Mike Powell

Review of Kevin Rathbun's Steak

Not all it's cracked up to be.

Not all it's cracked up to be.
I took my GF to KRS tonight to check out what I believed to be an incredible steakhouse, based on what I read online. Seems the people who called it one of the "best steakhouses in the USA" have not been there this year..
When we arrived, I told my waiter this was our maiden voyage with KRS, and asked him what the "dry aged steak for 2" was.. he stated that it was porterhouse, and that it was their specialty.. I told him I was not fond of New York Strip due to its "fibrous" nature..kinda like sirloin... I like filet or ribeye, I told him, but I've had a porterhouse at Peter Luger in Brooklyn that was to die for.... He told me dry aging should take care of any muscle fiber and it was really what he recommended if I was open to suggestions... so I decided to go with the "dry aged steak for 2" instead of the ribeye tasting trio for me, and a small filet for the lady..
Bad choice....
When the steak was served, the food runner pulled a piece from the strip side in the center to ask if the temp was OK with us.. it looked red in the dimly lit atmosphere, so we said it looked fine.. I wish he would have used a flashlight, because our "medium rare" steak was medium in the middle and medium well around the edges..
The filet part was no more than 3/4 inch thick at best and more overcooked than the strip side.. it tasted like liver which is a sure sign of overcooking.. The strip was flavorful enough that along with my hunger it overrode my desire to send the steak back and wait.. I figured if the waiter asked me, I would be honest... well, he never asked how the steak was he only asked if my idea of strip had changed, which it had not I told him.. still too chewy and fibrous for me... My overall feeling was that I had been knowingly steered toward their highest profit item, rather than listening to me and giving me what my communicated taste profile would indicate. This $75 (laugh) steak was a $35 steak at best.. complete with bitter char around the edges.. this thing must have sat in direct grease flames for a while.. The scalloped sweet potatoes were awesome... The King Crab appetizer flawless.. bread basket was a fail..
I just got back from Manhattan 2 days ago and had a $55 12 oz filet from Quality Meats in Midtown that shredded Kevin Rathbun Steak.. Do not order "steak for 2, or steak for 3" is my advice... its the house hustle for profit.. I would never go back for that steak again.. I may give this place another chance one time to try another steak since everyone seems to get all excited over KRS, but I just did not get the hype this time.. Mediocre service and mediocre steak is my verdict.. Even Hals kicked KRS in the pants...