Best Steakhouse Restaurants in Lower East Side (10002)
4 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Balvanera
An Argentine steak-focused brasserie where the grill and wine list lead.
Notable Picks
#1
Balvanera
8.7
Balvanera is an Argentine brasserie on Stanton Street where the grill is the focus, from ribeye and strip loin to a mixed Tabla de Carnes built for sharing. Locals use it for nights when they want serious steak with South American wines and a lively, low-lit Lower East Side room rather than a traditional white-tablecloth steakhouse.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dry-aged bone-in ribeye, Entraña skirt steak with chimichurri, Tabla de Carnes mixed grill
What makes it special: An Argentine steak-focused brasserie where the grill and wine list lead.
8.5
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Late Night Legends
Trendy Table Hotspots
Sammy's Roumanian is a revived Lower East Side institution where Romanian-style skirt steaks, chopped liver and family-style platters come with frozen vodka, singalongs and Borscht Belt energy. It’s less about polished steakhouse formality and more about a loud, nostalgic party where the food and schmaltz land hardest in big groups.
Must-Try Dishes:
Romanian tenderloin skirt steak, Chopped liver with schmaltz, Stuffed cabbage
What makes it special: A decades-old Jewish-Romanian steakhouse where dinner feels like a rowdy celebration.
#3
Funny Bar
8.3
Funny Bar is a candlelit steakhouse-jazz bar where the entire food menu is essentially two steaks, a salad and sides, all built around steak frites. It’s the non-traditional option in the neighborhood for people who want live music, mid-priced wine and a focused plate of beef rather than a sprawling steakhouse menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bar steak frites with bordelaise, Big Steak with maître d’ butter, Our Salad
What makes it special: A compact steak frites–driven menu served in a live jazz bar setting.
Worthy Picks
#4
Essex
7.9
Essex is a long-running Lower East Side restaurant that now leans into Mediterranean-influenced steakhouse fare, pairing dry-aged Angus cuts and steak frites with seafood and shareable plates. It’s a flexible choice for groups who want bottomless brunch by day or a more classic steak-and-cocktails dinner at night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Angus NY strip steak frites, Bone-in ribeye for two, Seared dayboat scallops
What makes it special: A neighborhood standby blending Mediterranean small plates with serious steakhouse cuts.