steaks

Conspicuously missing from Anthony’s lineup: a shrimp cocktail.

The shrimp cocktail is very good—let’s get that out of the way. The real reason why downtown’s 113-year-old chophouse still thrives: It’s the steak.

The Midwestern-sourced beef stands on its own, thanks to the method Ruth’s Chris has carefully honed since 1965.

You can leave the coat and tie at home, and even show up in a sweatshirt if you like (just not one with a big “P” across the front).

A dramatic glassed-in wine closet spans an entire wall, like a Barney’s display window, and the female servers wear hemlines well above the knee.

People generally exhibit a “thermic response” when they put on the feedbag and could get similarly hot and bothered if they horked down a mountain of, say, carrots.

Morton’s has a little salt and pepper at the temples; the decor feels dated, and the vibe seems measured. But we consider the place distinguished.

If you don’t surrender your fork after the main course, try the towering chocolate cake: It practically hops into your mouth.

To avoid further misunderstanding (and drama), commit these distinctions to memory.

What’s the beef? This list of steak terms will have you in the know when at the market.

Knowledgeable waitstaff serve the table in tandem, outfitted in what look like white lab coats.

Mad Men–era charm for a special night out and steaks, which equally bewitch.

Purists, stand down. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a savory bearnaise sauce or a heap of shrimp scampi atop a fine steak.

Fleming’s takes a laidback approach to steak, one that will not judge you for requesting a side of the house F17 steak sauce for dunking.

A steakhouse chain with women in mind, cultivating a warmer aesthetic than that of conventional manly temples of beef.