The Verdict
A steakhouse that remembers steakhouses are supposed to be fun. Strip House has held a sliver of East 12th Street in Greenwich Village since 2000 — red walls, low light, sepia burlesque photographs — and chef John Schenk plates serious dry-aged USDA prime beef without the funereal hush of the Midtown chophouses. The 16 oz New York strip ($82.50) and the goose-fat potatoes are the order; the 24-layer chocolate cake is the close. Book it when the night needs a little theatre.
The Kitchen
John Schenk has run the Strip House kitchens for years, and his signature is the salt-and-pepper char that crusts every steak. The dry-aged USDA prime beef is the backbone: the 16 oz New York strip ($82.50), the 14 oz dry-aged strip, the 20 oz bone-in ribeye, the 38 oz porterhouse for two. The famous goose-fat potatoes — layered, crisped, nearly a confit — and the black-truffle creamed spinach are the sides regulars order on autopilot, and the 24-layer chocolate cake ($25.30) is built to feed a table. Strip House took the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2018 and made Forbes's four-star New York list in 2011; it has been pouring on East 12th Street since 2000.
The Room
The room is the point: deep-red walls hung with sepia burlesque photography from the 1920s and 30s, low lighting, leather banquettes, and a hum that lands between clubby and celebratory. It runs warm and loud at peak rather than hushed, table spacing is steakhouse-snug, and the dress code is smart-casual — a jacket reads well, jeans are fine. There are private rooms for groups, a few steps off Fifth Avenue at Union Square.
Best for a Celebratory Deal Dinner
Book Strip House when the occasion wants beef and a bit of show. Three reasons it works: the red room signals you've made an effort without trying too hard; the beef and the goose-fat potatoes are reliable crowd-pleasers nobody argues with; and the cake turns a birthday or a closed deal into an event. Request a banquette in the main room, not the front, and tell them the occasion so the cake arrives with a candle.
Not For
Skip it for a quiet first date or a light dinner — the room is moody but lively, the tables are close, and a full steakhouse spread is a production, not a nibble. Mind the address, too: there's a separate Midtown branch, so book the Greenwich Village location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Strip House worth it?
Yes, if you want a steakhouse with a sense of theatre. Chef John Schenk's red-walled room on East 12th Street, open since 2000, plates serious dry-aged USDA prime beef alongside the famous goose-fat potatoes and a 24-layer chocolate cake. It earned the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2018. It's a great-night-out steakhouse, not an austere temple.
What should you order at Strip House?
The signature 16 oz New York strip ($82.50) with the salt-and-pepper char, or the 14 oz dry-aged version. Get the goose-fat potatoes and the black-truffle creamed spinach to share, and finish with the 24-layer chocolate cake ($25.30) — it's big enough for the table. The bone-in ribeye and the porterhouse for two are the other strong cuts.
How much does dinner at Strip House cost?
Steaks run $73.70 for the 8 oz filet to $170.50 for the 38 oz porterhouse for two, with the 16 oz NY strip at $82.50; sides are about $18.70 each and the cake $25.30. With a starter, a steak, a shared side and a glass of wine, budget roughly $130–160 a head before tax and tip. It's a full-tilt special-occasion steakhouse.
How do you book a table at Strip House?
Book the Greenwich Village location (13 E 12th Street) on OpenTable one to two weeks out; weekend prime time goes first. There's a separate Midtown branch, so check you're booking downtown. For a deal or a birthday, request a banquette in the main red room rather than the front, and tell them the occasion so the cake comes out with a candle.
Is Strip House good for a business dinner or a celebration?
Both. The dark, red, photograph-lined room reads as a celebration without tipping into stuffy, which makes it a strong birthday or deal dinner, and there are private rooms for groups. It's less suited to a quiet first date — the room is moody but lively, and the meal is a full steakhouse production rather than a light bite.
Also in New York City
Explore the full New York City restaurant guide. For occasion-specific picks, see our best for closing a deal, best birthday restaurants, and best team-dinner guides.