By Jeff Ruby
Even in 2007, the familiar image of an
American steakhouse somehow prevails.
You know: a dark room full of wood, brass,
leather and expensive cuts of red meat,
where carnivorous businessmen flash
big knives and plot hostile takeovers.
That stereotype still exists because
those kinds of places still exist;
in fact, some of the choices on our
list fall into that camp.
Others are more modern spots with
bright interiors, organic ingredients
and -- egad! -- women servers.
We scoured America for the 10 best steakhouses,
whether contemporary or traditional,
focusing on elements such as service,
ambiance, wine list and sides.
And, above all, we are interested in the meat:
No matter what the room looks like and who's in it,
every place on this definitive list has
the highest quality beef, richly marbled
and mouthwatering.
And if a famous mobster got whacked
just outside the front door
-- as at Sparks in New York --
hey, bonus points.
Click on the menu to the right to bone up on America's top 10
steakhouses, listed in no particular order.
