If you’re looking for the best steak restaurants in Seattle, then odds are you have a craving that can’t be quenched with just any old hunk of meat. Lucky for you, Seattle is teeming with excellent steakhouses. And I’m not talking touristy chains, but rather independently-owns spots offering premium and expertly aged steaks.
Whether you’re looking for fine dining spots or butcher shops turned eateries, Seattle has a lot to choose from. So, here’s my roundup of the best places to go when you crave premium steaks, no matter where you are in Seattle.
10 Best Steak Restaurants in Seattle
Save this to Pinterest for later because I’m always adding and updating to this list as I visit more steakhouses in Seattle.
Beast & Cleaver
website | get directions | neighborhood: Loyal Heights/Ballard | price range: $$$-$$$$ | best for: casual bistro or an upscale tasting menu
Beast & Cleaver is a butcher shop, first and foremost. They specialize in artisanal meats and have strong ties with local purveyors. If you pop in on a Thursdays or Fridays, you’ll find them serving up sandwiches and some of my favorite burgers in Seattle.
Come weekend night, the butcher shop transforms into The Beastro where you can find a casual a la carte menu, well-curated wine list, and bumpin’ music. They also have a higher-end concept called The Peasant. This is one of my favorite date night restaurants in Seattle, and it’s definitely one of the best steak restaurants in Seattle considering the whole menu features nose-to-tail dishes. The tasting menu is priced at ~$150/person and features a constantly rotating selection of meat-focused dishes along with an optional wine pairing…with refills.
Pro tip: They’re also behind 49th Street Beast inside Fair Isle Brewing, one off the best Ballard breweries.
Ascend
website | get directions | neighborhood: Bellevue | price range: $$$$ | best for: steak and sushi with Vegas-like flare
If you’ve ever had a hankering for steak, sushi, dinner with a show, and fine dining all at the same time, then you basically need to go to Las Vegas or Ascend. If that’s not enough of a draw, its sweeping views has it at the top of my list of best Seattle restaurants with a killer view. Oh, and it’s one of the few Black-owned restaurants in Seattle focused on fine dining.
When it comes to food, Ascend is a contemporary Asian-influenced restaurant serving up a theatrical cocktail list, fresh sashimi, and juicy steaks. I’ve honestly loved just about every dish I’ve had here, and the presentation is always on point, which is important because it’s definitely on the pricier side of steakhouses.
The steak menu is rather extensive, serving American prime and Japanese wagyu of different grades. If you’re open to splurging, definitely try the Japanese miyazaki wagyu. It ain’t cheap at ~$51 an ounce and a minimum requirement of 3 ounces, but it’s the best option for trying what butter tastes like in steak form.
The Shambles
website | get directions | neighborhood: Maple Leaf | price range: $$-$$$ | best for: charcuterie
The Shambles is a 21+ steakhouse and bar offering a small but concise menu of premium steaks, sandwiches, and charcuterie. One thing I love most about The Shambles is their off-menu selection of rotating cuts of steak, which they write on the blackboard as soon as you walk in so you know it’s fresh.
As for the drinks, The Shambles has a thorough list of fun cocktails, local craft brews, and wine. The ambiance of the dining room is cozy and casual, so it’s definitely on the more easygoing side of steakhouses in Seattle.
Pro tip: If you’re looking for a special steak cut, such as the rib eye or teres major, then you’ll want to call ahead and check for availability. Also, don’t forget to make a reservation.
Meet Korean BBQ
website | get directions | neighborhood: Capitol Hill | price range: $$$ | best for: upscale Korean BBQ
There’s nothing I love more than Korean BBQ, but you generally go there for the experience over the grade of meat. However, Meet Korean BBQ is a rare gem that uses top quality meats fitting of an upscale steakhouse.
It has a lot of the same mechanics you’d expect from K-BBQ. There’s a grill on the table, you pick meats, and they bring it out along with banchan and other side dishes. You can order meat a la carte or get combo platters so you don’t have to think.
However, unlike other K-BBQ spots, only the server is allowed to cook the meat. I love this because I don’t want to be responsible for over-cooking their prime Angus, American wagyu, and Kurobuta pork.
Each person gets their own salt and dipping sauce so they can adjust the seasoning to their liking. Most of the meat is free of marinades so you can really taste the nuances of the animal. K-BBQ purists would balk at this, as traditional spots are known for their marinades and sauces. But it’s perfect for people new to the cuisine since the flavors aren’t too spicy or fermented.
Besides exceptional meat quality, Meet Korean BBQ offers rice cakes that are grilled rather than boiled and doused in sauce. It’s super interesting and unlike anything you’ll find at other K-BBQ spots. They also have one of the most flavorful scallion pancakes I’ve ever had. Make sure to add these to your order!
Butcher’s Table
website | get directions | neighborhood: South Lake Union | price range: $$$$ | best for: steak flight
Perhaps it’s a running theme, but I never get tired of steakhouses that also function as a takeaway butcher. The Butcher’s Table made it on my list of best restaurants in South Lake Union, equally for their take-home meats, juicy burgers, and swanky upscale vibe.
The Butcher’s Table also offers fresh seafood if you’re not a huge meat eater. That said, I usually treat myself to the steak flight. It features four cuts of steak, which is nice if you’re indecisive like I tend to be. Just don’t forget to add some of their irresistible fries to your order.
Pro tip: They have an awesome burger during lunchtime.
Bateau
website | get directions | neighborhood: Downtown | price range: $$$$ | best for: sustainably-raised beef
I’ll never say no to a good Renee Erickson restaurant, especially when you can get fresh seafood and some of the best burgers in Seattle under the same roof. Bateau is the steakhouse next door to their sister restaurant, the Boat Bar, which, as the name suggests, is really more of a bar with seafood appetizers and cocktails.
As for the food at Bateau, you’ll find small plates and a daily fresh sheet of á la carte steaks. Their steak tartare is similar to the one at their other sister restaurant The Walrus and the Carpenter, which is my favorite steak tartare in Seattle, so it’s a definite must-try. They also use ground beef beautifully in a burger, so get that too.
Steak wise you’ll order by the ounce from what’s handwritten on the blackboard. Bateau hand picks and buys beef that is raises humanely on a ranch in central Washington. All of the beef is grass fed and finished, then butchered in house and dry aged for 21 days. If you’re not convinced that they take steak seriously, maybe the glimpse of a carcass hanging in the meat locker will change your mind.
Pro tip: If you order a steak, keep in mind patience is key. They estimate 40 minutes to 1 hour to prepare your steak.
Asadero
website | get directions | neighborhood: Ballard | price range: $$-$$$ | best for: carne asada
Another one of the best steak restaurants in Seattle is Asadero. It’s a Mexican restaurant with a heavy emphasis on smoked and grilled meats. The vibe is very Cantina-style, and chef/owner David Orozco is on a mission to share his family’s traditional northern Mexican cuisine.
This is a great spot if you’re a steak nerd and love plenty of options. They’ve got everything from barley-fed Australian Angus to Japanese wagyu, though if you can’t decide, you can always get their filet mignon flight.
I definitely recommend you don’t pass up on their homemade salsas, which chef David’s mom makes in-house. The tortillas are also homemade and have that chewy, flavorful taste that reminds you of what true authentic Mexican is supposed to taste like.
Pro tip: Asadero has two locations, one in Ballard and one in Kent. The one in Kent is closed on Mondays, while the Ballard spot is open daily. They take reservations online, though I’ve never had to wait long for a table.
Flintcreek
website | get directions | neighborhood: Greenwood | price range: $$$ | best for: hanger steak and prime chops
You may have heard me mention RockCreek in my list of best North Seattle restaurants, which specializes in fresh seafood. Their sister restaurant, Flintcreek Cattle Co., has a more turf vibe and serves up sustainably-raised beef alongside game and a small seafood selection. That said, you definitely come for the meat.
It’s worth a stop to try their burger during happy hour, which is one of the best happy hours in Seattle. They only make a few, so come early to snag one. However, if you come later you can still get their hanger steak or prime chop cuts.
Pro tip: Next door to Flintcreek is their other sister restaurant, Bar Sur Mer, which offers Spanish tapas and a thorough list of creative cocktails.
Metropolitan Grill
website | get directions | neighborhood: Downtown | price range: $$$$ | best for: USDA Prime steaks
Not to be confused with the nearby Capital Grill. Metropolitan Grill is one of the OG steakhouses in Seattle. Located in the historic Marion building just a short jaunt from Pike Place Market, they focus on USDA Prime steaks alongside an impressive wine list. Considering only about 2% of US beef is this grade, this Seattle steakhouse is a must try.
Met Grill is best known for classic cuts of dry-aged beef like Châteaubriand, Delmonico, and filet mignon. I like getting their combo dishes that comes with various cuts of filet or wagyu (both American and Japanese A5) and your choice of sides. However, the dinner for two options are carved table side and make for some great Instagram fodder.
Pro tip: Metropolitan Grill is serving one of the best clam chowders in Seattle and one of my favorite burgers in the city (which you can only get at the bar). Don’t miss these!
STK Steakhouse
website | get directions | neighborhood: Bellevue | price range: $$$$ | best for: filet with wagyu umami butter
I have to come clean. STK Steakhouse is probably a place I would have glazed over if I had known they were a member of Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain. That said, ignorance is bliss, and I’m pretty glad I gave STK Steakhouse a try because there are some pretty big winners on the menu.
The dining room vibe is clubby and the music is always bumpin’. They also have a pretty killer happy hour, which is great if you’re looking for the steakhouse experience, but with more reasonable prices.
My favorite thing on the menu is the wagyu butter. If I could, I’d slather myself and give myself up as an offering for it..it’s that good. It has this tomato-esque vibe and a subtle smokiness thanks to the table-side flambé.
Beyond the wagyu butter, there were some hits and some misses. I enjoyed the calamari and the house parker rolls with blue cheese butter, but I could have done without the pasta, cod, or french fries. What they do right is their steaks, so so long as you focus there, you’ll fare well.
More Seattle steakhouses to try
As much as I love Seattle steakhouses, there are still a few on my list to try. I’ll update this list of the best steak restaurants in Seattle once I do! If it’s not on this list, chances are I’ve tried it and didn’t love it. 😬
- Grill from Ipanema – Brazilian steakhouse featuring a traditional open fire pit and a rotating selection of South American and more traditional cuts.
- Walla Walla Steakhouse– Woodinville destination with a Pacific Northwest seasonally-driven menu and an in-house brewery, Crossbuck Brewing.
- John Howie Steakhouse – Bellevue destination with custom-aged steaks and an impressive wine list.
More to do in Seattle
If you’re on the hunt for more must-try spots, you’ll definitely want to check out some of my other recommendations after making your way through the best steak restaurants in Seattle.
