Where To Eat Serious Steak Without Feeling Like An Old Man

Here’s what the weekday lunch situation looks like at The Infatuation: Around noon, we grab our briefcases and hop in a taxi to Smith & Wollensky. Once we’ve checked our tophats at coat check, we sometimes have a martini at the bar before sitting down, and then we usually order the Porterhouse for Two, but only one of us eats it. And then we always have the same argument about whether to order the creamed spinach, but let’s not get into that here. It’s a lovely affair, and we arrive back at the office at about 4pm, just before calling it a day.

So yeah, you could say steakhouses are our thing.

Just kidding.

But when the occasion does arise to go all out on a steak dinner, we ideally like to do it in places where boxy suits are not the required uniform. Fortunately, there are a few excellent and not so stuffy places.

The Spots

Quality Eats is a steakhouse, but disguised as a cool West Village restaurant. It’s a dark spot, with cool vibes, great cocktails, and speakers playing The Weeknd songs. On the menu? Hamachi crudo, bacon sitting in peanut butter, and ice cream scoops topped with birthday cake croutons. Also, steaks: all of which are under $30, and all of which are really good.

Minetta Tavern has always been good, and it’s gotten better over time. The vibe is unbeatable, but just prepare to ball out and drop some money on a steak. And by that we mean $60 on a strip.

M. Wells Steakhouse is actually a pretty regular steakhouse experience – a departure from the foie gras bimimbap of M. Wells diner lore. But it’s a steakhouse in a beautiful space that was once an auto-body shop in Long Island City, and it’s way more chill than your typical Midtown spot.

St. Anselm essentially lets you enjoy the pleasures of a steakhouse – meat, inventive potatoes – but in the comfort of a Williamsburg bar. Also, unlikely literally any “steakhouse,” you can get it for a shockingly reasonable price.

Maybe because it’s on 12th Street, or maybe because of the bordello-ish vibes, but Strip House manages to be a steakhouse completely devoid of grandpas and guys on bluetooth earpieces. Do people still wear bluetooth earpieces? At Sparks and The Palm, yes.

Marc Forgione is dangerously close to Wall Street, but it’s also cozy as hell and full of delicious food, including a Tomahawk Chop with Bone Marrow that will put a hurting on you. Bring friends.

Dirty French serves a Cote de Boeuf for two, in an environment that’s designed to make you feel like a bad ass, even if you’re wearing your finest Midtown suit. Pro tip: Don’t wear your suit.

One of the key reasons Bohemian is cool is that it’s hidden behind a butcher shop. Guess what that means? (It means steak.) Now you just need get your hands on the secret phone number to make a reservation…