Melbourne is a city littered with great restaurants around every corner, but when it comes to wood-fired and hearty, only the best steakhouses will do. From South Yarra to the suburbs and everywhere in between, the sound of sizzling fat over charcoal is actually, well, truly undeniable. It’s something the Victorian capital does well, after all, there’s a reason the best steak restaurants in Melbourne are among the nation’s top picks.
Best Steak Restaurants in Melbourne at a glance
Our list of best steak houses in Melbourne goes like this.
- Best overall: Gimlet
- For a large group: Rockpool Bar & Grill
- For value for money: Railway Club Hotel
- For a date night spot: A Hereford Beefstouw
Now we’ve rounded up our favourites, let’s check out the full list.
RELATED: Head to these best bars in Melbourne after you’ve checked out these steaks.
1. Gimlet
Venue and ambience: The best way to describe Gimlet would be sophisticated, old-world charm. Adorned with decor and design features reminiscent of 1920s glamour, the amphitheatre-like dining room is one of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne. It is decked out with intimate booths, bejewelled chandeliers, and plush leather seating. Dining here feels special, romantic, and indulgent.
Steak options: Choose from a Gippsland strip steak cooked with spring garlic salsa verde or opt for the dry-aged O’Connor T-bone cooked over coals and served with condiments. Both are delicious, succulent and an absolute pleasure to indulge in.
Address: 33 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9277 9777
2. Cinder
Venue and ambience: Rustic yet elevated, Cinder blends into the Fitzroy North vernacular where it resides with ease. Retaining the bluestone walls of the 150-year-old Terminus building it’s housed within, the space feels intimate and warm, with low ceilings and an eclectic collection of ceramics, photos and other knick knacks.
Steak options: A dedicated steak eatery, Cinder has it all. Choose from a 200-gram Tenderloin 52 or a 300-gram Striploin cube roll for something a bit more hearty. They also serve dry-aged and wagyu cuts, but we recommend going for the ‘share’ option and indulging in the 1.3 kilogram Tomahawk, the one kilogram Grass Fed 40 Day Dry Age Wagyu Ribeye 260 or the 900g Grass Fed Wagyu T-Bone. All steaks are served with house garnish and your choice of sauce or butter.
Address: 18 Brennand St, Clifton Hill VIC 3068Phone: (03) 8351 3269
3. Steer Dining Room Restaurant
Venue and ambience: Modern and refined, Steer Dining Room Restaurant is the gem of South Yarra’s Claremont Street and one of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne. Inside, the dimly lit space has an aura of old-world charm, with plush velvet booths and a steak trolley. It never feels busy here either, which makes for a calm, serene dining experience.
Steak options: There are so many delicious options on the menu that it’s impossible to name them all. However, the Wagyu Steak Tartare with mushroom & oyster XO sauce, barley crisp is a must. The steak and eggs dish is also delicious - sher F1 wagyu tenderloin 200g with giaveri white sturgeon caviar, pan-fried foie-gras and mushroom sauce. Pair that with a glass of red and you’re set for a perfect evening.
Address: 15 Claremont St, South Yarra VIC 3141Phone: (03) 9827 1891
4. San Telmo
Venue and ambience: Walking into San Telmo feels like entering a bustling eatery on a street corner in Buenos Aires. With cowhide hanging from the ceiling, antiques scattered everywhere, leather couches, and dim lighting, the space is bohemian and rustic. Conveniently located in Melbourne’s CBD, it is vibrant and full of people, which makes for a lively atmosphere most days.
Steak options: Choose from various Argentinian-style steaks, with pasture-raised beef from O’Connor being the most favoured on the menu. You will usually find five steaks on the menu: the ‘Entraña’, which is O’Connor’s premium pasture-fed hanger steak; the ‘Bife de lomo’ eye fillet; the ‘Solomillo’ striploin; the ‘Ojo de bife’ rib-eye; and the ‘Vacio’ flank steak.
Address: 14 Meyers Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9650 5525
5. Reine & La Rue
Venue and ambience: This place is so regal you could easily be mistaken into believing you are dining at Buckingham Palace. Located off Collins Street in what used to be the Melbourne Stock Exchange, Reine & La Rue is an impressive space featuring a 140-seater cathedral dining room and one of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne. The original granite columns, stained glass windows and gothic elements remain, so any dining experience here feels like a special occasion.
Steak options: Reine & La Rue has six cuts of steak, the beef all from Victorian farmers, including Rangers Valley, O’Connor, and Blackmore. For something a bit more substantial, choose from a 200-gram Southern Ranges eye fillet or a 600-gram dry-aged ribeye. If you really want to go all-out, the largest steak options weigh in at one kilogram: the dry-aged T-bone or the Blackmore wagyu 9+ ribeye.
Located in: The Gothic BankAddress: 380 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (02) 9280 3395
6. Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters
Venue and ambience: One of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne focuses solely on Victorian produce. This is immediately evident as you enter the laid-back restaurant, with a map of the state’s regions projected onto the wall. The space is lively, with an open kitchen and bar seats allowing diners to get a look behind the scenes.
Steak options: Given the Victorian focus, all the steaks are O’Connor beef from Gippsland. Choose from a 300-gram sirloin steak or a hearty 600-gram beef ribeye served sliced with rocoto-chilli salsa. There is also a 250-gram beef scotch fillet or a 400-gram beef club steak. With locally sourced meat as good as this, you won’t be leaving with an empty stomach.
Located in: Fed SquareAddress: Federation Square, Tenancy 26/2 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3004Phone: (03) 9121 0505
7. La Luna Bistro
Venue and ambience: A small and intimate space, La Luna Bistro is a favourite of Carlton North locals and visitors alike. Dining here feels comforting, like a warm hug. The space features relaxed decor alongside classic elements, like bentwood dining chairs. It creates an unpretentious and cosy feel that keeps people returning for more.
Steak options: Known for the premium quality of its house-aged beef, La Luna Bistro dry ages the beef in-house for 60 days. Choose from five options: the 300-gram Butchers Cut, the bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon (our personal favourite), a 300-gram Porterhouse, a 350-gram rump, or, for those who are extra hungry, the 550-gram rib eye. All steaks are served with red wine jus and Chimichurri or Café de Paris Butter.
Address: 320 Rathdowne St, Carlton North VIC 3054Phone: (03) 9349 4888
8. Estelle Bistro
Venue and ambience: What started as a mere six-table operation has become a premier Melbourne steak restaurant for a spectacular combination of rustic fare and warm hospitality. Whether ordering a la carte or going for one of the chef’s tasting dinners, you’re in for a bounty of creative plates and delightful flavours at this legendary local haunt.
Steak options: Estelle Bistro consistently serves two steaks, a rump of lamb served with piperade, olives and fried capers, and the wagyu rostbiff with tomato fondue, spiced eggplant and labneh. However, come down on a Tuesday for Estelle’s special rotating steak night offering, where you can grab the steak of the week, chips and a glass of wine for $40. The in-house butcher selects a new cut each week, so you could indulge in a porterhouse with Béarnaise sauce one week and a Bavette with pepper sauce the next.
Address: 243-245 High St, Northcote VIC 3070Phone: (03) 9489 4609
9. Angus & Bon
Venue and ambience: Take one look at this incredible fit-out and you know you’re in for a treat. Housed in the old Prahran Post Office built in 1928, Angus & Bon channels New York hospitality with a casual grandeur. The Melbourne Steakhouse and brunch hot spot has an innovative take on wood-fired cooking and is always experimenting with wood-grill flavours, even into cocktails.
Steak options: You can select your preferred specialty cut, from rib eye on the bone (aged 30 days) to scotch fillet (30 days) to grass-fed. Or, choose from a selection of locally butchered dry-aged, grass-fed 36-month-old prime cuts.
Address: 168 Greville St, Prahran VIC 3181Phone: (03) 9533 9593
10. A Hereford Beefstouw
Venue and ambience: One of the best steakhouses in Melbourne, A Hereford Beefstouw couples Nordic cooking methods with high-quality meats. Like any good steakhouse, the venue sources its meats locally; some are even sourced from the famous Burvill family farm near Lucindale in South Australia’s Coonawarra region. Its casual vibe makes it the perfect spot for a mid-week meal.
Steak options: Pioneers of the dry-aged variety in Melbourne, their 100-day dry-aged beef Côte de boeuf (ribeye on bone) will transform the way you look at steak with an unmistakable flavour, brilliant texture and savoury distinction in every bite. If dry-aged isn’t to your acquired taste then the massive 1.4kg Tomahawk steak with a side lobster tail might be more up your alley.
Address: 22 Duckboard Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9654 8297
11. Victor Churchill
Venue and ambience: Dark and moody, this retail shop and bar is one of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne. The space is many things, featuring a butchery, a charcuterie counter where cured meats are sliced to order using vintage slicers from the 1930s, as well as a dry-aging room. At the back sits a tiny, romantic, European-inspired wine bar - the cherry on top.
Steak options: All steaks are dry-aged in-house for at least 28 days and are all sourced from producers across Australia. Local favourites include the Cobungra Station full-blood Wagyu from Mount Hotham and the O’Connor Black Angus from Gippsland. Our go-to is the 250-gram Rangers Valley Black Market Spinalis Dorsi.
Address: 132 Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025Phone: (03) 9978 1968
12. Palermo
Venue and ambience: Injected with the vibrant energy of the neighbourhood in Buenos Aires it is named after, the space is rustic and cosy, with an open kitchen and harlequin tiled floors. Marble benches and plush red carpet contrast with exposed-brick walls to give a homey feel. It is always buzzing here, no matter what time of the day we stop by.
Steak options: All steaks are cooked on the asado and sold in 250-gram and 450-gram portions. They serve various cuts of dry-aged O’Connor’s beef cooked on the parrilla, including a scotch fillet, eye fillet and 500-gram rib-eye. You can also indulge in a black opal skirt steak or sher wagyu eye rump. The smokey flavours of the steaks here are seriously irresistible.
Address: 401 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9002 1600
13. L’Hôtel Gitan
Venue and ambience: Located in Melbourne’s trendy Prahran, L’Hôtel Gitan matches the un-fussy, laid-back energy of the locale. Grab a seat on a bar stool and settle in for a feast at one of the more approachable steak menus in Melbourne. Peak into the open kitchen, sit back and relax as you indulge in the flavours of this modern French eatery.
Steak options: The French know how to do steak and how to do it well, and you can expect nothing less from L’Hôtel Gitan. Choose from eye fillet, scotch fillet and porterhouse beef as well as O’Connors Bavette Grain Fed - either a 230-gram bavette or the one-kilogram bavette, depending on how hungry you are.
Address: 32 Commercial Rd, Prahran VIC 3181Phone: (03) 9999 0990
14. Rockpool Bar & Grill
Venue and ambience: With sister restaurants in Sydney and Perth, Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar & Grill has carved a niche for itself as a premier Aussie destination for painstaking consistency and epic taste. Located in the Crown Entertainment Complex, the Melbourne outpost is a luxurious restaurant that puts the steak front and centre on a menu with no less than 80 dishes.
Steak options: Rockpool’s beef is sourced directly from the producers and dry-aged in-house and they have five steaks on the menu, each served with your choice of horseradish cream, béarnaise or jalapeno hot sauce. Choose from David Blackmore dry-aged wagyu, pasture-raised wagyu or dry-aged rohnes. You will also find Cape Grim dry-aged 36-month-old rid eye, scotch and fillet varieties as well as 45-month dry-aged Gippsland Angus rub eye, sirloin and t-bone.
Located in: Crown MelbourneAddress: Crown Casino, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006Phone: (03) 9081 0532
15. Meat & Wine Co.
Venue and ambience: Bringing unfound levels of personable service to cutting-edge afro-centric fine dining, The Meat & Wine Co. delivers a true ‘home away from home experience. Staying innovative and relevant in the hospitality industry for the better part of two decades is no easy feat, this has remained one of the most recognisable restaurant brands in Australia for good reason. The underpinnings of personable service and market-leading quality keep the operation tight and tasty on all fronts, no two locations feel exactly the same, though each one exudes pure modern elegance in its own way.
Steak options: They have it all - serving up the Monte Thousand Guineas Shorthorn 200-gram rump eye, fillet, rib eye and New Yorker, grain-fed O’Conner 300-gram fillet, 350-gram New Yorker and 400-gram rib eye, or opt for the grain-fed wagyu 500-gram rump or 300-gram rib-eye. If the prospect of an MB 6+ Wagyu gets you all hot and flustered, order one of their succulent Wagyu cuts and pair it with a trademark side skewer.
Address: Various locations.
16. Meatmaiden
Venue and ambience: The original basement steakhouse in Melbourne is almost unbeatable. Found right in the heart of the CBD, Meatmaiden is a forward-thinking dining experience that offers some of the most innovative and best steaks Melbourne has ever seen. Blending elements of the classic American steakhouse with modern Australian interpretations, the team has carved out a reputation for great protein-packed food.
Steak options: We recommend the Maiden’s Mood sharing menu for those looking to take the plunge. If so, you can indulge in O’Conner Porterhouse, an eye fillet from Coppertree, or a wagyu flank, New York strip or a wagyu scotch fillet. Our favourite is the O’Connor one-kilogram t-bone paired with the garlic and thyme sauce.
Located in: The Georges BuildingAddress: 195 Little Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9078 7747
17. Vue De Monde
Venue and ambience: One of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne with a reputation to match, dining at Vue is an experience in itself. Located high in the sky with a 360-degree view of the city, the space is all about drama, with an open kitchen adding to the theatrics. The space is dark, sleek, and moody, with the large tables covered with kangaroo hide. So, come dressed to the nines because this place is fancy!
Steak options: The menu matches the theatrics of the restaurant. While the menu constantly rotates, the Blackmore Wagyu is a consistent goodie. The aged wagyu is served with beef jus and mataki mushroom and it is unlike anything we have ever had. We will be coming back for a second round, that’s for sure.
Located in: RialtoAddress: 55 Rialto Towers, 525 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9691 3888
18. Florentino
Venue and ambience: With an open kitchen and fast-paced atmosphere, Florentino provides an authentic Italian dining experience. Nested on one of Melbourne’s most vibrant streets, the restaurant features a grand dining room inspired by the Renaissance era. Think leather chairs, dark wood, and dramatic murals adorning the walls. Known for their sophisticated take on casual dining, we always feel at home when dining here.
Steak options: You can expect premium-quality steak with a Tuscan influence. They have five options: an eye fillet and scotch fillet from Union Station, a 500-gram dry-aged O’Connor club steak, wagyu striploin from Black Opal, and a one-kilogram ‘La Fiorentina’ from Union Station (an Italian steak dish made of young steer or heifer, a loin steak on the bone cooked on a grill until rare).
Address: 80 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 9662 1811
19. Railway Club Hotel
Venue and ambience: One of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne that doubles as a cosy pub, The Railway Club Hotel is a wine and steak institution in Melbourne. Housed within a 19th-century pub, the space holds onto its classic, heritage appeal. It is always packed, but in a good way, with little pieces of history adorning the walls reminding you of the restaurant’s long and colourful history.
Steak options: While the menu is jam-packed with pub classics, the steak is the real drawcard. Beyond the display cabinet of only the finest cuts, there is a dry-aging out back where all the magic happens. The menu favours producers such as Cape Grim, Robbins Island Wagyu and Bass Strait Beef. Choose from a bacon-wrapped filet mignon, a single-serve eye fillet or an 850-gram rib-eye, or perhaps the reef and beef (an eye fillet with bearnaise and tiger prawns) tickles your fancy? All steaks are served with classic condiments like blue cheese and brandy peppercorn sauce.
Address: 107 Raglan St, Port Melbourne VIC 3207Phone: (03) 9645 1661
20. Pascale Bar & Grill
Venue and ambience: Located in Melbourne’s QT Hotel, Pascale Bar & Grill is anything but ordinary. The space is bold and daring, with polished concrete and leather dominating the interior. It’s also a bit sexy, with collages of breasts and naked statues. Some seats even have a cartoon of a lady’s face made from cut-out eyes and lips. Whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny that you will remember dining here.
Steak options: All steaks are cooked over ironbark, applewood and charcoal to give an intense charred flavour. Standouts include the Black Angus rib eye steak drizzled in Cafe de Paris butter and the 250-gram O’Connor sirloin from Gippsland.
Located in: QT MelbourneAddress: Level 1/133 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000Phone: (03) 8636 8808
Alternatives to These Steakhouses in Melbourne
We pride ourselves on keeping our round-ups tight and concise, so for this list of steak restaurants, we’ve highlighted the absolute best steak restaurants in Melbourne above. Above all else, we’re only listing places that we’ve had a chance to visit ourselves in person to gain first-hand experiences. Currently, Man of Many has multiple food and drinks writers permanently stationed in Melbourne and it is their sole responsibility to curate this list based on their experiences. We’re listing those places we haven’t had a chance to visit yet below as alternatives based on recommendations by friends, family, our readers, and written reviews online. They include the following:
- Steak Ministry Bar & Grill in Glen Waverley: Duck out of the city and escape to Glen Waverly for one of the best steakhouses Melbourne can muster. At Steak Ministry, you’ll find the classic atmosphere and the kind of food that makes your toes curl. Chef Chris Wade has gone to great effort to ensure only the highest level of quality for each and every ingredient. That includes sourcing his meat from a small, select group of Aussie farmers. The ‘Master Kobe’ Full Blood Wagyu is one of the best Wagyu cuts in Melbourne and the kind of dish you’ll be telling your friends about for years.
- MPD Steak Kitchen in Caulfield: MPD’s philosophy is hard to shake. Focusing on world-class service and stunning food to shape a dining experience unlike any other, the restaurant has carved out a niche for a seriously good steak. And the critics agree - In 2019, the Australian Hotels Association named Chris Bonello Chef of the Year, officially making MPD a shoo-in for the best steak in Melbourne.
- Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel in Fitzroy: This isn’t just any old local pub. The Fitzroy Town Hall Hotel brings fresh flavours to the trendy inner-city spot, with chef Sean Donovan leading the charge. The Fitzroy restaurant is located slightly further north than the more popular Fitzroy dining strips of Smith Street, Gertrude Street & Brunswick Street and has some seriously killer mains. Peep the Red Gum Wood BBQ steak frites, you won’t be disappointed.
- France-Soir in South Yarra: When Jean-Paul Prunetti and Yvon Vogel set up France Soir way back in 1986, neither could have anticipated the cultural phenomenon that would follow. Taking his French cooking philosophy to South Yarra, the esteemed chef has crafted one of the most awarded and much-loved steakhouses Melbourne has ever seen. With French favourites like escargots and ouillette Parisienne on the menu, this is a seriously French affair and we’re all the better for it.
- Entrecôte in Prahran: Another stunning French-inspired bistro renowned for its use 0f beef, Entrecôte has a little for everyone. Open from breakfast to dinner, the Prahan restaurant is a favourite for locals and the Filet de Boeuf is a big reason why. A blend of French cuisine and local Australian ingredients, this Melbourne steakhouse is a little on the fancy side without being pretentious. We love the Foie Gras and Chicken Liver Parfait with toasted brioche and pickled cherries, it hits the spot every time.
If you think there’s a steak restaurant we should visit for a spot at the top of our list, please contact us via our contact form.
Finally, if you’re looking for other things to do in and around Melbourne we also recommend checking out our list of fun things to do in Melbourne. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more specific cuisine, check out our list of Japanese restaurants in Melbourne or the best Italian restaurants. Maybe you’re looking to catch some rays before dinner above the ground? Check out our list of the best rooftop bars in Melbourne.
Why You Should Trust Our List
When it comes to choosing the best steak restaurants in Melbourne, decerning the difference between a classy restaurant with an extensive wine list, expert cocktails, fresh bread, sauces, refined decors and killer side dishes is just as important as finding the best value streak restaurant in Melbourne. The fact is, even if you don’t fancy yourself a connoisseur of the red meat variety you can still walk in and out of the best steak restaurants in Melbourne with a full stomach and a huge smile on your face thanks to the curated selections of self-indulgence put forth. Our job is simple, we eat.
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