The Resy Guide to D.C.'s Essential Steakhouses

Steakhouses in Washington, D.C.

In a city filled with partisan gridlock (and actual gridlock), there is at least one thing most Washingtonians can agree on — sitting down to enjoy a nice juicy steak. After all, D.C. steakhouses have long been a fixture in a town known for power lunches and lobbying receptions.

Of course, there is much more to Washington than politics or hunks of red meat, but it seems steakhouses have bipartisan support. So, from old-school specimens, with dim lighting and leather booths, to modernist restaurants with an extensive menu of wagyu beef, these steak spots are simply a cut above in our nation’s capital.

St. Anselm – DC

• Union Market
• Contemporary American
• $$$
  Executive chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley dishes out classic cuts of steak, including New York strip, ribeye, and a massive tomahawk (serves two or more). Pair this with a few sides, like their buttery biscuits or grilled potato salad with smoked trout, and it’s a feast of epic proportions. This is also a bar with one of the largest Madeira collections in the U.S.

J. Hollinger's Waterman's Chophouse

• Silver Spring
• Steakhouse
• $
  Hollinger’s opened last year in downtown Silver Spring and offers up a classic surf-and-turf menu. This includes a raw bar, fresh seafood sourced from the Chesapeake Bay, premium-quality steaks, and hyper-seasonal local produce, using only the finest ingredients from the Mid-Atlantic region.

Randy’s Prime Seafood & Steaks

• Tysons Corner
• Steakhouse
• $$$
  This massive steakhouse can accommodate big parties like family get-togethers and business meals. The menu features USDA prime steaks and Snake River Wagyu beef, seafood towers, and a triple-stacked chopped BLT salad featuring Great Hill blue cheese, house-smoked bacon, balsamic tomatoes, and buttermilk pepper dressing.

District Chophouse

• Chinatown
• American
• $$
  This steakhouse has been around the block for almost three decades and doubles as a microbrewery with a selection of styles from pale ales to hoppy IPAs and stouts. Pick from either filet, sirloin, New York strip, or bone-in ribeye. There’s also the option to prepare it as steak Oscar or gorgonzola.

Trio Bistro

• Dupont Circle
• Mediterranean
• $
  Trio is a neighborhood haunt where it’s easy to become a regular thanks to consistent, family-run service. It’s also the every-person’s steakhouse where you can order steak frites, topped with Montreal seasoning and accompanied by sides for $26.

Harvest Tide- Capitol Hill, DC

• Capitol Hill
• Steakhouse
• $$
  Harvest Tide is a popular steakhouse with an intimate dining room, perfect for special occasions. The ribeye and New York strip are dry-aged for 21 days in the restaurant’s meat locker, delivering mouthwatering bites from start to finish.

Annie’s Paramount

• Dupont Circle
• Steakhouse
• $$
  This old-school steakhouse was recently recognized by the James Beard Foundation as an American Classic. One of the top dishes to try is the “bull in a pan,” a juicy sirloin tips dish with sautéed onions and bell peppers.

Bourbon Steak

• Georgetown
• Steakhouse
• $$$$
  This steakhouse located inside the Four Seasons Hotel has been a fixture in Georgetown, known for its star-powered influences and culinary talents.

Guerra Steakhouse

• Arlington
• Steakhouse
• $$
  Guerra features a theatrical dining experience. Their steak selections include a decadent tomahawk ribeye that can easily feed a small party.

Medium Rare

• Multiple Locations
• Steakhouse
• $$
  This highly accessible steakhouse offers a simple $29 set menu featuring rustic bread, mixed green salad, and award-winning culotte steak with fries served with a peppery-mustard secret sauce.

Rare Steakhouse

• Downtown
• Steakhouse
• $$$
  Rare Steakhouse is a two-in-one restaurant with a casual downstairs tavern and a formal fine-dining restaurant upstairs. The menu features USDA prime, dry-aged steaks along with a Midwestern charm.