PHLGuide

The Best Steakhouses In Philadelphia

Where to go for a fancy meal involving red meat and so many potatoes.
The Best Steakhouses In Philadelphia image

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

We have a lot of beef in this city. If you’re looking for birria tacos, Japanese wagyu, or world-famous cheesesteaks, we’ve got you covered. But when a craving for a meat-heavy, three-hour-long, unbutton-your-pants kind of meal hits, it’s crucial to know where to go. To find the city's best steakhouses, we put on our best business casual attire and ate an unhinged number of porterhouses and potatoes. Turns out, it’s about more than just the meat—it’s also the sides, the sauces, and the servers in tuxedos. Old-school classics, inventive newcomers, and everything in between—these are the best steakhouses in Philly.

THE SPOTS

photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo

American

Rittenhouse

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Bottom line: if you’re looking for the city’s best steakhouse (or a shot at seeing Jalen Hurts eating tater tots), head to Barclay Prime in Rittenhouse. It’s not the most classic, but it’s definitely our favorite. It’s a long-running staple, but it still feels sexy and trendy, and the steak here is some of the best you’ll have in your life (especially the wagyu ribeye). There’s also a signature $140 cheesesteak that’s dripping with truffle cheese and foie gras and comes with a half-bottle of champagne. It’s ridiculous, decadent, and worth every penny. The best part about Barclay, though, is that you can easily come, not order meat, and still have a great time—no matter what you get, the service will make you feel as pampered as Oprah’s dogs.


Butcher & Singer is one of many steakhouses near Rittenhouse Square, but unlike the others, this one looks like the private establishment where fat cats compared gold bars before the crash of ‘29. Before the bone-in filets and seafood platters, this majestic art deco clubhouse was a bank, and it still feels like you could walk in and ask for $100 in pennies without anyone batting an eye. The booths are tufted leather, the lounge seats pink velvet, and the servers wear tuxedos and use phrases like “excite your palate” to describe the escargot. All of their steaks are also top-notch (especially the Delmonico), and skipping the crispy stuffed hash browns would be sacrilege. It’s all a bit over-the-top, but that’s what makes Butcher & Singer so special.


Most steakhouses fall into one of two camps: traditional, white tableclothed chophouses with tufted leather booths and servers in tuxedos, and sleeker, trendier places with unconventional menu options and TikTokers going live over ribeyes. Alpen Rose, the Schulson steakhouse in Midtown Village, sits smack dab in the middle of the Venn diagram—it offers the top-tier service, quality, and portion sizes of a classic steakhouse, with the broader menu, casual vibes, and better soundtrack of the new school. It’s small, almost cozy, and the smoky, well-seasoned tomahawk is the single best piece of meat in the city. Be sure to get an order of the bone marrow toast and potato pavé, and forget about the chaos awaiting you on 13th Street.


Rittenhouse Grill is easy to miss—it’s hidden on the Locust Street side of The Warwick Hotel. Once you find the restaurant, though, you won’t be able to unsee it: this place is covered in leopard print carpet, mirrored walls, and black leather everything. The elegant interiors border on campy, from the art deco paintings to the gold-plated light fixtures, and on any given night, you’ll find a crowd that ranges from couples celebrating their 50th anniversary over the enormous prime rib to groups of coworkers sharing too many dirty martinis and pigs in a blanket. There’s just something about this 1920s-style supper club that evokes your inner mobster, even when all you’re about to take down is an excellent meal.

photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo

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The Saloon bills itself as an Italian chophouse, but it’s also a quintessential South Philly dining experience. It’s been around since 1967, and is still outfitted with dark wood walls and candlelight, stained glass windows, and paraphernalia from the 19th and 20th centuries that ranges from fascinating to offensive. While we love their Italian specialties, there’s a list of fantastic traditional steakhouse dishes as well. Don’t miss the clams casino or the elaborately-topped meat mains—we love the filet in a creamy cognac sauce, and thinly-pounded medallions rolled with spinach, pancetta, and parmesan.

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