The D.C. dining scene is often portrayed by TV shows and movies as an endless parade of steakhouses. While the city’s vibrant restaurant culture encapsulates so much more than that, it’s true that the District is brimming with places to turn to for a T-bone or a tomahawk ribeye.
Though diners right now are less likely to dine-in at a steakhouse (and some stalwarts like Capitol Hill’s Charlie Palmer are temporarily closed), just about every top steakhouse in the city is offering some sort of carryout option, with some even selling raw cuts for customers to prepare at home. Here are the city’s top steak-centric joints that attract locals and tourists.
D.C. is shutting down indoor dining from December 24, 2020, through January 14, 2021. Many restaurants offer outdoor seating, but this should not be taken as endorsement for dining out, as there are still safety concerns. The Washington Post is tracking coronavirus cases and deaths in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. More information can be found at coronavirus.dc.gov. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.
Medium Rare
Washington, DC 20008
Medium Rare’s straightforward menu is perfect for budget-conscious diners. There are now three locations (Cleveland Park, Bethesda, Arlington). For $24.95, guests get a prix-fixe menu of rustic bread, mixed greens salad, and a top sirloin steak served with hand-cut fries. The steak is bathed in Medium Rare’s super-secret sauce. The restaurant has been a superstar during the pandemic, delivering free meals to individuals in need. Carryout and delivery info here.
Randy's Prime Seafood & Steaks
Vienna, VA 22182
Virginia’s Great American Restaurants family has a crown jewel steakhouse in Tysons Corner. The classy addition to its portfolio delivers boutique meats to mahogany tables lined with green mohair booths. Find high-end cuts like wagyu ribeye cap and blackened prime rib on the bone. Carryout info, including curbside pickup, is here.
Annie's Paramount Steak House
Washington, DC 20009
Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse in Dupont Circle was one of five restaurants from around the country year to receive the 2019 James Beard’s “America’s Classics” award. It comes after more than 70 years of business as a family-owned steakhouse that’s also a landmark for D.C.’s LGBTQ community. Much of the menu, including its huge helping of fries and steaks, remains the same as it was decades ago. On a popular restaurant strip on 17th Street NW, Annie’s has one of the most impressive sidewalk patios in the city. Carryout and delivery info is available on its site.
St. Anselm
Washington, DC 20002
This addition to the Union Market district from restaurateur Stephen Starr and chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley stars an open kitchen grilling up a half-dozen different cuts of beef, including a flat iron steak cooked in a rich butter sauce and an ax handle ribeye that easily serves two. Order the salmon collar, grilled avocado, or monster prawns for dishes that steal the spotlight. The restaurant has expanded its outdoor seating during the pandemic; carryout and delivery info is on its site.
The Palm Washington DC
Washington, DC 20036
The high-end steakhouse chain is one place to spot a politico, or two, while dining over red meat. Regular customers also have their cartoon caricatures pictured on the walls. This steakhouse has long been a favorite for administration and Capitol Hill types, and the go-to order is the prime double-cut New York strip, sliced tableside. Order carryout online here, or get delivery through third-party apps.
Bourbon Steak
Washington, DC 20007
This classy and contemporary steakhouse within the Four Seasons hotel is known not only for its prime meats, but for its popular lounge (always get the burgers and the trio of fries) with carefully made cocktails, and its pretty patio. Chef Sebastien Giannini took over the operation in February. Contact the restaurant directly for the latest information re: takeout.
CUT by Wolfgang Puck
Washington, DC 20007
This new addition to Georgetown in 2019 from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has hit some snags even outside of the pandemic, such as a fire that sidelined the restaurant not long after its debut. It’s now open for dine-in and takeout, though the latter seems to focus on prix fixe meal options such as a Peking duck dinner for two. Dishes from chef Andrew Skala here include Maine lobster ceviche, Japanese Wagyu sirloin, and a Tomahawk Ribeye.
The Prime Rib
Washington, DC 20006
The Prime Rib prides itself as an old-school steakhouse. The mood here is classic and swanky — there are dark leather booths, bow-tied servers, and a piano player at lunch and dinner. As the name implies, the number one order is the prime rib, which comes served wet and pink and takes up the entire plate. A lot of its appeal is on account of the atmosphere, but the place is offering takeout, including curbside pickup, right now.
BLT Steak
Washington, DC 20006
Beyond meats, BLT Steak is known for complimentary popovers and a a clientele of political power players. Carryout is available online.
RARE Steakhouse & Tavern
Washington, DC 20005
Rare comes to Washington by way of Wisconsin (hence the delicious fried cheese curds on the menu). The dual restaurant reads as a casual tavern downstairs and a formal dining room up top. Some of the choicest cuts include the Delmonico steak and dry-aged New York strip; there’s also a charcuterie bar downstairs. Pickup and delivery options include wet- or dry-aged steaks to cook at home.
Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Washington, DC 20005
One of the busiest restaurants in the city, Joe’s is a prime-time favorite for happy hours (at least, in non-pandemic times) followed by large-format steak dinners. Order up the surf and turf spread, which comes with a filet mignon, Alaskan king crab, asparagus, and side of Béarnaise sauce. Info on safety precautions is here. The restaurant is also open for takeout.
Mastro's Steakhouse
Washington, DC 20005
Landry’s Restaurants — the mega-restaurant group that owns Morton’s and McCormick & Schmick — is behind this opulent downtown steakhouse. Some of the more extravagant options are lobster mashed potatoes, freshly prepared hamachi crudo, and a dozen different cuts of steak. Pickup and delivery info here; they’re also offering raw steaks to be cooked at home.
The Grill
Washington, DC 20024
This new addition to the Southwest Waterfront came on the scene right before the pandemic, in February 2020. From the team behind nearby Mi Vida, the focus is on wood-fired cooking, and many menu items are offered simply grilled with a choice of sauces. A customizable martini menu includes an extensive selection of vodkas and gins. There’s patio seating, and pickup ordering is available here.
Oak Steakhouse Alexandria
Alexandria, VA 22314
Old Town got the upscale steakhouse it had been missing with the arrival of Oak. A gamut of cuts await, like an 8-ounce domestic wagyu hanger, a 22-ounce bone-in prime rib, or a 36-ounce prime porterhouse for two that’s been dry-aged for 60 days. Slather steaks with an array of sauces — soy black pepper butter is a fine choice — or seasonal truffles shaved table-side. Sides like Anson Mills white grits and house Parker House rolls show off the Charleston, South Carolina-based chain’s roots. Carryout info is here. Oak is also selling steaks for retail. — T.P.
Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse
Oxon Hill, MD 20745
Though playing poker at the MGM Casino during a pandemic may not sound like the most appealing idea, for those who go that route, a marquee dinner option is the steakhouse from chef brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio. Luxe ingredients abound here, from seafood towers to King crab legs to tomahawk steaks. MGM recently introduced an app that allows diners to grab-and-go food from various restaurants, including this one. There’s also a patio available.