The aroma of flame-kissed beef fills the dining room. Dishes of creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and garlicky asparagus dot the tables. Servers in crisp ties and aprons glide past with sizzling cuts of char-grilled steak, while the unmistakable funk of dry-aged beef hangs in the air. The classic steakhouse is a sensorial experience. And in New Jersey, there’s no shortage of standout chophouses.
From shareable, broiled porterhouses to charred filet mignons sizzling in savory Maggi sauce, these New Jersey steakhouses deserve a spot on your list.
The Best Steakhouses in New Jersey Right Now
Sofia
Englewood’s Sofia checks a lot of boxes. Flame-grilled, dry-aged steaks; a wide variety of sides to choose from; a serious bottle list alongside an encyclopedic whisky selection; and skyscraper-tall seafood towers replete with ice-cold oysters, sweet shrimp cocktail, caviar, and blini. The downstairs cigar lounge presents diners with an added layer of elegance, while the bar offers a more casual, date-night dining option. Sofia specializes in blending the line between steakhouse Americana and homestyle Italian cooking.
Dino & Harry’s
In the heart of Hoboken, Dino & Harry’s offers a truly classic steakhouse feel. A mahogany bar anchors the white tablecloth room, while lined bookshelves and hanging chandeliers complete the look. The porterhouse is cut to feed two—grill marks hatch the surface, hiding rosy, tender meat beneath. Sides, like the house-favorite corn crème brûlée, are just as much a part of the story. To further drive home the chophouse feel, grab a no-frills tomato and onion salad for an appetizer. Dino & Harry’s brings timeless dining to the Mile Square City.
Sinner’s Seafood & Steakhouse
Right on the Manasquan Inlet, Sinner’s brings shore-style steakhouse vibes to locals and travelers alike. Cuts like marinated skirt, Delmonico ribeye, and American Wagyu strip show variety in method and flavor, while surfside additions like king crab legs, lobster tail, and broiled scallops give guests the true Jersey Shore experience. Oysters Rockefeller and clams casino show that the seafood classics never go out of style, while lamb chops and mushroom-fried filet offer meat eaters even more to choose from.
River Palm Terrace
This Edgewater institution is known for an expansive menu, complete with dry-aged steaks, fresh lobster, scorched lamb chops, and one of the top chicken parms in New Jersey. As the dining world constantly changes, there’s something to be said for River Palm Terrace’s stability. Diners return again and again for that consistency. Whatever is going on outside ends as soon as you walk through the doors. River Palm Terrace is a local favorite—and one people travel to—for that very reason. You can count on expertly cooked steaks, classic steakhouse sides like hash-browned potatoes and shoestring onions, fresh sushi, and a dessert list longer than most dinner menus.
Arthur’s Tavern
Arthur’s Tavern offers a scaled-back steakhouse option. Red-checkered tablecloths, neon signage, and framed pictures and art lining the walls are the first details you’ll notice upon entering this Morris Plains favorite. Charred ribeyes come with a bright red cherry pepper on the side, while sliced steak sandwiches and burgers offer more casual options. The fare is nothing short of excellent, but it’s the unmistakable vibe and fair pricing that bring diners back to Arthur’s again and again. My advice? Don’t skip the cold beer, French onion soup, or the famous Arthur’s potatoes.
The Butcher’s Block
Whole striploins and rib primals hang in fridges lining the space—a wood oven and open-flame hearth sit in clear view of the dining room. Long Branch’s The Butcher’s Block is easily one of the most hyped steakhouses in all of New Jersey—and for good reason. The Shore-area restaurant combines chophouse classics with a chef-driven panache. Beyond steaks, there are handmade pastas, seafood, and a seriously good Caesar salad. The Butcher’s Block is unapologetic in its approach—provocative, and a seriously good time.
Gabriella’s Italian Steakhouse
Donning an unapologetic Jersey outfit, Gabriella’s blends Italian-American flavors with steakhouse options. A 32-ounce bistecca alla Fiorentina sits alongside chicken and shrimp parm—bone-in New York strip next to thick-cut pork chops with cherry peppers and potatoes. Add caviar bumps and bone marrow to any steak you please, and don’t skip the spicy rigatoni. Gabriella’s remains booked and busy for good reason. It consolidates some of Jersey’s favorite things, all in one space.
Prime & Beyond
Up in Bergen County, where Korean food is abundant, Prime & Beyond takes a different approach. Think American steakhouse meets K-BBQ. Classic cuts come with salad, rice, and an egg. Chophouse classics like Caesar salad and slab bacon hit the table right beside spicy stir-fried pork and kimchi stew. Additionally, Prime & Beyond offers a butcher case full of dry-aged steaks, Korean-cut short ribs, and more. The Fort Lee restaurant delivers that familiar steakhouse feel with a unique layer on top.
Steve’s Sizzling Steaks
For 90 years, Steve’s has been the go-to in Carlstadt for its addictively delicious steaks, which come “sizzling” on hot platters with steak fries, button mushrooms, and a blanket of savory Maggi sauce. This method lends the steak an intensely beefy flavor that is often imitated at other restaurants in the area, but never truly replicated. The taxidermied animals on the walls, the pictures dating back 50, 60, 70 years, the moody wraparound bar, and the ice-cold beer define Steve’s. While many have tried to duplicate it, there’s only one original. It’s Steve’s Sizzling Steaks.
MM By Morimoto
When Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto announced that he would be opening a Montclair restaurant, we weren’t sure what to expect. MM By Morimoto quickly became one of the area’s best—and most unique—steakhouses. Morimoto uses his decades of Japanese cooking experience to put his own spin on the American steakhouse. Marinated Wagyu skirt steak, Japanese A5 strip steak, and thick-cut, rosy prime rib are just some of the beefy options. What’s more are expertly crafted cocktails and a brilliantly authentic sushi menu.
130 Club
Step back in time at this lounge-style restaurant sporting 1920s digs. 130 Club’s goal is to transport diners to the Gatsby era—plush seating, lined bookshelves, soft jazz, and the finest food and drink Tenafly has to offer. Slow-roasted prime rib comes with two options: thin-sliced English-style and thick Queen cut. Jumbo shrimp cocktail, tomahawks for two, and dry-aged ribeye drive home the steakhouse feel. Did we mention Imperial Beluga caviar, sold by the tin, and a members-only cigar lounge? This is true steakhouse opulence.
Ember & Eagle
Located at Suneagles Golf Club, Ember & Eagle is Chef Ryan DePersio’s take on an Italian steakhouse. Gems like pecorino zeppole and tuna carpaccio dot the menu, but it’s the wide range of beef and meat options that earns it a spot on this list. Several cuts of dry-aged Pat LaFrieda beef are grilled and served à la carte. Accent your steak with a variety of sauces: béarnaise, red pepper steak sauce, or my favorite, briny caper salsa verde. Beyond steak, the menu features flavorful lamb chops, “scottadito” style, and inventive sides like creamed broccoli rabe with guanciale and mouth-puckering pepper agrodolce.
Rare, The Steakhouse
Talk about a hidden gem. Rare is tucked away in the middle of a residential Little Falls neighborhood. If you don’t know it’s there, you might miss it—but keep your eyes peeled, because what’s behind the door is NYC steakhouse quality with small-town accessibility. All of the classics are on display: a porterhouse for two, tender filet, veal rib chops, creamed spinach, and crispy frizzled onions. Servers come around to tables with carts of available steaks, offering a firsthand look at what’s in store.
Rails Steakhouse
Three levels. White tablecloths. Broiled slabs of beef. Rails in Towaco is one of the purest iterations of the timeless steakhouse. While the menu is dotted with plenty of classic options, new-school takes on the staples are what set Rails apart. Thick-cut bacon with jalapeño jam and peanut butter, anyone? How about wood-fired oysters with ’nduja or lobster fritters? Beyond that, expect dry-aged porterhouse, filet mignon, and American Wagyu striploin—but don’t pass up the pepper-crusted honey-bourbon ribeye, either. Big bottles scatter the encyclopedic wine list, while happy hour brings high-end drinking and dining at an accessible price point.
Strickland’s Steakhouse
Set inside an old bank—closed during the Great Depression—Strickland’s pumps new life into the historic building. The modern American steakhouse offers guests the usual cuts: Kansas City strip, filet, ribeye, porterhouse for two, and more. Add Calabrian chili butter or shiitake truffle butter to any option. À la carte sides include the classics alongside contemporary additions like sweet potato brûlée. An impressive burger, anointed with Boursin cheddar, and a lengthy list of cocktails and wine make Strickland’s a standout in Woodbridge.
Stage Left Steak
Wood fire and dry-aged funk is the name of the game at Stage Left, where an array of beef cuts and add-ons anchor the steak-centric menu. For something different, order from the Wagyu menu, where each steak comes rare, sliced, and served on top of a molten-hot Himalayan salt brick. The Wagyu tasting is the way to go—landing you a sampler of Miyazaki ribeye, Australian ribeye, and Nebraska flatiron. It’s one of the smaller menus on this list, but build-your-own charcuterie boards and the Stage Left cheeseburger show a quality-first commitment, making the New Brunswick powerhouse easily one of NJ’s best steakhouses.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
