John Besh, whose Restaurant
August has drawn rave reviews, now mixes it up for the high
rollers at Harrah's. One example of his beefy venture is the
40-day dry-aged New York strip. Consider the surf and turf sandwich,
with an 8-oz. filet and grilled lobster tails, or the seared
medallions of ahi tuna, served rare with foie gras and plum
sauce. Reservations recommended. Lunch Saturday and Sunday,
dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$
BOULE PRIME HOUSE
1202 Hwy. 190, Covington (985) 809-0969
Each tender steak is grilled to perfection and arrives on the
table sizzling in flavored butter. Try the garlic pesto flavor
or rosemary Worcestershire. For surf over turf, try the blackened
catfish or grilled tuna. Reservations recommended. Lunch and
dinner Monday through Friday, dinner Saturday. Credit cards.
$$$
CHARLIE'S STEAK HOUSE
4510 Dryades St. 895-9705
Beef is on the menu in a big way at Charlie's, where even
the hungriest appetite ought to be satisfied by the T-bone,
complemented by a heaping mound of potatoes au gratin or onion
rings. If you're just in for a nibble, there's also a filet
mignon. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner
Tuesday through Friday, dinner Saturday and Sunday. Credit cards.
$$
CHATEAUBRIAND STEAKHOUSE
310 N. Carrollton Ave. 207-0016
www.chateaubriandsteakhouse.com
This French steakhouse cultivates a classy atmosphere with
murals on the walls and a sophisticated wine list. Try the roasted
rack of lamb, served with a mustard and herb crust and tomato
Provencale, or the petit filet mignon au poivre vert, an 8-oz.
USDA Prime filet sauteed and served with green peppercorn brandy
sauce. Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday through Friday,
dinner daily, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
CRAZY JOHNNIE'S STEAKHOUSE
3520 18th St., Metairie 887-6641
www.crazyjohnnies.com
Crazy Johnnie keeps the menu simple with grilled steaks
and seafood dishes such as the crawfish Johnnie. Try the Prime
cut filet mignon, an 8 1/2-oz. filet cooked to your liking,
topped with garlic butter and served with the original Crazy
Potatoes. No reservations. Lunch Monday through Saturday, dinner
daily. Credit cards. $
CRESCENT CITY STEAKHOUSE
1001 N. Broad St. 821-3271
When you're feeling overwhelmed by life's confusions, go
to Crescent City and pick from the filet mignon, porterhouse,
ribeye and T-bone steaks. On the side, spinach au gratin or
potatoes with sauteed onions provide vegetable options. Reservations
recommended. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Credit
cards. $$
DICKIE BRENNAN'S STEAKHOUSE
716 Iberville St. 522-CHOP (2467)
Descending the stairs to this dining room is like joining
an exclusive carnivore club. Here, amidst the elegant surroundings,
you can have your Prime beef grilled, seared, broiled or roasted
to taste. Or try one of the specials, like the filet served
with flash-fried oysters and bearnaise sauce. There are also
seafood dishes for the surf set. Reservations recommended. Lunch
Monday through Friday, dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$
THE EMBERS ORIGINAL BOURBON HOUSE
700 Bourbon St. 523-1485
www.emberssteakhouse.com
The balcony provides a great view of the adventures on Bourbon
Street, but don't forget the entertaining meal that awaits back
up top. Seafood and Cajun classics abound here, as well as the
Bourbon House Special: an 8-oz. filet topped with a demi-glace
and jumbo barbecue shrimp and served with garlic mashed potatoes.
Reservations recommended. Lunch Saturday and Sunday, dinner
daily, late-night Friday and Saturday. Credit cards. $$
LONE STAR STEAKHOUSE AND
SALOON
901 Clearview Pkwy., Harahan 736-0140
1319 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner 469-0404
1553 Gause Blvd., Slidell (985) 781-7827
www.lonestarsteakhouse.com
This meat powerhouse is gaining accolades for its steaks,
hand cut on the premises, and its killer desserts. For lunch,
grab a steak sandwich, loaded with a 7-oz. ribeye and all the
trimmings. Not in the mood for meat? Lone Star knows its fish,
too, with a specialty grilled salmon slathered in a sweet bourbon
marinade. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit
cards. $$
MR. JOHN'S STEAK AND SEAFOOD
HOUSE
2111 St. Charles Ave. (Avenue Plaza Hotel) 679-7697
www.mrjohnssteakhouse.com
For a comfortable St. Charles Avenue dining experience there's
USDA Prime beef served at this popular spot. The menu promises
fine dining with a twist with offerings such as cornmeal-crusted
redfish and center-cut filet Oscar; both come with a crabmeat
topping. To satisfy a sweet tooth, the waitstaff recommends
the popular chocolate creme brulee. Reservations recommended.
Breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, brunch Saturday and
Sunday, dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
MORTON'S OF CHICAGO
365 Canal St. (The Shops at Canal Place) 566-0221
www.mortons.com
Beef lovers will find a spicy menu to match this upscale
restaurant's lively address with dishes such as the Cajun ribeye,
which is infused with classic Cajun seasonings after marinating
for 60 hours. A favorite dessert is the Godiva chocolate cake
served with vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Wind down from a
long day of work during happy hour, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays.
Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
60 Park Place Drive, Covington (985) 893-0505
830 E. I-10 Service Road, Slidell (985) 649-4329
1601 Barataria Blvd., Marrero 341-5544
2746 Severn Ave., Metairie 455-6850
www.outback.com
Housemade soups such as rich potato, broccoli, French onion
and creamy onion are especially popular in the winter, but the
biggest sellers are still the sirloin and filet mignon steaks,
which are seasoned with Outback's secret spice recipe and cooked
to order. Seal the meal with the decadent Chocolate Thunder,
a large brownie topped with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate
syrup. No reservations. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
THE RIB ROOM
621 St. Louis St. (Omni Royal Orleans Hotel) 529-7046
www.omniroyalorleans.com
There are plenty of reasons why the award-winning Rib Room keeps
both locals and tourists coming back time after time. One is
the signature slow-roasted Prime rib that's served with a spicy
horseradish sauce, baked potato and a salad with freshly made
croutons and blue cheese dressing. Reservations recommended.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, jazz brunch Sunday. Credit
cards. $$$
RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE
711 N. Broad St. 486-0810
3633 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie 888-3600
www.ruthschris.com
Ruth's Chris is the headquarters for USDA Prime beef steaks
that arrive at your table sizzling in butter. There are also
oysters Rockefeller and the Ruth's Chris seasonal sweet-potato
pie -- fresh sweet potatoes whipped with butter and a hint of
vanilla and then topped with a brown-sugar-and-pecan crust.
Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday through Friday and Sunday,
dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$
SAIA'S BEEF ROOM
2645 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie 835-8555
Chef-owner Sal Saia is known for his grilled steaks and for
his pork and lamb chops. The lamb -- a lamb rack sliced into
chops -- is served with a fresh peach chutney. If you prefer
creatures from the ocean to those from the pasture, try fresh
Maine lobster or crabmeat au gratin. Reservations recommended
on weekends. Dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Credit cards. $$
SMITH & WOLLENSKY
1009 Poydras St. 561-0770
www.smithandwollensky.com
All of S&W's beef steaks are dry-aged in-house for 28 days
before being cooked to order. Now available is a special Cajun
ribeye, spiced with garlic, cayenne pepper and olive oil and
then marinated in Cajun oil for 72 hours before it is cooked.
Reservations recommended. Lunch, dinner, late-night daily. Credit
cards. $$$
STAR STEAK & LOBSTER
237 Decatur St. 525-6151
The star attraction for regular diners year-round is a special
lobster feast for two that features a pair of lobsters and double
orders of soup, salad, baked potatoes or French fries and bread
pudding, all for $39.95. For an adventurous dining experience,
order up the Cajun filet mignon, filled with shrimp, crawfish,
crabmeat and lobster stuffing and topped with red wine mushroom
sauce. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit cards.
$$
THE STEAK KNIFE RESTAURANT
& BAR
888 Harrison Ave. 488-8981
www.thesteakknife.com
Just about all of Lakeview knows about this reliable steakhouse,
which offers early-bird specials Sunday through Thursday and
live jazz on Friday and Saturday. They also know life isn't
just about steaks; The Knife also recommends a center-cut, 14-oz.
pork chop grilled and topped with caramelized yellow onions
and served with a demi-glace sauce and mashed sweet potatoes.
Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
THE STEAK PIT
609 Bourbon St. 525-3406
From the heart of Bourbon Street in the heart of the French
Quarter, The Steak Pit beckons with a New York strip dinner,
served with a salad, baked potato and onion soup. Or try the
inviting Jim Beam bourbon baby back ribs. No reservations. Lunch,
dinner and late-night daily. Credit cards. $
TOP OF THE DOME STEAKHOUSE
500 Poydras Plaza (Hyatt Regency New Orleans) 561-1234
The city's only revolving rooftop restaurant offers a menu
of steaks, seafood, barbecue and local cuisine. The Surf 'N'
Turf features two lobster tails and an 8-oz. filet mignon served
with fresh steamed vegetables. Reservations recommended. Dinner
Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$$
