The New York Steakhouse Foodies Say You Have To Try At Least Once

Calling all meat lovers, this one is for you. You know who you are.

The person who sees “steak” on a menu and suddenly stops listening to everything else. Medium-rare isn’t a preference, it’s a way of life.

And if someone asks whether you really need another steakhouse in New York, the correct answer is obviously yes. Because some places aren’t just about putting a beautiful cut of beef on a plate.

They’re about that first seared edge, the smoky aroma hitting the table, the knife gliding through the center, and that glorious moment when you realize, yep, this was worth leaving the house for.

Foodies have been pointing meat lovers toward one particular New York steakhouse for exactly that reason. So, is it overhyped? Is it actually worth the pilgrimage?

Grab your appetite and your steak opinions, we’re about to find out.

Where Casual Cool Meets Steakhouse Savvy

Walking into St. Anselm feels less like entering a restaurant and more like stepping into your coolest friend’s living room, if that friend happened to have a seriously impressive grill.

The exposed brick walls, warm amber lighting, and cozy wooden furniture all work together to create an atmosphere that is equal parts rustic and inviting. There is no pretension here, just good energy and the kind of buzz that tells you something great is about to happen.

The open kitchen concept adds a theatrical layer to the whole experience. You can watch the culinary action unfold in real time, which honestly makes the anticipation even more delicious.

Bar seating is particularly exciting because it puts you front row for every sizzle and flame. It is genuinely entertaining, even before the food arrives.

What makes the vibe truly special is how effortlessly it blends two worlds.

This is a Michelin-recognized spot that somehow never makes you feel like you need to whisper or sit up straighter. The atmosphere earns its own standing ovation, setting a tone that is warm, lively, and completely Brooklyn.

A Brooklyn Address Worth Crossing Bridges For

Some restaurants are worth a detour, and St. Anselm at 355 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, New York 11211 is absolutely one of them. Sitting right in the heart of Williamsburg, this address carries serious culinary credibility.

The neighborhood itself is a destination, full of creative energy and an ever-evolving food scene that never stops surprising.

Getting there is straightforward whether you hop on the L train or grab a rideshare. Street parking exists but can be limited, so public transit is genuinely your best move.

Once you arrive, the modest storefront gives very little away about the extraordinary meal waiting inside, which somehow makes it even better.

The location also reflects the restaurant’s personality perfectly. Williamsburg has always had a knack for making quality feel accessible, and St. Anselm fits right into that ethos.

It is the kind of neighborhood spot that becomes a landmark not because of flashy signage, but because of what happens on the plate. Reservations are highly recommended since seating is limited, and this place fills up fast on any given night.

Plan ahead and the reward is well worth it.

A Hanger Steak That Changes Everything

Let’s be honest, the Butcher’s Steak is the reason half of Brooklyn has been trying to snag a reservation here for years.

This hanger steak is grilled over an open flame until it hits that perfect char on the outside while staying gloriously tender within. It is the kind of bite that makes you close your eyes involuntarily, which is honestly a compliment of the highest order.

Priced at a remarkably reasonable point for New York City, this cut delivers serious flavor without demanding a second mortgage.

The garlic butter that accompanies it melts right into the meat, adding a richness that feels luxurious without being excessive. It is deeply flavorful, nicely charred, and cooked precisely to your requested temperature every single time.

The Butcher’s Steak also represents something philosophically important about St. Anselm’s approach to cooking. Rather than defaulting to the most expensive cuts, this menu celebrates what skilled grilling can do with a humble hanger.

It proves that technique and quality ingredients matter far more than price tags. Order it medium rare and prepare for a genuine revelation on your plate.

A Show-Stopping Centerpiece

If the Butcher’s Steak is the crowd favorite, the Ax Handle Ribeye is the main event that makes entire tables go silent. This is a massive, bone-in ribeye with a dramatic presentation that looks like it belongs in a food magazine centerfold.

At around 60 to 65 ounces of beautifully marbled beef, it commands attention from the moment it lands on the table.

The open-fire grill does extraordinary things to this cut. The intense heat creates a crust that is genuinely spectacular, locking in juices and developing flavors that a gas oven simply cannot replicate.

Each slice reveals a perfectly pink interior that practically melts on contact. This is the steak you talk about for weeks after eating it.

Sharing this beast between two or three people is a fantastic strategy. It becomes a communal experience that adds a festive, celebratory energy to the meal.

The quality of the meat is immediately apparent, requiring nothing more than salt, pepper, and the mastery of that wood fire. Some dishes are events, not just meals.

The Ax Handle Ribeye is absolutely, undeniably, an event.

The Pan-Fried Mashed Potatoes

There is a very specific kind of joy that comes from discovering a side dish so good it almost upstages the main course.

The Pan-Fried Mashed Potatoes at St. Anselm are exactly that kind of revelation. These are not your standard dinner party mash.

They are cooked in rich lard until the outside develops a wonderfully crispy, golden crust while the inside stays impossibly creamy.

The technique is what sets them apart from anything you have probably eaten before. That textural contrast between the crackling exterior and the silky center is genuinely addictive.

Every forkful delivers something new, and before you know it, the skillet is empty and you are already thinking about ordering another. It is a side dish with the personality of a main course.

Food lovers who visit St. Anselm consistently mention these potatoes as a non-negotiable order, and it is easy to understand why.

They represent the restaurant’s broader philosophy beautifully, taking something familiar and transforming it through technique and care into something unforgettable.

Do yourself a real favor and do not skip these under any circumstances whatsoever.

The Side Dish That Converts Non-Believers

Spinach gratin sounds simple enough on paper, but St. Anselm’s version has a way of making even the most committed carnivore pause mid-bite and reconsider everything they thought they knew about vegetables.

This is a creamy, cheesy, deeply satisfying dish that earns its own spotlight on a menu full of heavy hitters. It is rich without being overwhelming, and comforting in the most sophisticated way possible.

The gratin pairs beautifully with virtually every protein on the menu.

Whether you are cutting into the Butcher’s Steak or working through the Ax Handle Ribeye, a forkful of this spinach alongside the meat creates a combination that is genuinely hard to beat. It adds depth, creaminess, and a vegetal balance that makes the overall meal feel more complete.

Regulars at St. Anselm treat the Spinach Gratin like a non-negotiable part of the experience, and rightly so. It shows up on nearly every table on any given night, and for good reason.

The dish demonstrates that supporting players can be just as memorable as the stars. At this restaurant, even the sides come to play at the highest level.

Ocean Treasures Meet Open Flame

Calling St. Anselm just a steakhouse would be like calling a great novel just a book. The seafood options here are genuinely impressive and deserve far more attention than they typically receive.

The Monster Prawns with garlic butter and lemon are exactly what their name promises, generous, tender, and loaded with flavor from the open fire. They arrive looking almost theatrical, and tasting even better than they look.

The Atlantic Salmon Steak is another standout that surprises first-time visitors. Grilled simply with garlic butter and a squeeze of lemon, it lets the quality of the fish do all the talking.

The char from the grill adds a smoky complexity that elevates the salmon well beyond typical restaurant preparations. For something more adventurous, the whole sardines with house-made pickles offer a briny, punchy flavor experience that is genuinely memorable.

What makes the seafood program so compelling is the same thing that makes every dish here work so well. The open-fire grill is a transformative tool, and in skilled hands, it turns even the most straightforward ingredients into something exceptional.

The ocean offerings at St. Anselm prove that great technique has no boundaries on the menu.

First Bites That Set The Tone Beautifully

A great meal builds momentum from the very first bite, and St. Anselm understands this better than most. The sugar-cured and smoked Berkshire Bacon is a thick-cut, gloriously savory opener that sets an immediate tone of seriousness and indulgence.

It delivers a sweet-smoky punch that makes you lean forward in your seat and pay full attention to everything that follows.

The Beef Tartare with endive and crostini is another starter that rewards adventurous eaters.

The raw preparation is handled with care and confidence, resulting in a dish that is clean, bright, and surprisingly approachable even for those who have never tried tartare before. The endive adds a pleasant bitterness that cuts through the richness of the meat beautifully.

Then there are the clams, which deserve their own paragraph entirely.

Cooked simply and served at the right temperature with butter, they offer a briny, oceanic freshness that provides a lovely contrast to the heavier meat-forward dishes ahead.

Starting your St. Anselm experience with these appetizers is not just a suggestion. It is genuinely the best possible way to begin what will almost certainly become one of your favorite meals in New York City.

A Sweet Ending That Earns Its Reputation

By the time dessert arrives at St. Anselm, you might feel like you could not possibly eat another bite. Order the Sticky Toffee Pudding anyway.

This is the kind of dessert that somehow finds room even when you thought there was none, because the first spoonful makes your brain instantly reorganize its priorities. Warm, dense, and drenched in a deep caramel-like toffee sauce, it is a genuinely spectacular finale.

Ordering it a la mode is the move, full stop.

The cold, creamy ice cream melting into the warm pudding creates a temperature contrast that is almost too good to describe with words. It balances richness with lightness in a way that feels both indulgent and somehow perfectly calibrated.

This dessert has earned a devoted following among St. Anselm regulars for very obvious reasons.

Finishing a meal here with this pudding feels like the perfect punctuation mark on an already exceptional experience.

St. Anselm takes you from the first sizzle of the grill all the way to the last sweet, sticky spoonful with total confidence and zero missteps.