I'll second Sparks in NYC, the original Morton's in Chicago and Cabana las Lilas in Buenos Aires, but...
Last night the entire Rulez crew dined at Nick and Sam's in Dallas, where we had the BEST steaks I think we have ever eaten, especially the 48 oz. double Porterhouse for two. Unbelievable wine list and sides too.

Second vote for the hometown favorite. Excellent steaks, great shrimp cocktails! :cool:

Only been there once, but had an awesome porterhouse at the Steakhouse in Circus Circus in Vegas.

Both Indy and Chain vote here...
 

My vote is for The Met(ropolitan Grill) in Seattle as an independent.

For chains, my vote goes to:

The Palm
Ruths Chris
Morton's of Chicago (or Arnie Morton's, depending on where you are).

I've always wanted to try Sparks and Peter Lugar's.

Your Las Vegas steak experience reminded me of mine, skofarrell, as it was one of the best and most memorable restaurant experiences overall I have ever had to this day...

Greater than a dozen years ago at William B’s at the Stardust hotel in Las Vegas, I had an awesome filet mignon with king crab legs (now known as WILLIAM B’S DUET under the Seafood section of the menu, but the Australian lobster tail was not offered as a choice instead of the king crab legs back then), complete with asparagus and rice as very tasty and delicious side dishes, a generous serving of fresh warm rolls and a salad for only US$18.95 plus tax! I had chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert (for an additional charge, of course). The waiters wore tuxedos, the seating was comfortable, the restaurant was not crowded, and the service was impeccable.

Needless to say, I ate (and enjoyed immensely) every morsel of food!

I notice that that same dish on the menu there unfortunately now costs US$49.95, and I am not even certain as to what comes with it, as I have not returned to eat there since...

Killer shrimp cocktail!!!!!!

Well....
 

Who could possibly argue with this selection! :)

I'll add a thumbs up for Dicky Brennan's in NoLa. I was not expecting much but was surprised - a very well prepared cowboy steak!

:D

It never, never fails to amaze how many people think Berns Steakhouse is so great. (Usually mostly visitors from out of town).
Garish decor and a dull menu which has not added or changed ONE SINGLE ITEM in the 26 years I have lived in Tampa.
Great wine list, which they find necessary to chain to the table and steaks prepared well to order but with a limited flavour, all in all quite overated.
Personally I think the steaks at Flemings (an Outback chain) are better.
Only reason I have to go to Berns ( except when dragged there by visiting relatives/friends) is the Desert room which one can visit without using the main dining room.
Now if you want a great restaurant visit Sideberns the "inventive cooking" establishment two blocks up Howard Ave partly owed by the Laxer family but with a great chef in Jeanie Perrolli.
mike

Just a question for reference: how are the Bern's steaks limited in flavor? Not spiced enough? I detest Flemings because they use a lot of spices to flavor their steaks, which is the same thing they do at Outback. Don't give me that. I want the pure beef shining through. There's a subtle and delicious tang to perfectly aged prime beef -- not to mention the hint of smokiness you get when it's cooked right.

I'm not saying Bern's is great -- I've never been there. But I watched something on Food Network at one point about their aging process. It said they get one pound of steak after aging for everything three pounds that go into it. To me, that would seem like an awesome concentration of flavors. So I guess I'm just wondering if you want some more spice on the meat?

And, hey, as for not changing the menu -- it's a steakhouse. Why mess with success? I always like knowing what I'm going to get.

Gut22 thanks for capturing those thoughts. People clearly have different preferences. I for one prefer extremely good steak, cooked very rare. And absolutely no spices. I dont care about changes on the menu. People said some of the same things about Peter Lugar as was just said about Berns, limited menu etc. It is a steak house, they have steak.

I wish I could find the article but an editor for a major national magazine did a piece on steak a while ago. Heck, its terrible to get old but I will try to find it. He said there were only 2 places in the US that had access to the very limited supply of the best aged beef. Those places were Peter Lugar and Berns. I really would like to get to Berns (Mileage Run! ;) ). In most of the surveys about New York steakhouses Peter Lugar has been ranked first for about 20 consecutive years. I would like to try Sparks although my wife who is the official restaurant selector in the household (she reads a lot of reviews, articles etc on the topic) refuses to try it based on what she has read. That is a bit limited by her not liking steak quite as much as I do and by the fact that Peter Lugar is pretty convenient to our house. Damn, this has made me hungry. ;)

I grew up in the meat business in LA, so I've eaten a lot of steak. Steak should be prime, and aged (it's not easy to do right).

Grade (prime, choice) is essentially a measure of fat, and the more there is, the more flavorful and tender the meat.

Aging breaks down the muscle tissue and makes the meat more tender. It also can impart some flavor. There are basically two types of aging, and you need 30 days or so. You need at least a full roast size (not individual steaks), and you really can't do it at home.

Chains:

• The Palm: By far the best of the chains ^
• Mortons: OK
• Flemings: Better
• Ruth Chris: Oh Please! :(

And a great independent:

• Pine Club in Dayton: Great yester-year atmosphere :cool:

And of course, have had great steak in Argentina.

ReWhere Are The Best Steakhouses In The World?
 

My two favorites:

Argetina Grill, aka El Buen Bife (I've been to the one in Houston) is excellent.
http://www.elbuenbife.com

Gaucho Room (alas it has since closed) formerly at the Loews Miami Beach was a very nice Argentinean styled restaurant

Great info on the types of meat and aging. I've had a couple really nasty experiences with the Palm. I've found that their aging is completely lacking. It disappointed me more than any of the other chains. Flemings, to me, doesn't even walk in the same ballpark as the other three.

But that's another thing entirely -- I've found that the beef varies daily, even at the finest places. There are nights when they're more "on" than others. the quality of meat changes from steak to steak, even from the same cow, so it's inherently a bit of a crap shoot. Better aging allows for more consistent quality. I've found that personally at Morton's. But to each his own. As long as people are eating steak and happy with it, well that's just fine with me.

My votes would be like those of many of the posters. But my old college roommate still flies in occasionally for the trek up to Dayton to the Pine Club and its old-line great steaks and stewed tomatoes.

YOu all made me hungry! :)
 

I'm sorry I read this thread! Now i"m in the mood for a good steak.

IT's funny. I used to be a big fan of Bern's but in the past few years have found myself desiring Charleys even more when I go to Tampa. THe steaks are aged and cooked over a big flame grill the way you want. Great wine list and a certain appetizer that's a bang for the buck. (Check the menu for what I mean.)

(It's also funny that I've been to several of the forementioned steakhouses with other Flyertalkers ;0) )

I am not a fan of Peter Lugars (I can hear Dhammer groaning.) I need to be convinced on why this place is so great. Surly waiters, CASH ONLY for payment, old atmosphere. Both times I've bene there I've slipped on the sawdust on the flooor. THe surly waiters never stopped to help me up. And I was sober! (Plus it's kind of a trek to get there.) The steak was unimpressive and overpriced at best.

Another thing: Before discovering the independents I was a Ruth's CHris fanatic. In fact I hosted the second Catman Do 2 at Ruth's in NYC. But I have had one or two bad experiences since. Not much for the chains lately (the bigger than the smaller ones.)

Guess tastes change over time.

My steak forks go to:

*Old Homestead NYC: worth every penny esp the bone in rib eye.

*Charleys Florida (see above)

*Sparks (haven't been in over a year. Maybe a NYC FT meeting is in order.)

*Cite Cite Cite!!!!!!! The fries with a side of beef is great, even better with the included Wine tasting menu. Unlimited wine and steak for $63! Best bang for the buck in NYC (Other than Grey's Papaya.) Cite hosted the Catman Do 3, March 2001.

*Hugos at the Hong Kong Hyatt Recency. Excellent atmosphere and well prepared beef with a great wine list.

*Hy's Steakhouse, Toronto: home away from home when I go see "THe Red Green show." And I can SMOKE my Habanos!!! One of the best.

*Don Pepe's: Parsippany and Newark, NJ> Great value and great made steak. Plus lots of super seafood dishes.

*Trader Vics: Nothing like steak made the Poloysian way slow cooked in a grill. Thank you PremEx for introducing me to this place.

*THe Steakhouse at Circus Circus: Have to get back there again when I'm back in LV.

THat makes me MOURN for the late, great Binions Horseshoe Steakhouse at the Horseshoe. I heard it closed. Best view for a steakhouse. Expense but great beef.

*The steakhouse at the Doubletree Ontario, CA. I went there on an Entertainment Card offer and had one of the best steak experiences ever. Impressive wine list. Good prices excellent service. FUnny a Hotel steakhosue can top some of the bigger hyped ones. Better than most chains.

I have not been to steakhouses in Portland, Seattle or INdianapolis but could be puruaded to make a trip. Also the best steakhouse I've found in Chicago, so far, is Trader Vics! :) Maybe Sweet Willie can recommend a steak place for me when I get out there sometime.

Now back to my Pepsi :(