Delmonico's

Delmonico's overall score: 86

Delmonico's claims to be the first fine dining restaurant in the country. In addition to that interesting bit of history, Delmonico's is famous for coining the "delmonico steak" cut/term - which is a boneless ribeye (though there is some debate as to which cut was actually used back in the day). That's right - this place invented the delmonico steak (duh). I've been here once before, but it was a while back, so a second visit solidified the experience for a thorough review. This time I got a nice 30% discount from a Village Vines coupon, which was helpful on this man-date with my cousin.

1) Flavor: 10

This place was perfect in terms of flavor. My cousin got the filet, and I got the signature delmonico/boneless ribeye.  Just the right amount of crisp and seasoning (salt and pepper - nothing fancy - they respect the meat), and just the right temperature when the plates arrived.  The meat was well rested and cooked just right. The filet was ordered rare, and the ribeye was ordered medium. They were both delicious.

2) Choice of Cuts & Quality available: 8

Delmonico's has all the basics and then some. They have the signature delmonico steak (18oz boneless ribeye), as well as a 36oz bone-in ribeye. The double porterhouse is about 36oz, and there are also filets (in the 10oz-12oz range) and strips (16oz). The strip, porterhouse and 3-pounder are all listed as dry aged and the strip is listed as prime, but I think all of the cuts are prime and aged. Delmonico's pretty much just covers the basics, but they do it well.

3) Portion Size & Plating: 8

The portions here are normal. As mentioned above, the steaks broke down as follows: 18oz boneless delmonico; 36oz bone-in ribeye; 36oz porterhouse; 16oz strip; and 10oz-12oz filet. The plating was elegant but restrained; good for men, nothing too fancy.

4) Price: 8

The prices are average to slightly high, but given the exceptional flavor of the steak, it is totally worth it. I thought the foie gras was overpriced and small ($21), but hey - it IS goose liver. We were nice and full, but not uncomfortable, like lions after devouring a wildebeest. That said, I got 30% off through Village Vines, which was a bonus. They also offer the same deal for (aged.) by the way. The total spent for 4 martinis ($13 and $14 each), foie gras, special oysters, creamed spinach and two steaks came to around $190, tax and tip included. We skipped dessert.

5) Bar: 10

Delmonico's has a really fantastic old-school bar. It is sunken down a few steps from the main dining room, and it has a side entrance through a revolving door off the corner from the main entrance. They serve a great steak sandwich there to boot. This is the kind of bar every steak man or lover of "ye olde tyme" things should visit. It is, simply put, an American classic. One look at the lounge and bar pics on their website should have you salivating for booze and beef. They made a good martini too, despite a missing olive on our second round, but I take that into account more in my service section rather than changing my bar rating.

6) Specials and Other Meats: 8

In the "other meats" category, Delmonico's offers a fat veal chop, which is nice, lamb chops, and chicken. Standard plus, I would say. For specials, I would call the 3-pound ribeye a special, but other than that, they do offer some off-the-menu items (though, no beef). The Chicken a' la Keene (served with a pimento cream sauce) is also a signature dish created in the 1880s and with a rich history: the dish ultimately became known as "chicken a' la king." Yes - Delmonico's invented that dish too! On special, there was a 5 pound lobster for sharing (or not!), and some special oysters for an appetizer: 3 pairs from different regions.  We ordered the oysters.

7) Apps, Sides & Desserts: 7

We started with the oysters special. One was briny and fishy, one was normal, and one, called a stingray oyster, was awesome. All were on the small side, however. That's not necessarily a bad thing: I just expected one or two to be a little larger. Then we had foie gras. It was sort of small, and sat on a hunk of bread that was a little too think in proportion, but it tasted like the really good, soft, melty fat of a ribeye that you can eat. My cousin wasn't that impressed with it, and said he probably wouldn't order it again. I probably wouldn't either for that price ($21), but I definitely liked it. With dinner we had the staple: creamed spinach. It wasn't that good: kinda bland. It was made fresh, but it lacked roundness and creaminess. We skipped dessert this time around.

8) Seafood Selection: 8

Lobster, halibut, and snapper were listed under entrees in addition to the seafood towers and shellfish on the appetizer menu. The lobster dish, Lobster Newberg, also a signature dish with a unique sauce, has a great story to go along with it. They also offered the 5lb special lobster for two, which seemed like a fun thing to order if you are a giant pussy.

9) Service: 9

The service is great here - really top notch. Everyone knows their meat, and they are right there whenever you need something. Literally - you can see the waiters lined up near the doors to the kitchen watching over the dining room. They stay out of your way, yet they know when you need attention. All male waitstaff, ties: the classic steakhouse experience. The check getting and paying process was fast as well. I've dropped a point off here only because our second round of martinis were missing an olive. A martini should always have at least 3 olives, regardless of size. The olives here are nice and big, fleshy and fresh, but we still must have 3. When we ordered our first round, at the bar, they came with 3. Our second round, ordered at the table, only had 2. My cousin pointed out that it is bad luck to NOT have 3. The waiter wasn't aware that martinis should have 3 olives, but he quickly remedied the situation and brought over a couple more on a small plate. The little things make a difference. I had a hard time deciding if I should knock the point off in the service section or in the bar section, but ultimately decided it should be taken from here. And since I didn't want to take a FULL point off for that minor infraction, I figured it would round out the point to mention that the butter served with the bread was cold and hard (but the bread was semi-warm and crispy). Two half points off make a whole point off.

10) Ambiance: 10

Delmonico's is known for its private dining rooms and alcoves, its fantastic bar, and rich history. Both times I ate here were in the main dining room, which is adorned with a huge mural of 1920s style fanciness, great wood paneling on the walls between windows, wide spacious floor, and high ceiling.  It is a very elegant yet still a classic steakhouse feel. it is similar to Sparks in that regard, but without the mafia feel. The bathroom, through the bar area, was small, but it had nice dark tiling all the way up the walls, a fresh cinnamon smell, and medium quality paper hand towels (not the thick, cloth-like stuff).