Fine Steakhouses
Hall’s chophouse - Greenville and Charleston, SC - Hall’s chophouse has two locations, one in Charleston and one in Greenville. In both locations I had a New York strip steak.
In Charleston I had the dry aged New York strip steak with broccoli and béarnaise sauce. I believe that the sauce was a bad combination with the dry aged steak, and instead I should have opted for a sweeter sauce, perhaps a red wine sauce.
In Greenville I had the wet aged strip steak with worchestershire sauce. This was an outstanding combination. My wife had the filet mignon. Our sides were the olive oil roasted spinach and french fries. This meal was a rare meal in which everything fits together excellently.
In our second trip to Charleston, I had the dry aged ribeye with the House Worcestershire sauce. My wife had a filet with Red Wine Bordelaise sauce. We had Hall’s merlot with the meal. The sides were asparagus and French fries. It was another incredible meal.
Bourbon steak - Washington, DC - I had the rib cap steak. It was the best meat that I have ever had. My wife had the Waygu filet mignon. They also had truffle mashed potatoes and truffle muffins. The muffins were outstanding. I had Maldanado wine blend with the steak.
BLT steaks - Washington, DC - I had a New York strip steak and my wife had filet mignon. Both were very good. The sauces included chimichurri sauce, worchestershire sauce, and red wine sauce. I did not like the chimichurri sauce. The worchestershire sauce was the best sauce of the three. The sides were asparagus and french fries.
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab - Chicago, Il - I went to this restaurant with Frank Merle, Dana Mendelson, and Michael. I had the 24 ounce, bone-in signature ribeye. We shared French fries and steamed asparagus as sides. We shared a bottle of Tenuta Rapitala wine and a piece of key lime pie for dessert. The meal was very good. I really liked the seasoning spice for the steak. I think a nice seasoning rub can be better than a good sauce.
Hy’s - Honolulu, HI - This is another fine steakhouse. My wife had the beef Wellington, and I had the grilled filet with au poivre sauce. My wife and I had merlot. This restaurant is very good. There is a dress code, collared shirts are required.
Prime 44 West - White Sulfur Springs, WV - Prime 44 West is named for ``the Logo”, Jerry West. I had the prime bone in rib-eye. My wife had the eight ounce filet mignon. We shared a side of lobster mashed potatoes—outstanding. I had a glass of merlot with the meal. We had house made steak sauce and au poivre sauce on our steaks. The sauces were average at best. Still, a very fine meal. Business casual dress code.
We have returned a few times since our initial visit. I prefer the porterhouse now. The restaurant is fairly family-friendly.
Doe’s Eat Place - Little Rock, AR - The steaks are family style, so the smallest steak one can order there is three pounds, although one can also order filets. The sides are standard : salad, Texas toast, and boiled potatoes. I used A1 steak sauce.
There is no question that the meat is the star here, and star it does. The steaks are a good meat that is well - cooked and well seasoned. We had a three pound T - bone. We nearly finished all the meat, and it was very good.
We went to the Fayetteville location in the fall of 2022. We again ordered the T - bone. I enjoyed a local IPA with the steak.
Abe and Louie’s - Boston, MA - I went to this restaurant with Andrew Lawrie. Andrew had the bone-in ribeye. I had the filet mignon. We shared a side of lobster macaroni and cheese. I enjoyed the lobster macaroni and cheese. We also shared a bottle of Rioja wine.
Arthur’s Prime Steakhouse - Little Rock, AR - I had the filet mignon with peppercorn sauce. The filet was dry aged, and I believe that peppercorn sauce is a good sauce for dry aged steak. The garlic and basil mashed potatoes were also very good. My wife and I shared the dark chocolate souffle for dessert, which was outstanding.
Red Rock Canyon Grill - Norman, OK - I had a ten ounce filet with brandy peppercorn sauce, cooked spinach and onions, red mashed potatoes, and the house merlot. Outstanding meal.
Mike’s American Grill - Springfield, VA - I had the drunken ribeye. My wife had the filet mignon and crab cake meal. We had Columbia Crest Merlot wine. We had Tex Mex egg rolls as an appetizer. I had a Caesar salad and mashed potatoes with my meal. My wife had Brussel sprouts as a side. The drunken ribeye is marinated with the house IPA; it had very nice flavor and is very good meat. The filet and crab cake were also very good. The appetizer was good. The sides, salad, and wine were fine, but not exceptional.
This was the largest steakhouse I have ever visited. It is a free standing structure with two floors. The restaurant is staffed with a large, efficient, and very friendly staff. I think this restaurant, as a steakhouse, is very good. I believe that it is also one of the best family dining restaurant I have ever visited. It is a restaurant that one could bring a large family to visit. Someone who did not want to eat a steak could have a crab cake instead, for example, and have a very nice meal.
Butcher and Singer - Philadelphia, PA - I had the New York strip steak. My parents shared a filet mignon, and my wife had a salad and a baked potato. We shared an order of Singer fries. I had béarnaise sauce on the side and hot green tea to drink.
The french fries were outstanding. The béarnaise sauce was not very good, although it should be noted that the waiter told me that the steaks were typically eaten without sauce at that restaurant. The steak was very well - seasoned, and did not need any sauce at all. Although not how I usually enjoy my steak, it was good nonetheless. The biscuits with the tea were excellent. It might be a nice restaurant to enjoy afternoon tea, for example, if one wanted to do that.
Angus Barn - Raleigh, NC - Even though it was early November, the restaurant was decorated for the Christmas season. In keeping with the theme, I ordered the chateaubriand, with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. Very nice meal. I attended with Jeremy Marzuola, who is a vegetarian.
Jeff Ruby’s - Lexington, KY - I went with Mihai Tohaneanu. I had the Cowboy steak, a 22 ounce dry aged ribeye with a glass of the Rickshaw red wine. I had the Jeff Ruby’s baked macaroni and cheese. The macaroni and cheese was good, although not as good as the macaroni and cheese and Abe and Louie’s.
The Wonder Bar - Clarksville, WV - A very good steak and a beautiful view. We both had béarnaise sauce. I had a New York strip steak and my wife had filet mignon. They were both very good. Don’t just take my word for it, take the word of the distinguished Senator Joe Manchin.
The strip club - St. Paul, MN - The name is a pun, it is a restaurant and nothing more. I had the New York strip steak with fois gras sauce, carrots, and a Malbec red wine. The cow hides on the wall add a nice touch.
La Boca - New Orleans, LA - La Boca is an Argentinian steakhouse. I had the New York strip steak with a side of asparagus, with chimichurri sauce and Malbec red wine, of course. They also gave us roasted red pepper sauce and horseradish sauce. I think both of these sauces do not go well with steak, because their flavors are a little too outspoken. However, my wife liked the roasted red pepper sauce with her empanadas, and I agree with that assessment.
Woodmont Grill - Bethesda, MD - I had ``The Hawaiian”, which is a rib-eye steak with pineapple-soy-ginger marinade. My wife had the crab cakes. I had the Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon wine. The meal was very good. This is not actually a steakhouse. I think one would be better off ordering the crab cakes here.
Steakhouses abroad
Pound - Kyoto, Japan - I had an opportunity to visit Japan and to try some nice Kobe beef at Pound steakhouse. Kobe beef is quite good, but also very expensive. I enjoyed the meal, but it was not the best steak I have ever had.
El Tarrascon - Bonn, Germany - This is an Argentine steakhouse. I went to this restaurant twice during a week-long conference at the University of Bonn. The first time, I had an empanada de Ave as an appetizer. Next, I had an Ensalada Verde. Both the empanada and salad were quite flavorful. For dinner, I had Bife Ancho and Papas Fritas. I had a glass of El Tarrascon Malbec with the meal, and tequila for dessert.
The second time, I went with Roland Donninger, Joachim Krieger, Camille Muscalu, Dirk Hundertmark, and Sebastian Herr. This time I ordered the same meal, but we shared a bottle of wine and had dessert.
Maredo - Leipzig, Germany - This is an Argentine steakhouse that is found throughout Germany. I had a filet with herb butter, mashed potatoes, and merlot. A very nice meal.
Seoul, South Korea - This place had excellent steak, prepared in the South Korean barbecue style. The steak is served with cold noodles. It is customarily served with Korean liquor, but I ordered red wine instead.
Le Relais de l’Entrecote - Paris, France - I have been to this restaurant five times. I like the fact that they only have one item on the menu, and it is good. One may choose a wine accompaniment and dessert. Their chocolate cake was very good.
Good steakhouse chains
Fogo de Chao - I have been to both the Baltimore and Washington DC locations. You should go with a big appetite. The steaks are all excellent. The grilled bananas and mashed potatoes are also outstanding. I believe that their salad bar is also very good, although somewhat of a waste given the abundance of steak.
Houstons - I have been to two locations, one in Phoenix, and one in Memphis. At the Memphis location I had a blackened ribeye with dirty rice, which was very good.
J. Alexander’s - I have been to the location in Nashville and had the ribeye with Hawaiian sauce. I had mashed potatoes on the side, which was a good accompaniment.
Ruth’s Chris - I went to the location in San Diego. The meal was very good. If you are looking for a good, solid steak, Ruth’s Chris will deliver.
Fleming’s - I went to Fleming’s in Providence, Rhode Island. I had the steak with a crabcake on top and Béarnaise sauce. The side was white asparagus. I thought that the meal was good, although overpriced.