The 13 best steakhouses in NYC to sink your teeth into

What is it? Simon Kim's world-class Korean BBQ and steakhouse doesn't just rank among the best in the city, but now among the best in the world.  

Why we love it: Some of New York City’s toughest tables are fixed with gleaming grills like crown jewels at Cote Korean steakhouse. This one’s design skews more sleek than plush, but its ambiance is still flattering, with scattered pops of neon light. But the red glow from the dry-aged beef locker is the biggest draw—just let it entrance you. For a hunger that needs to be ravished, the butcher’s feast is up to the task with banchan, an unforgettable savory egg soufflé, a duo of stews, and, of course, USDA Prime and American Wagyu beef.

Time Out tip: The stellar steakhouse recently expanded with a multi-level operation in midtown. You can find some of their greatest hits (dry-aged beef cuts with banchan) while their newly minted upstairs bar, Bar Chimera, strives to make the best martini in town. 

Address: 16 W 22nd St, New York, NY 10010

Opening hours: Sun–Wed 5–11pm; Thu–Sat 5pm–midnight 

What is it? Sharing the same strip as Madison Square Garden, this steakhouse channels the nostalgia of yesteryear, peppered with modern-day elements that will please meat lovers of every era.

Why we love it: If George Jetson zoomed around the atmosphere in search of an excellent steakhouse, we think he would arrive at something like The Dynamo Room. Looking straight out of the space race, the steakhouse references iconic eras with Sputnik-like sculptures near the front and an oyster cellar/overflow bar in the back dubbed the Astro Bar. The steakhouse strikes a balance between something old and something new as white-suit-jacketed servers wheel up to the table with prime, ruby-red cuts of the day, from the NY strip steak to the bone ribeye, dry-aged for 50 days.

Time Out tip: If you have tickets to a game or show at Madison Square Garden next door, the steakhouse has two separate exits that will get you right to the front. Keep in mind: The New York Knicks and MSG host outdoor playoff watch parties on the plaza that's right off The Dynamo Room's patio. Things can get rowdy (aka, loud), so book a table in the off-season if you seek silence with your steak.

Address: 2 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10121

Opening hours: Tue–Thu 11:30am–9pm; Fri–Mon 4–9pm

What is it? New York's first fine dining revue continues to be top of its class when it comes to steak.

Why we love it: Delmonico's has existed at the tip of FiDi since 1837. It's gone through various changes over the years—expansion, fires, and even a closure. Yet like a phoenix, the distinguished dine has risen time and time again, consistently returning with what it does best: all manner of steak. The signature Delmonico ribeye, popularized by the restaurant's original chef, legendary chef Charles Ranhofer, is still on the menu today, in all of its juicy and incredibly tender glory. 

Time Out tip: The restaurant is the originator of many dishes that we see today: Baked Alaska, Chicken á la Keene and Eggs Benedict. Meaning a historic dish is only a fork's dive away. 

Address: 56 Beaver St, New York, NY 10004

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 5–10pm, Sat noon–10pm, Sun noon–9pm

What is it? A London import that's found favor among New Yorkers. That, and it is a steakhouse with some sense: Hawksmoor is the only U.S. steakhouse to be B Corp-certified.

Why we love it: The Hawksmoor brand—which currently operates 13 locations across the world—has a knack for picking a historic home to lay its head. The New York location is no different, as the steakhouse resides in the former United Charities Building, which lends an element of grandeur with cavernous ceilings and original crown molding. The steaks bring the whole experience to the stratosphere, as the USDA prime cuts are heavily crusted in salt and grilled over white oak charcoal handcrafted in Virginia. And while the steakhouse works hard to keep things local by sourcing grass-fed steaks within a 300-mile radius, they still have a British sensibility, serving their iconic Sunday Roast every weekend. 

Time Out Tip: If you watched HBO’s The Penguin, you may spot a few familiar New York spaces, the Hawksmoor being one of them. 

Address: 109 E 22nd St, New York, NY 10010

Opening hours: Mon–Wed noon–3pm and 5–9:30pm; Thu–Sat noon–3pm and 5pm–10:30pm; Sun noon–4:30pm and 5:30–9:30pm

What is it? Daniel Boulud’s first steakhouse is a certified stunner found steps away from Madison Square Park. 

Why we love it: Somehow, in all of his years taming both fire and flame, Daniel Boulud was missing a steakhouse in his repertoire. That has all but changed with the opening of La Tete d'Or. Grand isn't a strong enough word to describe the high-ceilinged dining hall with its seamless blend of copper and mirrors, framed by the metal artpiece that doubles as a kitchen hood. But the food rivals the glow, with eleven cuts of USDA prime gracing the menu, including the Wagyu prime rib that wheels right up to the table. 

Time Out tip: Turns out Boulud loves a good sundae, and he's recreated this Americana classic with glee. No matter what soft serve you choose (vanilla, chocolate, or berry-cassis), it all comes with a platter of goodies, be it sprinkles, cocoa nibs, or cookie dough. 

Address: 318 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 11:30am–2pm; Sat 5–10:45pm; Sun 5–10pm

What is it? Brooklyn’s nearly 150-year-old steakhouse, revived for the modern age. 

Why we love it: Gage & Tollner is a lot of things. One of our best new restaurants in 2021. An excellent cocktail destination with a dedicated martini menu. And a fancy chop house, all inside a beautiful space. This should also be your top pick when dining with the steakhouse-averse, as it has plenty of other excellent options to choose from (try the fried chicken). And the T-bone, ribeye and NY strip are a cut above many places that amplify their steakhouse proclivities much louder. 

Time Out Tip: Climb upstairs to the not-so-secret Sunken Harbor Club, one of our best bars in NYC, and let the seafaring vibes take you away.

Address: 372 Fulton St, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 5–10pm; Sat, Sun 11–10pm

What is it? A self-billed "vibrant Mexican steakhouse" that lives up to its promise with housemade salsas, excellent steaks and bone marrow tacos served on wheels. 

Why we love it: Cuerno tips its hat to Mexico's culinary traditions, particularly the fire-driven ones. Steaks are prepared in the norteño style, a cooking method originating from Northern Mexico that follows a straightforward approach to grilling: salt and smoke. The Josper charcoal oven, visible from the basement level, does all the heavy lifting, grilling salt-crusted steaks and slow-roasting short ribs for up to 12 hours at a time. But beyond steaks (if you can look past them), Cuerno rounds out with homemade salsas that you will use throughout the meal, drizzling them over seafood and a full menu of tacos. 

Time Out tip: All we ask is that you save room for the Pastel de Campechanas. Golden brown and flaky as ever, the puff pastries, known as campechanas, are layered on top of a solid hunk of vanilla ice cream that's damn near drenched in dulce de leche made up of slow-cooked goat’s milk. 

Address: Time & Life Building, Rockefeller, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–11pm; Fri 11:30am–midnight; Sat noon–midnight; Sun noon–11pm

What is it? A modern Korean steakhouse that's just a few steps away from your Broadway show. But even if you don't have tickets in hand, Gui Steakhouse is worth the trip to Times Square.  

Why we love it: We've known that chef Sungchul Shim is a master when it comes to meat; one taste of his A5 Wagyu at Kochi is enough to convince us. He's taken it on a larger scale with the opening of Gui Steakhouse, operating smack dab in Times Square, just a block away from those glittering lights on Broadway. Among the flurry of the surrounding neighborhood, Shim creates a quiet, blue-hued sanctuary, one where meats are dry-aged with a rub of shio kombu before meeting the grill powered by binchotan charcoal. 

Time Out tip: Gui's has a pretty awesome lunch special that we recommend you have after your afternoon matinee—unless you like falling asleep for the price of a Broadway ticket. There is a full collection of sotbap, or traditional Korean rice bowls, to choose from, easily filling you up with a steaming bowl of rice, banchan, soup and your choice of main, be it soy-marinated salmon ($25) or the soondubu jjiage ($19) that bubbles a fiery red with translucent slices of Wagyu and soft, jiggly bits of silken tofu.

Address: 776 8th Ave, New York, NY 10036

Opening hours: Mon–Sat noon–2:30pm, 4–10pm; Sun noon–2:30pm, 4–9pm

What is it? Las Vegas's longest-running steakhouse has left the Strip to pastures out east, bringing its glitz and glamour to Greenwich Village.

Why we love it: The old Vegas charm is alive and well at Golden Steer. Much swankier than the 1958 property that still resides on the Strip, the New York iteration glimmers with mahogany woods and mirrored ceilings and so much fringe you'll be shaking too. Dinner and a show is taken seriously, as white-jacketed servers wheel up to the table for tableside showings of Caesar salads, 35-day dry-aged steaks (they are known for the shorthorn cut, aka the NY strip), and flaming desserts, including bananas foster and cherries jubilee. 

Time Out tip: Classic steakhouse means classic cocktails. Just know that solid martinis and sazeracs can be found here.

Address: 1 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003

Opening hours: Tue–Sat 5-10pm

What is it? A steakhouse stalwart founded in 1885. 

Why we love it: Keens is the kind of place where everybody knows its name. The 140-year-old chop of history is also almost as famous for its mutton chop, formally detailed as “our legendary mutton chop” on the menu, as it is for its titular item. Go for the creamed spinach and baked potatoes in an ornately throwback dining room that soars over the top of the genre. 

Time Out Tip: Look up and gaze upon the 45,000 smoking pipes hanging on the ceiling. Many of these smoking vessels belonged to former and famous members of Keens’ Pipe Club, including Albert Einstein, Babe Ruth and Teddy Roosevelt. 

Address: 72 West 36th St, New York, NY 10018

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 11:45am–10:30pm; Sat 5–10:30pm; Sun 5–9:30pm

What is it? An old-school steakhouse that still retains its yesteryear character. 

Why we love it: Another oldie but goodie, Gallaghers first opened as an actual speakeasy at this very address in 1927. Once alcohol was made legal, they added meat to the mix and it was a hit. Enjoy legal libations with your steaks, chops and a long list of alternatives such as the beautiful raw bar.

Time Out Tip: Snap a selfie outside its famed meat window and peep the tags to see which cut has been aging the longest.

Address: 228 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:45amn–10pm; Fri, Sat 11:45am–11pm

What is it? Brooklyn's oldest steakhouse that still retains its charms. 

Why we love it: Guess what? Even decades later, Luger is perfectly fine and good, and if you’re going to take your visiting in-laws out for steak, and you must choose between here and a less-known, maybe even slightly technically better spot, it’s gonna be Luger time, every time, baby. Pick the house dry-aged steak of your preference, choose from salads like the Iceberg Wedge Salad showered with niblets of the thick-cut bacon and always, and we mean always, tack on the Luger's special German fried potatoes. 

Time Out tip: You can finally use a debit card to pay, as this longstanding institution was cash-only for the majority of its existence. 

Address: 178 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Opening hours: Daily 11:45am–9:45pm

What is it? A one-time dockworkers’ chophouse, now classic for all. 

Why we love it: When co-owners brothers Greg and Marc Sherry took over the steakhouse from their father, they followed a pretty solid philosophy: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The last refresh dates around the 1950s era, and the interior speaks to it with a palette of auburn, bronze and chestnut, brick walls and those oh-so classic red plush banquettes. 16oz herb and spice-crusted ribeye and the Wagyu strip are well-temped and well-seasoned and the slice of NY cheesecake is still a creamy classic. 

Time Out Tip: The best deal in NYC lies with their Porterhouse for two priced at $95, which includes a Caesar salad, mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. 

Address: 56 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 5–9pm; Sat 5–10pm; Sun 4–9pm