St. Anselm

this is not your discounted good deal steakhouse any more, as some claim to be, prices have gone up $ 2 – 7 depending the dish, and steaks are too salty. For these prices I have seen better.
The Butcher steak now is $ 19.50 and the pork chop $ 23.00. the prices on the menu shown are from 2012.

Horrible, host!!! Not only did she not answer our questions but walked away while we were in mid conversation. An experience in a restaurant is not only about food but about how your staff treats patrons as well as perspective patrons. Let’s just say I will not be dinning at your restaurant nor will my friends. Thank you for a horrible experience!

Let me start by saying the reason this place is getting one star is not because the food was terrible. My girlfriend and I actually thought the food was GREAT and was not upset until we recieved the bill. And let me tell you why…
We came in at about 10pm. My girlfriend and I go out for steak quite often. It is one of our favorite dinner dates, so we knew we had to try this place that people rave about in Williamsburg. We always order the Ribeye for 2. When we sat down, we asked for that, and the waitress says, «unfortunately we only have our bigger cuts left about 60oz (bone about 10oz-​14oz)», that we usually do for 4 people. Of course we say, «that fine.“We can always take leftovers home. No big deal!
Food comes, look great. They sit the steak down and walk away. And immediately my girlfriend and I look at each other like oh… LOOKS LIKE THEY MIGHT OF FOUND A SMALLER CUT, PERFECT! I can tell you it looked like it was like about 30oz MAX (with the bone). Im being seriously generous. I know you lose about 25% with cook loss. NO WAY THIS WAS FOR FOUR PEOPLE. We ate the WHOLE THING. Not even stuffed or anything.
We ask for the bill. Before it even came back. I lean over to my girlfriend, and say, «watch these ass holes try to bill us for a 60oz steak.» AND SURE ENOUGH… bill comes the steak ALONE was $ 156.60(total was $ 200). Unlike most places they weight the steak and charge $ 2.70/lb, instead of a set price. Which is actually good business sense. I couldn’t stop laughing. Of course we paid, left a 20% tip, and didn’t complain. We just aren’t those kind of people and what would really been resolved.
BUT WE WILL PROBABLY NEVER GO BACK! Just wasn’t worth the money and they played us. Just to give you reference, we tried Wolfgang’s like 2 weeks before, and got the roughly the same size steak (the alledged 58oz-​60oz) for $ 100…AND we both had enough for lunch the next day! Nice try St. Anslem. You lost a potential faithful customer. We’ll stick to Peter Lugers.

Overrated and overpriced. More than one person has told me that if you can’t get in to Peter Luger’s, then come here because it’s almost as good. Ha. Not even close. The steak was bland and the side was boring, and considering the price I feel as if I was robbed, technically.

Yup. Still bonkers. Butcher steak is the best value in NYC.

Joe Carroll knows what’s up.
I’ll follow that statement with this: my partner is a vegetarian. Shit you not. She eats steak (and only steak) once per year in honor of her dad; a Montana rancher.
The experience, from beginning to end, was perfect. Semi-​sarcastic wait-​staff, female-​helmed kitchen, Shriner décor, and the food, my god… the food.
We saddled up to the open kitchen bar seats, and played roulette deciding which steak (s) we’d tackle.
In short, the Ax Handle won our hearts, and I’m still digesting the incredible amount of protein that I consumed on Sunday night (a 50 oz. steak split between 2 women — chef, you know who we are…).
Contrary to NYMag’s meal suggestion, I’d go with the following: Radishes & Butter, Bibb Salad, Ax Handle (for two — medium rare), Pan Fried Potatoes, Long Beans, Pot de Crème… all resolutions out the window, this was, hands-​down, the best meal I’ve had in a long time.
P.S — THE WINE LIST!

One star off because, as many reviews have mentioned, they are extremely heavy handed with the salt. Not just on the meat, but everything. The chef is either a smoker or REALLY likes salt. If you don’t typically like salt, I do not recommend this place. My husband enjoys salty food and he even commented on it. (It was just short of the line of being unpalatable for me) I would recommend wine a good wine pairing to level it out (maybe that’s their intention).
Aside from the above, everything was great. Their pricing ranges also, so you can find something reasonable for most budgets. Butchers cut was delicious with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. The potatoes came «pancake» style hot with a perfectly crunchy grilled crust. I highly recommend the toffee rum cake— so good! Additionally they have an amazing wine selection!

Delicious steak and sides. What more do you want? My steak was cooked to perfection (medium rare), nice and moist. The salad was alright, nothing special, but I really enjoyed the mashed potatoes, loving the browned layer on top. Definitely a place I’ll revisit. Only downside is that they don’t accept reservations so get there early!

Great steaks and sides. Expect the usual hipster décor and wait. As far as steak rank, I hold it on bottom of my ladder. A steak cannot be a steak if it is not dry aged.
I will never eat here again.

Let me preface by saying overall we had a great experience at St Anselm!
The Edibles:
–the grilled tomato & burrata was from another planet
–the walnut bread and sheeps cheese was magical
–the bacon side was delicious as was the pan fried mash and spinach gratin
–we both ordered the butchers steak which was quite salty… at first I suspected one of the chefs maybe had a heavy hand on accident. Upon ordering a second butchers steak, the salt issue was much imported.
–the cantaloupe sherbet! What a surprise that’s it legitimately tasted like a fresh cut cantaloupe. Delicious!
The Ambiance:
–cozy spot with very limited room
–the bar stools are quite uncomfortable and the likelihood of you being seated here is high if you are a part of 2
The Wait:
Here is where it gets a little funny. I’m absolutely not giving a poor score to a restaurant for a wait. You want a great meal without a reservation? You will wait. No issue. St Anselm works on a first come first serve basis. My wife and I arrived at 5:38 on the nose. The restaurant was already packed (from a 5pm opening) and were quoted an hour and a half wait.
At 7:28, we were seated. I don’t own a restaurant however I think it would be great if perhaps you limit the time a party can be at a table. We saw two parties that were at the tables for 3 hrs easily. Very tough to accommodate diners with that format.
All in all, great restaurant! We will return.

Sadly, does not live up to the hype. Steak was over salted and nothing to write home about. Mashed potatoes and clams were awesome but I’d really have liked to leave this place excited about the meats.
Wait staff was very good and the place has a great relaxed vibe. Maybe I was just expecting too much from the steak?

Ambience is super upscale. Cool wood ceilings. Awesome brick walls. Chill staff. Dope open kitchen for watching the chefs grill your steaks. Most importantly, the food was amazing!
Medium-​rare Butchers Steak was to die for. Cauliflower, thick cut bacon, and the iron skillet mashed potatoes are must-​gets!
Can’t wait to try the 45+ oz. Axe Handle Rib Eye~

St. Anselm seriously rocks. If it was located in my neighborhood, I’d easily eat there at least once a week. Since they don’t take reservations, we knew we’d be in for a wait, but it was well worth it. We put our name down and ended up roaming around Billyburg for about an hour before they called us.
The restaurant is small, but mighty, and they’re known for meat, so I was basically in heaven. It’s cool that you can order cuts by the ounce, which makes for reasonable sharing.
On the menu:
grilled halloumi
fresh sardines
butcher’s steak (steal of a deal for $ 19.50)
lamb saddle (~16oz)
whole mackerel
spinach gratin
pan-​fried mashed potatoes
grilled cauliflower
chocolate pot de crème
Both the steak and saddle were cooked a perfect medium rare, and the sides really rounded out our meal. It was sort of a ridiculous amount of food, but we managed to polish it all off. A+ for us.
Exposed brick, dim lights, amazing food and service, and one really awkward table partially in a nook (ours) made for a spectacular dinner.

Went here expecting a wait (even midweek) so I stopped in and put my name down. Got a text about a half hour later. Worked out good since my girl and I got a beer next door while we waited. We were seated all the way in the back away from everyone else and I thought it was the best spot in there. Secluded and right next to the radiator on a freezing night.
Customer service was awesome. Host was very sweet and our waiter was very professional and friendly.
We had the hangar steak, which was good but a little tough. We had the clams and artichoke which were delicious, but were tiny portions for the prices. And then shared the mashed potatoes and spinach gratin which were so good and good portions for a couple to split.
This place was worth the wait, but I won’t be a frequent flyer here bc it’s an expensive night. In my opinion, if you want a good night out with your significant other and you’re in north BK, you should check this spot out, but definitely go ahead of time and put your name down on their wait list.

We were worried about the long wait, but were only quoted a 15 minute wait around 7pm on a Tuesday. While we waited to get texted for an opening, we got drinks right next door at Spuyten Duyvil. In fact, the two places share a back patio, so we ordered drinks and carried them from the back entrance when a spot opened up.
Seats at the bar aren’t too cramped – you certainly don’t need to be seated at a table to order a few plates. It’s a casual dining space, but the details on the ceiling and bar area exude ‘Brooklyn cool.’ Servers are friendly and easy to converse with.
But the food, right?
We ordered three appetizers and a main dish each. The tomato and burrata (is there a finer combination?) was solid, and the three eggplant dish was delicious: Thai, Japanese, and Italian eggplant pieces were served with a sweet balsamic glaze and fried goat cheese. I only wish there were more slices of each eggplant. The Thai eggplant had the best combination of earthiness and sweetness, but there was only one very small slice on the plate. The pan fried mashed potatoes had a crust on the top, but was a creamy, truffle-​y mash on the bottom.
The Butcher’s Steak was a tad salty, but was a fantastic deal for $ 15. It was a sizable amount that was heavy on the garlic, rich, and tender. It had a nice char, and was very easy to gobble up. I was also surprised with my pork chop. Brined in bourbon, the outside had a very thin crispy layer and a soft center. I appreciated the fact that St. Anselm served simple food with a great deal of technique and care – I’d take that over any foo foo foam place any day.
Likelihood of another visit:
I’m curious about the chicken and the fish here, but I can’t get that pork chop out of my head!

May have been the best steak I’ve ever had. Drool-​worthy. The sides were delicious. The drinks were crisp. The service was wonderful.
Ya know, I tend to be a cranky Brooklyn native. Williamsburg is an easy target. But this place earned the good review. I really enjoyed the entire experience, and the food really did stand out. I’ll definitely be returning! I’ve never eaten dinner at a bar and been comfortable the entire time…
Until now.

With everything in life, the golden rule rings true. Treat people the way you wish to be treated. Especially in the hospitality industry. And if you have no finesse in it, you are in the wrong business. Good food can turn ugly when the wrong person is careless and rude for no reason.
I took good friends of mine that are in the food business here based on the reviews. I was the first to arrive and was told that I could wait right where I stood or go next door to their bar and wait since they do not seat incomplete parties. Fair enough. I went next door for a glass of wine and last time I checked, a proper pour ends where the wine glass starts to round. My pour was below but no big deal.
Then it just got worse. My friends arrive and we are a party of three now at about 6:15 pm. We go back to get a table and were told that it would be a 30 mins wait and would we like to eat at the bar instead? We’re hungry so yes we are sat at the empty bar where there are about 10 – 12 empty seats at the bar.
Then we notice the table directly behind us about 3 feet away were paying their check. We politely asked if we could move to that table being that we hadn’t ordered anything yet, had not been approached for service at all. A friendly guy with light colored hair says yes! No problem! After all, clearing a table with a couple glasses on it should take no more than a few minutes. No big deal right?
The same lady with dark colored short hair that originally greeted me then comes to us and says that if we would like to sit at that table we would have to go up to the front and wait or go next door…
There’s no one waiting for the bar tables at all. If someone wanted to sit right where we were of course we would move… But we could have waited right where we were for a few minutes and sat down to enjoy what we were hoping would be a great experience.
Instead the discourteous and unrefined woman made something so simple and easy into an unfortunate episode. After we went to the front to stand, she comes and says to get out of her way as we’re not in a good spot. No kidding? The spot we were at before was just fine but she moved us. Her voice just got louder and louder telling us we need to move and hands start to fly. My friend in disbelief throws his hands up in the air flustered and she yells «get your hands out of my face!» Whoa. We should have asked to speak to a manager but felt so badly treated and horrible energy, we couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Poor attitude. Unfortunate representation. She had no idea or savvy in the art of hospitality.
What a shameful experience. Maybe something personal led her to act this way, but not professional in the least bit. So disappointed.

This is the type of bucket list restaurant. Where you need to go at least once but not necessarily visit again. Almost everything is artfully grilled.
Wait times can be a long time but luckily there are bars around to kill time. If not, go you the Milk bar and grab a coffee.
We started with the clams and they were great. Garlic oil and lemon. Simple but delicious.
The sardines were a little underwhelming.
The grilled artichoke with aioli were really good.
The butcher steak was good and given the cut of meat, they managed to make it incredibly tender like a filet. However, the char on the outside was a bit strong.
The coconut cream cake with toasted coconut was excellent. Oddly, my favorite part of the meal.

Long wait for a table but we’ll worth it. Pop your name on the list, head nearby for a drink then come back.
We got a spot by the bar which is my favourite. Service was great. We ordered the hanger steak, NY strip steak and the following sides: radishes, spinach, cauliflower. Highly recommend the hanger steak and the spinach and cauliflower dishes
Can’t wait to come back?!!

I had been wanting to eat here forever, but was scared off by the tales of super long wait times. I finally stopped by at about 1 on a Sunday and got seated right away.
My friend and I were there for a birthday lunch, and decided to splurge on the rib eye, which comes in 45 to 60 oz portions. Of course they only had the 60 ouncers left, so we ordered it and waited for it in all of our gluttonous glory.
The steak takes a VERY long time to cook, so be prepared. They let it rest forever. I don’t know exactly what they do, but whatever it is works. The steak was incredible. Hands down the best I have ever had. Peter Luger has got nothing on St. Anslem.
My friend and I made a valiant effort, but could not take down the beast of a steak. We probably didn’t need the sides or apps (get the shisito peppers and the octopus), but once you are being ridiculous you may as well just keep going.
You are going to drop a pretty penny, especially if you get the giant steak at $ 2.80 an ounce, but it is worth it.

Encore une adresse qui demande un peu de patience mais qui en vaut la peine. En arrivant à 19h, il y avait 1h d’attente pour une table. Nous avons laissé notre numéro, sommes allées boire un verre au bar adjacent, Spuyten Duyvil, très sympa d’ailleurs, et avons attendu qu’on nous prévienne que notre table était prête.
Nous étions installées au comptoir et j’ai pu profiter de la vue sur le grill, la cuisine, ça donnait très envie !
Nous avons partagé en entrée les aubergines en 3 façons, grillées, marinées, avec du chèvre, un délice. J’ai ensuite choisi pour ma part du veau servi avec une sauce chimichurri à se damner: une viande de grande qualité, parfaitement cuite, pleine de goût, et une sauce parfumée, quel régal ! L’amie qui m’accompagnait a pris de l’agneau, servi avec une sauce aux herbes délicieuse et parfumée.
En accompagnement, nous avons partagé la purée de pommes de terre aux truffes et du fenouil préparé au grill, divin.
Les provenances des viandes sont indiquées, et les viandes sont également garanties sans hormones ni antibiotiques. Les portions sont très généreuses et encore une fois j’ai calé et n’ai pu goûter aux desserts. Une prochaine fois j’espère :)