A friend of mine from Vietnam is in town and wants a steak. Where to go? Can be a steak house or a restaurant with a fabulous steak. Martini a must. As much as I love our dining scene I’m just not real likely to go out for steak. Thinking Barclay Prime? But interested in what steak eaters think.
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I don’t usually recommend chains, but both Capital Grille and Del Frisco’s in Philly do a great steak. So do most Starr places (Dandelion also does a Sunday roast).
If they want something a bit different, might be fun to go to a Brazilian spot and try picanha (or even Fogo de Chao, staying focused on the prime cuts – Fogo also serves single cuts at lunch and brunch if they don’t want to do the full rodizio).
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For the scene, history, ambience, I’d offer up the Saloon as an option. It’s an Italian steakhouse in S. Philly.
Steaks are good, maybe a bit more limited options than a true steakhouse.
Alpenrose or Butcher & Singer. Alpenrose is hella pricy, but that might not matter to your friend. Barclay Prime also gets good reviews on reddit.
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Price doesn’t matter to him and he’s treating me😊. I was hoping for Alpen Rose but no reservations until 9:30 so we’ll see. If he has an Amex he might be able to get us an earlier ressie. Thinking Barclay Prime as 2nd choice.
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I guess steakhouse chains are better than other chains.
Why not Butcher & Singer?
never heard of ‘wedge salad’ before looking at above mentioned’s menus, will be serving to unsuspecting soon 
Really? You’re in the UK IIRC.
I’m genuinely surprised the wedge hasn’t made it across the pond yet…
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I tend to avoid Steven Starr restaurants but for a steak house I should probably let that go LOL
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genuinely… not a ‘thing’, but as someone said - the first person to open a taco stall will create generational wealth!
His formula is reliable for visitors and large groups, which is worth something.
I love a big steak to share at Italian restaurants more than I do at straight steakhouses, so maybe that’s another option. Or Japanese restaurants.
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So we ended up at Butcher and Singer and it was quite good. We started with some oysters on the half shell - chose to go all east coast as I prefer briny over buttery. Served with a cocktail sauce which I didnt try and a mignonette which was pretty straight forward but good. Shared the wedge salad which they cut up for us so not really a wedge anymore. Overdressed as a wedge salad should be 
Went for the Porterhouse for two cooked rare (the descriptions the waiter gave of the cooks on the meat were quite good BTW ) and mac and cheese, which despite not being a steak house classic was deliciously creamy. Our waiter was delightful, being patient and not intrusive at all as we sat and caught up for a while before ordering, and then joining in as my friend started joking around (a couple martinis and a bottle of wine help one’s sense of humor)
Anyway, I would certainly recommend. The porterhouse was fabulously tender and well seasoned and I am looking forward to leftovers which were generously sent home with me despite the fact that I only paid for the round of martinis we had at the bar! 
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Sounds like a good meal.
Usually hard to go wrong with Starr places in Philly, even though I wish there weren’t quite as many 
— they’re reliable.
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So glad you liked your dinner! If I ever wanted to go out for steak in Philly, I would give this place a shot.
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I’m old. I went to grad school in Philadelphia in the 1970s. In the 1970’s and 80’s, Butcher & Singer was an old Philadelphia investment house. It was housed in a large building of the same name in center city. I lived in an apartment above the Butcher’s home garage up in Chestnut Hill for 2 years as my roommate had gone to school with one of the Butcher’s son. It was an experience to live so close to such old school money. But forever now…Butcher & Singer will not be a steakhouse to me.
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This is a fantastic story
