i only know Berns http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/florida/steakhouses-fl/
Smith & Wollensky, Miami Beach.
Please don’t go. This is a place that needs to wither and die.
Tampa also has Charlie’s, which gets great reviews, and I’ve heard good things about Shulas, akthough nothing recent.
Will echo giving Smith & Wollensky a wide berth. Had an awful meal at their Chicago location.
Capital Grille is another reliable chain, as is Ruth’s Chris, and central Florida has Manny’s Chophouse, which also has good buzz.
Im not a big beef consumer, so not a great source for first-hand experience.
I’ve eaten at a couple of Capital Grille locations, on trips to America. Decent experience all round. I’m also not a big steak consumer - and particularly so on trips over the water - I find American steaks to be less flavoursome than European, so there’s usually something more interesting on the menu that I’d rather eat.
Also here in the Tampa area is Dempsey’s, in Wesley Chapel. I’ve not been but it has a good reputation, although not as well known as Charley’s.
Council Oak at the Hard Rock is known for steak and line-caught seafood, but you’ve got to navigate the casino floor to get to it.
Don’t forget Flemings.
After hearing so much about Bern’s, I took a client there a couple of years ago. I wasn’t impressed at all – I’ve had better beef at numerous Las Vegas and San Francisco restaurants. Our service was amateurish, and their supposedly house-made sauces were mediocre. I’m not a wine drinker, but I hear they have a great wine list.
When we were in Florida last year, staying just south of Clearwater Beach in Indian Shores, we went to E&E Stakehouse (#4 on the list) 3 times. Excellent Prime Rib, nice environment, friendly/efficient staff and a well priced (but short) wine list. We’ll be back for the winter in a couple of weeks and anticipate several return visits.
We go to Bern’s every year & love it. Although I agree that equal or better steaks can be had, they do a very nice NY Strip, and a couple of other cuts are just fine. Except for one waitstaff, whom I really didn’t like too much, I’ve always found them to be well versed and efficient. After all, they (unlike many places in the US, but more like places in Europe) have career staff, whom they’ve trained in all aspects of the operation and expect will be there for years. And, yes, the wine list is the overwhelming reason this place stands out. You just can’t get this level of aged wines at this price point anywhere else. We’ve already made reservations with friends for 2 nights in early Feb. I’m assuming that we won’t be bumped from our assigned table by Derek Jeter and entourage this year, although I’d gladly eat at the bar if he agreed to come back.
Don’t know about the rest of Florida, but in Palm Beach County we have the usual steakhouse chains like Capital Grille and Ruth’s Chris. I prefer Ruth’s Chris. There is also Abe and Louis in Boca, along with New York Prime and Chops Lobster House which I’ll call a steakhouse but it also is a fish place.
New York Prime is noisy. I’ve had great meals at Chops. Capital Grille and Abe and Louis are both good but I’m starting to feel all the steakhouses have rolled into one generic place. Menus are very similar at all of them which is why Chops gets my vote because there is excellent fish on the menu.
E&E Stakehouse tomorrow night. Prime Rib.
