9 Essential Steakhouses in Philadelphia

From Japanese wagyu to dry-aged cuts, these restaurants are serving the best steak in Philly.

A classic rib eye or filet mignon may not be Philly’s most famous steak (our famous cheesesteaks cover that), but the city’s rich historic buildings house plenty of swanky dining rooms where you’ll find the quintessential steakhouse experience.

In the last few years, the old guard of classic steakhouses has given way to several newer, more modern spots where the kitchens are experimenting with current trends alongside the benchmark dishes. From romantic dining rooms where you can order up a lofty seafood tower to sleek old-school spots with dry-aged steaks and perfect martinis, these are the best steakhouses in Philadelphia.

Alpen Rose

Center City
$$$$

Michael Schulson’s steakhouse is a modern reimagining of what a steakhouse can be. Woven among requisite steakhouse dishes like a wedge salad and shrimp cocktail, you’ll find surprises like an octopus ceviche, smoked beet salad, and a whole roasted fish. The focus is still meat, of course, and the restaurant’s dry-aging room makes that clear. The dining room is on the smaller side for a steakhouse at just 40 seats, so the vibe leans more romantic than business-meeting appropriate—which is sometimes exactly what you need. 

Available for Reservations

Barclay Prime

Rittenhouse
$$$$

On the ground floor of the old Barclay building—which you may recognize as the site of the Abscam sting in American Hustle—Barclay Prime is one of two high-end steakhouses by Stephen Starr. In a dining room with plenty of leather banquettes, marble surfaces, and chic chandeliers, the options range from a petite 8-ounce filet to a slate of ultra-luxe Japanese wagyu. Tack on the restaurant’s caviar service and picks from the raw bar for a decadent outing, or keep it simple with classics like shrimp cocktail, a wedge salad, or jumbo lump crab cakes to start. 

Available for Reservations

Butcher and Singer

Rittenhouse
$$$$

With any Stephen Starr operation, you know what you’re getting: great service, flawless execution, and a hefty price tag that’s well worth the sting. At Butcher & Singer, Starr’s throwback to the old Hollywood-style chophouses, everything comes as expected. Steak is, of course, the focus here, and each cut can be prepared in an au poivre-style with a peppery cream sauce; topped with super lump crab, asparagus, béarnaise; or doused in the restaurant’s signature sauce with steak sauce, horseradish cream, and béarnaise. From simple New York strips to an indulgent 50-ounce tomahawk rib eye for two, there’s something for everyone—and a wide selection of seafood options like Lobster Newberg, King Salmon in Champagne sauce, and a sprawling raw bar will please pescetarians as well. No matter what you order, don’t leave without sipping a few Martinis or Manhattans from the classic cocktail menu to get the full Golden Era experience.

Available for Reservations

Located in what was once the lobby of the First Pennsylvania Bank, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle is the spot if you are looking for a show-stopping venue to go with heart-stoppingly good beef. The dining room features sweeping three-story columns and a 40-foot wine tower at the center of the restaurant that holds 1,200 bottles. Needless to say, the wine list here is on point. Beyond beverages, you’ll find a number of shareable starters and raw bar towers, some seafood and white meat entrees, and wagyu and dry-aged steak options. The restaurant also offers a tasting menu option so you can sample all the hits on the restaurant’s menu.

Available for Reservations

With paella de mariscos, empanadas, homemade blood sausage, and other Argentinian favorites on the menu, this spot won’t deliver a stuffy steakhouse experience. But it will give you the opportunity to sample stand-out traditional dishes from Argentina alongside a number of quality steaks with chimichurri that are all less than $50 a piece. And, of course, on the beverage side, there’s plenty of sangria and rich Argentinian wines to go around.
How to book: Via website

The Prime Rib
Photo courtesy of The Prime Rib

The Prime Rib

South Philly
$$$$

The Prime Rib’s beloved location in Center City closed in 2019, but luckily, that made way for a new outpost of the steakhouse to open inside the Live! Casino & Hotel, where the comfortable, modern interior feels nothing like what you may expect from the interior of a casino. So whether you want to saddle up to the poker table, try your hand at the slots, or skip straight to dinner, The Prime Rib will deliver a solid steakhouse experience. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant’s namesake dish is a must-order, as are the loaded potato skins, the truffle mac ‘n cheese, and seared scallops. A generous wine list and seasonal cocktail menu completes the experience.

Available for Reservations

The Saloon

Bella Vista
$$$$

If the other options on this list seem a little buttoned-up to you, head to the Saloon in Bella Vista for a decidedly less pretentious vibe. For more than 50 years, the family-run restaurant has kept the bellies of South Philly full with a menu covering Italian classics (braciole, broccoli rabe), essential steakhouse starters (clams casino, shrimp oscar), and all the mains you’d expect at a swanky steakhouse like a 12-ounce New York strip or a petite filet with port wine sauce for a fraction of the price.

Available for Reservations

Steak 48

Center City
$$$$

People love Steak 48. The Arizona-based restaurant has locations in Houston, Chicago and Charlotte, but don’t write it off just because it’s a chain. The place has deep steakhouse cred as it is run by owners (and brothers) Jeff and Mike Mastro. If you recognize their last name, it’s because they’re related to the Mastrio’s Steakhouse family, which launched more than 20 years ago. The Philly location is a sprawling restaurant that hits all the necessary beats and then some: raw seafood, tons of sides like truffle fries and bacon Brussels sprouts, steaks that are wet aged for 28 days, as well as a celebrated wine list.

Available for Reservations

Urban Farmer

Logan Square
$$$$

Located inside The Logan hotel, this modern steakhouse offers all the classics with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. French onion soup, shrimp cocktail, and other traditional steakhouse starters are on the menu alongside more inventive options like a ricotta and beet salad and a seafood mezze board with jumbo lump crab salad, salmon rillettes, and citrus-poached shrimp. For the main event, choose from options like a 18-ounce, dry-aged New York strip sourced from Pennsylvania or 14-ounce rib eye from Joyce Farms, or opt for the restaurant’s tasting menu where you’ll get six-ounce cuts of three different steaks for $75.

Available for Reservations
Dan McKay thinks there are too many good places to drink in Philly. Send Dan beer money (or follow him) @dannypageviews.
Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme is a freelance food writer and restaurant reporter based in Philadelphia. Find her drinking martinis, eating pasta, and baking extravagant layer cakes on Instagram or find her work in publications like Philadelphia MagazineEaterFood & WineBon Appetit, and more.