DeStefano’s Steakhouse

My wife and I live in Seattle and frequently visit NYC. During our last trip we dined at DeStefano’s and enjoyed an outstanding dinner. We both had the filet, as tender as can be imagined and flawlessly cooked. We had theater reservations that night and the staff ensured that we would not be late. The staff are friendly, down to earth and lack the arrogance so commonly seen in upscale Manhattan restaurants.

We truly enjoyed the restaurant… The food was really good… we both had the filet mingon and they were cooked to perfection. It is a large portion of meat. The asparagus wrapped in bacon was awesome. The drinks were great and the staff was exceptional and attentive… I recommend this place and will be returning.

I’ve been here 4 or 5 times & I’ve only been disappointed once and that’s because they didn’t cook the steak to the temperature I requested. Other than that, I’ve never had any issues here. The service is impeccable & the food is really good. I think the night time chefs are better than the daytime chefs. Drinks are great & even though they don’t have certain drinks on the menu, sometimes they’ll still hook something up for you. All in all I love this place! It’s better than Peter Lugers!

I love this place!!! Steak is heaven on a plate !! Melts in your mouth !!! Cooked to perfection every time!!! I can go on and on about the food but what makes it special is the staff!!! From the second you walk in you feel like family !! They remember you! There is a very warm feeling here! It’s like going home for Sunday dinner!!! This has now become my family’s birthday and Mother’s Day tradition !!! I will always come back!!!

Great steak place. service was very well done. 8oz filet melted in mouth. Prices are similar to other steak places

Perfect dinner. Great atmosphere, attentive and friendly service. Classic steakhouse menu. Tried the sweet and spicy bacon, the carpaccio, the filet, the NY strip, and the spicy steak fries. Carpaccio is «thick style» but tender and tasty. The bacon, with a secret recipe sweet and spicy dry rub, is simply amazing. The steak is cooked perfectly to temperature and can be cut with a butter knife. Highly recommend. Will definitely be back every time we are in NYC. Really a great find and well worth a trip to enjoy.

Steak is delicious here but that bacon is amazing. I really like how it has a sweet glaze. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. The steak was good but I still haven’t been absolutely blown away by steak yet. Will definitely come back however for that bacon.

Not much ppl have known of this steak spot. After first try the steak is great but not the best. Giving 5 stars hoping they can carry out the best and can realized this place more bez its located in a quiet corner store. Yeahh~ Finally find another new steak house located at South Williamsburg

Très bonne adresse pour les amateurs de viande, le Porterhouse est un délice pour deux bons mangeurs ! On regrette en bons français l’absence de sauces qui aurait clairement pu perfectionner l’ouvrage.
Service sympa, prix pas forcément très abordable. Compter 80 $ tout compris/​personne sans dessert (plus de place !) mais avec verre de vin.

DeStefanos surpassed my expectations. I had been wanting to come to this restaurant for years and I’m so glad I did yesterday. The service was great. The hostess and waiters were all so nice and were well informed about the preparation of the meals and specials. The waitresses wine recommendation paired very well with our meal. We had the porterhouse for two, sautéed spinach, string beans, baked potato and garlic mash. Loved it! They also had a pastry chef that night who prepared the cutest most delicious desserts. The place itself is very romantic. My boyfriend and I loved everything about it.

DeStefano’s overall score: 80
DeStefano’s seems to regularly offer Groupon deals in which you pay X number of dollars for Y amount of restaurant credit. Those are always the best kinds of deals. In our case, we had $ 90 credit for about $ 50. Our discount, however, was nearly voided completely when the lovely City of New York decided to shut down the L train in both directions due to police activity stemming from the infamous annual «pants off subway ride.» So after $ 25 in cab fare, we arrived to our destination about 30 minutes late.
Flavor: 8
This joint offers something a bit unique: a rib eye that is cooked with fennel. This highly Italian preparation doesn’t add much sweetness, as you might expect (Which is good), but the resulting «grilled fennel» that comes with the steak has a grilled onion quality, only less salty and more mild. I liked it. While the meat itself was aged (28 days) and prime, I felt that it could have benefited from a slight hit of more salt. The pepper usage was perfect, and the meat was cooked to a very nice medium rare. The only other down side was that the steak was sitting in a pool of butter and/​or oil. I don’t mind that too much, but soaking in that will remove any good seared crust that may have developed on the outside of the steak during cooking.
I’m adding a pic of a closer look at the fennel. The steak comes served on a bed of sliced and grilled fennel (unless you request otherwise).
I should note here that the porterhouse cuts looked amazing. I saw two come out for other tables and my eyes lit up. You all know that I’m primarily a rib eye guy, so for me to get excited over a porterhouse is kind of a big deal. I’d definitely like to come back and try one of those big fuckers.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 9
You have all your basics here, but the quality is prime and the meats are aged to give the cuts a great flavor. My cut had a good amount of tasty beef jelly fat between the spinalis and the eye. I like that. It’s like marrow!
Portion Size & Plating: 9
My steak was a 24oz bone-​in cut, served on a silver platter. Very nice. Sides can be ordered for one or for two, and the sizes are generous.
Price: 8
My rib eye was $ 58. That is midtown pricing. A bit high, in my opinion, for something that didn’t get full points for flavor, but balance that against the fact that DeStefano’s almost always has a Groupon deal available and it evens out. I also can’t complain too much here because the management generously comp’d our dessert.
Bar: 5
There is a small three-​seat bar beside the host station when you walk into the restaurant. This is certainly not the kind of place you go for, say, a happy hour or to just hang out at the bar. They do, however, make a good martini. My wife’s old fashioned was just so-​so, she reported.
Specials and Other Meats: 8
Our waiter David read off some special apps for us, so there are definitely some off-​menu items to explore. For other meats, you have lamb, veal and chicken. Not a bad showing.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 8
We tried two apps. First was the sweet and spicy bacon. This slab came in just under $ 5 and was nicely cooked to a soft yet crunchy texture.
Next up was DeStefano’s version of carpaccio; a shoulder cut of beef that is tenderized and seared on the outside before slicing thin and serving with arugula, lemon and shaved parmesan. This reminded me of my dad’s «steak salad.»
It went nicely with the sliced table bread as well.
On the side we tried an order of creamed spinach. This was okay. I’ve had better, and I’ve certainly had worse. The top had a nice crunchy texture from baked breadcrumbs, and the spinach itself was only lightly creamy, which, in general, I like.
For dessert we had tiramisu. This was creamy and soft, not too boozed up, and very light. I enjoyed it, and it was a good recommendation from our waiter.
Seafood Selection: 7
There’s grilled mahi mahi and a pair of seafood pasta items on the entrée menu, otherwise you’re limited to the app and salad section for your seafood (crab cakes, BBQ shrimp, lump crab, etc). But you’re coming here for steak anyway, so don’t get all bent out of shape over this.
Service: 10
David was an excellent waiter, and all the staff was helpful and nice. Our water was always filled, we never had to wait long for anything, and the management was very generous for comping our dessert. I’d definitely eat here again — especially to try that porterhouse I mentioned above. The table bread is nice — basic, nothing too fancy — and served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic.
Ambiance: 8
You’re actually entering someone’s former home when you eat here. You feel like the home owners have cleared out their living room and set up nice dining tables for you to eat their home cooked meal. It’s very charming, and all the walls are covered in family photos going back to the 50’s (perhaps even earlier) and coming up to present day.

This place has the BEST steaks ever!
My husband and I went here for my birthday this was our second time was here 8 years ago, so wished we lived closer!
The service is excellent, and food is so so good I had the Crab cakes to start off with and my husband had the bacon. We both had Filet Mignon big and thick and so much flavor. We had dessert I had Cheesecake my husband had Cream brulee both excellent.
I would highly recommended DeStefanos, it is the BEST steakhouse hands down!

Amazing food and great casual atmosphere.
For appetizer, I recommend the crab cakes. My friend and I took our first bites at about the same time and we both had the same reaction. They were so creamy and flavorful. We could actually see and taste the shredded crab.
We split a 40 oz. Porterhouse Steak, which we weren’t even able to finish. We asked for medium rare and that is exactly what were were given. The steak also came our choice of a side and we chose mashed potatoes. Very creamy.
If you are looking for a quality steakhouse but don’t feel like dressing up as you would for places like Peter Lugers, I would recommend DeStefanos. Everyone in the restaurant was casually dressed like us. The ambience and décor is very casual and laidback but still classy.

My husband and I had a great time at this restaurant!
We bought the Groupon deal. ($ 50 toward $ 90 value)
The great thing is this deals are not pre-​menu!
We could pick what we want so we felt a lot to discounted:)
The restaurant is very cozy place, very «home» feel to it. Plus all the workers are very welcoming all the guests and we loved about this place.
We arrived 10 minutes before the reservation (Wednesday, 5:50pm).
Not too crowded, and felt everyone is relaxed.
Our server was very very soft toned and nice.
All the food we had was all excellent!
1, the Caesar salad
The salad: we could choose with anchovy or not.
I never had this type of offer from the restaurant so it was quite interesting.
2, short rib rolls
Tender cooked short rib with creamy mashed potato with carrots are wrapped in spring roll skin and fried.
Crispy outside and very creamy and simple flavor.
3, Porterhouse for 2
Portion is great! Cooked just right!
Meat itself were so tender, very flavorful!
One of my best porterhouse I’ve been trying so far.
(+ 2 side dishes and my husband had a 2 glasses of beer + a wine)
Price of total was great as well.
I’m so glad I bought this deal but I’m totally sure we’ll be back to this place in soon!
Highly recommended to everyone:)

I agree with the 5 star reviews below me; we had an excellent steak dinner here last Sunday night! The reservation was made easy through the Unilocal application (there was also a text message reminder to confirm the reservation) and we were seated immediately in the center of the lively, yet well-​furnished restaurant. I admired the framed photographs (both vintage and new) on the walls. The host, waiter, manager, and servers were all very attentive, considerate and professional.
We were very impressed that our waiter was able to memorize an extensive list of specials and other available options for that night. He was very prompt and we received our porterhouse steak for two (medium-​rare) right away, including our three side dishes (creamed corn, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes). All were very savory, delicious and balanced perfectly. The steak was cooked to perfection and melted in our mouths. We only needed a butter knife to cut the steak into slices, but the manager was kind enough to voluntarily give us steak knives. Their professionalism and promptness is one of their specialties and we are glad we went here instead of Peter Luger Steakhouse.
Plus, the sangria with fresh fruit, house red wine and chocolate mousse cake helped make our experience here one of the best ways to end a weekend. We will be returning again and spread this superior experience with our family and friends over Thanksgiving break!

We had a super nice experience here. This place was quiet and unassuming both inside and out but their meat was really good. It was cooked well (I had prime rib and my wife had the filet) and the sides were fantastic. I love a good baked potato with a steak.
I would check this place out if you’re looking for a good steak. It’s fantastic.

Not bad, not bad at all…
I came here on the glowing Unilocal reviews as well as having a GroupOn. This place is often mentioned in comparison to Peter Lugers (understandably so) and I think it very well holds its own. First thing I noticed walking into the place is how homey the place felt… it really feels like your eating in someone’s dining room at home. Nice wooden floors and very simplistic décor — the place is super casual too… lacking any pretention you might often see at high end steakhouses. All the servers were incredibly nice and the service was attentive.
On to the food… we started with the pear and arugula salad which was big enough to share and was delicious. The grilled portobello mushroom with spinach appetizer was excellent as well, albeit slightly on the salty side. For comparison purposes (i.e. against Peter Lugers), my dining companion and I got the porterhouse for two. We started on the edge and worked proximally; the initial pieces we ate on the outside were a bit dry and we were kind of let down, but as we moved closer to the center, the morsels got better and better! At its best parts, the meat was tender, juicy, with perfectly rendered fat, and just the right amount of saltiness. The sides were very good as well — specifically the mashed potatoes and creamed corn. I actually liked them much better than the sides I’ve had at Lugers.
All in all, great food, homey atmosphere, and excellent service at this steakhouse. I think in regards to the steak itself, I’d give a slight edge to Lugers, but that’s not really a knock. I do like the sides at DeStefano’s better. Would definitely recommend!

3.5 stars rounded down.
We found this steakhouse through Unilocal and trip adviser and thought we should give it a try. We have dined at Peter Luger and Benjamin’s steakhouse (in Manhattan) on prior trips so wanted to try something new.
I will have to say that steak-​wise, I actually prefer the two other steakhouses I frequent. The sides we got, Brussel sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes, were good but nothing spectacular about it.
For dessert, we got the lemoncello cake. It was ok. There was a slight lemon flavor but I was expecting a little more of it.
The service however, was great. Everyone was friendly and gave us great their honest recommendations when we asked for it.

We got there pretty late close to the closing time and still the service was really great. I have tried different steak places around the city and hands down the best rib-​eye steak I have had so far. When you are paying over 50 dollars per steak you have high hopes and rib-​eye steak was definitely worth it. I would definitely go back!

Came here with my boyfriend with a reservation on Valentine’s Day weekend. We shared the 40 oz Porterhouse for two. The steak was cooked perfectly. It’s exterior was nicely seared and seasoned well while the inside was juicy and medium rare, just the way we like it. We also had the sauteed spinach in garlic and oil and the home fries which were both quite delicious. We decided to each get a glass of wine as well to complement our meal.
The atmosphere here is warm and cozy. Their décor reminds me of what you would find in a cabin. Personally I didn’t like the design that much, and I didn’t find the orangey brown color of the wall too appealing. But no worries, what lacked in the décor was made up for in the food.
Contrary to many other reviews here, I did not use any Groupon or Livingsocial deal. I wasn’t able to find one when I searched the web prior to coming here. However I am now finding that there is a Travelzoo deal available and kicking myself in the butt for not finding it earlier. Here’s the link for those who are just reading my review and thinking about checking this place out:
Enjoy!

«Is this knife going to be sufficient?» I asked, gesturing to the butter knife, to the waiter who’d just delivered my New York strip.
«More than sufficient,» he said. And lo, it was a prophesy.
I’d been wanting to try DeStafano’s for a while, but headed there on a whim just before 8 p.m. one Sunday as it’s just a few blocks from my apartment. I didn’t have reservations, but the waitress and floor manager shuffled some things around to get me a table with very little wait.
Eating alone (sniff, sniff), I knew there wasn’t any point on getting a bunch of things to try, so I picked the strip –which I figured would deliver the dry-​aged goodness in a belly-​filling portion– and asked the waiter for a recommendation on one side. He suggested either the mashed potatoes or the creamed corn, which seemed a bit too carby for me, so he then mentioned a special on Brussels sprouts, which I opted for.
The veggie was a spot-​on choice. The sprouts were a little softer than I’m used to, but that helped them soak up the garlic, bacon and olive oil that were mixed in liberally.
I was all set on a 4-​star rating for this place until I got halfway through the steak. Much has been written about the homey décor and the utilitarian service. The meat convinced me that the full 5 stars were warranted.
Indeed, it’s maybe the first time I’ve noticed a steak getting BETTER as you eat into it. Medium rare is not an option for steak doneness; it is the ONLY option in my book. This thick strip appeared to have been blasted with incredible heat that seared its exterior and transformed its salt and pepper seasoning into a brittle crust. These outer bites were tasty, but a little too salty and carbonized. Just beyond this layer, however, was that perfect redness I was hoping for. A thin slice with the butter knife that captured that seasoned crunch from the top and bottom along with that bloody center is just absolute perfection.
I was thinking about this steak all night, and it still haunts me. Bravo.