Best “Home for the Holidays” Atlanta Steakhouses
When you’re home for the holidays for a few days in Atlanta – Thanksgiving, NYE, Fourth of July, whenever – you sometimes want to just get out of the house and go out for dinner. When you do, it sometimes it just feels right to go to a locally owned steakhouse rather than one of the bigger, though undoubtedly worthy, national steakhouses. Here are six steakhouses, all native to Atlanta, where you can take the family (or get away from the family!) when you’re home for the holidays.
Kevin Rathbun Steak. A “name” in the Atlanta philanthropic community, Kevin Rathbun has several restaurants in the Atlanta area, but his steakhouse – recognized as “the best in Georgia – is where we go for USDA prime meat. Holiday dining is usually a family style affair, and at Kevin Rathbun Steak, you can order a dry aged cowboy ribeye for two or three, or any one of the larger steaks, and split them, a great way to carry that holiday spirit with you to the dinner table, even if that dinner table is in a white tablecloth restaurant rather than a family home.
Chops Lobster Bar. Steakhouses always have the best seafood selections, and Chops Lobster Bar is no exception. There are lots of USDA prime steaks to choose from, as well as Kobe and Wagyu selections, but you can also count on pristine and perfect seafood, including Black Grouper, Holland Dover Sole, and other less common deliciousness from the sea. With a broad range of surf and turf selections, there’s always something on the menu to satisfy all members of the family, thus helping ensure domestic tranquility during the holidays.
McKendrik’s Steakhouse. Going on a quarter century as one of the country’s finest places for steak, McKendrick’s Steakhouse has one location, and it’s in sweet home Atlanta. For many Atlantans, coming into Kendrick’s Steakhouse is like coming home, and they know what to expect: jumbo blue crab cakes, USDA prime steaks – filets, porterhouses, strips – as well as the best seafood, including South African cold water lobster tails. Ten-time winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, McKendrick’s Steakhouse has a big enough wine selection to turn any family gathering into a rollicking good time.
Ray’s in the City. The Black and Blue Steakhouse Salad at Ray’s in the City is a winning combination of seared steak, greens and blue cheese, a meaty and yet light way to begin a meal…or you can have it as a meal-in-itself. Seafood is very strong at Ray’s in the City, and you’ll find on the menu a massive selection of gifts from the sea, with seasonal specialties flown in daily. After meat-centric holiday meals at home, you and your family might appreciate a break and eat some of Ray’s in the City’s magnificent fish and seafood selections.
101 Steak. Wagyu beef carpaccio is a fine way to slip into a red meat eating orgy at Atlanta’s 101 Steak…and there is a lot of red meat to eat here. Filets and hangar steaks, USDA prime cuts like porterhouse and Delmonico, and some very special exclusives: dry-aged prime cut bone-in Kansas City strip steak and bone-in ribeye steak are just some difficult-to-find cuts that you’ll be sure to find at 101 Steak. This is the kind of meat available only to restaurants, but though you can’t get this stuff at the store to make at home for your family, you can bring your family to 101 steak. They will be very happy you did.
Marcel. If you’re looking for something a little fancier for a “home for the holidays” dinner in Atlanta, the French-influenced Marcel may be just right for you. After a silky foie gras terrine or buttery rich and garlicky escargots, dig into a bone-in filet madame (smaller) or monsieur (bigger), cote de boeuf or entrecote au poivre or Bearnaise. Though Marcel is unapologetically French, you can enjoy a hearty slab of All-American beef, refined in the kitchen of a highly skilled chef, an excellent excuse to get out of the house when you’re home for the holidays.
