-Peter-Luger!!!

;)

I haven't been to either one (yet), but I've read some good things about:

Wolfgang's

http://wolfgangssteakhouse.com/wolfgangs/html/index2.htm



BLT Steak

http://bltsteak.com/


Wolfgang's is founded by the former longtme headwaiter at Lugers. And it takes credit cards :)

I was pretty impressed with Michael Jordans. The setting in Grand Central is very nice. I thought the food and service compared very favorably with other second tier places like Mortons and Ruth Chris. I would rank MJs above them and would certainly not hesitate to return there rather than go to Mortons or Ruth Chris again.

I guess we got Michael Jordan's on a bad day a few years ago. I'll probably give it another try one of these days on GF's recommendation.

Maybe I'm spoiled, but I'll take Peter Luger's over any of the other places.

I live a few minutes away from Luger's and at least once a month, I'll go down for dinner (living so close, I get to walk the meal off!). The service is great, the beer/liquor is cheaper than any other steak house, and, of course, the steak is fabulous. I also like the fact that I can eat dinner wearing jeans and a polo shirt.

A business contact took me to Smith & Wollensky's last summer and it was one of the worst meals I've had in NYC. I felt like I was in a frat house with a daycare next door. And my experiences at Sparks have been mediocre, at best.

I second the comment about Smith and Wollensky. I haven't had a steak at any of their locations (NY or elsewhere) that I'd consider top-tier. And it's not just the quality of the meat, since I have found that they generally don't come cooked to the level of doneness (if that's a word, prob. not) ordered. Frankly even Michael Jordan's was better, in my opinion.

I agree about Peter Lugar. When I think about steak places in NY it is first there is Peter Lugar second there is no one. But that is for the steak, spuds and not much more. If you want a nice atmosphere, about more menu choice, and Manhattan location, I would recommend Michael Jordans. I have also had good steaks consistently at Soho Bar and Grill (and a bargain too), Balthazar and Les Halles. These would be choices if some wanted a steak but others in a group wanted many more options. The steak and fries and pepper steak at Balthazar are both favorites of mine. While they cant compare to the steak at Lugars or even MJs, the seafood appetizers, soups, non-steak mains, deserts and wines at Balthazar are far better than Lugars.

when it comes to steakhouses i recommend Talia's - it's a kosher place and it serves on of the best steaks in the city and certainly the best on the upper west side, check it out!!! it has full bar and real nice ambience too!!!;)

Not everyone agrees with Rebecca... :D

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/37418211/new_york_ny/talia_s_steakhouse_bar.html

http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/profile-40884005-United_States_New_York_New_York_City_Talias_Steakh ouse_Bar.html

when it comes to steakhouses i recommend Talia's - it's a kosher place and it serves on of the best steaks in the city and certainly the best on the upper west side, check it out!!! it has full bar and real nice ambience too!!!;)I never before have heard Talia's and "one of the best steaks in the city" used in the same sentence.

Not everyone agrees with Rebecca... :D

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/37418211/new_york_ny/talia_s_steakhouse_bar.html

http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/profile-40884005-United_States_New_York_New_York_City_Talias_Steakh ouse_Bar.html

This shows the perils of unknown reviewers and is one reason why I pretty much ignore Zagats for instance. Its hard to tell what is going on with these reviews. Some possibilities:

1) Service and food is VERY inconsistent
2) The restaurant is spiking reviews to make it look better
3) A competing restaurant is spiking bad reviews to make it look bad
4) Some people are very uncritical
5) Some people are extremely over critical

I have friends that I know have more or less awful taste in food. A very good friend who tends to drink a lot has recommended several places to me and some were great and others a disappointment. Turns out that upon discussion that the reason he recommended the bad ones was because of the barman, not the food. He counts food and the cocktails about equal. Im more careful now when he recommends a place ;)

Still other friends have absolutely no taste whatsoever and a recommendation from them is a red flag to never go there. Other friends have never steered me wrong.

So seeing mixed reviews like this make it really tough to tell. I typically go with either friends or associates I trust, cyber associates (like here on FT) that I trust and a few professional critics. Well, most professional critics except Frank Bruni. ;)

This shows the perils of unknown reviewers and is one reason why I pretty much ignore Zagats for instance.In the case of Zagat, especially with respect to their NY survey, they have a large enough population of participants that any attempt to skew the results should prove to be futile. So I view Zagat as a good "baseline" source of information about a place, certainly better than trusting a random poster on flyertalk or chowhound. On the other hand, if you find a food critic or someone who posts regularly on flyertalk, chowhound, or elsewhere with whom you regularly agree, then it certainly makes sense to pay more attention to that person's opinion than some random opinion.

I highly recommend Craftsteak in NYC as well as Strip House. Those are my 2 favorites in NYC and I've been too them all. Luger's is overrated, sorry !

I might have missed it, but I didn't see any reference to Kean's, a great steakhouse that belongs on any solid list of NYC steakhouses.

I might have missed it, but I didn't see any reference to Keen's, a great steakhouse that belongs on any solid list of NYC steakhouses.

It was just included in this month's NatGeo Traveller magazine's write-up of NYC. It was one of two featured steakhouses; the other was Luger. it is one of my preferred steak options in NYC, and the mutton chop isn't bad at all either.

If you're looking for info on it, the correct spelling is Keen's.

In the case of Zagat, especially with respect to their NY survey, they have a large enough population of participants that any attempt to skew the results should prove to be futile.

I so wish this were true. How do you think it is that Danny Meyer's restaurant routinely makes the top 10?


So I view Zagat as a good "baseline" source of information about a place, certainly better than trusting a random poster on flyertalk or chowhound. On the other hand, if you find a food critic or someone who posts regularly on flyertalk, chowhound, or elsewhere with whom you regularly agree, then it certainly makes sense to pay more attention to that person's opinion than some random opinion.

Completely agree. Even Zagat, when they first started publishing guides outside New York, warned their readers to compare the numbers not against New York restaurants but against others in the same city.

How do you think it is that Danny Meyer's restaurant routinely makes the top 10?Because, whether you like them or not, Danny Meyer's restaurants are wildly popular.

Because, whether you like them or not, Danny Meyer's restaurants are wildly popular.

Do you think that handing out Zagat survey forms to customers helps? :)

Do you think that handing out Zagat survey forms to customers helps? :)Do they fill it out for them? :)

Cause if a crummy restaurant gave me a survey, I'd still give it a crummy review. BTW, how come I've never been given a survey when dining at a Danny Meyer restaurant?

Do they fill it out for them? :)

Cause if a crummy restaurant gave me a survey, I'd still give it a crummy review. BTW, how come I've never been given a survey when dining at a Danny Meyer restaurant?

Interesting. I haven't been to Union Square in years but the story of them giving out surveys has been told many times. Maybe they know you can't be bought.

Interesting. I haven't been to Union Square in years but the story of them giving out surveys has been told many times. Maybe they know you can't be bought.

I was at a Meyer place a week or so ago an didnt get one. I understand the point about Zagat in NY having so many votes that it makes manipulation tough and agree. But I think that it still has its limits and while I would trust Zagat more in a big city like NY or London I still dont put much faith in it. As a first source though it isnt bad.

But I think that it still has its limits and while I would trust Zagat more in a big city like NY or London I still dont put much faith in it. As a first source though it isnt bad.

Start with Zagat.

Add a little Chowhound.
Maybe a dash of NY Magazine.
Then, a pinch of the NY Times.
And a little bit of google to finish it off. :D

As a first source though it isnt bad.

I have Zagat for the PDA loaded on my Palm and as a directory it's terrific. You can search with combinations of parameters, e.g. French + late night + meat packing district and it comes up with lists. Unfortunately, you can't print them.

By the way, has everyone here tried Vindigo?

I vote for Morton's and Peter Lugars hands down.

1) Peter Luger
1) Wolfgangs
2) La Fusta Argentine restaurant in Elmhurst, Queens. It's not Luger's but they serve up a huge filet for $32 enough to feed two people that is tender and very tasty. They also have a very good selection of Argentine wines (Malbec, Cabernet) at reasonable prices.

I dined at Wolfgangs last night and have to say they are at least as good, if not better, than Luger's! Aside from being in Manhattan and accepting credit cards, their porterhouse, canadian bacon, German potatoes (hash browns) and schlag are to die for!!! Can't remember the last time I ate that much.