Top-quality steakhouses are aplenty in Atlanta, but their variety is the city’s strong suit. Whether you’re seeking a buttoned-up fine-dining experience or a relaxed night out set to live music, you’ll find it here. Well-to-do Buckhead remains home to several of the city’s established mainstays, but more experimental flavors and even a Michelin-recognized restaurant are popping up across town, proving that Atlanta’s steak scene is as dynamic as it is delicious.
Here’s where to start your search for the city’s standout steakhouses.
Highland Tap
Tucked below street level in bustling Virginia Highlands, the speakeasy vibe here is decidedly unfussy in comparison to some of its peers–and the steaks won’t break the bank, either. Whether you spring for slow-roasted prime rib or wood-fired steak cooked over burning hickory, you’ll get a hearty side with it (we’re big fans of the mac and cheese). 1026 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, highland-tap.website
Marcel
Marcel is chef Ford Fry’s only restaurant to be included in Atlanta’s Michelin’s Guide. Named for French boxer Marcel Cerdan, its self-proclaimed mission is to “return to the days when people appreciated…the best steaks money can buy.” And with offerings including bone-in côte de boeuf and indulgent French sides like pommes Dauphinoise, it’s doing so while defining West Midtown’s burgeoning fine dining scene. 1170 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta, marcelatl.com
Bones Restaurant
Many a power lunch and date-night dinner have been set against the backdrop of Bones since it opened its doors in 1979. Today’s diners love that the restaurant retains the same old-school ways—including a strictly enforced dress code and no-cell-phones-in-the-dining-room policy—that originally established it as one of Atlanta’s finest restaurants. A robust menu featuring Japanese Wagyu A5 New York strip, pheasant sausage and excellent seafood is just the cherry on top. 3130 Piedmont Rd. NE, Atlanta, bonesrestaurant.com
101 Steak
Every steak at 101 Steak is seasoned with a house blend before being broiled to perfection at 1600 degrees, but the selection of MUSE Australian Wagyu is the real star of the show. Raised in Tasmania, the MUSE herd boasts a bloodline traceable back to the original Japanese National Registry. At 101, you can enjoy a 16-oz. MUSE striploin, grain-fed for 450 days and graded BMS-9 out of 12 for its marbling. 3621 Vinings Slope SE, Atlanta, 101steakatl.com
Kevin Rathbun Steak
Chef Kevin Rathbun has something of a cult following in the city, and the wraparound patio at his eponymous restaurant offers Beltline views like no other and the flavors to match. Don’t skip the seafood and wine list here, which are just as strong as the steak selection. Consistently named among the city’s best, you’ve got your pick between a special Wagyu section or more standard ribeyes and New York strips. 154 Krog St. NE, Ste. 200, Atlanta, kevinrathbunsteak.com
Hal’s “The Steakhouse”
Since 1989, Hal’s has served a New Orleans-inspired menu positioning Louisiana gumbo comfortably alongside filet mignon au poivre. But if you want to enjoy your meal in total peace and quiet, look elsewhere. In true New Orleans fashion, the restaurant boasts nightly live music that’s just loud enough to add old-world charm while still allowing you to hear your date. It’s the place to be for an elevated meal in a more relaxed environment. 30 Old Ivy Rd. NE, Atlanta, hals.net
C. Ellet’s Steak House
Located next to Truist Park in the Battery, C. Ellet’s offers an aptly named Wagyu baseball sirloin—not just for game days!—and a hand-cut 10-oz. prime rib special every Wednesday evening. The restaurant is one of several in the Hopkins and Company portfolio, led by James Beard Award winning chef Linton Hopkins and certified sommelier Gina Hopkins. 2065 Circle 75 Pkwy, Ste. 400, Atlanta, c-ellets.com
Little Alley
There’s nothing little about Little Alley’s opulent ITP location, featuring a terrace and multiple dining rooms spread over 9,000 square feet in the heart of Buckhead. Meats by Linz, one of Chicago’s oldest butchers, is the exclusive provider of Little Alley’s cuts, hand-selecting and aging all of the restaurant’s 100% black angus beef. Pair with a pick from 400-plus bottles of bourbon, whiskey and Scotch. 3500 Lenox Rd. NE, Ste. 100, Atlanta, littlealleysteak.com
Arnette’s Chop Shop
Arnette’s calls a reclaimed Brookhaven warehouse home and brings it to life with cozy leather seating and a 15-foot longhorn painting. Chef Stephen Herman leads the kitchen, incorporating Southern flavors inspired by his Knoxville upbringing. Dry-aged cowboy ribeye and an old world tomahawk are some of the standouts on the extensive steak menu. Pro tip: Memberships in the exclusive Knife Club begin at $1,000 and include a set of steak knives housed at the restaurant. 2700 Apple Valley Rd. NE, Ste. 55, Brookhaven, arnetteschopshop.com
Kaiser’s Chophouse
After cutting his teeth at Pricci and Buckhead Diner among other Atlanta icons, chef Peter Kaiser opened his namesake Sandy Springs restaurant in 2017 in collaboration with Kevin Rathbun. The result is a classic chophouse that doesn’t take itself too seriously—see the menu, where chilled shellfish are labeled “No Brainers” and appetizers titled “Hot Deliciousness.” But there’s nothing funny about the flavor; the restaurant names its barrel-cut beef filet and prime spinalis among crowd favorites. 5975 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs, kaiserschophouse.com
Cattle Shed
Head chef Olivia Hurst cut her teeth at two Buckhead Life restaurants and even won an episode of Chopped. Now at the helm of Cattle Shed in Alpharetta’s swanky Halcyon development, her steaks are all hand-selected exclusively for the restaurant, with the wet-aged cuts and richly marbled Wagyu filet among the most memorable on the menu. 6290 Halcyon Way, Ste. 610, Alpharetta, cattleshedwinebar.com
Morton’s The Steakhouse
In a city teeming with independent steakhouses, Morton’s still holds its own. The long-standing national chain’s commitment to sourcing Prime beef from the same suppliers since day one delivers consistently delicious strips that solidify its place in Atlanta’s steakhouse scene. 303 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Atlanta, mortons.com
Parker’s on Ponce
Parker’s claimed the title of Decatur’s first independently-owned steakhouse in 2008; today, the restaurant still proudly serves its signature Kansas City strip alongside a robust list of toppings in a cozy brick building off bustling Decatur Square. 116 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, parkersonponce.com
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
For a bite of classic Americana, you can’t go wrong with Ruth’s Chris. Its signature 1800-degree broil and sizzling butter finish have kept this longtime Atlanta staple solidly at the top of the city’s steakhouse pecking order. 267 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, ruthschris.net/atlanta-downtown
Aspens Signature Steaks
Every steak at rustic-chic Aspens, with its stone fireplace and leather booth seating, is finished with black garlic chive butter and port bordelaise demi-glace. Though you’ll find classic Prime ribeye and a New York strip, the $138 Brooklyn-style porterhouse is the true standout. 2942 Shallowford Rd., Marietta, sedgwickrestaurantgroup.com/aspens
The Capital Grille
Few Atlanta restaurants carry themselves quite like The Capital Grille. An in-house dry-aging program and unhurried, white-tablecloth service make this Buckhead dining room a consistent special occasion favorite.255 East Paces Ferry Rd. NE, Atlanta, thecapitalgrille.com
The Palm Atlanta
A Buckhead institution since 1995, The Palm has been serving prime-aged steaks and jumbo Nova Scotia lobster to Atlanta’s most discerning diners long enough to know that a great steak never goes out of style. 3391 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, thepalm.com
Vanzant’s Steak, Seafood, and Bar
Steak is right there in the name at Vanzant’s, and this Peachtree City gem takes that seriously. Expect carefully sourced cuts and a welcoming Southern vibe that keeps this upmarket spot from feeling overly pretentious. 302 Clover Reach, Peachtree City, vanzantsptc.com
STK
Executive chef Robert Liberato leads the kitchen at STK Atlanta, where a high-energy, DJ-driven atmosphere and a rigorous commitment to traceable, top-quality beef prove that a great night out and a seriously good steak aren’t mutually exclusive. 1075 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, stksteakhouse.com/en-us/location/atlanta
