Best Steakhouse in Boston?
Looking to make a reservation at the best steakhouse Boston has to offer...I want it all...fabulous steaks, great ambiance, attentive yet UNDER-bearing service, and sides/apps that are not an afterthought. Hoping for something other than KO prime or Mooo...can you help a sister out?
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News of Del Friscos opening in Boston means that the other high steak houses may have a new standard to live up to. IMO DF is the best steakhouse in Manhattan (I love Lugers too, it's not in Manhattan), Vegas and DFW. Looking forward to seeing if they can raise the bar in Boston.
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Still a fan of Grill 23 & Abe & Louis, but want to add to the list Mooo, where I recently had an excellent steak, competent service, and a nice atmosphere--not too crowded as it was a Monday.
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Mooo
15 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116 -
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The big chains are fairly interchangeable. Ruth's Chris is in a BEAUTIFUL spot in Old City hall, but some can't abide the butter bath (I think it's great). I've had both good and bad experences at Capital Grille, Morton's, and the Palm. Mostly good at all...Palm has a brilliant ribeye and awesome lobsters.
Nobody here mentioned Fleming's. In atmosphere it's pretty much the same as Capital Grille, Morton's, or whatnot, but it is appreciably less expensive and as good as any of them. Definitely not overbearing service, nice theatre district location...as good a bet as the others for a slightly smaller tab.
The one that I would avoid is, sadly, Abe and Louie's. I agree with another poster that I like it for the lunch burger, but the steaks are simply not that great, and they have consistent problems cooking to temperature. A bad experience can happen at ANY of these places, but I have had too many misfires at Abe's over the years. Also, they have the worst. creamed spinach. ever.
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re: tamerlanenj
hotoynoodle
Mar 28, 2010 09:28 AM
the newer morton's at the seaport has a much nicer room feel than the original back bay location. lots of windows, views of the water and execution has improved dramatically since its first rocky days.
most steakhouses buy their meats from the same purveyors, either allen brothers or stockyards, both out of chicago. the only difference then becomes the skill on the grills, the room and the service.
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There is no one standout place IMO (including the two boutique places you mentioned to exclude in your OP). There are a bunch of places in the B+/A- range (as far as steakhouses are concerned). You will hear differing opinions of what is 'best' on this board. All have pros and cons, and you have a good shot at a standard upscale steakhouse meal at all of them. The places I consider to be in this tier (in no particular order) include:
- Capital Grille: My personal favorite and a good fit for the criteria you describe. The kona crusted sirloin is touch to beat, and they have a good amount of dry aged beef on the menu. Service is generally good. My main con here is the bar. They have one or two bartenders who give consistently aloof service and tend to serve $12 cocktails in hot glasses.
- Mortons: Everytime we go here I thoroughly enjoy it. Consistently excellent beef which is cooked perfectly every time. They have what IMO is the best shellfish tower around due to what is (lobster, oysters, shrimp, king crab, lump crab) and is not (clams) on it. The Back Bay location is in a basement (as with most Mortons), but I think the atmosphere is cozy when it is full. The main drawback here is that if you have non steak eaters, the menu is limited. The porterhouse is my favorite there, and many people like the cajun ribeye.
- Grill 23: This was previously my favorite place in Boston, but I think it took a step back about 5 years ago, and stayed at that level. We used to love it as a place I could get a steak, but the wife considered it to be one of the best seafood restaurants in Boston. The seafood entrees have fallen off a cliff both in quality of ingredients and preparation. My past few steaks there have been ordered MR and cooked past medium, which is completely unacceptable. Nice that it is ot a chain, but I won't be back in the foreseeable future. The atmosphere is lively and the space is fantastic. However I would request a table on the periphery of the lower level as it can be too noisy in the pit. I don't care for the upstairs tables.
- Smith & Wollensky: I have not been here in a while, however the my steaks have always been great here. The space is also interesting with nice dining rooms on multiple levels. The apps and sides are where this place falls down.
- Abe & Louies: Abes has a lot of fans. I love it for lunch or brunch, not so much for dinner. The atmosphere and crowd don't do it for me. Maybe I can still remember dining in the same space when it was a JC Hillary's. I don't have a go to steak or app suggestion here. This is one place that I am disappointed to get dragged to for dinner, however that likely has something to do with having been there a lot after working in the Pru and living in the neighborhood for a long time.
- Oak Room: Haven't been there in years. It has a great old school atmosphere and we enjoyed splitting the Chateaubriand for 2 carved tableside the last time we went. It may be just a touch stuffy in atmosphere. This place is better for a couple than a group.
- Umbria Prime: My steak (dry aged sirloin) was good here, however I feel like the sole purpose of this place is to fleece people who work in the financial district on expense accounts. The service was crappy and the bill was probably higher than anywhere in town other than KO and moo. I go into one of these steakhouses knowing they are a bit of a gouge to begin with and I am OK with that once in awhile as I enjoy the steakhouse atmosphere, however I left this place feeling like the value wasn't there at all.
Ruth's Chris: Standard Ruths Chris if you have ever been to one. Who doesn't love a steak served in sizzling garlic butter every now and then. The apps are a bit weak. Ruths has IMO the best space in Boston for a steakhouse, and one of the best for any restaurant. Whoever is in charge is their real estate and placement should be well complimented for snagging the old Maison Robert space. They did a great job keeping the multiple small dining rooms intact. Ruths has a lively atmosphere without being deafeningly loud (like most tables at G23).- The Palm: In a somewhat poor space in the Westin. This is the place to go to if you are at the last minute and can't get a table anywhere else. I will say we have done a few large group dinners there, and they have done an excellent job with both food and service. Otherwise, I wouldn't plan on going there.
- Bokx 109: Not in downtown Boston, but out in Newton. This is sort of the suburban version of Umbira Prime. I felt ripped off after eating there. My steak was good (if cut a bit thinly), but service was laughable.
There are some others which probably fit into this category (Flemmings) and a few which are a notch below due to the overall food quality (Franks, Plaza III).
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Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116Abe & Louie's
793 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116Smith & Wollensky
101 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116Oak Room
138 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116›2 Replies-
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re: Gabatta
Have to agree that the Kona-encrusted sirloin at Capital Grill (or substitute the kona onto a filet) is the best steak I've had in the city. Grill 23 is way too loud for me, and I've had several disappointing meals at KO Prime, but I wouldn't stop others from going to those places. I think the Oak Room is a lovely place to eat as well.
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KO Prime
90 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116Oak Room
138 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116
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rlh
Mar 26, 2010 01:39 PM
Grill 23 has great food and service, but it is also most likely the noisiest room in the city (unless that honor now belongs to Woodward with their addition of blaring retro pop music the one time I was there) - it is festive and lively but NOT romantic. Also, get the wine but NOT the cocktails - average, huge, and pricey at best (they told me they have NO rye on the bar...WTF?)
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Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116 -
Beachowolfe
Mar 26, 2010 01:38 PM
Not to hijack the thread but it seems like the general consensus is Grill 23.
I've never been there, how would the rest of you compare G23 against Mooo and KO Prime?
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KO Prime
90 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108Mooo
15 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116›3 Replies-
re: Beachowolfe
I'm always the dissenting voice on Grille 23. I've eaten there 4 times, and have never felt that the food/service was worth the large tab, and I think that though the sides are about the same price as other steak houses, they are smaller in size. I prefer Abe & Louie's and the Capital Grille. I enjoyed both Moo and KO Prime, though the best thing I had at either wasn't steak, but rather the roasted bone marrow app at KO Prime, that comes with the bones perched on top of piles of braised oxtail. The marrow juice, just seeps down into the oxytail.
I enjoyed Moo and KO Prime, but won't be rushing back to either. I will say Grill 23 is far superior to Smith & Wollensky, the worst excuse for a steakhouse I've ever been in. I've heard other outposts in other cities are good, but the steak I had there was flavorless, and the onion rings were like eating a dessicant.
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KO Prime
90 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116Abe & Louie's
793 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116Smith & Wollensky
101 Arlington St, Boston, MA 02116-
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re: kimfair1
Beachowolfe
Mar 28, 2010 06:09 PM
That bone marrow dish at KO Prime is worth rushing back for, IMO.
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KO Prime
90 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108
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re: FeastNut2008
Jolyon Helterman
Mar 26, 2010 01:19 PM
Grill 23. Kobe cap steak.
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Grill 23 & Bar
161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116
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