SE Michigan - Best Place for MEAT! Steaks, Pork Bellies and the rest!

[JanPrimus]

I just heard Shula's Steakhouse is now well done AKA Ruined. Where are the best places for a carnivore (OK we already know Roast is most peoples first thought) to take down a beast of burden and make that beast into a tasty morsel. I am thinking mainly American butchery styles here but I am a open minded guy. Spill your guts!

[motorcityhound]

Try Roast, you wont regret it.

[JanPrimus]

I have to admit I have a slight weakness for Monroe Street Steakhouse (In Greektown). Aside from that I have enjoyed Clawson Steakhouse for the Atmosphere, but not the steak as much.

-----
Clawson Steakhouse
56 S Rochester Rd, Clawson, MI 48017

Monroe Street Cafe
561 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226

[donbui82]

unfortunately, our area is saturated with chain steakhouse and not many great indi steak houses. Having said that, my preference list:

1) Capital Grille. They always just do it right. Perfectly grilled, great pieces of steak, impeccable service. and please do try their lobster mac n cheese. Another great entree they have is a kona-rubbed steak with shalloted butter. yummmmy.

2) Camerons - i might admit, their steaks are super tasty Good crust, well seasoned. but I refuse to go there because of a HUGE SErvice issue I had there. you can email me for more details if you're curious. (Ocean prime and Mitchells.. same owners.. therefore also on my crap list)

3) Flemings - Same vein as Capital grille, but they just aren't quite there. Can't explain it. But honestly, always still leave here very happy. Its like sleeping with Cameron Diaz instead of Scarlett Johansson. Still pretty darn good, but not as great.

4) Big Rock - their chopsauce is fantastic. My issue with them is consistency. I've had really good meals there, I've also had mediocre meals there. +1 for offering bison and other unusual cuts. However, if you're into cougars, this spot should go straight to the front of the list.

5) Ruths Chris - Seriously. What is the big deal about this place? Everything is basically drenched in butter. very Meh. I only go here if its free

6) Mortons - Equally Meh! Unlively, uninspired steak. Nothing culinary here justifies its pricetag. I will say, the cart menu thing is kinda neat.

The independents:
1) Lelli's.. yummmy. far though. Auburn hills. Also kinda stuffy, but goddamn that minestone soup and chateaubriand is fricking tasty.

2) Mr. Pauls Chophouse. Far as well. EAst side, great atmosphere. Delicious steaks. Excellent caesars.

3) Clawsons steakhouse. Do me a favor. if you go here, go on a Saturday night when the live band is playing. Absolutely unbeatable atmosphere here. steaks are pretty good (not great), but you have to realize about half the price of any other place on this list.

4)Boodles - Madison Heights. Interesting. Mixed feelings. Another great atmosphere place with decent food. Steak Dianes cooked table side. I enjoy coming here, but less so for the food, more for the atmosphere again. I'd pick #3 over here overall though both food and ambiance.

5) Marios - decent. but pretty underwhelmed after all the hype from my friends. I wouldn't object about eating here, but no burning desire to go back

don

p.s. I almost always order the same thing. Rib-eye, bone in. Med rare. With at least one side of fungi. all opinions are entirely my own. As you can see, I eat out a lot. ^_^

-----
Capital Grille
2800 W Big Beaver Rd, Troy, MI 48084

[xman887]

very good list. i have been to all of them. couple of thoughts:

capital grille consistently gets it right.

never had the service problems that you have at cameron's. mitchell sold two thirds of his 33 store group to ruth's chris in late 2007, including his steakhouses and fish houses. ocean prime is his, though.

i have always found big rock to be way over priced for mediocre quality (even when norm la page had eaton street station) - beautiful room, though.

love the old school eastside mr. paul's.

i also have mixed feelings about boodle's. high marks for effort on the tableside steak diane and ceasar salad, but it is so cramped in there, wheelling around that little trolley is nearly impossible. and the food is average/average +.

my wife and i really like the rochester chophouse. and i would also throw in the brewery in clinton twsp (also owned by the mr. paul's gogo's family).

....i love a good steak.

[SonyBob]

La Bistecca - Plymouth. Best steak I've had in the Detroit area. Make reserves and bring money.
Bob

[tokyo]

*whew!* - Just looked at the menu for La Bistecca. I don't usually care about Italian food but my mouth is watering and it's not quite 9am. Is the rest of their menu as delicious as it sounds, or is it best to stick with the steaks here? TIA

[SonyBob]

Pretty much everything there is top notch.
Bob

[JanPrimus]

Interesting side fact about La Bistecca

La Bistecca has some wooded area just to the west of its property. Inside of those woods is a house that the forest completely eaten. No drive way leading up to the house or anything....just a house in a forest. You can see a piece of the house from Google Maps.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&...

I have to admit after living in the Plymouth Area most of my life I also have yet to go here...it seems when I have that kinda dinner money to blow I usually go elsewhere. Maybe one of these days.

[SonyBob]

Well I'll be damned! You're right about the house!
Bob

[JanPrimus]

Did you slink back to it? It is not easy to get to.....

BTW I used to be one of those idiot kids that loved to go into building I was not supposed to....Northville Tunnels, Train Station in Detroit, GAR Building, and such.

-----
The Train Station
424 E River St, Elyria, OH 44035

[Ken H]

Knight's in Ann Arbor, Morton's in Troy.

Knight's is also in Jackson. Both locations make one of the best mixed drinks I've ever had. Ever. Name your poison and they will fix you up.

Also, LaBistecca Italian Grill in Plymouth. Never been there but I hear they have good steaks.

[vtombrown]

I went to Forest Grill in Birmingham, MI a few days ago, but I've not yet gathered the nerve to write a review of it, since I don't feel really qualified to judge it. The online menu probably better can just speak for itself. I tried the braised veal cheeks, roasted (beef) bone marrow, pork confit and the charcuterie platter....and a cabernet or two, of course. The portions were small and the prices snuck up on me by the end (go figure). But, as a meat enthusiast, I left VERY happy...

PS--I was hoping also for the opportunity to say hello to Mr. Polcyn, but I was informed that, "he is a busy man who rarely has time to be in the restaurant, save for cameo appearances." (I don't know whether that source was exaggerating, but the source made the statement in a tone very respectful of the subject.)

-----
Forest Grill Restaurant
735 Forest Ave Ste 100, Birmingham, MI 48009

[boagman]

I do know that he's got his fingers in a lot of local culinary pies, and that the executive chef at FG isn't Polcyn, but it does sound like "The Source" may have been exaggerating a bit. FG is the "statement" restaurant that Polcyn now has, and he'd be silly not to glad-hand a good deal with the local (moneyed) clientele.

It's probably that he just wasn't there that night...I seriously doubt that he's hardly ever there, which is what Deep Throat made it sound like.

[RedTop]

I live a sheltered life. So I'll chime in with Mr. Paul's Steakhouse on Groesbeck in Roseville.

[mgebs]

My husband had one of his best steaks ever at Carrabas in Novi the other night. It is a chain restaurant, a cut or three above Olive Garden and great lemoncello bread pudding.

[JanPrimus]

White Castle is a cut or three above Olive Garden :)

[moose734]

Lol you could just go for quanity over quality and go to Gaucho's

[boagman]

LIES! It's no coincidence that White Castle shares its initials with "Water Closet". Actually, I'd probably prefer eating *there* to any White Castle! ;)