STEAKHOUSE

BEEF CONNECTION
501 Gretna Blvd., Gretna, 366-3275
West Bank beefeaters know to go to the Beef Connection for large cuts of New York strips, rib-eyes and T-bones. Lunch is a bargain because steaks come with a selection of two sides such as creamy potatoes au gratin or the vegetable of the day. The steakhouse also cooks seafood, from grilled salmon or tuna to Maine lobster, and has catfish specials on Fridays. Reservations accepted. Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner Mon.-Sat. Credit cards and checks. $$

BESH STEAKHOUSE AT HARRAH'S
4 Canal St., 533-6111; www.harrahs.com
Dazzling décor transports guests from the gaming hall of Harrah's Casino to the world of chef John Besh's steakhouse. From the amber bar to the bright open kitchen, the steakhouse sets the stage for decadent meals of classic, generously sized steaks like the 38-oz. cowboy rib-eye steak or big New York strip. Gulf seafood dominates the appetizer menu and there are rustic elements like Jacob's andouille in the gumbo. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$

CHEF'S CORNER
710 S. Carrollton Ave., 865-0900
A new neighborhood option for those with carnivorous urges, Chef's Corner specializes in surf-and-turf combinations. All the classic cuts are offered, and the house version of barbecue shrimp serves shrimp sautéed with herbs and white vermouth. Lunch specials include red beans, blackened chicken or tilapia and beef tips with peppers and onions. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$

CRAZY JOHNNIE'S STEAKHOUSE
3520 18th St., Metairie, 887-6641; www.crazyjohnnies.net
Whatever the state of Johnnie's mental health, it doesn't hinder the menu at this Metairie restaurant. There are grilled steaks and seafood dishes such as the crawfish Johnnie and New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp. The filet mignon with garlic butter and seasoned Crazy potatoes is a house favorite. When you see just how affordable the steaks are, you'll understand why the place is always hopping. No reservations. Lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner daily. Credit cards. $$

CRESCENT CITY STEAKHOUSE
1001 N. Broad St., 821-3271; www.crescentcitysteaks.com
The Vojkovich Family has run this Mid-City favorite since 1934. Except for the interruption of Katrina, it's been business as usual. There are curtained booths available for privacy — all the better to gear up for the porterhouse for two. Other steaks include T-bones, New York strips and prime filets, all best accompanied by a signature side order of garlic and parsley bordelaise sauce. Reservations recommended. Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun. Credit cards. $$$

DICKIE BRENNAN'S STEAKHOUSE
716 Iberville St., 522-2467; www.dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com
Diners have a variety of cuts to choose from at this French Quarter steakhouse. The house filet is an 8-oz. cut served with creamed spinach and Pontalba potatoes. The steak is also topped with flash-fried oysters and finished with a béarnaise sauce. The barbecue rib-eye is a prime 14-oz. steak grilled over an open flame and topped with Abita beer barbecue shrimp and served with garlic mashed potatoes. Stand-out sides include onion rings with Creole dipping sauce and a roasted sweet potato topped with warm pecan butter. Reservations recommended. Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$

THE EMBERS "ORIGINAL" BOURBON HOUSE
700 Bourbon St., 595-3172; www.emberssteakhouse.com
The scene outside its doors on Bourbon Street may be smoking, but the Embers kitchen is focused on grilling and frying. The menu of steaks, seafood and Italian dishes ranges from T-bones, strips and filets to fried shrimp, oysters, crawfish fettuccine and veal Parmesan. The crowd-pleasing Cajun platter features fried catfish, red beans and rice, and jambalaya with andouille sausage. Reservations recommended. Lunch Sat.-Sun, dinner daily, late-night Fri.-Sat. Credit cards. $$

FIRE OF BRAZIL
725 Iberville St., 552-4446; www.fireofbrazil.com
At this distinctively South American breed of steakhouse, diners' choices are reduced to a simple yes or no. Waiters rove the dining room with huge skewers offering a dizzying array of various cuts of beef, chicken, turkey, pork and sausage, all of them sliced directly onto the plate. Meals include rice and beans and a large buffet of salads and side dishes. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$

KEITH YOUNG'S STEAKHOUSE
165 Hwy. 21, Madisonville, (985) 845-9940; www.keithyoungs.net
Keith Young's sign announces "Steaks — chops — Gulf fish," and indeed, you'll find prime cuts of meat with seafood extras thrown in. A 14-oz. strip and a towering filet mignon are just two stars on the menu, which also includes crab cakes, fried oysters and old-fashioned side items. Reservations recommended. Lunch Tue.-Fri., dinner Tue.-Sat. Credit cards and checks. $$$

LA BOCA
857 Fulton St., 525-8205
Argentine steak houses are all the rage, and this Warehouse District hotspot is no different. Inspired by the steakhouses of Buenos Aires, the meat is served with piquant chimichurri sauces. La Boca also offers pastas and stellar sides like crispy fries and grilled provolone cheese with herbs and olives. SIN night on Thursdays from 9 p.m. to midnight offers service industry workers half-priced menu items. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat., late-night Thu.-Sat. Credit cards. $$$

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE
69368 Hwy. 21, Covington, (985) 875-1100; www.longhornsteakhouse.com
At Longhorn, the filet mignon comes not only in sizzling butter but also wrapped in hickory-smoked bacon or topped with pungent blue cheese. The more traditional options such as the rib-eye, New York strip and prime rib are just as popular. For variety, Longhorn offers fish, shrimp and chicken dishes as well as a children's menu. The Caramel Apple Goldrush dessert is a clutch of sliced sautéed apples coated in cinnamon and baked into a golden pastry shell. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$

MORTON'S STEAKHOUSE
One Canal Place, 365 Canal St., 566-0221; www.mortons.com
Morton's is known for generous portions of USDA prime beef. The Cajun rib-eye steak is a 16-oz. cut marinated for 60 hours in Cajun seasonings. Maine lobsters are flown in daily and are split down the middle of the tail, baked and served with drawn butter. Other steakhouse favorites range from iceberg salads with blue cheese dressing and Caesar salads to big porterhouses or New York strips. For dessert, plan early for a chocolate, lemon, raspberry or Grand Marnier soufflé. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Closed all major holidays. Credit cards. $$$

N'TINI'S
2891 Hwy. 190, Suite D, Mandeville, (985) 626-5566
Match your swinging attitude with the martinis and steaks at N'Tini's. The menu offers New Orleans-accented surf and turf. The crab cake Napoleon layers two crab cakes and eggplant medallions and tops them with lobster in a brandy cream sauce. Tournedos are two 6-oz. filets atop fried eggplant medallions and are served with different sauces. Reservations recommended. Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner Mon.-Sat. 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
Outback spices up its menu with some colorful Australian lingo, but many of its popular items are familiar to diners on this side of the world. The fried, or Bloomin', onion has plenty of crispy straws to feed a table full of hungry folks. The Kookaburra wings, bathed in hot sauce, look suspiciously like the Buffalo variety. For entrées, the portions are ample at the steakhouse chain, whether you order a slow-roasted sirloin or a fillet of fish crowned with lobster and crab. No reservations. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$

RUTH'S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE
3633 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 888-3600; www.ruthschris.com
From the petite filet to the porterhouse for two and everything in between (New York strips, T-bones, rib-eyes and bone-in cowboy steaks), Ruth's Chris can fulfill your every sizzling steak dream — or fulfill your sea fantasies with ahi tuna and lobster fresh from Maine. Other seafood dishes featured just in time for Lent include the jumbo blackened shrimp with Maine lobster claws in an Asian ponzu sauce served over bok choy with shiitake mushrooms. Reservations recommended. Lunch Fri., dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$

SEASONS STEAK AND SPIRITS
1398 Front St., Slidell, (985) 649-7558; www.seasonssteakandspirits.com
Seasons' wide menu appeals to steak lovers with its Black Angus cuts, which can be topped with mushrooms, seafood and cheese. But the kitchen turns out plentiful pasta and seafood, too. The restaurant's fresh, herb-basted barbecue shrimp are a popular choice for less-carnivorous guests. Reservations recommended. Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner daily. Credit cards. $$

SHULA'S STEAK HOUSE
614 Canal St., 586-7211; www.shulas.com
Football lore and the lure of great steaks combine for a unique experience at the local link in NFL hall-of-famer Don Shula's restaurant chain. The menus are hand painted on official NFL game footballs and signed by Coach Shula himself. One of the featured entrées is the 48-oz. porterhouse. Those who can finish it are invited to join Shula's 48-Ounce Club. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$

STAR STEAK & LOBSTER
237 Decatur St., 525-6151; www.starsteak.com
Steaks and Maine lobster are the bread-and-butter at this unpretentious Decatur Street eatery. A house special is the 16-oz. prime rib with baked potato, soup or salad for $16.95. Another sure bet is the filet mignon with shrimp, crawfish, crabmeat and lobster stuffing, all topped with red wine mushroom sauce. A wide range of local seafood dishes rounds out the menu. Reservations accepted. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$

THE STEAK KNIFE RESTAURANT & BAR
8550 Pontchartrain Blvd., 488-8981; www.steakkniferestaurant.com
Long a fixture on Harrison Avenue, the Roth family's Steak Knife offers big steaks and fresh seafood. The 14-oz. rib-eye and sirloin strip, the filet mignon and the huge, 24-oz. porterhouse come with an array of steakhouse side dishes. The pepper-crusted yellowfin tuna steak is seared and served with a wasabi, soy and ginger reduction. Reservations recommended. Dinner Tue.-Sat. Credit cards. $$$

YOUNG'S RESTAURANT
850 Robert Blvd., Slidell, (985) 643-9331
Young's is known for its rather old-fashioned atmosphere, and the kitchen is old school, too, cutting steaks in house by hand, from the petite filet and sirloin up to the 14-oz. rib-eye. Beef entrées come with a green salad and baked potato. Veal chops are also on the menu. For the sake of variety, try fresh seafood options like yellowfin tuna or a number of shrimp dishes. No reservations. Dinner Tue.-Sat. Credit cards and checks. $$$

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