24/7 Wall St.

Steaks are expensive — whether you buy them at the grocery store or at a restaurant. Steak is often the most expensive item on a restaurant’s menu, and steakhouses are some of the most expensive restaurants.

However, the average price of a meal at a steakhouse varies considerably across the country. A meal — an entree, a drink, and the tip — at Cut, a high-end steakhouse in Beverly Hills, costs $106 on average, the highest in the country. Of the 380 steakhouses reviewed, the least expensive was Clyde’s Prime Rib Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, where a typical meal costs $26. Using Zagat, a restaurant-reviewing service, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 25 most expensive steakhouses in the country.

Click here to see the 11 most expensive steakhouses in the country

The most expensive steakhouses are clustered in particular areas. In fact, just nine cities are home to the 25 most expensive steakhouses. Six of the 25 restaurants are located in Las Vegas, a city renowned for indulgence. Another eight steakhouses are located in New York City, one of the most expensive cities in the country.

While Las Vegas is a popular tourist location, it is also a popular destination for world-renowned chefs. Wolfgang Puck and Jean Georges Vongerichten, for example, were top tier chefs in the United States and France, respectively, before they opened restaurants in Sin City.

The city where a restaurant is located plays a role in determining the restaurant’s cost. In fact, the cost of living in the four metro areas with the majority of the most expensive steakhouses —- the Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. areas — is nearly 20% higher than across the country.

The quality of the beef is an important consideration for many of the most expensive steakhouses. At least four of these steakhouses serve wagyu beef, meat from a breed of cow known for its tenderness. The menu at Doris Metropolitan, the second most expensive steakhouse located in New Orleans, lists a 10-ounce wagyu striploin for $175.

While many may consider the steakhouse a unique feature of American culture, many of the most expensive steakhouses are heavily influenced by other cuisines. The top 25 steakhouses feature Japanese, South American, Mediterranean, French, and Italian cuisines.

When reviewing a restaurant, Zagat rates the restaurant’s food, decor, and service, each on a scale of 0 to 30. A rating higher than 25 indicates that the restaurant’s performance in a particular category ranges from extraordinary to perfection. Ten of the most expensive steakhouses in the country received at least a 25 in every category.

For many diners, steak quality is the most important aspect of the overall restaurant experience. The food at 21 of the most expensive steakhouses received a rating of 25 or higher. Prime Steakhouse and SW Steakhouse, both in Las Vegas, each received a food quality rating of 27 out of 30, the second best rating awarded to any expensive steakhouse. However, high prices do not guarantee food quality. Three of the most expensive steakhouses received a food quality rating of 23 or lower.

In addition to the food, the overall experience of a restaurant is often just as important. More than half of the most expensive steakhouses received a service rating of 25 or higher, indicating that extraordinary service accompanies the high priced meal at these establishments.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 25 restaurants with the highest average meal prices from Zagat, which provided data for steakhouses in 34 major cities across the country. A meal includes an entree, one drink, and gratuity. Also from Zagat, we considered restaurants’ ratings for service, food quality, and decor. All ratings are out of 30. Regional price parity, a proxy for cost of living, comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and is for 2012.

These are the most expensive steakhouses in the country.

25. Hollywood Prime
> Avg. meal cost: $88 (tied)
> Location: Miami

With one drink and a tip, the average entree at Hollywood Prime costs about $88, tied with Benjamin Steak House as the 25th most expensive steakhouse in the country. The high-end restaurant, also known as Diplomat Prime, is located inside the Diplomat Resort, a beachside spa in Hollywood, Florida, north of Miami. Many of Hollywood Prime’s customers are mostly vacationing Americans. Among the nation’s 25 most expensive steakhouses, Hollywood Prime is the only one in Florida. Like many of the other expensive steak restaurants, steak is not the only option. Seafood features prominently on the menu, including osetra caviar — one of the most prized forms of caviar — for $95.

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24. Benjamin Steak House
> Avg. meal cost: $88 (tied)
> Location: New York City

After opening in 2006, Benjamin Steak House quickly established itself as a top New York steakhouse. In 2011, Zagat rated it one of the best steakhouses in the city. The menu offers a wide selection of meats aged in the restaurant’s special aging box, which allows the chef greater control over the drying process. The food at Benjamin Steak House was rated 27 out of 30, the second highest rating awarded to a steakhouse in the country, and the highest rating awarded to any steakhouse in New York. On average, an entree and a drink cost $88 per person.

23. Strip House
> Avg. meal cost: $89 (tied)
> Location: New York City

An average dinner costs $89 per person at Strip House — one of the most expensive steakhouses in the country. The restaurant has two locations in New York, one in Greenwich Village and one on the West Side. According to a review The New York Times, the restaurant’s signature strip steak is “on its way to becoming an iconic New York City meal.” In addition to red meat, the restaurant’s menu is full of seafood options, including a surf and turf tartare appetizer for $21.

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22. 630 Park Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $89 (tied)
> Location: San Francisco

630 Park Steakhouse, located within the Graton Resort & Casino, is one of two of America’s 25 most expensive steakhouses located near San Francisco. While the restaurant’s decor and service each received a rating of 24, the average among the 25 most expensive steakhouses, the food quality received a 26, the third highest rating awarded to steakhouses nationwide. Like many of the most expensive steakhouses, 630 Park Steakhouse also specializes in seafood. The menu features lobster, ahi tuna, and atlantic salmon, among other items.

21. Chianina Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $89 (tied)
> Location: Los Angeles

Chianina Steakhouse, named for the type of cow most of its meat comes from, is located in Long Beach, Los Angeles. Because chianina beef is primarily raised in Italy and is difficult to find in the United States, the restaurant’s owners decided to raise the cattle themselves, the only one of the most expensive steakhouses to do so. An average dinner at Chianina costs $89 per person, one of the more expensive meals in the country. While costly, the restaurant’s exceptionally high food quality, decor, and service ratings likely make it one of the best value meals on this list. In addition to steak, patrons may order roasted bone marrow or corned beef tongue.

20. M. Wells Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $90 (tied)
> Location: New York City

Located in Queens, M. Wells Steakhouse is one of eight New York City steakhouses distinguished as the nation’s most expensive. The restaurant opened in November 2013 in a former auto-body shop. One drink and one entree costs an average of $90, tied with three other restaurants. The most expensive steak available is the tomahawk chop for $160, grilled on a whole rib and described by The New York Times as “a steak worthy of a Flintstone.” The steaks are grilled over an open fire, a distinctive feature compared with other high-end steakhouses. While in the majority of the most expensive steakhouses the high prices are at least partially proportionate with quality, M. Wells Steakhouse received below average food, decor, and service ratings.

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19. Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $90 (tied)
> Location: New York City

While Wolfgang’s Steakhouse has nine locations around the country, and some in Asia, the restaurant’s New York locations are the most expensive likely due to the city’s high cost of living. A typical dinner costs $90 per person. Despite the high price, the restaurant’s ratings were among the lowest Zagat awarded to steakhouses in the country. Wolfgang’s decor received a rating of 20, and its service earned a rating of 22 — both out of 30, and both well below the average of 23.8 and 24.5 awarded to expensive steakhouses, respectively. The most expensive item on the menu is a rib eye steak for $53.95.

18. Prime Rib
> Avg. meal cost: $90 (tied)
> Location: Washington D.C.

One of the last remaining restaurants in Washington D.C. to require formal attire such as jackets for dinner, Zagat awarded Prime Rib’s food quality the highest rating of any steakhouse in the nation’s capital. The menu lists an 8-ounce filet mignon for $53, in addition to a number of seafood selections, including Chilean sea bass and the restaurant’s award-winning crab cakes. While an entree and drink cost an average of $90, Prime Rib, like other expensive steakhouses, does not include sides with an entree selection, which can increase the price significantly.

17. Strip Steak
> Avg. meal cost: $90 (tied)
> Location: Las Vegas

Most of the nation’s priciest steakhouses are in either New York or Las Vegas. Strip Steak can be in both as the steakhouse has four locations. An average dinner at the Las Vegas location, including one drink and one entree, costs $90. Many Strip Streak patrons are likely tourists — domestic and foreign — visiting the Sin City. Like a few other expensive steakhouses, Strip Steak is located inside a resort, at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. The high meal cost may be justified, as the food was given a rating of 27 out of 30, the second highest rating Zagat awarded to steakhouses in the country.

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16. Bull & Bear Prime Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $91 (tied)
> Location: New York City

Although named Bull & Bear Prime Steakhouse, the restaurant is not located near Wall Street. Rather, the restaurant is named for the bronze bull and bear statues that historically stood behind the bar at the Waldorf-Astoria Bar in the late 1800s. Over time, the bar was nicknamed The Bull and Bear. Located on 49th street and Lexington avenue on the east side, an average dinner at Bull & Bear Prime Steakhouse costs $91. However, the price may have more to do with the high cost of living in New York than the food’s quality. Zagat rated the food quality a 23 out of 30, nearly the lowest rating awarded to steakhouses reviewed. The restaurant’s decor and service ratings were similarly low.

15. Barclay Prime
> Avg. meal cost: $91 (tied)
> Location: Philadelphia

Located on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Barclay Prime is the only steakhouse in the City of Brotherly Love to be among the nation’s 25 most expensive. A typical meal costs $91 per person, and the dining experience seems to meet the high standards the price suggests. The restaurant’s food quality, service, and decor ratings are each above the average rating for restaurants on this list. Included on the menu is an 18-ounce wagyu ribeye for $195 and a wagyu cheesesteak, served with champagne, for $120.

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14. Mastro’s Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $91 (tied)
> Location: Los Angeles

A typical entree and drink cost $91 on average at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Los Angeles. While high prices do not always mean higher ratings, Mastro’s Steakhouse’s rating seems to partially justify the high prices. The food received a rating of 27 out of 30, the second highest rating awarded to steakhouses in the country. Like many of the steakhouses reviewed, the menu also offers a number of seafood options, including Pacific swordfish, Alaskan halibut, and ahi tuna tartare. The restaurant also has locations in Chicago, Las Vegas, New York, and Washington, D.C.

13. American Cut
> Avg. meal cost: $92 (tied)
> Location: New York City

Marc Forgione — the winner of the Food Network’s Iron Chef in 2010 — is the head chef at American Cut in New York’s TriBeCa neighborhood. On average, an entree and a drink cost $92, one of the most expensive dinners at any steakhouse in the country. Although pricey, the restaurant received below average ratings for its food quality, decor, and service. The restaurant offers dishes such as octopus, bone marrow, as well as wagyu beef.

12. David Burke’s Primehouse
> Avg. meal cost: $92 (tied)
> Location: Chicago

David Burke’s Primehouse is the only expensive steak restaurant located in Chicago. There are a variety of ways to cook beef, and high-end steakhouses often attempt to distinguish themselves with a unique or specialized method. The meat at David Burke’s Primehouse is dry-aged in a Himalayan salt-tiled room inside the restaurant. During the aging process, enzymes break down muscle fibers, making the meat more tender. While most of the tenderization is said to occur within the first 10 days, and the additional effects of aging are subjects of debate among food scientists, Primehouse offers a 75-day aged ribeye for $79. This was among the more expensive items available on the menu.

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11. Costata
> Avg. meal cost: $93
> Location: New York City

With an average meal — consisting of a main dish, a drink, and a tip — costing $93 per person, Costata is tied for the 10th most expensive steakhouse in the country. Zagat rated the New York City restaurant’s food a 25 out of 30, a rating described as extraordinary. While the quality the restaurant offers — in its food, service, and decor — is the main consideration in pricing a menu, the cost of living is often another. On average, prices in the New York metro area were 22% higher than across the country. Looking at the restaurant’s menu, it is no surprise that “costata” means “ribeye” in Italian. The menu lists a 44-ounce tomahawk ribeye steak for $126.

10. Sparks Steak House
> Avg. meal cost: $93
> Location: New York City

First opened in 1966, Sparks Steak House was formerly a mob hangout and is known for the 1985 assassinations of Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti, two major U.S. organized crime players at the time. Today, the restaurant is known for its traditional feel and bustling interior. According to reviews, restaurant goers should expect to wait for a table at any time they go. Once seated, patrons pay an average of $93 per person for dinner.

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9. STK Las Vegas
> Avg. meal cost: $94
> Location: Las Vegas

STK Las Vegas, which is located within the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, is one of five most expensive steakhouses in Sin City. Patrons should expect to spend an average of $94 per person for dinner. Of course, sides and multiple drinks will increase the cost for many customers. Despite the high price, Zagat gave the restaurant’s service a 22 out of 30, one of the lowest ratings given to expensive steakhouses. STK Las Vegas’ menu offers specialty steaks such as Kobe wagyu beef, and a 34 ounce cowboy rib steak for $85, the most expensive menu item.

8. Bourbon Steak
> Avg. meal cost: $94
> Location: Washington, D.C.

Bourbon Steak in Washington D.C. specializes in corn-fed, all-natural meats and fresh, line-caught seafood. Gayot, a national restaurant reviewing service, rated Bourbon Steak one of the 10 best steakhouses in the country in 2011. The restaurant is one of a number of restaurants opened by award-winning chef, Michael Mina, who has been consistently recognized as one of the best chefs in the country. Patrons can expect to spend an average of $94 per person for dinner.

7. Jean Georges Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $95
> Location: Las Vegas

Jean Georges Vongerichten, executive chef at Jean Georges Steakhouse, likes his menu to surprise his visitors. “Each dish on my menu must be a perfect combination of well-loved flavors, backed by new, unexpected ones that guests will come to crave,” he said. The restaurant offers in-house made sauces and rubs, as well as high quality Kobe Wagyu beef. Zagat rated the restaurant’s food 25 out of 30, indicating it is exceptional. In addition to good food, the restaurant’s decor received a rating of 26 out of 30, one of the highest ratings given to expensive steakhouses.

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6. Cut
> Avg. meal cost: $95
> Location: Las Vegas

Cut in Las Vegas is Wolfgang Puck’s second steakhouse in the United States by the same name. His other Cut restaurant in Beverly Hills is the most expensive steakhouse in the country. In addition to steak, Cut offers a variety of meats, including ribs, lamb chops, and wild French turbot, a fish native to the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Like other expensive steakhouses, Cut makes its own sauces. Executive Chef Matthew Hurley’s signature sauce is his Argentinean chimichurri. Those who wish to dine at Cut should expect to spend $95 on average per person for an entree, one drink, and a tip.

5. Alexander’s Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $97
> Location: San Francisco

Located in San Francisco, Alexander’s Steakhouse is the fifth most expensive steakhouse in the country, with an average dinner costing $97 per person. Part of the expense may be due to the high cost of living, which was 21% higher in San Francisco than across the country. The restaurant boasts 11 types of wagyu beef, the widest selection in the United States, and an award-winning wine list. Alexander’s Steakhouse is heavily influenced by Japanese cooking. Among the menu’s offerings is a seven-course “Study of Beef” for $230.

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4. SW Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $101
> Location: Las Vegas

SW Steakhouse in Las Vegas is the only expensive steakhouse to offer nightly entertainment due to its location. The Lake of Dreams — a body of water with a 40-foot waterfall — is adjacent to the dining area. The lake is lit nightly by over 4,000 lights and displays holographic and puppetry shows. And while an average dinner costs $101 per person, far more expensive food is offered. The 30 ounce dry-aged tomahawk chop costs $130.

3. Prime Steakhouse
> Avg. meal cost: $103
> Location: Las Vegas

While steakhouses are not necessarily known for their decor and quality service, Prime Steakhouse in Las Vegas received a 27 out of 30 in each of categories, tied for the highest and second highest ratings awarded to a steakhouse in the United States, respectively. The restaurant experience at Prime Steakhouse may help justify the price. Customers should expect to spend $103 per person on average for dinner.

2. Doris Metropolitan
> Avg. meal cost: $103
> Location: New Orleans

Doris Metropolitan, which opened its doors in 2013, was named the best new restaurant in New Orleans. It combines a traditional steakhouse with a Mediterranean influence — carpaccio, calamari, and tahini are prominent features of the menu. The restaurant’s decor received a rating of 27 out of 30, the highest rating awarded to any steakhouse in the country. The most expensive menu item is a 10 ounce Japanese wagyu striploin for $175, one of the most expensive menu item at any of the nation’s most expensive steakhouses. With costly items such as this, Doris Metropolitan is tied for the second most expensive steakhouse in the country. An average dinner costs $103 per person.

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1. Cut
> Avg. meal cost: $106
> Location: Los Angeles

Located in Beverly Hills, one of the most expensive areas in the nation, Cut is the country’s most expensive steakhouse. On average, dinner costs $106 per person. Called “brilliant” by the LA Times after the restaurant opened in 2006, Cut is popular with many of Hollywood’s elite. In March, the Daily Meal, a food and drink reviewing publication, rated the restaurant the best steakhouse in the country.