Golden Steer NYC: Freezing Weather, Hot Steaks, and Old-School Vegas Energy
Golden Steer has been a Las Vegas legend for decades. Old-school steaks, impeccable service, and that clean, classic Vegas energy from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Not new-money neon Vegas. The good Vegas. The kind where everything feels polished, intentional, and cool without trying too hard.
So when Golden Steer finally opened its New York City outpost, I knew I had to check it out. Reservations were… let’s call them “a journey.” So I did what I do best. I walked in. On one of the coldest days of the year. Negative temperatures. For you. And for my own highly dedicated fatness.
Good news if you hate planning: there are three distinct areas inside Golden Steer NYC. The main dining room, the bar, and the lounge. If you don’t have a reservation, your odds improve drastically by aiming for the bar or lounge, both of which move pretty quickly.
Walking in, the place is stunning. Historic building, beautifully restored, and shockingly restrained for a Vegas import. Everything is green, classic, and smooth. Cowboy accents, roulette-table vibes, dice details everywhere. Dice on the glassware. Dice on the olive toothpicks. It’s playful but classy. Nostalgia without the tackiness.
I headed straight for the bar, saving the host stand and everyone else some emotional stress.
The Bar & Hospitality
The hospitality hit immediately. My bartender, Billy, has apparently been behind that bar through multiple restaurant lifetimes, possibly since the invention of cocktails themselves. Sharp wit, fast hands, friendly without being performative. Old-school in the best way.
Before I even finished ordering, a small bin of chips landed in front of me. No explanation. Just respect.
The Food
I went with the usual combo, except instead of a burger, I subbed in the 8oz petite filet mignon, because personal growth.
Caesar Salad
If you’re not in the main dining room, you don’t have to order the tableside “salad for two,” which is great because sometimes a salad for one is already a full commitment. This Caesar was creamy but not heavy, rich without drowning everything else out. Crisp croutons, balanced dressing, no puddle of regret at the bottom of the bowl.
Filet Mignon Steak Tartare
This was excellent. Peppery with a little kick, but still delicate enough to actually taste the quality of the beef. Balanced. Clean. No over-seasoned nonsense. Steak tartare done the right way.
Petite Filet Mignon (8oz)
Eight ounces doesn’t sound like much, but it was exactly right. Perfect medium rare. Juicy center. A beautifully crisp exterior with just salt and pepper doing all the work. No gimmicks. No distractions. Just steak executed properly.
Black & White Cheesecake
Confession: it’s more mousse than traditional cheesecake. I felt slightly betrayed, but I recovered quickly. Light, not overly sweet, and well-balanced. I skipped most of the whipped cream because at some point, even I have limits.
The Drinks
The espresso martini deserves respect. No cream. No Baileys. Just espresso, vodka, dark and serious, topped with a couple of floating beans like a warning label. Exactly my style.
Final Verdict
Golden Steer NYC is almost certainly landing in my Top 10 Steakhouses once I update the list. The food, the service, the bar, the atmosphere. It all works. It’s worth the money, worth the experience, and yes… worth freezing for.
Bonus tip: get the Elvis collectible in person. Ten bucks instead of fifteen online. You’re welcome.
I’ll absolutely be back. This is already one of my favorite new places in New York, and I’ll be dumping more reviews soon once life stops lifing quite so hard.
As always, what do I know? I’m just a fat guy from Brooklyn trying to survive the week, one martini at a time. If you want more Top 10s steakhouses, burgers, restaurants, you name it, click the words and keep going.