- 269 W 45th St, New York 10036
- (Btwn Broadway & 8th Ave)
- 212 997 0404
- Website
Web Address frankieandjohnnies.com
Partners at 45th St. Peter Chimos, Van Panopoulos and Frank Zaravelis
Head Waiter- Mario
Waiter-Extraordinaire Spyro
Also Locations at:
32 W. 37th Street (Will Be Reviewed Soon)
77 Purchase St. Rye, NY
Vas and Jennifer Mylonas head the Rye restaurant
Steak House Heaven
There’s nothing like a great NY steak house. A case in point is Frankie and Johnnie’s, the venerable former-speakeasy in the theater district. A renovation spruced things up, giving more space. There is a small, cunning bar and coat-check on the lower level. Thankfully, management retained the narrow staircase leading up to the Damon Runyon atmosphere of the main dining room, where walls are plastered with vintage-celebrity photos and Broadway memorabilia. The quarters, while still intimate, retain a well-worn patina. The open kitchen remains and a small bar has been added.
Don’t be deceived by the laid back elegance. Here is one of the world’s best and most sophisticated steak restaurants. Service is by seasoned-professionals and is arguably the best in any New York steakhouse, thanks to Mario, the congenial manager. Our waiter, Spyro, was truly superlative and even busboys are standouts.
In the appetizer department, shrimp cocktail is fresh, not overcooked and minus iodine. A generous portion of fresh lump crabmeat is even better. And check out the house salad. It’s a minor miracle of chopped fresh ingredients (go for the blue cheese vinaigrette). The sirloin is juicy and cooked to a turn, the veal chop (perhaps the biggest and best in town) is eclipsed by double loin lamb chops that will blow you away in size, texture and taste.
Steaks are described intelligently by color and temperature (medium rare is red with a warm center: the way I like it). I’ll never know how they get the creamed spinach so green and (thank goodness) it’s well chopped and in a proper veloute. The Lyonaise potatoes are divine.
The wine list has some good choices, under $50 and has been expanded. Try the Petrocelli Petite Sirah and you will have the perfect steak wine.
If you have room for dessert, go for the cheese cake and terrific cappuccino. Frankie and Johnnie’s may be our current favorite New York steak house and rates a steak house A Major.
Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.
