Best Steak in Miami Beach

We have you covered whether you like your steak medium, well-done, medium-rare, or rare. This list of Miami’s best steakhouses has it all, from the classic steakhouse experience to Miami’s more modern flair. Check out our list of the best steakhouses in Miami Beach if you want to explore the Miami culinary scene for dinner.

1500 Degrees Restaurant at Eden Roc Hotel

In its early days the Eden Roc Hotel on Collins Avenue was a destination for Hollywood stars, and the Morris Lapidus-designed hotel contributed greatly to the creation of Miami Beach’s modern style. In that same spirited tradition, Eden Roc has now opened their new farm-to-table restaurant called 1500 Degrees.

Executive chef Paula DaSilva, a native of Brazil, is at the helm of the new restaurant and brings with her more than a decade of experience in the hospitality industry specializing in haute cuisine. The 31-year old DaSilva was formerly with 3030 Ocean in Ft. Lauderdale, and a finalist on Fox TV’s Hell’s Kitchen.

1500 Degrees Restaurant at Eden Roc Hotel

1500 Degrees, which seats 160 in its elegant dining room plus an additional 40 on the poolside patio, encompasses 10,000-square-feet of indoor/outdoor dining space, and offers a menu of small plates, luscious raw bar offerings, steaks broiled to perfection, and 10 signature sides and composed mainplates. Small plate offerings range from $6-$9, while steak, $24-$94, are offered from an affordable 6 ounce Wagyu flat iron and 8 ounce skirt cuts, to a decadent 34 ounce prime porterhouse “center cut” meant to be shared.

Sides ($8 & $11) are served a la carte and include creamed spinach, grilled jumbo asparagus, hand cut duck fat steak fries and Carolina rice with chorizo.

Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach is an oceanfront hotel on one of the world’s most famous beaches. The original hotel and its newest addition, the sleek new 21-story Ocean Tower which almost doubled the hotel in size from 349 guest rooms to 631 oversized guest rooms, includes three 2,500 sq. ft. penthouse suites, 18 oceanfront one-bedroom suites, and 15 bi-level bungalow suites with floating staircases.

1500 Degrees is located at the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach, 4525 Collins Avenue on Miami Beach. The restaurant serves dinner nightly beginning Friday, October 15, 2010. Telephone: (305) 674-5594; www.1500degreesmiami.com.  For resort information and reservations, please call 1-800-hotels1 or (305) 531-0000.

1500 Degrees
4525 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL

photo: Michael Pisarri

BLT Steak Miami Beach

In early March, just a few days shy of Star Chef Laurent Tourondel’s 6th year of mega-watt culinary stardom, he announced a parting of the ways with his financial backers and – to the relief of Miami diners – his decision to continue with the South Beach branch of BLT Steak at the Betsy Hotel.

Ocean Drive dining is considered tacky and touristy but the southern end rocks with the big bucks steakhouse Prime 112 and the northern end belongs to BLT Steak, a quieter newcomer with a devoted foodie clientele. Meals start off with the presentation of steaming popovers, Yorkshire pudding-style buns that are so delicious they arrive with the recipe attached so diners can try to replicate them at home. A mousse of liver accompanies the bread basket and the feast begins long before the first appetizer hits the table.

Steakhouse standards get tweaked and updated as traditional steak tartare is swapped for tuna and the sides, salads and desserts make beautiful music with the prime beef.

Tourondel’s deft hand makes BLT Steak a standout in a category of dining with lots of competition on South Beach. We’re lucky he decided to stick around.

BLT Steak
1440 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139

The Forge Restaurant in Miami Beach

The Forge, one of Miami Beach’s most traditional, special occasion restaurants, celebrated it’s 40th birthday last year by announcing it would close indefinitely for extensive renovations. While any South Beach doyenne hitting 40 might totally relate to hiding out and getting a face lift, local foodies started to speculate whether the old school steakhouse was giving in to the pressure of culinary obsolescence in a town where big ticket fine dining is suddenly available everywhere. The nearby Fontainebleau Resort had recently reopened with superstar chefs Alfred Portale, Scott Conant and Lok Soon Ooi hitting high notes at Gotham Steak, Scarpetta, and Hakkasan. Was it possible The Forge simply couldn’t compete with all these blazing big guns? Absolutely not…

With Mayor Matti Bower’s proclamation that April 27, 2009 would henceforth be known as Forge Day and a key to the City of Miami Beach in hand, Shareef Malnik set about reinventing his brand to keep it current and competitive with the new marketplace. Asked about the decision to renovate during the economic downturn he told the Miami Herald, “this is an opportunity to do something wonderful. We haven’t been closed since 1991 when we had a fire… I want to use this summer as an opportunity to change, to redo everything – new furniture, new layout, new china, new glassware, new uniforms.” While Malnik had hoped to open in time for the busy holiday season, the $10 million dollar renovation took time to perfect.

As the first anniversary of Forge Day nears, it seems Malnik was entirely true to his word reopening the restaurant recently to rave reviews. Eschewing the traditional steakhouse atmosphere and shaking off the Sugar Daddy Disco scene, the new Forge is brighter, lighter and ready for guests to make a sweeping entrance into its blonde wood dining rooms sparkling with glass bubble walls. With a nod to the restaurant’s original splendor, intricate floral stained glass highlights the library space and guests dine in the glow of crystal chandeliers. But little of the stodgy old atmosphere remains.

Also new and very exciting are the culinary pyrotechnics of Miami’s favorite Mango Gang-ster Chef Dewey LoSasso who closed his own North One 10 Restaurant after many years feeding happy North Miami families. He brings a fanciful touch to the menu including a roster of snacks under $15 to start the meal that echo the bright spots on Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink menu and include Lo Sasso’s infamous salmon croquettas with “damn hot” guava sauce from his One 10 days. Tiny oyster po’boys, chicken liver topped crostini toasts and the highly touted Lobster Peanut Butter & Jelly break the ice quite nicely.

LoSasso created the Lobster Peanut Butter & Jelly by topping chilled lobster with minced peanuts and a savory onion marmalade. He’s also curing his own salmon for the citrus salmon starter and tempting patrons with house made dim sum, grilled shrimp waffles with wasabi caviar and oscetra topped johnny cakes. Steaks have long been a house specialty so the chef tweaks the prime beef with a coffee rub for “Coffee & Eggs,” seasons it with the “Chimichurri from Hell” or grinds it up into “Burger and Bordeaux.” The upscale burgers making their way across Miami Beach menus get a run for their money at the Forge where the Angus sirloin is topped with shredded short rib meat, lobster marmalade and a side of crisp (if ubiquitous) truffled fries. To up the ante, the posh $20 patty includes a glass of Bordeaux. Cheers!

While fans of the Forge may still order the classics – chopped or caesar salad, the prawn cocktail, a massive steak and a chocolate souffle for dessert – LoSasso hopes to hold sway with his Barolo-braised short ribs served over polenta, a tangy spice rubbed duck and a number of seafood and pasta entrees including the decadent three mushroom risotto redolent of white truffle oil which can be split and served as a heady side dish. The shiitake, portobello and porcini mushrooms make this dish an earthly delight while the weather still has a bit of crispness, but this may prove too rich for some diners during the dog days of summer.

If a big ticket dinner doesn’t fit your evening, stop by the Forge’s brand new stainless steel and glass-encased Enomatic Wine Bar where 80 bottles are electronically decanted into do-it-yourself tastings. These gleaming machines hold opened bottles both humble and notable in a state of suspension that prevents them from oxidizing so guests can craft a sampling with their own personal tasting cards or with the help of the knowledgeable sommelier. Try a simple Sterling Merlot, a Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape or a pedigreed ’95 Chateau Haut-Brion by the glass or work your way through the heft of the massive notebooks that document the treasure trove that is the Forge’s still legendary wine cellar. A quiet evening working the dispenser and sampling the chef’s savory snacks with a few good friends seems like something to add to your Bucket List!

After 40 years as the backdrop for countless anniversaries, birthdays and romantic rendezvous, the Forge returns once again as an extravagant night spot with a unique Miami Beach flair. Rediscover the luxury of formal, attentive service, innovative cuisine and the chance to dine amidst the who’s-who of local notables. Some things never change and – thankfully – some simply get better with age and experience…

The Forge is located at 432 West 41 Street in Miami Beach. Reservations suggested 305-538-8533.

Prime 112

Prime 112 is a most excellent steakhouse and it’s just a shame you can’t get in—at least not without a reservation as much as a month in advance. Ah, but once you are seated in this trendy restaurant in the SoFi section of South Beach, you’re in for a treat.

Go with the Sautéed Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Organic Field Greens, and 48 ounce Porterhouse for Two, with six sauces, five butters, and eleven accessories to choose from. And while you’re waiting for your meal, enjoy the enticing eye-candy that frequents this hot new area of South Beach.

Prime 112 is located at 112 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, 33139. Phone: 305 532.8112

Red, the Steakhouse

South Beach’s status as an upscale resort destination owes just as much to the sand, sun and surf as it does the proximity of fine dining restaurants and prime steakhouses. To be fair, there are so many steaks and chops in such a small city it’s tough to be anywhere but in the top tier. While others have not fared well in Miami, Red, the Steakhouse is standing it’s ground, but gets an awful earful from fans of Prime 112, Meat Market and BLT Steak. Like Ohio, Red is somewhere in the middle of things and that’s ultimately it’s biggest challenge. No one has a beef with Ohio but who’s lining up to go there?

Red, the Steakhouse in Miami Beach

In the current economic climate, what separates one restaurant from others in the same category is a standout dish, a dynamic atmosphere or a unique approach to the cuisine. Red is a good restaurant and a reliable spot for USDA prime beef. The atmosphere veers safely away from the woody men’s club model to a more contemporary high-contrast black and red design, Chef Peter Vauthy crafts a decidedly traditional steakhouse menu of steak tartare, shrimp cocktail, wedge, chopped and caesar salads, and then on to the steaks.

If you find yourself at Red and stick to the classic steakhouse script, you’re in for a lovely meal. We like it best weekdays at happy hour (4-7pm) when the pricey cocktails are 2 for 1 and a number of snack-ready apps are just $9 at the bar.

Red, the Steakhouse
119 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-3688

Smith & Wollensky Miami Beach Restaurant

Travel to the Southern-most point of South Beach, and located right on the water, you will find a dining gem: Smith & Wollensky.

Smith & Wollensky in South Pointe Park

The stand-alone restaurant sits in the picturesque South Pointe Park, one of the last areas in South Beach that has not given way to high-rise condominiums that have recently taken over the skyline.

The restaurant’s large picturesque windows lend perfect views of the magnificent sights of the cruise-liners and barges that make their way in and out of the Port of Miami throughout the day.

Head out to the waterfront patio seating and grab a seat at the bar with the rest of Miami’s in-crowd and enjoy the sites and sounds, as you take a glimpse at how the other half lives.

While the waterfront location alone is enough to guarantee the success of this restaurant, rest assured, the cuisine is one of the best in South Beach. If you have never had a taste of Smith’s dry-aged meats, you are missing out on a culinary experience like no other.

A warning: One bite of the Filet Mignon dipped in their exquisite béarnaise sauce will leave every other steak for the rest of your life tasting sub-par.

With a Smith and Wollensky’s location open in almost every major city throughout the US, it is no question why the restaurant group enjoys such success: The food and service are five star, and lend themselves to a dining experience that should not be missed.

Smith & Wollensky is located at 1 Washington Avenue in South Pointe Park, Miami Beach, Florida, 33139. Phone: 305.673.2800