Rochester, NYSteakhouse

Char Steak & Lounge sits inside the Strathallan on East Avenue in the Neighborhood of the Arts, built around a two-ton wood-burning grill, as CITY Magazine reported when it opened. CITY Magazine's dining review praised the Wagyu beef tartare, the 18-ounce bone-in prime New York strip, and the pumpkin-coconut creme brulee, calling the room upscale without too much pretension and the food a match for the environment. Start with the tartare, then order the bone-in strip.

Patron Saint opened downtown in The Grove in November 2024 and won Best New Restaurant in CITY Magazine's 2025 readers' poll. CITY's feature on the city's steakhouses profiled it alongside its Crab Louie salad and Hasselback potatoes, with co-owner Ken McCorry describing a menu that pays homage to the classics with a modern twist. The Democrat and Chronicle covered the opening. Come for the Crab Louie and the potatoes, and a classic cut done in a contemporary room.

Chef and owner Tony Gullace has run Max Chophouse in Brighton for close to twenty years as a New York City style neighborhood steakhouse. CITY Magazine's feature on Rochester steakhouses quoted him on keeping dishes simple rather than overbuilt, and singled out the Delmonico steak, the wagyu offerings, and the smoked gouda grits. It is an in-metro Brighton room built on repeat regulars. Order the Delmonico with the smoked gouda grits on the side.

Black & Blue in Brighton has run close to 300 covers a night for two decades, built around a two-story wine bar. In CITY Magazine's steakhouse feature, director of operations Rocky Baye described dishes with a unique flair beyond the standard ribeye and baked potato, pointing to the Kobe meatball and the 21-ounce cowboy ribeye. It is a modern, accessible take on the old-school New York chophouse. Order the cowboy ribeye and start with the Kobe meatball.