Great steak for under 40$

[Bethwick]

Want to take my visiting Dad out for a great steak dinner in Seattle. Looked at Metropolitan Grill and Canlis but he will be very uncomfortable eating a meal that expensive. Any suggestions where to get a great steak for no more then 30-40 dollars? Good service and atmosphere a plus, thanks!

[Bethwick]

Had delicious steak for under 40$ at Mistral Kitchen last night. They call it Teres Major after the shoulder muscle which it is. It was served thickly sliced with fingerling potatoes and porcini mushrooms. The steak was cooked just right, very tender and full of flavor. Don't know how long it will be on the menu but for 30$ i thought it was worth every penny. If i was to go back I'd get it with the excellent winter greens salad with its generous coating of a parmesan type cheese. Close to perfect winter meal, great service also.

[gingershelley]

Thanks for the post, Bethwick. Funny, there was just an article about whole-animal butchering in the SEA Times today, and that cut was one of the lesser-known cuts mentioned, by the owner and butcher of Rain Shadow meats, in Melrose Market.

Sounds like a delicious meal at Mistral!

[Gobsmacking]

Try the Capitol Grille in downtown Seattle. I know, I know, beware the chain. But this one transcends the group with many nice touches uniquely Northwest, and a wonderfully trained staff.
I've taken many people there, both local and visitors. All have come away very impressed, and got better than they expected. The steaks are all very good, but the rest of the menu shows very well too. Remarkably consistent.

[mrnelso]

That's a pretty tall order, but maybe the Wedgwood Broiler (8230 35th Ave NE) will fill that bill.
Salvatore, on Roosevelt at Ravenna is worth a look.
Please let us know where your researches lead and what you learn...

[bourbongal]

I second the idea of the Wedgwood Broiler. It is by far the least expensive good steak in town. Their prime rib on Fri, Sat, Sun is very good - superior to Jak's in my opinion and it costs about $18. The place is very retro (okay, dated, they put Cheez-its on the salad) but eating in the bar there is one of my favorite things. The cocktails are stout and the burgers and onion rings cannot be beat. I've taken my 73-year old mother to many fancy Seattle restaurants when she visits and the Salisbury steak at the Broiler was one of her favorite meals.

[dagoose]

I haven't had the steak, but I've had the prime rib dip and the burger, and definitely support any suggestions of the Wedgewood Broiler.

[kaleokahu]

Hi, bourbongal:

You and mrnelso were spot on about Wedgewood Broiler--I went there tonight on your recs and had a very satisfying and affordable meal.

I had the large-cut prime rib; the DW had the small fillet mignon. With the salad, veggies and baked potato, and two drinks each, the bill came to $55 TOTAL.

We ate in the bar, and I'm glad we did. It was a little bit like the Doghouse or Franco's Hidden Harbor for those who remember... you just know that 10,000 people before you polished the red Pleather with their butts while eating good solid food. Defintely not highbrow fare (the soggy thawed veggies were bad but not unexpected), but I'm happy enough with the beef that I'm going back. It's nice to know that places like this still exist.

Thanks Again,
Aloha,
Kaleo

[kaleokahu]

Well, I went back to Wedgwood Broiler, and had a very different experience the second time around. The food was about the same (good steak and baker, sodden unfrozen greenbeans, iceberg lettuce with Cheeze-Its), but the service could not have been worse. Everything that could be done wrong, late or omitted happened, short of the table being set afire. The odd part was that they weren't even very busy.

[Bethwick]

Thanks for the responses but I am looking for a place within Seattle proper. Any feedback on the steaks at Toulouse Petit or other restaurants that are not steakhouses?

[Lauren]

I haven't been in a while but my husband loves the steak frites at Portage.

[gingershelley]

There is a Jak's in West Seattle.in the Junction Neighborhood, where the WS bridge spills out.. you could have dinner there, then drive North on California, and head back to the freeway via Admiral Way, and stop to see the view back toward DT from the park just as the hill starts downward (specatular view!).

[Snapdragon]

Can't report on the steak at Toulouse Petit, but has anyone else found that restuaurant to be TOO LOUD? Between the music and the ambient sound, I couldn't hear my companions or the server. (Could it be that I'm a codger-in-training?) Dunno about your dad, but mine is hard of hearing and wouldn't enjoy Toulouse Petit at all. (OTOH, if you need to take a break from conversation during his visit, this might be the place for you!)

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Toulouse Petit
601 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98119

[pusherman]

There's lots of places that will do a good steak frites for ~$20 -- when it turns up on the menu Quinn's (CapHill) has a good one, also maybe Le Pichet downtown (I can't remember if I had it at Le Pichet or Presse -- but either would be a good option).

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Le Pichet
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA

[gingershelley]

Yes, Pusherman, I agree these are good for a workaday steak, but often the Bavette steak they use ( Quinn's, Le Pichet, Cafe Presse, and cafe Campagne) is not the common American cut of steak expected. A little more chewy, if delicous, and certainly not the cut an American after a destination steak is looking forward too. A good simple beefy steak, and often the frites are the best part, with the satisfying beefyness, but not the same conversation.

American steaks are larger, fattier, and dealt with very differently than what you mention. Not that I don't love what your talking about, just I don't think that what the OP is looking for for her dad....
But I will toast you across the iasle at Caffe Presse with my steak/frittes as I chew and am happy. Merde, love the Mayo for my frittes!

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Cafe Presse
1117 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Le Pichet
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA

Campagne
86 Pine, Seattle, WA 98101

[kaleokahu]

Elysian brewery does a good steak frites, IMO

[HungWeiLo]

Ruth's Chris has a 3-course for $40, if getting a good value is a concern. And even anti-chain snobs would agree they're not too shabby.

[jlom907]

Go try Angelo's I'm burien old school feel with old school prices try the port wine steak well under 40 with pasta salad and bread

[jencke]

I have eaten at both Canlis and Metropolitan Grill. The best reasonbly priced steak on par with these places in the greater Seattle area is at the Melrose Grill in Renton. Their cuts are consistently better than Jak's, and the most expensive is the porterhouse at $35. Your dad would love this place if he likes the traditional steakhouse vibe.

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Canlis Restaurant
2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Metropolitan Grill
820 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Metropolitan Grill
820 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

Melrose Grill
819 Houser Way Sd, Renton, WA 98055

[duvelusa]

I like Jak's, nice stake house atmosphere and really no complaints. But my favorite steak in Seattle right now is the "flavor curve" rib-eye at The Book Bindery.

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Book Bindery
198 Nickerson Street, Seattle, WA 98109

[tsquare]

That steak alone is $38. Add a starter (and dessert?) and you are looking at $60 before beverage, tax, and tip. FYI. Sounds good though.

[Jeri L]

Jak's Grill, several locations. I've only been to the one in Laurelhurst, but if I want a steak, that's usually where we go. One drawback--they don't take reservations, so you may have to wait for a table.

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Jak's Grill
3701 NE 45th St, Seattle, WA 98105

Jak's Grill
28 Front St N, Issaquah, WA 98027

[akq]

For $40 at Jaks you can get an awesome, huge 28oz bone-in ribeye, with a salad, veg (a head of broccoli, basically) and potato of your choice (I like the UFO - garlic mashed and a potato pancake) and still have a few bucks left over. It's a screaming deal.

[espressoiloveyou]

Jaks! I am a filet girl myself but the sirloin is really great and an amazing value. it's priced around $25.. I love the bernaise sauce they have too!