This restaurant has been on my radar for years, and we finally got a chance to try this. What was appealing to me was the price and options that they had. Not only was it steak frites, but you had the opportunity to try different types of steaks if you really wanted. We had an early afternoon theater showing, and this location was within minutes. We were able to walk in around 5:00 PM on a Sunday without reservations, though they told us that we had to finish our food within 2.5 hours.
Ambiance & Service
We were seated in the towards the front in a small 2-seater. The restaurant was pretty empty around the time we got in, but when we left around 6:30, we noticed the restaurant was definitely getting full.
The service was quick and attentive. The wait staff kept our table clean and filled our waters timely.
Food
They offer a $55 prix fixe dinner menu, which was basically a starter, entree, and dessert. Had I known that the portions were actually normal sized dishes, I think we could have shared this and add on an appetizer.
The Lavender 75 ($17) came with lavender infused citadelle gin, st. germaine liqueur, lemon, and sparkline wine. My partner enjoyed this.
The Chateau Coujan ‘La Pinot Noir’ ($17) came from Langedoc 2022. This medium body red wine was pretty good and is very stereotypical pinot noir. It’s medium body, juicy, fruit forward, and easy to drink.
They gave us complimentary bread with some butter.
The Onion Soup Gratinée (normally $16) came with melted cheese and a lot of soup. The broth was very good, and not too sweet like some places. My partner still prefers the onion soup at Boucherie, but I think this is definitely commendable.
The Grilled Merguez Saucisse (normally $19) came with beef & lamb sausage, harissa, marinated gigante beans, and frisée. This was surprisingly very delicious. The sausage had a nice spicy kick to it, and the harissa rounds out the spicy sensation. The marinated beans were actually pretty meaty and had a nice vinaigrette flavor to it.
The Steak Frites (9 oz normally at $42) came with hanger steak, pommes frites, and maître d’hôtel butter. Despite the steak looking burnt, it was actually cooked perfectly. The seasoning of it was pretty good, such that you didn’t really need to dip it in anything. The butter was a nice supplement to give the steak the needed fat. The fries were definitely double-coated with some sort of starch and fried perfectly, so they retained their crispy texture very well.
The Poulet Rôti (normally $29) came with roasted chicken, natural jus, and pomme purée. The chicken skin has a very slight crisp to it, and the meat inside was tender throughout. The jus reminded me of some of the beef jus, but I can see it mixed with chicken flavors as well. With the mashed potatoes, it was delightful.
The Petit Soufflé Au Chocolate (normally $16) came with the souffle and a side of hot chocolate syrup. When they serve it, the souffle is not broken up. As a presentation, they puncture the souffle with a plus sign, and then pour the chocolate in the middle. The interior of the souffle was hot and leaned on the bitter side than sweet. I actually liked that because it allowed me to enjoy the cacao more instead of it being excessively sweet.
The Crème Brûlée (normally $15) came with a hard sugar crust and was served cold. My partner thought it had a bit too much artificial vanilla taste, but I think it was acceptable.
Final Verdict
Steak Frites Bistro, just like many Hell’s Kitchen restaurants, offers a pretty good deal if you’re looking to dine near the Theater District. The food here was all very acceptable for the price range, and we definitely encourage folks to try this out if you’re looking for just steak frites.
Yelp Jabs
As we were eating lunch a hobo woman walked inside the restaurant directly to our table in my face and asked if I had any money to spare. I told her no and she got very aggressive… Luckily the server came and kicked her out but at that point my lunch was ruined. I understand it’s not the restaurants fault per se but other than a simple I’m sorry nothing was really done.
You have the politics of New York City to thank for this.
I recommend coming here in a group because the portions are quite large. We ordered a few different cuts of steak for a group of 8. The ribeye, Chateaubriand (filet mignon) and hanger steak. All the meat was very good, they come with fries and you can order some sides (mashed potatoes, veggies).
If you really must try the filet mignon, then go for it. I think the hanger steak though will probably be more tasty than the filet. The restaurant definitely has room for large parties, but sometimes it’s easier to come with less people, so you can get it easier sitting. My recommendation is to share a prix fixe dinner with some people and order the sides. That way you are not uncomfortably full.
Revisions
- Apr 21, 2024 - Initial revision.