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Steak frites is the core menu item at Medium Rare.
Medium Rare [official]

Where to Order Steak Frites Around D.C.

15 restaurants that do the meaty dish justice

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Steak frites is the core menu item at Medium Rare.
| Medium Rare [official]

Belgium and France are well-known for bringing their culinary traditions of rich, heavy cooking to the rest of the world. But think beyond waffles, crepes, and croissants. The real hero here is steak frites, the European equivalent of the classic American meat-and-potatoes meal.

While the combination may sound underwhelming, the formula of crispy, thin fries and juicy, tender steak has made this dish a staple menu at many local standbys.

From quiet neighborhood cafes to buzzing bistros, these Washington restaurants can satisfy even the most serious of steak cravings. For D.C.’s essential steakhouses, go here.

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Le Chat Noir

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This two-level Tenleytown bistro plates up this classic dish with a slab of steak, fries, and plenty of butter. If the dining room feels too small, head upstairs to the wine lounge ($29.95).

Medium Rare (Multiple locations)

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Steak frites with a “secret sauce” is the only entree offered, making an affinity for beef a requirement for dining here ($28.95 for prix fixe). Vegans can sub in grilled portobello for the award-winning culotte steak. Weekends also feature bottomless brunch. The Cleveland Park stalwart is joined by Bethesda and Arlington locations.

La Piquette

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The menu at this neighborhood spot varies from time to time, but there's a good chance of traditional entrecôte steak frites with a red wine shallot reduction making the cut during lunch and dinner ($30).

La Piquette’s cozy Cleveland Park digs.
La Piquette

Primrose

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Brookland’s Parisian-styled brasserie and wine bar pairs 12-ounce New York strip steak with frites, mushroom bordelaise, and seasonal greens.

Steak frites at Primrose.
Sam Sanchez

Bistrot Du Coin

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This longstanding and unassuming Dupont Circle bistro oozes French charm, making it a quintessential location for a no-frills plate of grilled steak and fries ($29.95).

Le Diplomate

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There’s a reason that the buzz is still white-hot at this Logan Circle French restaurant. If you can manage to get a reservation, go for the hanger steak frites and enjoy it in the meticulously designed dining room ($34.95).

What makes food ethnic?
Pan-roasted hanger steak and maître d butter with pommes frites at Le Diplomate.
Photo by Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Brasserie Liberté

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Make like a guest in a Parisian restaurant at Liberté. Whether dining during lunch or dinner, there are three cuts to accompany the petite salad, green peppercorn sauce and fries: coulotte for $29.95, New York strip for $34.95 and filet mignon for $36.95.

CUT by Wolfgang Puck - DC

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Head to Georgetown for CUT’s newly revamped brunch spread. The steak comes from American wagyu bavette, and if there was any doubt, hand-cut fries on the side.

Brasserie Beck

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Since opening in 2007, the McPherson Square location of Robert Wiedmaier’s Belgian brasserie plates up N.Y. strip steak and crispy Belgian-style fries ($52) with a variety of dipping sauces. The extensive European beer program has help set this downtown destination apart from the crowd.

Brasserie Beck is a downtown institution for steak frites.
Brasserie Beck

La Bise

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Located a stone’s throw from the White House, La Bise offers a “tres major” ($37) or more expensive filet mignon cut for $52. On the side are fries, local greens, and Bordelaise sauce.

Cafe Colline

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Only available during dinner at Hilton brothers’ Arlington bistro, chef Brendan L’Etoile’s plate of Allen Brothers strip steak comes with a healthy portion of sauce bearnaise and frites for $39.

Café Riggs

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Tucked inside Penn Quarter’s opulent Riggs hotel, classy Cafe Riggs is happy to whip up a plate of steak frites during weekday lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Their iteration features a New York strip, green peppercorn butter, and fries ($38).

Bistro Bis

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At Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill, choose from either a New York steak ($44.50) or ribeye ($59.50). Both options come with a watercress salad, red wine shallot butter, and pommes frites.

Belga Cafe

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Barrack Row’s resident Belgian restaurant from chef Bart Vandaele features a plate of grilled hanger steak, Belgian frites, bearnaise sauce, and field greens salad for $49 during brunch on the weekends. There’s also an option to add any eggs.

BISTRO DU JOUR

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Down at the Wharf is stylish Bistro du Jour, which fulfills steak frites cravings with a skirt steak, maître d’hotel butter, watercress salad, and fries for $33.

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Le Chat Noir

This two-level Tenleytown bistro plates up this classic dish with a slab of steak, fries, and plenty of butter. If the dining room feels too small, head upstairs to the wine lounge ($29.95).

Medium Rare (Multiple locations)

Steak frites with a “secret sauce” is the only entree offered, making an affinity for beef a requirement for dining here ($28.95 for prix fixe). Vegans can sub in grilled portobello for the award-winning culotte steak. Weekends also feature bottomless brunch. The Cleveland Park stalwart is joined by Bethesda and Arlington locations.

La Piquette

The menu at this neighborhood spot varies from time to time, but there's a good chance of traditional entrecôte steak frites with a red wine shallot reduction making the cut during lunch and dinner ($30).

La Piquette’s cozy Cleveland Park digs.
La Piquette

Primrose

Brookland’s Parisian-styled brasserie and wine bar pairs 12-ounce New York strip steak with frites, mushroom bordelaise, and seasonal greens.

Steak frites at Primrose.
Sam Sanchez

Bistrot Du Coin

This longstanding and unassuming Dupont Circle bistro oozes French charm, making it a quintessential location for a no-frills plate of grilled steak and fries ($29.95).

Le Diplomate

There’s a reason that the buzz is still white-hot at this Logan Circle French restaurant. If you can manage to get a reservation, go for the hanger steak frites and enjoy it in the meticulously designed dining room ($34.95).

What makes food ethnic?
Pan-roasted hanger steak and maître d butter with pommes frites at Le Diplomate.
Photo by Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

Brasserie Liberté

Make like a guest in a Parisian restaurant at Liberté. Whether dining during lunch or dinner, there are three cuts to accompany the petite salad, green peppercorn sauce and fries: coulotte for $29.95, New York strip for $34.95 and filet mignon for $36.95.

CUT by Wolfgang Puck - DC

Head to Georgetown for CUT’s newly revamped brunch spread. The steak comes from American wagyu bavette, and if there was any doubt, hand-cut fries on the side.

Brasserie Beck

Since opening in 2007, the McPherson Square location of Robert Wiedmaier’s Belgian brasserie plates up N.Y. strip steak and crispy Belgian-style fries ($52) with a variety of dipping sauces. The extensive European beer program has help set this downtown destination apart from the crowd.

Brasserie Beck is a downtown institution for steak frites.
Brasserie Beck

La Bise

Located a stone’s throw from the White House, La Bise offers a “tres major” ($37) or more expensive filet mignon cut for $52. On the side are fries, local greens, and Bordelaise sauce.

Cafe Colline

Only available during dinner at Hilton brothers’ Arlington bistro, chef Brendan L’Etoile’s plate of Allen Brothers strip steak comes with a healthy portion of sauce bearnaise and frites for $39.

Café Riggs

Tucked inside Penn Quarter’s opulent Riggs hotel, classy Cafe Riggs is happy to whip up a plate of steak frites during weekday lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Their iteration features a New York strip, green peppercorn butter, and fries ($38).

Bistro Bis

At Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill, choose from either a New York steak ($44.50) or ribeye ($59.50). Both options come with a watercress salad, red wine shallot butter, and pommes frites.

Belga Cafe

Barrack Row’s resident Belgian restaurant from chef Bart Vandaele features a plate of grilled hanger steak, Belgian frites, bearnaise sauce, and field greens salad for $49 during brunch on the weekends. There’s also an option to add any eggs.

BISTRO DU JOUR

Down at the Wharf is stylish Bistro du Jour, which fulfills steak frites cravings with a skirt steak, maître d’hotel butter, watercress salad, and fries for $33.

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