A few evenings ago, I had the pleasure of dining at 212 Steakhouse located at 316 E 53rd St in midtown Manhattan. I discovered the restaurant when I was searching for good steakhouse options in the neighborhood, and 212 Steakhouse piqued my interest when I read about their Kobe beef. In order to sell authentic Kobe beef, a restaurant must be a member of the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association from Japan; not only is 212 Steakhouse the first and only member in New York, but it is also the only restaurant on the entire east coast that serves authentic Japanese Kobe Beef. Naturally, I knew I had to get that for my entree.
The entrance to the restaurant is decorated with a warmly lit chandelier that sets the mood for an upscale, intimate dining experience. Pictured in the second and third photos of the slideshow is the bar, which had no more than three people sitting at it during the time I was there for dinner. The noise level of the restaurant was surprisingly low, even with couples and groups sitting at nearby tables. I felt comfortable conversing at my table without worrying about anyone overhearing. The overall cozy, romantic ambience makes 212 Steakhouse an especially appealing dining option for couples.
I ordered the 212 Passion Cocktail, which had Tito’s Vodka, Limoncello, Passion fruit liquor, and Italicus. It was delicious and the perfect sweet drink to accompany all of the savory dishes I ordered off the menu. Pictured in the second and third photos is my appetizer, the Oysters Rockefeller, which was made with spinach, parmesan, and pernod. The third photo is zoomed in to showcase the crispy top layer, which complemented the creamy spinach and parmesan underneath it very well. These were delightfully scrumptious, and I can’t think of a better way to have started off my dinner than with this dish.
I had the Lobster Mac and Cheese next, and let’s just say that the portion size for this was very generous; several days later, I’m still working on finishing these leftovers! I’d even say that this can serve as a side dish for three or more people. I was a bit skeptical to try this because I’ve gone to other restaurants with similar dishes that only included one or two tiny pieces of lobster; to my pleasant surprise, there were actually a few decent-sized pieces of lobster mixed in to this incredibly cheesy dish.
We’ve finally arrived at the dish you’ve been waiting to see: the Kobe Beef! As soon as the waiter brought this out, I couldn’t help but notice how well-prepared this looked. I wanted to jump right in and start tasting it ASAP, but I maintained some self-control and captured these photos for you first. A little delayed gratification never hurt anyone, right?
I appreciated how simple the presentation was because it kept the focus on the Kobe, the star of the show. In the second photo, you can see the perfectly pink inside of the beef. I ordered mine medium, so this was prepared exactly as I had requested. As good as this might look to you online, I can tell you with certainty that these photos still do not do this 3oz Kobe beef striploin justice. I’ve tried my fair share of steaks over the years, and this is, by far, the best one I’ve tasted. It was juicy and tender on the inside with the slightest crisp on the outside to balance everything out. It was truly incredible, and I savored every bite of it. I would 100% recommend that everyone make a reservation here and order this ASAP!
If you’d prefer a more traditional steak, the USDA Prime Filet Mignon pictured in the third photo was also fantastic. It was a terrific cut with great flavor that was also prepared exactly as requested. The garnishings were a nice touch as well!
Finally, the meal came to a close with tiramisu wrapped in 24k gold and chocolate souffle; yes, you read that right, 24k gold. The tiramisu is soaked in espresso and liqueur and layered with a light filling made from mascarpone cheese. The entire slice was enveloped in 24k gold, and it was so fun and delicious to eat. Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, and having it wrapped in gold was such a treat! Since they gave me a large slice, I even ended up taking some of it home with me along with the Lobster Mac and Cheese.
The chocolate souffle, a soft chocolate cake filled with warm chocolate and topped with vanilla ice cream, was also very tasty. This is a classic dessert that was made even better with its rich yet airy chocolate cake. These desserts were the perfect way to end off this delightful meal.
All in all, I have to give 212 Steakhouse a 10/10. My already high expectations for the Kobe beef were surpassed, and I was even blown away by the Oysters Rockefeller. The quality of the Kobe was tremendously superb, and the portion size of every dish was excellent! My only regret is that I didn’t order their Kobe Tasting which would have allowed me to try the Kobe beef ribeye and tenderloin in addition to the striploin. I ended up loving the Kobe beef so much more than I had expected, so I would have loved to try these as well. Let me know in the comments if you’d be interested in seeing a review on the Kobe Tasting!
What to order from 212 Steakhouse: 212 Cocktail, Kobe Beef Striploin, Oysters Rockefeller, and 24k Gold Tiramisu.
Needless to say, this meal was a wonderful treat, and I would absolutely recommend coming here for your next dinner. You can view the menu at 212 Steakhouse here and make a reservation online via OpenTable here.
Just happened to find this review for an upcoming return to normal dinner. We need to get out but want to do so in a safe way and note that this place seems to have the elements one needs: control in its clientele and the levels, Kobe (never knew it was difficult to obtain), and a central location. Is there a tasting menu available these days? If so, would love to get your perspective. It can be hit-or-miss outside of your general Michelin-rated scene. We would love to be catered to that way for our return to fine dining over the last two years of Uber Eats fare. Thanks for the through write-up. Motivated to get my Kobe!
It was definitely a great experience and I’d recommend that you visit once you feel safe to do so! They have the Kobe Tasting which includes 3 oz each of their Kobe Beef Ribeye, Striploin, and Tenderloin. Another option would be the 212 Premium Selection which includes 2 oz of Kobe Beef, 10 oz of Australian Wagyu Skirt Steak, and 6 oz of USDA Prime Filet Mignon. I’d love to return for the Kobe tasting and am happy to share my thoughts on it in a new blog post! Thanks for reading!
Lovely chandelier, looks so peaceful and cozy and the food looks so delicious!
The food was absolutely delicious, and I loved the peaceful ambiance of the restaurant!
Thank you for the review here, I would love to try out this one as my partner loves steaks 🙂 x
I think your partner would definitely love eating here then! Thanks for reading 🙂
There is nothing like going to a great steakhouse! It has been a while since I went to a nice restaurant in NYC.
I’d definitely recommend making a reservation here next time you feel like treating yourself to a nice night out in the city!
Even though I couldn’t eat it, the steak and lobster mac looks insanely good! This place sounds amazing — thanks for sharing!
It was so good! Thanks for reading 🙂
Everything looks so delicious and sounds incredible!!!
It really was!
Looks like an amazing place to dine at. The ambiance looks awesome. Thank you for sharing.
It sure is! Thanks for reading.
Great review. I would love to hear your thoughts on the Kobe tasting.
Thanks!! I’d love to return and try that.
212 Steakhouse looks beautiful. I love that you described the ambiance of the place and how cozy and comfortable it was. The food looks delicious and I’d love to try the 24k tiramisu! Thank you for sharing your review, I hope to visit one day!
The tiramisu was stunning to look at and delicious to eat! I enjoyed every bit of it 🙂 Thanks for reading, and I hope you get to visit soon too!
Nothing like a great steakhouse to dine. The place looks cozy and meals looks beautiful. Thanks for sharing
Agreed! This is definitely a great option if you’re looking for a nice steakhouse to dine at.
Wow that looks amazing, especially the Kobe beef!
Yes, the Kobe beef was truly the star of the show!
I inspected this restaurant years ago and had the privilege of seeing behind the scenes. Nice restaurant, awesome menu and pretty expensive; one of NYC’s finest steakhouses. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I think they have one of the best steakhouse menus! It is a bit pricey, but given the immense quality of the food, I think it’s definitely worth the splurge for a date night or special occasion 🙂
Awesome review! I love a nice steakhouse, especially for like anniversarys and birthdays. This place looks really nice.
I do too! Thanks for reading.
The food looks absolutely delish! I’ve never been to New York. I had no idea restaurants had to do such things in order to sell a dish! Great read!
Yes, it’s a difficult process to be authorized to sell Kobe beef! Thanks for reading 🙂
Everything looks delicious and glad you had a good time! The next time I find myself in New York, I’ll definitely check it out.
Wonderful to hear! I’d love to hear your thoughts on it too once you visit 🙂