The 10 best steakhouses in Miami

Few steakhouses can claim they’re farm-to-table but Edge Steak & Bar is among those that can. Chef Aaron Brooks’ seasonally driven menu is filled with dishes made from ingredients he sources locally and spices with herbs grown right in the restaurant’s garden. In keeping with the wholesome vibe, Edge serves lightened-up versions of various meat dishes available on the menu, focusing on smaller cuts and veggie sides. On Fridays, nine-to-fivers in the Brickell area flock to the outdoor patio for drinks in the beautiful garden.

It’s not just retirees who earn Miami the dubious nickname of New York City’s sixth borough—the city’s restaurants have a lot to do with it, too. Popular Manhattan steakhouse Quality Meats is one of many transplants that’s been a hit with locals, in part for its prime cuts of beef supplied by well-known butcher Pat LaFrieda, which are even better after a stint in the restaurant’s 1,200-degree infrared broiler. Dining in the eatery’s Art Deco digs is very much an old-school steakhouse experience—expect dry-aged steaks, starchy sides, shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad. However, there are also some standout contemporary favorites, like the house-cured bacon served with chunky peanut butter and an apple-jalapeno jelly, veal shank for two and a burnt marshmallow ice cream dessert.

There are certain things you expect when dining out at a steakhouse: You want the service to be top-notch, the atmosphere pleasant but not fussy and the selection superior—including the wine, of course. All of the above is true of Red, the Steakhouse, a South of Fifth neighborhood staple that’s been known to lure its share of passersby to its tastefully modern, crimson dining room. Lobster pastas and Japanese Kobe beef selections feel like a nod to the flashy clientele, but steakhouse standards, like a crisp Caesar salad and a 14-ounce bone-in filet mignon rule the menu. 

Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak is one of those out-of-the-way restaurants you willingly travel far distances for. Not even the sleepy Turnberry Isle resort keeps this place from packing in crowds on Friday and Saturday nights. The setting is big, bold and glossy. The all-natural steak is poached in herb-infused butter before being grilled in a wood-burning oven. Options range from Florida grass-fed filet mignon to Angus dry-aged bone-in rib-eye. Among the signature sides are the crispy duck-fat french fries Travel + Leisure once regaled as the best in the U.S. Clearly, these are not to be missed.

This lively North Beach spot is not for the faint of heart or stomach. Inside, the music is deafening and the abrupt wait staff have yet to master the art of ingratiating American customer service. Vegetarians would be horrified by the mixed grill—sweetbreads, sausages, blood sausages, entrails and grilled meats galore—but carnivores will rejoice in the whopping big short ribs and filets. Everyone’s favorite is the photogenic, 1.5-pound, flank steak­ dubbed the "enrollada" that’s just waiting to be Instagrammed.

No, it’s not a pick-up joint. The modern steakhouse is actually one of the classier spots to set up shop on Lincoln Road. It’s enormous, too (4,400 square feet, with a cute outdoor café for al fresco dining). The "Meat" in the title refers to the high-quality slabs of beef that are trucked in from local farms and flown in from New York and Australia. Signature steaks—like a prime filet mignon—can be ordered as full or half-cuts. Vegetarians, meanwhile, can opt to carbo-load on waistline-busting side dishes like gouda-stuffed tater tots, truffle cream corn and gratinée of mac and cheese. Burn off dinner with a stroll down South Beach’s buzziest strip.

For years critics lauded the incredible seafood selection at BLT Steak, so it was only a matter of time until chef Laurent Tourondel turned his steak restaurant into a surf-and-turf concept renamed LT Steak & Seafood. The modern eatery still occupies the ground floor of the Betsy hotel and continues chef Tourondel’s tradition of mixing classic French techniques with American ingredients. You’ll find seafood ceviche and various sushi rolls alongside steak tartare and fall-off-the-bone tender short ribs, plus eight different slabs of beef, all of them naturally aged and broiled at super-high temperatures. Grab a table on the charming beachfront patio for Miamians’ favorite sport: people-watching.

PM Fish & Steak House nails the steakhouse experience and leaves out all of the pretentiousness of similar places. There’s a quaint, Argentine farmhouse feel to the brick-decorated, wooden dining room despite seating more than 200. Seafood is a big part of the menu, which is heavily influenced by Argentina’s coastal cuisine, but the steak is clearly the standout. Limit yourself to octopus empanadas, surprisingly moist and flavorful, or one of the day’s fresh catch as a shared starter. The steaks are large and filling, and best enjoyed sizzling off the parilla. Ask your server to help you navigate the extensive wine list, as most of what’s on it isn’t sold locally.

You can almost taste the power surging through this traditional, clubby steakhouse, where the excellent food and service attract an impressive clientele, both business types and Coral Gables regulars. Expect superlative lamb chops, steaks and prime rib, a decent Caesar salad and classic desserts. Don’t miss the baked Alaska for two, an otherwise ordinary Neapolitan ice cream made extraordinary by the tableside fire show. The lively piano bar between the two dining rooms hosts live jazz on Friday evenings.

Command central for carnivores and those who devour a good, star-studded scene, Prime 112 (“Prime One Twelve”) is perennially packed. Reservations don’t even mean anything here, so park yourself at the bar, snack on the free bacon and prepare to wait to be seated. The aged beef is delish, as are the soy-marinated sea bass and the massive salads and side dishes, but the real dish here is the crowd, a mass of glamazons, wannabes and celebs who don’t even need to tip off the paparazzi to be seen.