The Most Flavorful Steakhouses in San Francisco

Brazen Head

★★★★☆ 4.1 (939) • $$$

"Absolutely solid steak place that serves other things like branzino, veal piccata, stroganoff and lobster ravioli (menu changes frequently). Did I mention Brazen Head serves steak? YES!Because this is the way when you want a very good to excellent cut of Prime Rib, New York strip, Filet Mignon or thick bone-in pork chop - and you can get it right up until closing time. Come as you are after work or in a sweater and jeans. Dining room is small and pub snug, packed solid on a Friday night (75 minute wait, no reservations) so even with the wind kicking up and a bit of rain, we settled in at the parklet outside, made toasty with a heat lamp. We were surprisingly cozy. (Don't say 'no' out of hand to sitting outside in inclement weather; it was warm and not crowded.)The Incinerator had penne and meatballs, tasted like the meatballs were beef, pork and veal, excellent. I had the Prime Rib, a dish I'd been craving for two years. It's hard to find unless you're going to pay rent and get dressed to the nines. Here at Brazen Head it was perfectly rare with very fresh horseradish that's deliciously potent, beware!Service (thank you Erin) made the meal special: She didn't skip a beat and made sure my son got an extra thick slice of carrot cake. Best to take Uber as parking is not easy. Lombard is probably your best bet but 8/10 for a high degree of difficulty, no private lot.Next time I won't be away so long: Dinner was great and service put it over the top!"

Bullshead Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.9 (952) • $$

"Old school burger and steak joint located near the West Portal Metro Station. Grill located at the front of the restaurant, brick and wood interior with sports memorabilia on the walls. Check out the M-F burger, fries and beer or drink special.Numerous burger and meat items, beef or bison, 1/3 or 1/2 pound burgers, various burger and vegetarian options. Many of the diners are loyal long time customers.Charming restaurant, good service, and good food. Parking can be a challenge - white drop off zone in front."

Pranzi

★★★★☆ 4.3 (641) • $$

"Wonderful food and service! We sat outside , although it was a cloudy day. Their heat lamps were very hot. So much so, we had to ask to turn them down.The focaccia bread served at the beginning of our meal was soft and fresh!We are big fans of squid ink pasta and their rendition was very good. We appreciate how attentive the staff was. We will definitely be back!"

Spasso Ristorante

★★★★☆ 3.9 (695) • $$

"This place is amazing! The hostess, Delaney, is what made our night. I'm currently disabled and she went out of her way to accommodate my needs from the very beginning all the way until the end of our dinner. I had to use the restroom and she personally walked me all the way back to the restroom and held the door for me! The food was incredible, our server was extremely attentive, and the food came out fast. I'll definitely come back. Thanks Delaney!"

San Mateo Prime

★★★★☆ 3.7 (665) • $$$

"Almost as good as House of Prime Rib! I was able to make reservations with no issues and no wait. The restaurant is located in downtown San Mateo. Parking can be difficult depending on timing of the evening. I think it was the Owner that constantly checked on us during dinner. He was very friendly. It was my birthday and they offered a complimentary tiramisu. My husband and I enjoyed the food. The only difference between this place and HOPR is the entertainment from servers mixing salad and etc.Overall I will definitely come back!"

Mistral Restaurant & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (604) • $$$

"$25 for the Chef's Appetizer special, which was seared ahi tuna on a bed of soba noodles. It came with shrimp-like crackers but maybe they're just crispy rice crackers. Loved all the textures in this dish. It wasn't too heavy and was perfect as an entree for one or as an appetizer to share.They currently have a few specials for $31 in celebration of their 31st anniversary, which included surf and turf (shrimp and steak with scalloped potatoes and veggies). Most of my party ordered this and all seemed very pleased. Service was friendly and took the time to take pictures of our big group at different angles. I went at night and faced the patio with the water but it was dark so there wasn't much to look at. It's a shame they no longer serve lunch to get the daytime view...I may need to come back when the days are longer."

Sixteen Mile House

★★★★☆ 3.7 (497) • $$$

"Full disclosure: we took advantage of their free brunch promo today only. And we came for brunch last weekend because we had a gift certificate, and before that it was probably a few years between visits. But we really need to come more often. At our previous visit we had the Sixteen Mile Deviled Eggs to start and each egg had a different fun little protein topping. I loved the one with steak and the smoked salmon. Presentation was lovely.Today we ordered the Swedish pancake starter. There was a berry syrup drizzle which was not my kind of thing, too candy-like, but my husband liked it. The lingonberry butter was very nice.My husband got their Kobe Loco Moco both visits because it was so delicious. The Kobe patty was cooked perfectly. The gravy was amazing; I kept trying to figure out what made it so good--maybe a French onion kind of flavor? So deeply beefy with notes of caramelized onion. Last visit I got Sixteen Benedict, because filet mignon is always a good choice, which was good in theory. I thought the sauce was too thick but the flavor was good. The little bit of sprouts on top helped balance the richness but I would've enjoyed more sprouts or greens to balance. The side dish was tater tots and they were very crispy. Today I had Stable Steak & Eggs because I love steak. The 6 oz ribeye was perfectly char grilled. I could've used some seasoning. Eggs were good. Tater tots were consistently crispy and tasty. Both times, I took home most of my tots and my daughter immediately devoured them.My husband had to take home half of his loco moco each time because it was a huge quantity. And he actually ate the leftovers, which is a big deal because he usually forgets about his restaurant leftovers and doesn't eat them.To summarize, the star is definitely Kobe Loco Moco. Everything else is good, but I can't get that Loco Moco out of my head."

Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (600) • $$

"So fun! And scrumptious. My husband had been going there for years because he grew up in Redwood City. I grew up a little further south so I have never been until we decided to take our four year-old. What a great time. Everything was so good. And it was so cozy And welcoming. I can't wait to go back. They put on a good show and don't require your participation, if you know what I mean. Not like the other infamous place where they try to get you involved in the food preparation production lol Here you just get to sit back, relax, munch on your appetizers while you watch them make the most delicious fried rice I've ever had. The staff are very nice and very accommodating."

Vallemar Station

★★★★☆ 3.6 (383) • $$

"We came here for their Fri/Sat/Sun after 5pm prime rib $39. It was alright. It wasn't anything fancy. For +$3.50, you can get either a salad or soup of the day. Today was clam chowder. As for the sides, you can choose between creamed spinach or cooked vegetables, either a baked potato or garlic mash potatoes. I asked for gravy on the mash potatoes but gravy was not available. My prime rib came with a bone but my friend's didn't. Both were thick and didn't leave us hungry. As for the meat, it got tedious to eat toward the end as it was a lot food. My guess is around 16oz. The quality was OK. It is not herb crusted nor aged that long. They should have dry aged it a bit more for the enzymes to develop a more complex flavor. As for the dining experience, no wait on a Friday night, unlike HOPR or Westlake Joe's. Vallemar Station puts glass on top of table clothes with paper napkins, yes, that kind of vibe. The bartender lady must be at least 70 years old. The waitstaff is young and energetic. There's a huge TV at the bar and also the dining room. It reminded me of how Val's in Daly City used to be, but a notch lower. Free bread. Service was excellent."

Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (163) • $$$

"We had our 11 yo daughter's birthday party there and it was absolutely perfect for them!!! 9 friends sat around a u-shaped Hibachi while the chef kept them entertained with antics. The food was yummy, but what really made it for me was the wonderful Maria, who could not have been nicer as we planned and emailed back and forth. She's a true gem and I hope management will keep her!!!"

Pho 808

★★★★☆ 4.2 (33)

"I've been hanging in San Francisco a bit & taking advantage of all the Vietnamese restaurants & unfortunately they are in some pretty raunchy neighborhoods but it didn't deter me from going. So off I go for dinner while there is still daylight. The restaurant is absent of any ambience, plastic table cloths, typical low budget decor and too much clutter exposed. The altar with their diety had clutter surrounding it too. It's a pretty large space so there is lots of excess stuff.Now the food, I ordered a beef combo with vermicelli, it comes in a large bowl with a couple greasy vegetable rolls. As I was eating & challenged myself with chopsticks I found all the glorious salad, mint & cucumbers at the bottom of the bowl and if I didn't dig a little I would not have been able to include them in my bite size morsels. It made the meal more satisfying. This place gets good reviews for the food, portions & price."

Arya Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"Valentine's Day at Arya Steakhouse was an unforgettable experience! My date and I had a 7:30 PM reservation, and even though we were five minutes late, we were seated immediately--off to a great start. The atmosphere was perfect for the occasion, with romantic low lighting, Valentine's-themed trinkets on the table, and a lovely rose for the table, which I really appreciated. Every detail made the night feel special, and it was clear that Arya went above and beyond.The four-course meal was nothing short of amazing. We kicked things off with drinks--I had the strawberry thyme mocktail, which was refreshing and well-balanced, while my partner's drink, made with egg whites and served in a compote, was strong yet delicious. He even ordered a second one because it was that good.Our appetizers were a delightful mix of flavors. The sweet and spicy shrimp was perfectly chewy, and the beet hummus with pita bread was a unique and tasty pairing. There were two other small bites, but the shrimp and hummus stole the show.The second course was a simple yet perfectly executed salad with just the right amount of balsamic vinegar and feta cheese. Sometimes simplicity wins, and this salad was proof of that.For the entrées, I had the NY steak cooked medium rare with an upgraded lobster tail. The steak was juicy, and the lobster had a wonderful smoky flavor that both my partner and I loved. Our server, Jennifer, made the experience even better by melting butter over the steak tableside--chef's kiss. My partner opted for the seafood paella with an aged ribeye upgrade, and both were equally impressive. The ribeye was juicy perfection, and Jennifer made sure both our steaks got that buttery finishing touch.We also ordered truffle fries, but we barely touched them because we were so full. Still, they were well-seasoned and tempting.Dessert was a shared plate, thankfully, because we were stuffed. It featured baklava with ice cream, a beautifully toasted meringue, and a chocolate cake with a hardened chocolate layer--each bite was heavenly.A special shoutout to Jennifer, who was funny, attentive, and clear about everything (even letting us know that tip was already included). She really elevated our dining experience--thank you, Jennifer!Arya Steakhouse delivered an incredible Valentine's dinner, and I'll definitely be back for more. Everything about this place went above and beyond!"

Miramar Beach Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 • $$

"After doing deep search on where to take my wife on her birthday, decided on this restaurant based on word of mouth and reviews posted. When we decided it's going to be Half moon Bay and I had posed two choices for my wife to choose from. We picked Miramar only for its exquisite beach view and its patio dining. It didn't disappoint us to be honest. We got seated facing the beach outside the patio. They don't take reservations but it's first come first serve. Service was bit slow and it took longer than usual. We got served sourdough bread with butter as complimentary starter for the table, our order for the day was Calamari fried with side of fries. Calamari was not crispy enough and the waitress diligently got us replaced with new set of crispy calamari, but still we felt it was not crispy enough with the batter being too soft. Average dish I must. Condiments were good. Next the side of fries was oily with less salt. I ordered planters punch cocktail and it was truly the best drink I have ever had for such a longer time. So refreshing and the punch of Caribbean flavour added with rum and pineapple, orange were top notch. Definitely recommend this drink. Next up was our main course, Mexican wild shrimp carbonara pasta, tasted amazing and the sauce was so creamy and delicious. Shrimp was cooked to perfection, served with garlic bread. Not to forget, since it was wifey's birthday, ice cream cake was offered on the house by the waitress. It was a pleasant surprise. Overall an average outing at Miramar. If you're looking for ambiance , this place is must visit especially if you're seated in the outside patio area. Food and service are average. I would still look to explore other options in and around Half Moon Bay Area. Overall a decent place , but pricey on certain dishes. If you're okay to spend around 75$-100$ for 2 people, then you can come and visit. Birthday well spent with wifey and will comeback only for views and their cocktails."

Tommy's Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"Is there a better margarita? I don't think so. I live nearby and this is absolutely a gem of a place. The widest tequila selection I've ever seen and a house recipe that is simple but compliments the taste of tequila.The chips and salsa are also incredible. I typically come for the margaritas but the food portions are also very generous and the chips and salsa definitely hit the spot.Check this place out if you are in the neighborhood or are just seeking the best margarita in the world"

LB Steak Santana Row

★★★★☆ 3.5 • $$$$

"LB Steak Santana Row San Jose CA Thur 3/28/24Data Bites for Success with Redis: Lunch!Exclusive High Tech Event!Steakhouse & Wine Bar! Thur aka Fri Jr!Good Friday Eve! Happy Easter!©What can I add to 2,226 reviews? When my lunch is catered by LB Steak, I betcha I could say a couple of (delicious) words!High Tech Biz lunch! Chatbots + AI!Intermittent sun! End-of-March rains!Today's Speaker: Jim Allen Wallace! Senior Product Marketing Manager for AI!Very nice classy place in the beginning of Santana Row stroll, corner building!Private room & absolutely terrific stuff that catered to every need of each guest with ease, grace, & prompt response! Thank you guys & gals!Chef-Owner Roland Passot created exclusive amazing menu for our group, nothing but gratitude!Data Bites for Success with Redis: Lunch and Learn series included delicious eats! We greatly enjoyed all the appetizers & main courses were fantastic delights!The talks began with Shrimp Cocktails! Finger foods like Crabcakes, garnished with your micro greens! Anyone's in for Garlic Fries? YeasZ, please! Crispy not soggy!How's life?? Hope along the same ways!Crispy explorative discovering trails!So grateful to our hard-working LB wait staff!First Course arrives! LB Caesar! It's crispy Romaine, Garlic croutons, and generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano, eccellente!I ordered Salmone! Seared with Swiss chard! Spinach! Pomegranate Pico de Gallo! Mouthwatering & satisfying, garners my full recommendation should you ask!Main course! 6 oz Prime New York Steak! Green peppercorn sauce, foraged mushrooms, mushed potatoes! A notch above the rest! Mushrooms perfectly balance the mash!Steak ~ great cut, outstanding gravy, wild mushrooms sautéed, plus perfect & creamy mash! What's not to like! It hit the spot as it absolutely should!Herb Risotto! Market inspired veggies, Parmigiano Reggiano! Can't go wrong with lotsa veggies in creamy mixture of al dente rice! Perfetto!Desert! Vanilla Bean Créme Brûlée Fresh Fruit! Couldn't resist & would not miss this! I'd rather eat less I confess! :-)It is what it is 'cause who in their right mind would've missed this!Now then, let's go change the world!*Let's change the world, tear our views apart!Before we fade away, can we hit the restart?Go catch a wave, let the water flowStart searching for answers no one really knows!A CASE OF DISAPPEARING REVIEWS & PICS?MY ORIGINAL GONE OR I FORGOT TO POST?POSTING ANEW in its 9-mo old ENTIRETYSo It BECOMES[ Review #810 w 9 pics Post Dec 31, 2024 from Apr 9, 2024 ]Our Shrimp Cocktail Apps! Our Crabcakes Apps!Anyone's in for Fries?Our hard-working wait staff! x2First Course! LB Caesar! Romaine, Parmigiano Reggiano, Garlic croutons!Main course! 6oz Prime NY Steak! Green peppercorn sauce, foraged shrooms, mush!My Salmone! Seared with Swiss chard! Spinach! Pomegranate Pico de Gallo!Vanilla Bean Créme Brûlée Fresh Berries!TY for perfect service & infectious smiles!High Tech Biz Lunch Chatbots+AI! @LB Steak Santana Row San Jose CA Thur 3/28/24"

Sundance The Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"Came here for NYE dinner with a friend. We both ordered the prime rib. I let the waitress know that I also wanted to order something to-go, but that I would tell her later in the evening. She insisted I tell her now and she'd take care of it, and so I did. We were quickly served bread, and our food followed shortly after. The bread comes with a side of butter and balsamic+oil. The prime rib and the accompanying side dishes were perfectly cooked. The prime rib paired with the au jus was *chef's kiss*. For dessert, I ordered the famous mud pie, while my friend ordered the crème brûlée. The mud pie was okay. I was disappointed there wasn't a thicker crust. It was essentially a large plate of ice cream with whipped cream and fudge. The creme brûlée was also okay. It was made with white chocolate and would've been more well-balanced if it came with more fruit.Now here is the kicker. We get the bill and notice the to-go order was not on it. I tell our waitress and she goes to get it fixed. Well, it turns out she completely forgot to place the order and by then, the kitchen had already closed down. This is why I initially said i would personally let her know about my to-go item later, but she insisted I tell her at the beginning. Aside from a simple apology, there was no other attempt at service recovery. That food was meant to be a NYE meal for someone who now had to ring in the new year on an empty stomach. Not to mention, by that hour, it was impossible for me to find an appropriate alternative elsewhere.The food is good, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. I will not be coming back a second time."

Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse

★★★★★ 4.6 • $$$$

"Great service. Great food. Meat lovers rejoice. This is paradise. Skip the salad bar. You'll need all the space in your stomach for the infinite meat servings you'll devour. Servers continuously bring large selections of perfectly cooked (medium rare for me) all-you-can-eat meat sliced at your table. The only drawback is the weight you'll gain."

Alexander's Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$$

"Came here for a birthday. Ordered their 8oz Filet, 18oz Rib-Eye, mashed potatoes, and broccolini. The whole meal was great. The steaks had a lot of flavor, and they for sure were dry aged. We got a chocolate soufflé for desert, which was also very good. And then they gave a complementary cotton candy. Overall the food was excellent. Service was good and fair. The wait time everyone else speaks of in their reviews were right. It does take a hour to get your food. If you're willing to wait the time for them to cook it, it's well worth the wait. Will be coming back again."

Betty Lou's Seafood and Grill

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$

"I love this spot - none of my friends have heard of it but they all loved it when I took them here. I've always gotten the seafood linguine because it's just that good - a generous amount of seafood, amazing sauce, and dipping the bread in the sauce after.... The service is always great here too. Highly recommend! Get the seafood linguine!"

EPIC Steak

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$$$

"Enjoyed an epic dinner with an epic view of the Bay Bridge. Ordered the ribeye with the special add-on, which included a starter, side dish, and dessert for just an extra $35.Every single dish was delicious. Our favorite was the roasted Brussels sprouts; perfectly crispy and flavorful. The lentil soup was also a standout. The ribeye, cooked medium rare, was tender and melted in our mouths, though a bit fatty for my taste. And the cheesecake was rich and filling.Service was good, and the ambiance was spectacular, especially with the beautiful location. Highly recommend and would definitely be back!"

Lolinda

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"I really enjoy this food because of the atmosphere and delicious food.I've been here quite a few times for birthday dinners, date nights and when friends are visiting from out of town.They have a great selection on the menus.Great to share family style/Tapas. You get more bang for the buck and the ability to try more of the menu. The drinks are delicious as well.Sometimes it can be quite busy so I would recommend making a reservation."

STK Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4.2

"Z is amazing super spectacular service gentle face with a great smile Food was good , decent portions Parking can be tricky"

Harris' Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$$

"This place has such a lovely atmosphere! It was so wonderful to celebrate a friend. We had a reservation for a group and were led to their lovely backroom. They also had live music but it wasn't too loud but created a classy atmosphere. Good place for conversations!I had the filet mignon medium rare which was cooked really well. So tender and buttery. I'm so happy the house potatoes that day were scalloped- my favorite!! The peas on the side was quite delicious too. Service was kind and attentive. But the wait for steak was like an hour. I understand we were a group, but steak came like at least an hour later after we ordered, like at 845. I was quite starving. But the bread was good.I wish there was a check-in from the staff on why the food was too late or if we were doing something 'wrong' - like are you waiting for us to finish the caesar salad that no one wanted to finish. I know it's etiquette but I wouldn't want the steak to wait just because the salad's still on the table."

Roka Akor - San Francisco

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$$

"Overall I would say 4.5/5 stars because of 2 things: 1) a couple of the dishes were lackluster in the omakase course 2) our server didn't really explain our dishes; however, the table next to us who had a different server had elaborate explanations of the same dishes regarding taste profile and what suggested order to eat in.The best dish of the night would be the lobster tail and sweet corn. Normally my partner and I aren't a fan of corn, but man this was amazing, it was sweet, it was tangy, it was citrusy, 10/10. But above that was the lobster, if I were to come back I would order 5 plates of those. That citrus butter sauce had me drowning that lobster tail and going back for more.Regarding the other dishes in the meal, there was some standard sashimi, some squid ink? pancakes type of dish with creme fraishe and ikura(was lackluster in flavor, it felt like everything was a very neutral flavor, like someone was tasting the color gray). The steak was mayhaps 7.5/10, a little too sweet for me on the marinade, but paired well with the accompanied chili sauce."

The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$$

"Service was attentive and top notched. Our waters were always full. When my pregnancy was made known, I was greatly impressed by the thoughtfulness of our servers. While my table were toasting with their wines, it wasn't left out and given a glass of some sparkling pineapple juice. Our server was patient and explained the menu and made wonderful recommendations.Food was phenomenal and presentation was stunning. My table had ordered one of each of their desserts and no crumbs were left behind"