The 16 Best Steak Restaurants In Sydney (2024)
— Updated on 3 September 2024

The 16 Best Steak Restaurants In Sydney (2024)

— Updated on 3 September 2024
Chris Singh
WORDS BY
Chris Singh

The best steak restaurants in Sydney have consistently set the bar high for the rest of Australia. This country is well regarded for producing some of the best beef in the world, and it’s no surprise that the harbour city has more than a few restaurants that make full use of that fact.

From The Gidley and Rockpool to Bistecca and Bistro Rex, when it comes to the never-ending pursuit of high-grade cuts of meat and sizzling steaks, you’re in extremely good hands. Knowing where to find the best steak restaurants in Sydney is the kind of knowledge that could make or break business deals, as well as crown you the absolute king of bro-dates. Needless to say, save this list and work your way through it. Happy hunting.

Just do keep in mind that while menus at the best steak restaurants Sydney has to offer change all the time, all information is correct at the time of publishing. If you’re looking to create your own restaurant-quality steak at home, nothing hits the spot like Steak au Poivre in the Gozney Dome.


Where’s The Best Steak In Sydney?


The Gidley

The Gidley one of the best steak restaurants Sydney has to offer?
Credit: The Gidley, Instagram

The Gidley is heaven for Sydney’s most voracious meat lovers, whether it’s for tender cuts of steak or one of the kitchen’s home-run-hitting double-beef burgers. The restaurant is at its best if you’ve managed to rope in seven other mates and parked yourself up at the gorgeous 8-person American Oak dining table in the backroom ‘Library’, where a custom-built poker surface can be found. Although the main dining room is just as spectacular with a golden-age ambience worked up by curtained booths and velvet banquets.

The Gidley has the distinction of being one of the only restaurants in Sydney that serve spinalis steak — the boneless rib eye cap, easily one of the most succulent cuts you can find. And it’s only $60 here, netting you 220g of pure prime perfection. There’s also a rib eye on the bone ($16 per 100 grams) that’s chargrilled over ironbark, or two different signature cuts of chargrilled Riverine Black Angus rib eye — the $53 300g ‘English cut’, or the $98, 700g Gidley cut. A standing prime rib roast is also a wise choice here, especially if you go for the 700g thick cut.

Address: Basement/161 King St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9169 6898
Opening Hours: Monday (5 PM — 12 AM); Tuesday — Thursday (12 PM — 12 AM); Saturday (5 PM — 12 AM)


Gowings Bar & Grill

Gowings Bar & Grill has remained a favourite since it first opened in 2012. And it’s far from just QT Hotel guests that can be found cutting up some steak in the stylish dining room. While the unique hotel is often known for being equal parts sexy and slick, Gowings most definitely plays on the slicker side of things, offering up a New York-inspired bistro to add a little punch to all that theatre.

If you’re looking for a value banger, go for the $58 Brooklyn Valley scotch fillet — a juicy MBS3+, 320g cut from the Gippsland region served with smoked bone marrow butter. Those wanting to elevate should land on the $139 bone-in rib eye, also from Brooklyn Valley and also MBS3+, clocking 800g with bearnaise on top, and both red oak lettuce shoestring fries on the side. It’s a great place for an affordable steak.

Address: 1/49 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8262 0062
Opening Hours: Thursday — Friday (lunch from 12 PM); Tuesday — Saturday (dinner from 6 PM)

RELATED: The Best Asian Fusion Restaurants In Sydney


Bistro Rex

Steak frites at Bistro Rex, one of the best steak restaurants Sydney has to its name
Credit: Bistro Rex, Instagram

There’s no shortage of love for Bistro Rex at the Boss Hunting office, so this should be no surprise. You simply can’t have a discussion about where to find the best steaks in Sydney without giving this Potts Point restaurant a nice, enthusiastic nod. Why? Well, this French restaurant is not just one of the most consistent in Sydney — both for service and dining — but it’s one of the best reflections of value you’d find in the city. The steaks won’t break the bank, and they’ll dominate your mind long after you roll out the door.

The signature Rangers Valley Black Onyx bone-in rib eye is the go-to here, although the size differs each day. It’s $16 per 100g, so be sure to ask your waiter for the specifics if cost is a concern. After you’ve dug into those lobster mac & cheese springs rolls and scooped up the last bit of beef tartare, go for the value option of the $42 steak frites, netting you 220g of juicy steak served with cafe de Paris butter, and of course, French fries.

Address: 50 Macleay St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Contact: (02) 9332 2100
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Thursday (5 PM — 7:30 PM); Friday (5 PM — 8:15 PM); Saturday (12 PM — 4 PM, 5 PM — 8:15 PM); Sunday (5 PM — 8:15 PM)


6HEAD

6head is one of the best steak restaurants Sydney has
Credit: 6HEAD, Instagram

You’re not only paying a premium for well-sourced steaks at speciality restaurant 6HEAD, but you’re forking out for the waterfront location too. The owners lucked out by taking over a building at the 1839 heritage Campbell’s Stores, right next to the five-star Park Hyatt with sparkling Sydney Opera Views right outside.

When you come to 6HEAD, you’re getting to steak. There are absolutely no bones about it. Sure, you’ll start with smaller bites like the $75 lobster tail and $25 burrata, but the brunt of your stomach space should be saved for signatures like the $89, 300g, 450-day grain-fed wagyu rib eye MBS6+, or the $69, 300g, 150-day grain fed Shorthorn fillet. It’s clear why this is considered one of the best restaurants for steak in Sydney.

Address: Bay 10 & 11, Campbell’s Stores, 7-27 Circular Quay W, The Rocks NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8629 8866
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Sunday (12 PM — 10 PM)


Bistecca

Bistecca is a shoo-in for best streak restaurants in Sydney
Credit: Bistecca, Instagram

Another one from the Liquid & Larder group (they also operate The Gidley), Bistecca is Sydney’s best Italian steak restaurant, bar none. Located in a heritage building off Bridge Street, the Tuscan-inspired restaurant is nice and central for ravenous steak fans, who often cite this as the top choice for anyone looking to grab the best Sydney steak options.

The menu also takes the choice out of the equation. Grab some smaller dishes like the $11 pecorino with truffle honey, or perhaps the $14 potato gratin served with pepita crumb and creme fraiche. And then dive straight into the bistecca alla Fiorentina, the cut better known as the T-bone steak that originated in Tuscany. The kitchen sources this from the Riverine, cook the steak to any weight you choose over a combination of ironbark and charcoal and serve it medium-rare (as they should). It’ll set you back $14 per 100 grams and it’s worth every cent.

Address: 3 Dalley St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8067 0450
Opening Hours: Monday — Tuesday (5 PM — Late); Wednesday — Saturday (12 PM — Late)


Alfie’s

Alfie’s is a unique proposition from the same hospitality group behind The Gidley and Bistecca. Liquid & Larder clearly know what makes a good steakhouse, so their decision to open a very approachable, affordable steak restaurant where the entire experience is over in an hour seems overly ambitious.

But it works. Alfie’s is a well-oiled machine. You only have one choice for a main, which is a $38, 220-gram sirloin cooked medium-rare. Around the steak, you’d also got a strong list of sides and a few desserts, plus what’s being touted as the city’s coldest martini. You can’t go wrong here, especially when you’ve got a budget to stick to.

If you want to read more on this restaurant, check out our full Alfie’s review.

Address: Shop 2, 4/6 Bligh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9044 5733
Opening Hours: Monday — Saturday (12 PM — 12 AM)


Kingsleys Woolloomooloo

Credit: Kingsleys Woolloomooloo, Instagram

It doesn’t get any more quintessential Sydney than cutting into a juicy piece of steak on Woolloomooloo’s iconic finger wharf, with the harbour breeze massaging your back. Kingsleys Woolloomooloo (not to be mistaken with the Kingsleys Australian Steakhouse venues in the CBD), typically has roughly 11 different options on the menu for Sydney steak lovers.

While there’s enough here for a wide variety of budgets, bottoming out on the currently published menu with a $38, 250g, 270-day grain-fed chuck tail, you want to be reaching for the top. Those big cuts are essential at Kingsleys Woolloomooloo, like the behemoth $135 tomahawk, a heavy, MBS2+ 1.2kg, or the $115 slow-cooked beef short rib, a 1.1kg, MBS2+ grass-fed beast served on the bone.

Address: 10/6 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Contact: (02) 8322 2090
Opening Hours: Monday — Sunday (12 PM — 3 PM, 5 PM — 9:30 PM)

RELATED: The Best French Restaurants Sydney


BLACK Bar & Grill

black bar

This beloved Sydney restaurant, located in The Star Sydney, is nothing if not consistent. The casino complex has been through a few restaurants in the past, but BLACK Bar has always stood as a dependable, sophisticated dining experience that is chiselled from the image of a classic steakhouse by the water.

Chef Dany Karam leads the charge here, with his work best expressed by the $220 wagyu tasting chef’s selection platter which brings you MBS9+ 600g of pure, perfectly cooked wagyu steak. The top prize, however, is the $600 David Blackmore dry aged ration-fed, fullblood wagyu MSB9+ ribeye, a king steak if there ever was one and an easy choice when looking for the most high-end steaks in Sydney.

Address: Harbourside, The Star, Level G/80 Pyrmont St, Pyrmont NSW 2009
Contact: 1800 700 700
Opening Hours: Monday — Sunday (12 PM — 10 PM)

RELATED: The Best Mexican Restaurants In Sydney


Bistro Moncur

Instagram: Bistro Moncur, Instagram

Easily one of the best restaurants for a Sydney steak is Bistro Moncur, a Woollahra institution that has been serving the city’s most discerning steak lovers for over 25 years. What you get here is a classic, no-fuss French bistro with all the trimmings you’d associate with the technique-heavy cuisine. Of course, that’s going to include buttery steaks cooked to perfection, best experienced with some of the kitchen’s famous sauce bearnaise.

If you want the most out of your visit, then the only real choice is the $55 prime fillet steak served with that aforementioned sauce bearnaise. Although you wouldn’t be missing out if you went for the equally priced grilled sirloin, served with cafe de paris butter. It’s a safe, expected menu, but that only speaks to how confident the kitchen is at delivering classic French staples done exceptionally (and consistently) well.

Address: 116A Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025
Contact: (02) 9327 9713
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Thursday (5:30 PM — 9 PM); Friday — Saturday (5:30 PM — 10 PM); Sunday (5:30 PM — 8 PM)


Porteño

Instagram: Porteno, Instagram

There’s just no way you could look at a best steaks list and not expect to find Porteño. The legendary Argentinian restaurant in Surry Hills is a reference point for dining in Sydney’s Inner City. The grand architecture, festive atmosphere, and undeniable scent of rich meat wafting through the air tell you all you need to know before you even sit down — you’ve made the right choice in your quest to find the best steak in Sydney.

As good as the other dishes are, don’t get distracted away from the two primo cuts on the menu. First, there’s the $68, 300g Rangers Valley wagyu skirt steak served with eggplant escabeche and fresh chimichurri. Moving up a few slots and aim even higher though, you can’t beat the $95, 600g Rangers Valley sirloin — a 270-day grain-fed, MBS3+ beast served on the bone with spicy woodfired pepper butter. Fork out an extra $8 and you can add organic woodfired eggs.

Address: 50 Holt St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Contact: (02) 8399 1440
Opening Hours: Monday — Sunday (8 AM — 4 PM)


The Meat & Wine Co. (Circular Quay)

Credit: The Meat & Wine Co

The Meat & Wine Co, Australia’s most prolific African-inspired steakhouse, has opening its 13th outpost in Sydney’s CBD — and it promises to honour the MWC reputation of refined dining that captures “the essence of indulgence and sophistication” (as well as premium steaks).

For the uninitiated, one of The Meat & Wine Co’s main attractions is its in-house, dry-aged steak programme: AGED. Shorthorn rib eye from the heart of Gippsland, Victoria is encased in artisan beef dripping butter, which itself is infused with seasonal ingredients, and aged for up to six weeks for a memorably flavoursome result.

What makes the Bligh Street location so special is the subtle infusion of African inspiration across the menu — from the Boerewors right through to Sticky Amarula Malva Pudding, there is no shortage of flavour being dished out.

Be sure to try the O’Connor: a 240-day grain-fed range exclusively curated by Head of Culinary Chef Sean Hall and guaranteed to melt in your mouth.

Address: 1 Bligh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9264 9888
Opening Hours: Monday — Saturday (12 PM — 10 PM), Sunday (12 PM – 9:30 PM)


Restaurant Hubert

Credit: Restaurant Hubert, Instagram

The dramatic, French jazz bar vibes at Hubert already shout romance from every angle, but when the steak hits the table, it’s like all your Parisian dining fantasies rolled into one. The ambience may be sumptuous — especially when that spacious stage is taken by live musicians on weeknights — but what’s on the plate is pure ecstasy.

So what’s on the plate? That would and should be the $175 Côte de Boeuf — a 1kg Rangers Valley rib eye served with bearnaise sauce. Or you can ask after that day’s Steak du Jour, which is a daily T-bone special served at the market. Either option will impress, especially if you add on some foie gras for an extra $30. It’s simply one of the best steak restaurants Sydney has to offer.

Address: 15 Bligh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 9232 0881
Opening Hours: Wednesday — Friday (lunch from 12 PM); Monday — Saturday (dinner from 5 PM)

RELATED: The Best Turkish Restaurants In Sydney


Rockpool Bar & Grill

Credit: Rockpool Bar & Grill, Instagram

It’s hard to look past Rockpool Bar & Grill for steak, given the sterling reputation it built, particularly under the stewardship of Neil Perry (who abruptly retired from his role as Culinary Director of Rockpool Dining Group last year). It is, after all, a rite of passage for Sydney gourmands, with an extensive menu that should cover just about all bases. But you’re obviously going here to find the best steak in Sydney, and fortunately, there are a few top choices coming from the kitchen, which butchers on-site each day.

At the top of the range, you’ve usually got a $130 David Blackmore’s dry-aged Mishima, one of the most sought-after cattle in Japan and one which predates wagyu. It’s rare. And here it’s a fillet cut from MBS 9+ cattle weighing in at 200g. For something a bit less expensive, go for the $89 David Blackmore’s dry-aged rhone oyster blade, cut from MBS 6+ cattle and weighing in at 240g.

Address: 66 Hunter St, Sydney NSW 2000
Contact: (02) 8099 7077
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Wednesday (12 PM — 2:30 PM, 6 PM — 9 PM); Thursday — Friday (12 PM — 3 PM, 6 PM — 10 PM); Saturday (5:30 PM — 10 PM)


Ester

Credit: Ester, Instagram

Ester is the gold standard for consistency in Sydney, constantly referred to one as one of the city’s best restaurants each year. And that reputation is so beautifully earned through changing seasonal menus and constant collaborations. You can’t build a culinary institution of this calibre without a good steak on the menu.

Here you’ve usually got one exceptional choice. So after spreading plates like the $18 buffalo curd pie and $12 blood sausage sanga around that flickering candlelight, pop in the show-stealer — a $55 wagyu rump cap served with daikon and horseradish.

Address: 46-52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008
Contact: (02) 8068 8279
Opening Hours: Saturday — Sunday (lunch from 12 PM); Wednesday — Saturday (dinner from 6 PM)


Butcher & The Farmer

Surely Butcher and the Farmer is one of the best steak restaurants Sydney has to offer.
Credit: Butcher and The Farmer, Instagram

Not only does Butcher & The Farmer, located out at the historic Tramsheds precinct, have its own butchery, but the dining room is one of the best steak restaurants in Sydney. It’s a reliable spot to pick up a top-quality tomahawk or wagyu roast rump for those weekend barbecues, but it’s just as viable to park up here and tuck into some of the best Sydney steak in the Inner West.

The kitchen at Butcher & The Farmer focuses just as much on fresh vegetable-based dishes so pick up some $19 roasted eggplant and the soul-satisfying $17 maple pumpkin salad before ordering up the top-shelf $79 black diamond t-bone – a 700g, grand-fed cut that’s the perfect expression of the kitchen’s full capabilities.

Address: Tramsheds Harold Park 7, 1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge NSW 2037
Contact: (02) 8629 8800


Smore

Credit: Jiwon Kim, Instagram

A band apart from the other, mostly conventional steakhouses that have made the Boss Hunting approved list for Sydney, Smore is a cosy neighbourhood joint that you’ll have to light out to the lower North Shore for to experience. Headed by Merivale veteran ‘Big’ Sam Young and his partner Grace Chen (ex-Poly) the specialty here is suitably yolked comfort food – albeit through a modern Asian lens.

Dishes inspired by Young’s memories of Hong Kong (a la a very photogenic claypot rice cooked with preserved sausage) abound, but the steak is most assuredly a fan favourite. Young’s enthusiasm for bovine proteins means there are always a couple of cuts and producers to choose from. Assuming you’re in need of a serious feed, we’d cosign making a beeline for the 700g bone-in ribeye: supplied by Southern Ranges in Victoria, it’s cooked simply over a hibachi, then glazed in soy. How good?

Address: 79 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag NSW 2068
Contact: 0482 075 072
Opening Hours: Saturday (12 PM — 10 PM); Tuesday — Friday (5 PM — 10 PM)


Feel like something other than the best steak in Sydney? Check out the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney, or for something a bit broader, the best new restaurants in Sydney.

Steak In Sydney: Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the best steak in Sydney?

Some of the highest-rated steaks in Sydney include cuts at Porteno, The Gidley, and Bistro Rex.

Where can I find affordable steak in Sydney?

Bistro Rex has one of the most affordable and tasty steaks in Sydney.

Where are the best Australian steaks from?

High-end restaurants usually source their steak from cattle in New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria.

Where can I buy a good steak to cook at home in Sydney?

If you want to try your hand with some steak at home there are plenty of quality butchers around Sydney. Some include Vic’s Meat, near Sydney Fish Market, and The Fairlight Butcher on the Northern Beaches.

RELATED: The Best Greek Restaurants In Sydney

Shop B.H. Magazine

Chris Singh
WORDS by
Chris is a freelance Travel, Food, and Technology writer. He has had work published by The AU Review, Junkee Media and Australian Traveller Media and holds tertiary qualifications in Psychology and Sociology.

TAGS

Share the article