Butcher Bros. Steakhouse (CLOSED)

Cleaver is as cleaver does: The Redzic family, whose butchering pedigree goes back four generations, is behind this steakhouse. Before 1994, Dino Redzic, the gracious former maître d’ at the James Beard House, and his brother, Johnny, owned a butcher shop, a catering company and Italian restaurants in Astoria, Queens, and Naples, Florida. Their experience shows in tender, air-cured steaks and other staples of the genre, including oysters, shrimp cocktail and Caesar salad. Dino claims his place has the largest wine list in the neighborhood. We’ll take his word for it. You don’t want to challenge a man with his knife skills.