This Brighton landmark has fed the carnivorous masses for close to half a century now—and yet the oversized signage out front still provokes a giddy reaction. Is it the throwback charms of the space, fireplace, dark-wood paneling, antique signage, and all? Or is it the fact that the four main steak cuts can be topped—sorry, “crowned”—with the likes of lobster Oscar or jumbo baked shrimp? All we know is that when we pull up to the nondescript brick exterior, we have to stop ourselves from trotting in to join all the old-timers in yet another celebratory meat meal.
How to book: Make a reservation via website
A steakhouse inside a casino could not be more Rat Pack-y, and Rare invites that level of debauchery. Under the seasoned eye of head chef Kyle Bradis, the restaurant has blossomed into a destination dining spot. Order up unconventional cuts like Ideue beef, Sanuki Olive Beef, and Kobe—the real stuff, not the unregulated cuts—and you’ll feast alongside rare bourbons, chic decor, and unmatched views. Make time for the surf and turf for two special on Sunday nights—for a mere $250, you’ll split a 20-ounce Wagyu dry-aged New York strip from Snake River Farms and a broiled two-and-a-half pound Maine lobster, served beurre blanc-style.
How to book: Make a reservation via website
The city’s paleo patriarch has been giving us our daily protein for close to four decades now, and it isn’t even close to slowing down. This place is expense account central, with mahogany walls, giant marble columns, and three-figure Wagyu strip-loin kicking off the menu (just think of all the backroom business deals that have been made over this dish). The a la carte cuts are the stars here, with the 100-day-aged ribeye and the Kobe cap steak being the star of the stars. If you’re not willing to pay more for dinner than you pay for your monthly heating bill, check out the bar menu, which includes a special bar burger.
Brian Piccini and Chris Coombs took over a cursed South End restaurant space and turned it into a must-try destination. The steak frites menu is everything you could want from life: Pick your cut (hanger, strip, skirt), sauce (bearnaise, bordelaise, chimichurri butter), then bask in the glory of the bottomless fries bowl that comes to the table. All the desired steakhouse accoutrements are here, too, from oysters and popovers to roasted bone marrow and a leaning tower of onion rings that simply must be ordered for the table.
The name is a little unnerving, but otherwise this place is paleo heaven. There are no less than 13 different steak options on the menu, all served with bone marrow butter and roasted garlic. Want a little surf with your turf? Add on some jumbo shrimp. Want to really go all out? Opt for the 6-ounce, $185 Japanese Wagyu sirloin, and top it with some seared Hudson Valley foie gras.
This Back Bay institution is so entrenched, you almost take it for granted—until you crave a gluttonous celebration and beeline it to Boylston Street. There is no reinvention of the wheel here, but rather a celebration of chophouse classics like prime Midwestern steaks aged at least 30 days on the bone accompanied by creamed spinach, sauteed mushrooms, and jumbo baked potatoes served in a staid, dark-wood paneled setting. You can even lure out a pescatarian for an evening, given that the swordfish steak is the restaurant’s unofficial signature dish.
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