"Calgary's beef-obsessed steakhouse breeds its own Angus bull and dry-ages the result — an Avenue 2026 pick for closing a deal."
About Modern Steak
Most steakhouses talk about their beef; Modern Steak owns the bull. The Stephen Avenue dining room at 100 8 Avenue SE is the downtown flagship of Stephen Deere's group, the only Canadian steakhouse to co-own a prize Black Angus sire — a roughly $80,000 animal bought with Benchmark Angus Ranch in Warner, Alberta, and bred for marbling. The kitchen dry-ages that beef and finishes it under an 1,800°C broiler; the showpiece is a 40-day dry-aged tomahawk at about CA$174. Avenue Calgary named it among the city's best steak houses in its 2026 readers' ballot. Our seven signs of a great restaurant explain how we judge a room like this.
The Kitchen
Owner Stephen Deere built Modern Steak around a single conviction: the steak is only as good as the animal. So he went upstream, partnering with Benchmark Angus Ranch to buy and breed a prize Black Angus bull selected for intramuscular marbling — the detail that separates a good ribeye from a memorable one. The restaurant works directly with Alberta ranchers, dry-ages in-house, and sears under an 1,800°C infrared broiler that crusts the exterior while the centre stays rare.
The menu reads as a tour of that beef. The 40-day dry-aged tomahawk, around CA$174, is the table-centre order; alongside it sit the 18oz Benchmark ribeye, large-format cuts for a group, and certified Japanese A5 wagyu for anyone who wants to taste the far end of the marbling scale. Weekly features — Tomahawk Tuesday, Prime Rib Sunday at CA$119 — keep regulars cycling through. Avenue Calgary's 2026 best-steak-houses list, a readers' choice, is the dated proof that the city still rates it; the better evidence is that the kitchen chases provenance most steakhouses are happy to outsource. It earns a place on our best steakhouses guide.
The Room
The flagship sits on Stephen Avenue, the pedestrian sandstone block at the centre of downtown Calgary, which makes it the natural choice when the dinner is also a meeting. The room is warm and clubby rather than austere — dark wood, low light, a serious bar — and loud enough to feel alive without drowning a conversation. Tables are spaced for business; the service is steakhouse-formal but unstuffy. Dress is smart-casual, though a jacket never looks out of place. A second location on Southport Road serves the south of the city, but Stephen Avenue is the one to book for an occasion.
Best for Closing a Deal
Book Modern Steak to close a deal because a downtown steakhouse with its own bull gives the night an easy talking point and a clear signal you chose well. The Stephen Avenue room is spaced for a private conversation, the wine list runs deep enough to mark the occasion, and a shared tomahawk turns a negotiation into a dinner. See the best restaurants for closing a deal, the tables for impressing clients, and our best steakhouses worldwide.
Not for
Not for a quiet, low-key dinner or a tight budget — this is a downtown special-occasion steakhouse where a tomahawk and wine push the bill well past CA$120 a head.
Frequently Asked
Is Modern Steak worth it?
Yes, for a special-occasion steak. Modern Steak co-owns its own Benchmark Angus bull and dry-ages Alberta beef in-house, which is why Avenue Calgary keeps it on the city's best-steak-houses list (2026). Expect to pay for it — the 40-day tomahawk is about CA$174 and a full dinner with wine runs past CA$120 a head — but the provenance and the broiler char justify the room. Book the Stephen Avenue location.
What should I order at Modern Steak?
The 40-day dry-aged tomahawk (around CA$174) is the showpiece and easily shared by two. For one, the 18oz Benchmark ribeye is the house cut; for a splurge, the certified Japanese A5 wagyu. Time your visit to a weekly feature — Tomahawk Tuesday or Prime Rib Sunday at CA$119 — and add the in-house sides. The kitchen's whole point is the beef, so order it as the centre of the meal.
Where is Modern Steak in Calgary?
The flagship is at 100 8 Avenue SE on Stephen Avenue, the pedestrian sandstone block in central downtown, with a second location at 10606 Southport Road SW in the south of the city. Stephen Avenue is the one to book for a business dinner or a celebration; it is walkable from downtown hotels and offices. See the wider Calgary dining guide for nearby options.
Do you need a reservation at Modern Steak?
For dinner, yes — especially Thursday to Saturday and on feature nights like Tomahawk Tuesday. Book through OpenTable or call the restaurant directly on 403-244-3600. Large-format cuts and big groups should give a day or two's notice so the kitchen can set the beef aside. Walk-ins can sometimes find a bar seat early in the week.
What makes Modern Steak different from other Calgary steakhouses?
It controls its beef further upstream than its rivals. Modern Steak co-owns a prize Black Angus bull with Benchmark Angus Ranch in Warner, Alberta, bred specifically for marbling, then dry-ages the beef in-house and finishes it under an 1,800°C broiler. Most steakhouses buy graded beef; Modern Steak helps breed it, which is the story behind its place on Avenue Calgary's 2026 list.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Modern Steak
Via OpenTable · or call 403-244-3600
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address100 8 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0K6
NeighbourhoodStephen Avenue, Downtown
CuisineAlberta dry-aged steakhouse
Signature40-day dry-aged tomahawk (~CA$174)
SteaksCA$48–$174 · Prime Rib Sunday CA$119
Dress codeSmart-casual
ReservationOpenTable / 403-244-3600
RecognitionAvenue Calgary best steak houses 2026
OwnerStephen Deere
