My wife and I came here with another couple when we were in San Diego. We tried a bunch of shit, so let me get right into it…
Flavor: 8
We shared a porterhouse for two and a 20oz bone-in rib eye among three people.
The Porterhouse was a 7/10. The strip side had some grey-banding on the edges, and was definitely a bit toothsome in parts. The filet side, however, was magnificent. The only down side was that it lacked the flavor that the strip side had.
The rib eye ate almost like cured ham. It was cooked a bit under, but none of us minded. It was lean in the eye, but there was a ton of flavor in the cap. 8/10.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
There’s a good selection of cuts here; wet aged, dry aged, large format, single cuts, everything. Everything is also prime grade. The numerous selections available are why I chose this place over others in the area.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The portions here were good, and measured up nicely with what I expect from a NYC steakhouse, only a bit cheaper on the budget by about five or ten bucks, which was a nice change of pace.
Price: 8
The total bill was $713 with tax and tip included. As I mentioned above, this would be up a bit if it were in NYC.
Bar: 6
The bar here is actually nice, but the bar tender sucked. He was ignoring my wife when she tried to order (three times), and the drinks were sloppily made. Two of our glasses had massive cracks in them too, and the one we had at the bar as just dumped hastily into a new glass, not re-made from scratch. Cocktails were meh too. Could use some work!
Specials and Other Meats: 9
I had to jump at this elk chop dish.
It turned out to be my favorite item of the meal. It was a nice lean but flavorful cross between lamb and venison. 9/10.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
We should have ordered our sides better, because the elk came with both mashed potatoes and spinach, and we ordered bot mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. They were all pretty good, but the versions on the composed elk chops dish were better.
For dessert, we tried a yuzu cheese cake and a delicious chocolate and peanut butter mousse pie that was perfect.
Seafood Selection: 9
Delicious tower for four, which included massive shrimp, a whole lobster, oysters, and tuna tartare.
Service: 8
Service was great at the table, but less than desirable at the bar. The bread came after our appetizers, which was odd, but we were glad it came. It was tasty with a whipped, soft garlic and herb butter.
Ambiance: 7
Ambiance could use a little kick in the balls, as the place glows neon red and purple at times. It feels sort of like a club. But over all it was a good vibe, and I’m glad we went. Here’s the other couple below – we were celebrating his retirement from the Navy.
GREYSTONE PRIME STEAKHOUSE
658 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
My wife and I came here almost immediately after discovering that the place existed. It’s relatively new, having just opened up, I think, in June or July.
Flavor: 7
We had the rib eye.
This had a nice crust despite being slightly undercooked. I didn’t mind the flesh being rare, but I prefer the fat to render out a bit more than it had, that way I can eat it all!
The menu didn’t note any steaks being dry aged. There was a hint of that aged flavor in some bites, but it was not pervasive by any stretch.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 8
There’s a good selection of cuts here to cover all the basics that you should expect at any steak joint, along with some flourishes like a gorgonzola strip, or some special filets cooked in various ways. I think they could boost their special cuts section a bit with some dry aged selections.
Portion Size & Plating: 9
The rib eye was 20oz on the bone, which is just right for a single serving steakhouse cut of beef. The porterhouse is listed at 28oz, which I think it nice for sharing. The plating here is nice and simple, nothing too crazy!
Price: 7
The price is a bit hefty at $125 for a bone-in 20oz rib eye with no significant aged flavor. Same goes for a martini at $25, and the crab cocktail at $30. I imagine this is a really high rent location, and a mom and pop spot like this needs to cover their food costs, overhead, etc. You really can’t get too upset. But, sadly, we have seen several restaurants turn over recently on this stretch of Lafayette, and I hope there aren’t any more that fold.
Bar: 8
The bar here is really nice. They did a nice job on the decor, and I was almost wishing we sat at the bar rather than the small 2-top, as we may have had a little more elbow room. The wine pours are very generous, and their cocktails are also great, albeit pricey.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
We ordered the Long Island duck that was on special, and we were glad we did! The breast part was perfectly cooked; the fat was nicely rendered, and the skin was crisp. As for the confit portion, I wish they had left it on the bone and kept the skin intact for some crisp. It needed a bit of seasoning, too. I took two points for that.
Other than duck, they also had some nice looking lamb chops on the menu, some chicken, and other animals worthy of consumption.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
We started with the Peekytoe crab cocktail. This scoop will run you $30, but it is indeed delicious. I loved it.
We also had the thick cut cajun bacon. This was nice, but again the fat needed to be rendered a bit more. Some parts were stringy, chewy and just unappetizing. I usually love eating fat, but some of this I just could not.
The creamed spinach and “potato skins” (similar to wedge fries) were both awesome. We coursed these out separately because of table space concerns (the potatoes came with the duck, then the spinach came with the steak). I think if you dipped the potatoes into the spinach you’d have a winning combo!
We decided to skip dessert, but I was definitely eyeballing the menu.
Seafood Selection: 9
There’s some nice looking seafood on the menu, and based on the quality of the Peekytoe crab, I would venture to say that these items would be similarly delicious.
Service: 10
Service was excellent, and every staff member we interacted with was really knowledgeable and helpful. Our waiter, Thomas, was awesome!
I think their table bread needs a little work though. The skillet brioche was a bit dry, as if it might have been baked earlier and reheated. It was still tasty though.
Ambiance: 8
For a small spot that almost looks more like a dedicated bar than a small restaurant, this place was really beautiful inside. The music was good and the place was packed at 6pm on a Sunday. That bodes well for Lucky’s!
I would definitely come back to try the porterhouse.
Bourbon Steak is a brand new spot that just took over the restaurant and bar space at the luxurious Essex House/JW Marriott hotel on Central Park South. They opened two weeks ago. Check out the review below!
Flavor: 8
We had the 20oz bone in rib eye.
While it was a bit thin, it packed a punch for flavor. Good crust outside and lots of juiciness inside.
Not dry aged, but still a good one.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
There’s a great selection of cuts here, but only one was dry aged (the 40oz porterhouse). I took a point for that. I was impressed to see domestic, Aussie and Japanese wagyu on the menu as well. Great stuff!
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The sizes are all pretty standard for NYC steakhouses, and the plating was a mix of simple/elegant, and modern.
Price: 8
Everything is so expensive now, so this category is going through a big renovation, but here is the bill:
Bar: 10
The bar here is big and gorgeous. They offer a lot of really unique signature cocktails as well as standards, and there’s a huge wine list.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
This place offers veal and duck as far as other meat items go. We tried the veal, which came out very late (we were already done with our steak). It was good/tasty, but a bit overcooked (we asked for medium rare, it was closer to well done).
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 10
We started with a custom seafood tower with items we selected from the seafood cart:
We went with clams, oysters, abalone, prawns and uni/sea urchin.
Everything was incredible! Our next app was the soft shell crab, which is stuffed with crab cake. Very unique and delicious! They said there were two here, but that was not the case… I don’t know where they learned to count…
For sides, we went with the very unique creamed spinach souffle, which ate similar to a popover.
We also did some mushrooms.
For dessert, another unique item, the banana tart with macadamia nut ice cream. Really nice!
Seafood Selection: 10
Based on the apps we had, I would definitely suspect the entree fish items are great as well. The tuna foie-poivre sounds insanely good.
Service: 10
Service was great despite the restaurant opening just two weeks ago. We had two staff members attending to us. One seemed seasoned, and the other seemed new (he was good – very attentive). The only hiccup we had was the veal coming out much later than we expected. We thought maybe they forgot it, so we told them to cancel it if they hadn’t fired it. But then brought it out anyway as we were finishing our steak, and they took it off the bill for us in the end. Totally unnecessary! We made sure to tip well for that.
Also worth noting here is that the table bread is scrapped in favor of a trio of French fries! Knowing this was the case, we skipped a potato side altogether. These were amazing.
They also give you some chocolate bars with your check. These toffee and caramel milk chocolate bars blow those Peter Luger chocolate coins out of the water.
The staff was also great at wishing me a happy birthday. They had a card for me, signed by the staff, and there was even a little miniature ice cream cone that came out with dessert (forgot to take a pic).
Ambiance: 10
This place is absolutely stunning inside. Really beautiful. I can’t wait to go back and try more stuff.
BOURBON STEAK
160 Central Park South
New York, NY 10019
This Italian steak joint just opened up in midtown on Madison Avenue, and the owners were kind enough to invite me in to take photos and promote on social media. Read on below, but first check out my Ride and Review video HERE!
Flavor:
We tried the t-bone, which was a beautiful 24oz hunk of beef. The filet side had a lot of aged flavor on it, and it was incredibly tender. The strip side had an awesome rosemary flavor to it, and was also very tender. I don’t know what they do to their steaks, but you can cut them with a spoon here! That’s how soft the meat is.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available:
There’s a good selection of cuts here, and the menu notes that they are all USDA prime. You have all your standard steakhouse selections, plus some larger format items for sharing.
Portion Size & Plating:
Everything we had was a good portion size for the price point listed on the menu. The plating was nice also – no sizzling plate for the t-bone, of which I am not a fan, so that was good. I am not sure if they do that for the porterhouse.
Price:
Given the location and competition in the area, price is always a tough nut to crack, but this place offers great quality meat for a very fair price.
Bar:
The bar here is really beautiful. A thick marble slab with some princely stools. A beautifully appointed wall of booze, and a nicely mixed martini with Castelvetrano olives is all you need to tie it off.
Specials and Other Meats:
There is a great selection of other proteins here, including pork, veal, lamb and chicken. We went with the veal pizzaiola, which was as delicious as it was beautiful. What a beast!
You can also hit up some alternative meats in the pasta section of the menu. We had the opportunity to try this delicious bowl of cavatelli with an oxtail ragu that was incredible.
Apps, Sides & Desserts:
We didn’t get to try any sides, but the appetizers and desserts were excellent. Most notable were the baked clams and octopus carpaccio, which were both unique and delicious.
We also tried the Caesar salad, which was served on a nicely composed dish with some crispy croutons and three delicious, clean and flavorful anchovies.
This crab cake also really hit the spot, and it is one of their most popular items. I can taste why.
For dessert, we tried the apple strudel and the chocolate salami. We both preferred the chocolate salami, hands down! It was a unique cross between a cookie/cake type thing, and fudge.
Seafood Selection:
We didn’t try any seafood mains, but if the quality of the starters is any indication for those, then the seafood here will be tip-top. We really enjoyed what we tried!
Service:
Service was awesome here. The chef, Diego, even came out to the tables to say hello to all the folks in the dining room, asking if everything was okay. Also worth noting the nice selection of bread for the table here – good stuff!
Ambiance:
The decor here is gorgeous. They have a nice modern but elegant setup here, and the space doubles when you go upstairs. I really can’t wait to come back and try some more of their proteins, especially the lamb loin!
DELBIANCO PRIME
423 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Beefbar is a global upscale steakhouse that obviously focuses on the glory of beef. They have locations all over the fanciest places in Europe, and one just landed at the old Nobu space in Tribeca. I was zipping around on my bike last summer when I saw the signage and became interested in what it was all about. Fast forward six months and here I am: attending a friends and family event a week before they open to the general public. I was pretty excited to check this place out, and I’m pretty excited to write about it, too. So here we go…
Flavor: 9
We had the center cut rib eye, which, if you don’t know what that means, its generally a loin side (not chuck side) cut of rib eye which eats and looks very similar to a strip steak, and has minimal if any rib eye cap (hold your criticism for just a moment).
This was definitely a wagyu cut of some sort, because the tenderness and marbling was magnificent, buttery, and delicious.
It had a great spice rub over it, adding a smokiness to the crust. I didn’t get a ton of aged flavor on it, but nevertheless I really liked it, and it was cooked perfectly to medium rare.
We also tried the robata “spicy beef,” which is a habanero-sauced rib cap served with crispy herbs (enter the rib eye cap!). This comes propped up over an occasionally smoking charcoal grill made from a copper kettle pot.
Here’s some of the sexy smoke. Every so often, something drips onto the hot charcoal inside the kettle and smokes up the whole area for a little bit. It smelled so awesome!
This was fun, unique, interactive and delicious. The habanero wasn’t too spicy, however, and it could have benefitted from a little bit of finishing salt. On the flip side, this was one of the most fun and original steakhouse menu items I’ve had in years.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
There’s a good selection of cuts here, and I imagine there will be even more once the restaurant opens to the public and fully unleashes an unfettered menu. I saw porterhouses and other things hanging in the meat coolers, but not yet offered on the friends and family menu. All the meat is top notch quality USDA prime from Creekstone, domestic wagyu hybrid from Snake River, or real-deal Japanese wagyu from Hokkaido.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
Portions are a little bit on the small side, but that’s because you’re trading off bulk for quality and well trimmed cuts. This was similar at Catch Steak. I think there will be some larger format items available in the future as well. One of the guys that worked there even mentioned that they can get bone-in wagyu rib chops flown in from Japan on occasion.
Plating here is a little different than most flat white plate joints, or sizzling plate, lake-of-butter spots. I was digging the cast iron and kettle presentations for the items we ordered.
Price: 8
The prices here are very fair considering the quality, the overhead that the space must cost, and the large staff. I was expecting this bill to be closer to $500, but it was under $400.
I should also mention my tremendous gratitude for this being a comped meal for friends and family. I was blown away, and totally not expecting that!
Bar: 10
The bar here is big and beautiful. I’d love to just sit there and have some snacks next time.
We tried three different cocktails and they were all good. Their take on a martini was unique – blue cheese and beef fat washed vodka, with a grape as garnish.
Their smoked cocktail, “What the Doctor Ordered,” was a fantastic take on an old fashioned using reduced Dr. Pepper syrup for the sweet aspect.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
There were no real specials read to us, but I didn’t expect much from a steakhouse that just opened, or is streamlining for friends and family. As far as other meats go, you are relegated to seafood! This is Beefbar, after all. Not chicken bar.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 9
We started with three really nice items. First was the incredible pastrami hamachi with slaw. This is a must order.
The “ham” is really a lightly cured beef carpaccio, served with some nice crispy cracker type papadum. I think this would benefit from some cracked black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and flake salt. If you want to go extra, maybe some shaved white truffle.
Our last starter was the veal tartare. This was really mild and light, yet flavorful and with great texture.
We did the baby Brussels on the side with our mains. These were really nice. A balance of spicy and sweet.
For dessert we did the Beefbar take on tiramisu, with fresh ladyfinger cookies that have espresso poured over them, table side. They they are topped with pistachio cream and candied pistachios. Beautiful and delicious.
Seafood Selection: 9
There’s a nice amount of seafood here on the menu for a beef-focused restaurant. I highly recommend that hamachi dish from above, and based on how great that was, I can confidently give them a 9/10 for seafood.
Service: 10
Service was absolutely immaculate. Everyone came over to greet us, from server to CEO. I’m serious. It was incredible. If this is how they will operate on the day to day, they will be known all over the city for their professionalism and attention to customers.
Their table bread, in keeping with the bar theme, was this bowl of spicy and sweet snacks. I really enjoyed that, and it helped me save room for the meat!
Ambiance: 10
The interior is really beautiful and elegant. Super high ceilings make you feel like you’re dining with royalty. They really did a great job with the space, and the music was modern without being too loud or “party vibe.” Great spot!
I had heard good things about this place from a few different people recently, so I had to go give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised! First, watch my Ride & Review on YouTube below. Then read on!
Flavor: 8
We had the bone-in dry-aged rib eye, and the dry-aged t-bone. Both had a really nice char on the outside from the broiler, and both were just slightly over medium-rare. They were both really juicy, though, so that made up for any slight overcooking. Both were on the mild side for dry-aged flavor, but they both packed a punch for beefy, satiating flavor in general. I give the rib eye a 9/10, and the t-bone a 7/10, bringing the overall score to an 8/10.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
Everything here is Certified Angus Beef brand (typically prime) and dry-aged. They cover all of the major cuts in various sizes, with shared steaks coming to the table in “sizzling plate” format.
Portion Size & Plating: 10
The portions are great here. Our sides were quite large, and the appetizers were big too. The plating is standard clean white elegance, cast iron skillets, etc.
Price: 8
Some stuff here is really well priced, like the cocktails, whiskey pours, apps, sides, desserts… especially when figuring in the price. But the steaks themselves are at midtown prices despite the “mom and pop” nature of the place and the neighborhood.
Bar: 5
Sadly, I had to dock some points here because there is actually no place to sit at the bar. It is a service-only bar with no stools. Our table was beside it, though, so we got a good look at their bottle selections. They have a really awesome spirits list, and they made some great cocktails, so don’t let the score here deceive you.
Specials and Other Meats: 9
There were no real specials read to us, but they offer lamb, chicken, duck and numerous other interesting proteins that I’d like to come back and try. Next visit, we are definitely getting the bacon (had to be 1.5″ thick for $18 – like a steak in itself), the roasted duck legs (plural, for $39), and the lamb chops (looked like four per plate).
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 9
We started with the escargots, which were served in a really nice creamy mushroom broth/gravy, and had to have at least a dozen snails in the order. A great deal.
The steak tartare was a little bit too finely minced or ground, but the flavor was great, as was the portion size.
The roasted potatoes with peppers and onions were also a massive portion size, but the only negative here was that the dill was a little bit overpowering. It did smell nice though.
The sautéed spinach and mushrooms side was soupier than I expected, but really nicely flavored. This was just the right side for the steaks in my opinion.
For dessert, we had a scoop of espresso ice cream (very nice and creamy), the chocolate mousse cake (perfect thickness, richness and you could tell it was homemade instead of pre-purchase from a box like many midtown steak joints give), a glass of Hakushu 12yr ($30) and a double espresso. The double espresso was the only bad item of the entire meal. it tasted like burnt bean water.
Seafood Selection: 7
This was a rare occasion in which we tried absolutely no seafood. I saw the shellfish coming out though, and it all looked nice. Next time we will definitely delve into their raw bar selections and broader seafood entree menu.
Service: 10
Service was excellent. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and super helpful/attentive without being pushy, annoying or intrusive.
Their table bread is similar to Luger’s style – a stuffed onion roll.
Ambiance: 8
For a small neighborhood mom and pop joint, they really did a great job with making the place feel like an old-timey, age-old steakhouse that’s been there forever. It’s been there since 2010, and in that time it has established itself as a staple for the neighborhood drawing in weekly regulars as well as exploratory outsiders like us.
I will definitely be back for more!
AMBER STEAKHOUSE
119 Nassau Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
My wife and I visited Charleston for the new year, and I was determined to try another steakhouse in the wonderful city. This time I hit Oak. Read below!
Flavor: 8
We had the dry aged rib eye as well as the filet mignon steak frites. Both were juicy, well seasoned and flavorful, but the age didn’t really come through too strongly on the rib eye. That said, both were cooked to medium rare perfection. 8/10.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 8
There’s a good selection of cuts here, and most claiming to be dry-aged for around 60 days. The selections are prime Certified Angus Beef brand, so they are generally going to be high quality.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
Portion sizes are good here, with most individual steak entrees ranging from 14-22oz. The plating is standard, minimalist elegance; common for steakhouses.
Price: 7
The prices here are a bit high for a non-NYC steakhouse. Charleston is an expensive city too, but I felt like $115 for my steak was a bit hefty.
Bar: 9
The bar here is very nice. I was almost hoping we would have to wait for our table when we checked in, because I kinda wanted to sit there with a martini for a few minutes.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
There was a special 30oz dry aged porterhouse offered, which wasn’t on the menu. As for other meats, I did see some lamb, chicken and pork. A nice spread!
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
We started with three appetizers: a pair of oysters Rockefeller, a pork belly dish, and beef carpaccio. All were good, but I feel like the carpaccio could have been larger.
We took down some crispy fried Brussels sprouts with bacon as a side. These were great.
The sticky toffee pudding a la mode was a nice dessert option.
Seafood Selection: 8
There was a curry red fish on the menu for the night, which sounded delicious, but I had my mind on other things. If the oysters were any indication of how the seafood is prepared here, I’m sure it would be good.
Service: 10
Service was great here. They even took note that it was my wife’s birthday, and they were kind enough to comp the dessert. They even included a little happy birthday chocolate and a candle.
Ambiance: 9
This joint is inside an old downtown townhouse, so it is really nice inside. The only downer is the middle floor which, if seated there, I imagine it can get both hot and annoying due to the proximity of bathrooms.
My wife took me here for a nice dinner last week. I’m calling this a French steakhouse. Not sure if that’s correct, but I feel like it fits into my review categories nicely.
Sadly, the boneless domestic wagyu rib eye was WAY over salted. I hunkered through half of it, but I could not finish and had to give up. It was a beauty though, with a great crust. 5/10.
My wife had the bacon wrapped venison loin, which was much better, despite the little snaggle of connective tissue in the middle.
Nicely cooked. Irony without game flavor. Lean and clean. 8/10.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 7
There’s a good selection of cuts here all day long, but they don’t have enough dry aged selections. I would also like to see more traditional Angus on the menu, as opposed to all the fancy wagyu cross breed shit.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
My steak was like $105 for a pound, which is about right for the domestic wagyu varieties. Portions here are good for everything else, and plating is definitely understated but elegant.
Price: 8
The prices here are average to slightly above, which makes sense for the location near lots of FiDi businesses.
Bar: 8
The bar here is small but nicely appointed as you walk in. No sidewalk people watching views, but its snug and cozy. They made some nice drinks too, both standard cocktails and their signatures.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
I mentioned there was venison, which is rare and nice to see. They also offered a Peri Peri chicken dish, which I’d love to try. It feeds two and is only $68.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 7
We started with the beef tartare summer roll with lemongrass sauce. This was really nice, but they just need to wrap it a bit tighter. This was probably the best dish of the night, with a close second to a side that I’ll discuss below.
Skip the marrow. The table-side service is unnecessary (at least it wasn’t theatrics), and it was mainly just a fancy bread service or sandwich. Probably better off getting a burger and fries for a few dollars less.
The mushrooms were ever more over-salted than the steak We actually had to send them back, which is wild because we NEVER do that.
They replaced it with this bean cassoulet thing, which was actually quite good and was a close second for my favorite dish of the night.
The miso creamed spinach was nice. As you can tell, there’s a distinct theme for trying to bring Asian fusion into the menu.
For dessert, they forgot to bring out our Vietnamese style egg coffee, but the basque style cheesecake was nice enough.
Seafood Selection: 8
We didn’t take on any seafood, but they did have some nice looking shellfish and tower selections, as is common with steakhouses. The king crab cake was a whopping $45. I wonder if that is any good. Too rich for my blood!
Service: 10
Service was really good here. They brought out some complimentary bubbles at the beginning and end of our meal, since my wife told them it was our anniversary on the reservation. They also comped the drinks, desserts and the bogus side for us, which they replaced gratis as well. This was a really great gesture, and they genuinely tried to make the evening nice despite the mishaps. They did forget our coffee, though. I was done complaining for the night, so we just let it slide. A for effort, I guess.
Ambiance: 9
Gorgeous dining space, with big private booths that you can curtain off if you’d like. I really dig the space. Very elegant but casual. A nice balance.
My wife and I had one night to squeeze in a steak meal when we were in Miami. Since most steakhouses in South Beach seem to be chains, we went with Prime 112 based on a totality of recs we got from friends. The other contender was Papi Steak (next time).
Flavor: 9
We had the t-bone and the veal rib chop. Both were nice, and aged flavor came through. Both solid 8/10 in my opinion. I was impressed for Florida steak!
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
There’s a good selection of cuts here all day long,. In fact the menu is pretty gigantic. There’s both a T-bone and a porterhouse, a rib eye for two and for one, bone-in and boneless strips. Plenty of dry aged selections as well.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The portions are on the large side here. Sometimes I forget how small portions can be in NYC, even at steakhouses. Plating was on par with minimalist upscale modern steak joints.
Price: 7
Steaks for one here will range between $80 and $140, which is mighty high. They’re really raking the tourists over the coals here, but at least the food is good.
Bar: 6
The bar here is small. I was expecting a bigger, nicer/better bar for a hot spot like a Miami beach steakhouse.
Martini was nice, however.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
There are plenty of non-beef options to explore here, and as I mentioned earlier, the menu is massive. We tried the veal and we were impressed, so I think 8/10 is fair here for not having tried any other items.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 6
We started with the foie gras and broiled Louisiana style oysters. The oysters were the better of the two, and they were great. After the apps, things went slightly downhill, and then they fell off a cliff.
I wish I knew the veal came as a composed dish with a side (spinach, cheese and breadcrumb stuffed tomato). I would have skipped the gummy creamed spinach and maybe even the scalloped potatoes.
Dessert would have been great if a couple of the mini donuts weren’t raw inside.
Inedible.
Seafood Selection: 8
Based on the quality of the broiled oysters, I think it’s safe to get all manner of seafood here and it will be good.
Service: 10
Our waiter was great, friendly and knowledgeable, so I have to give a full 10 here. A few things to note, though, was that there was a musty/moldy smell to the warm/moist towels they brought out for us between courses. Don’t use
The table bread was a nice assortment of cheese biscuit, nut roll and pumpernickel onion. Really liked this.
Ambiance: 7
This joint had a smell throughout that was wet/musty. It did just rain when we went there, and it is Miami/south Florida, so maybe this is common. But it was sort of like the entire place smelled like the moldy hand towel! Strange.
My wife and I came here as guests of the restaurant. They just opened last week, and they’re the same ownership team behind Atto Prime and Tudor City Steakhouse. Check out my Ride & Review video first, then read on.
Flavor: 9
We had the porterhouse for two. It was pretty great. Excellent crust, perfectly overcooked, and it was very tender. It was a bit mild on the dry aged flavor, and that’s why I took a point.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
There’s a good selection of prime cuts here all day long, and everything is aged in-house.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
The plating here is 100% standard steakhouse style, and the portions are all big enough to share when it comes to sides, and most apps and desserts.
Price: 8
Prices have gone up significantly lately in the city, especially for beef. But this place is keeping it pretty friendly compared to others I’ve seen in the area that have really jacked up their prices. A steak for two is still under $120, and most single cuts are under $60.
Bar: 7
The bar here is beautiful, but they only serve wine and wine style cocktails, as they are still waiting for their liquor license.
Specials and Other Meats: 9
There were no real specials read to us, but they did have lamb, chicken, and this absolutely delicious, tender and mild “Serious NY Veal Chop” on the menu. We loved it – 9/10.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
Excellent oysters Rockefeller, creamed spinach and truffle creamed corn. I highly recommend all of these.
For the desserts, I say stick with the creme brulee. The others were good, but not up to par with that one. The cheesecake was a close second, but it ate a slight bit salty. Great creamy texture though.
Seafood Selection: 8
Based on what I had (the oysters) this place is legit for seafood. I’d have to go back and try more to really level this section up though.
Service: 10
Service is impeccable here. Nobody does it quite like these lifelong steakhouse and restaurant industry professionals. Great focaccia and toasty table bread too.
Ambiance: 7
They definitely made the best of this narrow space, which, I think, used to be a sort of mini-market, perhaps Japanese. It looked familiar to my wife and I when we were there. Great job on the renovation, and I think the outdoor seating area is going to be awesome.
I can’t wait to go back and try more steaks!
BENNY JOHN’S BAR & GRILL
8 E 48th St
New York, NY 10017
