STK Steakhouse

Nearly two decades after its early aughts heyday, STK still stands, with a bit of a slouch. This Meatpacking restaurant was once a celeb-spotting scene, but these days, the white leather booths could use a deep clean, the big vases of fake cherry blossoms have wilted, and it’s anyone’s guess who the Skrillex-Bieber soundtrack is speaking to. Which is why it pains us to admit that we actually enjoyed the food, even if we have to swear up and down that we were there ironically. 

At this point, we can only recommend going to STK for the opposite of all the reasons it was invented. If you’re specifically looking to avoid the scene—which has moved on to Catch, around the corner—and you can’t get a table at Old Homestead, you can actually get a solid steak dinner here. It’s easy to avoid the untz untz on any weeknight before 9pm, and have a relatively peaceful solo or business meal. Both the Porterhouse (large) and 10z filets are precisely cooked and full of flavor, and classic sides like the wedge salad, creamed spinach, and mashed potatoes with a crackly parmesan crust get the job done.