That's very interesting, and good point about Turkey as well. Maybe it's just within my circle of acquaintances, but the people I know who like food would mostly say, Italy, France, AND Spain. San Sebastian alone should put Spain in every conversation. I also really enjoy the food in Portugal and Hungary, but I might be one of the weirdos :).

I don't think sous vide is cheating but at least for steaks, I can get the same result with a reverse sear.

Those would be my top three, but I'm going to Crete for the first time in June, and something tells me I'm going to have to find room near the top of my list for Greece. It checks all the right boxes: grilled red meat, abundant seafood, fresh produce, local wine, and a decent distilled spirit :D

I'd be more likely to put Spanish food in the overrated rather than underrated category. Turkish food I'd put in the underrated category. Weirdly, for the last 25 odd years, the best restaurant in Canberra has been Ottoman – a Turkish fine dining place. The food is so good. Sadly, I think they closed last year.

It's all relative I suppose, and I didn't mean to take us off topic from the steaks. Just an earlier comment that made me curious!

The best steaks I have ever had were in several steakhouses in Buenos Aires. Steakhouses in Uruguay and South Africa came close.

One of the worst steaks I have ever had was at Gallaghers Steakhouse in New York. I could have gotten a better steak in a supermarket and cooked it myself. The tomatoes in the salad appetizer were not even ripe enough. The “service” was abominable.

This was some years ago. Perhaps they improved since then.I have been to Shapiro’s Delicatessen in Indianapolis. It’s okay but not good enough to return, in my opinion.

Ah, I pretty much like all steakhouses, and when famished will even enjoy Sizzlers.

As to the best, in my view, probably David Burke's in the James hotel in Chicago? From the highest quality USDA prime ribeye cuts to dry aged on the premise, I understood what I was paying for and always savored every bite. To this day, I'm still disappointed the restaurant has closed and has reduced some of my enthusiasm for visiting the Windy City. Generally, I'd enjoy any fine Chicago steakhouse and have thoroughly enjoyed Bavette's, Prime & Provisions, and many others whose names elude me. However, far as I know, David Burke's was the only one who procured their own cuts and dry aged in house.

As to NY, in my view, their steakhouses are as step below Chicago's. I mean, NY Strip vs Ribeye? Please! Having said that, I do frequent Wolfgang's quite a bit, but their steaks aren't as good as Chicago's, in my view. Peter Luger's is fine, but overrated, for my taste. Sparks is world class and reminds me of my childhood steakhouse, Alfred's in San Francisco. Also, had some wonderful Kobe & Matsusaka steaks in Japan, some wonderful grilled steaks in Sydney, and in Vegas.

I just love them all! In the end, it's the Chicago Ribeye that reigns supreme, in my view.

PS - Also, have always enjoyed and still do Morton's, Ruth's Chris (have had some really excellent Ribeyes here), and Harris' in SF.

The issue I have with ribeye is it's a pretty heavy cut – especially grain fed wagyu. Especially when the cow is grain fed. A nice strip (sirloin) is a bit more tender than rump and runs much leaner than ribeye. Of course every steak has it's place, but my go to, especially as I get older, is less marbling. The issue with the leaner cuts is there's really nowhere to hide if you overcook them or if the quality isn't good. Marbling can paper over a lot of those two issues.

Every steak certainly has it's place, and I've even enjoyed a well done steak (though I ordered medium rare) at Denny's, albeit with the aid of a heavy hand of A1 steak sauce. I can see where you're coming from on the marbling hiding imperfections. I mean, there's no hiding a subpar filet. LOL Ok, maybe the French can do it with their marvelous sauces.

I too am not a fan of a lot of marbling.

Have had a lot of great steaks in Buenos Aires and in São Paulo over the years. Uruguay was good too, but i have eaten a lot fewer streaks in Uruguay than in Argentina and in Brazil.

Ate many a good steak over the years at various Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris and Capital Grilles in the DC area, but probably more at the various Morton’s in and around DC than any steak chain or other place in the country. Done a ton of The Palm in Midtown Manhattan. In Minneapolis, Manny’s is the regular spot. I rarely hit steakhouses in Chicago or on the West Coast.

Have learned that it’s always possible for there to be a chance that something is off with my orders, regardless of how it has gone previously with the same orders at a location.

I have had some great steaks in Turkey, Uruguay, Argentina and South Africa. Tend to prefer a bone in Ribeye medium rare however the best steak I ever had was in Atlanta. Taken out by customers to a "local" steak house and had a melt in the mouth fillet with a superb char. Big shout out to a few in Dallas too (Pappas Bros and Al Biernets)

I would agree, this was one of the best I've had too. I forgot about it, it was so long ago.
As far as the Chicago vs. NYC, I agree with you, yet I think Burke's was in NYC long before it was ever in Chicago. And I have not been to Peter Luger and would love to try that some day.

Toss up between Wildfire W Erie Chicago, Prime Bellagio Vegas and JW Steakhouse Marriott Grosvenor House London.

Mexico and Japan have my number
 

When I was staying in Mexico for a few months, my then-girlfriend quite enjoyed her arrachera, or skirt steak. She grilled it in butter, then add rosemary from her garden, and some Maldon salt. Those meals -- along with guacamole and salsa molcajeteada (salsa made with a mortar and pestle) -- were always excellent.

Crossing the Pacific, I've tried Kobe, Matsusaka, and Omi beef. Matsusaka stood out, for the marbling and the sweetness. But shoot, they were all top-notch, particularly when served with garlicky mashed potatoes.

My favorite way of eating steak, besides with guacamole, is au poivre.

I'm not a steak aficionado at all, so extremely rare for me to order it, usually too expensive when I feel I can spend the extra cash elsewhere. Though on a road trip 2 years ago, I made a point to stop and splurge at Harris Ranch Resort off I-5 in central California and try the prime ribeye. You can tell you're getting close by the smell in the air (not of cooking steak, but of the cattle ranch).

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I think it burned down over 20 years ago, but nothing has ever come close in my book to the Fillet with "zip sauce" served at Lelli’s on Woodward in Detroit.