BLT Steak

This place is wonderful. I have been a number of times to this particular location and if I have someone I am taking out to dinner and they love steak… BLT Steak it is. The premium steakhouse market it s a little crowded in DC but BLT continues to be ahead of the game. They are known for their popovers that will be delivered when you arrive. If you have not tried them you must at least give it a shot. If you love them… the recipe is on their website.

Steak was juicy, flavorful, and so tender. Service is outstanding, as are the warm mini-​donuts for dessert.

We had been wanting to try BLT Steak for a long time! So I decided to surprise my fiancé with a birthday dinner here recently and he was ecstatic. The food was absolutely incredible, as was the service! We had tuna tartar, oysters, and pop overs to start which were all excellent. The filet mignon was cooked perfectly — the best steak either of us have ever had.
Our waiter was very attentive and made excellent suggestions. We even have a new favorite wine thanks to his recommendation. The manager, Farsad, made rounds to the table to make sure everything was perfect, and it was! We felt very well taken care of — the food, service, and experience ranked among the best! You must try this place. We can’t wait to go back!

I can say after our Lunch Christmas party experience at this place, We will not be returning in the future. The food was mediocre at best along with the service. At this point I felt that we could have went to Maggiano’s for Family style Dinner vs. the very limited menu we had to order from due to us reserving a private room. I feel if we reserve a room for the amount of money that was spent, then we could customize our menu to our liking. We had to keep requesting appetizers and the crab cakes were so small. The appetizers were about the only thing worth try but we had to keep requesting the food.
Overall the amount of $ and time spent was not worth it.

Expect to drop some cash when you go here but also expect it to be worth every precious penny. BLT is not my favorite Steak Joint in DC but it is definitely the finest Steak in DC. Also the sides are exceptional and inventive. Great choices of Prime Age or Wagyu steaks around. Sides include brussel sprouts that brussel sprout haters would love, crisp and smothered in bacon and carmelized onions. Wasabi and Truffled Mashed Potatoes. Everyone gets a serving of perfect popovers and a complimentary charcuterie plate and amouche bouche all prior to the meal. A very special evening. Oh and the Desserts are nothing to be sneezed at either. Try the soufflé.
If price was not factored into the review… this would be a 5 star.

I’ve been to the BLT Steak location in NYC previously; over the holidays, my wife and I decided to head out for date night and spend a little money on a nice piece of beef.
Now that I’m older (wiser), I know that we only really need to split a steak between the two of us, so we got a Kansas City with some sides that were not on the main menu (more of a seasonal round of sides), plus a couple of cocktails and a cheesecake for dessert. But as good as the steak was – and it was pretty tasty – I really came to BLT because I love the popovers and those, once again, did not disappoint. Even though they give you the recipe for those things to make at home, I really only want them when I’m sitting in a restaurant!
Service was speedy, but that was a given since this was like two days before Christmas and the action here was relatively light. Even got a street parking spot right on I Street across from the BLT front door. Got out with tax and tip for about $ 180…very reasonable given the experience.

Took my fiancé there for her 25^th birthday !
It was amazing service was great!
Food was perfect!
The sommelier was really helpful and helped pick out a great bottle of wine!
I recommend getting the oysters, they were so fresh and and great appetizer.
I picked this place over bourbon (went there last year) and I am happy on my choice for the evening!

A little more lackluster recently and most especially lackluster last night. I used to love and rave about BLT but they have fallen from the superb and never disappointing ranking… now BLT is just decent and arguably not a great way to spend a $ 200 dinner for 2.
We pulled up in front of the valet stand and waited with hazard lights on for the valet to come over but he only stood and stared at us for about 5 minutes before I got out to inquire if we needed to have someone else help us or what was going on. He let me know that we were supposed to pull in BEHIND the valet stand… As in approximately 8 feet from where we were… Oh ok. Sorry for the confusion.
We were about 30 minutes early for our dinner reservation and advised the host of that, citing if a table was available now we would like to just be sat. The host kind of smirked and seemingly scoffed at the mere notion that they should have an available table sooner than reservation time which we both found to be frankly rude. We waited in a sitting area near the entrance which was really nice and comfortable as was the ladies room I used during our wait. The ladies room was remarkably clean. In 30 minutes, our table was available right on time for our reservation: SCORE!
Our server Sam greeted us, went over menu recommendations and the night’s specials, and brought out complimentary champagne wishing us a happy anniversary. That was awesome, thanks to Sam and staff for acknowledging our special occasion :) We ordered the grilled octopus appetizer that came with a squash risotto and it was cooked a little tougher than it should have been and honestly the entire dish was a little over salted. The complimentary paté and their signature popovers were both ok.
More than 45 minutes elapsed from our order time until our main courses arrived to the table which was unsettling because tables around us that had ordered after us had received their food sooner. Our dirty appetizer dishes remained on our table that entire time and there was a really long delay for my water to be refilled each time my glass was empty. Our French fries with cilantro mayo side to share came out lukewarm rather than hot. The dipping sauce only tasted like plain mayo… For $ 10, pretty disappointing. My 55 $ rack of lamb was cooked close to well done not medium the way I asked for and was chewy and tough. The Pine nut and chive infusion just tasted like… Well… Nothing :/​The lamb was just bland. Hubby’s ribeye was cooked medium rare not medium the way he asked for. I’ve worked in restaurants… I know my meat cook temps.
Sam seemed pretty busy, as while he was nice, he didn’t really check in on us often so we wanted to bring our date to an end sooner than we typically would have. Still a little hungry though from not actually finishing our improperly cooked food, we tried for a dessert thinking how could they really mess that up… By serving a GIANT bowl of some of the most tart panna cotta that has EVER crossed my lips with the tiniest dollop of peach sorbet ever which we fought over to get the overly tart flavor from our mouths. It took a really long time for Sam to offer us our bill and the complimentary espresso cake petite fours did not make up for it unfortunately. They were tasty nonetheless.
While I have loved and always recommended BLT Steak DC over the years, I can’t say that I’d be inclined to drive an hour into DC for a $ 200 subpar dining experience like last night’s as my first option going forward with so many other consistent options in the area.

Would probably be a 5 star if the cooked my steak correctly. It’s strange how often steak houses can’t prepare your steak medium-​rare. However, my ribeye was still tender and mouthwatering.
The pâté (live spread) and bread was a great starter. I could probably eat this alone as a meal and be satisfied. We also split the crab cakes and ravioli. Crabcakes appetizers here are a bit small but they have a wonderful taste to them. The ravioli was also good, but I don’t think it’s on par with the other items that I listed. I want to say there was fuck inside but I don’t remember now. It was a while ago and it’s not on their menu (we ordered it off the set menu)
Service was excellent as expected from a steak house.

My husband and I just moved to DC and we’re from NYC… yeah I know — super high expectations so take this review as you will.
We ordered a rare Porterhouse for two and string beans as the side. The porterhouse was good but we both thought it was a bit lacking in flavor. I guess that’s why they give you three different dipping sauces for the steak. It was cooked very well though. We ended up taking half of it to go which tasted really good the next day. The string beans were on the soggy side. The beet salad was unoriginal and the tuna tartare didn’t taste fresh. There was a lot of soy sauce doused all over the dish to cover up the taste.

Over the past several years, BLT has emerged as what’s probably the best steakhouse in downtown D.C. I’m a semi-​regular (lunch and dinner each about once a month) and have really grown to like the place. It’s not without its downfalls, which are real, put, overall, it’s a strong steakhouse that’s just different enough to be interesting. Some, although not all, of the beef, is American Wagyu from dark-​haired Japanese bread cattle raised and finished to have a HUGE amount of marbleized fat. The resulting beef, best served very simply (ignore the sauces, the salt and pepper they add are plenty), is almost creamy in the mouth and very flavorful. Although some of the stories about how it’s raised probably aren’t true, it’s still a premium product sold at a premium price.
Meals at BLT invariably start with housemade popovers (the recipe card is attached) served with creamy butter. They’re wonderful and more than a little addictive.
While dinner-​sized steaks are available at lunch time, I’ve never ordered one myself. But there are plenty of good choices on the menu. A nicely-​spiced Asian chicken salad and somewhat pricey but-​worth-​it Wagyu Strip Steak Salad (the heavily marbled meat is offset with just the right amount of spice) are probably my two favorites here. The BLT and lobster roll (done simply, but well with big chunks of meat) are also top-​notch.
The only place I might criticize the lunch menu a bit is the burgers: they’re made with the same Wagyu beef as the dinner steaks and lunch steak salad. As such, they’re priced accordingly. There’s nothing wrong with this per se but the idea of using heavily marbled Wagyu to make a burger is, to me at least, something bordering on sacrilege. Although they’re good – quite good actually – I’m a bit offended by the concept.
At dinner, there’s a normal selection of prime steaks (all of them good) but the real stars are the Wagyu. If you’re on expense account at least, this is the way to go: the top cap steak, although quite pricey at $ 92 is probably the best thing on a Steakhouse menu in D.C. and the Wagyu strip steak gives you a different culinary experience for about the same price as a filet.
The only place I’d criticize BLT a bit is on the dessert menu. Although everything is pretty well prepared and decent tasting, none of it is really transcendent and a few interesting sounding options like donuts with chocolate sauce fall flat altogether.
Still, BLT is an interesting, good place and one of the handful of expense account restaurants where it’s worthwhile to at least consider spending one’s own money.

Unacceptable food and service at the DC BLT Steak.
We ordered two Cowboy Cut steaks (their bone-​in ribeye). Amazingly, one arrived with a bone, the other did not. We asked to speak with someone, and a manager came over. He explained that sometimes the bone-​in ribeye comes with a bone and sometimes it doesn’t…it just depends on how the kitchen prepares it. He added «the meat is still good» on the one’s that don’t have a bone. BTW, this was probably my 1,000^th bone-​in ribeye. We were gobsmacked at his attempt of an explanation.
Sadly, this was not our only issue:
— Seated outside and did not receive service for at least 10 minutes… front desk host happened to come out again and asked if anyone had helped us yet… we said no, and he poured our water and went to find our waiter.
— Busboys worked together and constantly chattered to each other in Spanish while working our table… no problem with that but not at a high-​end restaurant.
— The two suspect steaks were cooked closer to medium/​medium well instead of the requested medium rare. We didn’t even bring this up due to the bone controversy.
— Asked for desert menus that never arrived.
— We never ask for — or accept — comps when issues arise (none was offered). Although the manager presented his card so that we could come back and try again. We never do that, and left his card on the table.
— Service in general was unpolished… more Appleby’s than a fine steakhouse. We’re happy to pay $ 54 for a steak, but the service needs to match.
Sadly, this experience has tainted our feelings for BLT Steak. We love the Honolulu (superb fine dining experience very time) and Los Angeles locations but this recent DC experience has irreparably damaged our feelings for BLT Steak. We will not be back.

I really enjoyed the popovers, they were so delicious and slightly addictive. I had the BT strip medium plus and it was one of the best steak I’ve had; tender, juicy, well flavored, and very satisfying. I am not a big fan of red meat usually, but that steak was well worth the try.
although I didn’t give them a five star, I would still highly recommend this place– great atmosphere for a group of friends to have a good catch up dinner.

Came here on a Friday night with a few friends and the dining experience was great.
28-​Day Dry Aged NY Strip 16oz, medium rare, was good. The sauces also complement the steak pretty well.
For sides, we got the brussel sprouts and the mashed potatoes which were both delicious.
I didn’t give it a 5 because I have had better steak at other steak houses, although those were in New York.

BLT Steak is a contemporary steakhouse just outside the tourist area within the city. It features a large bar area near the entrance and a cavernous dining room. Across from the bar, in the dining area, is a chalkboard menu listing daily specials. I have been looking forward to the popovers since this reservation was made. Accompanied by fresh butter, a salt shaker (that resembles the Stanley Cup), and a recipe, the gigantic, fresh-​baked popovers have a nice crust and a great eggy interior. It was more like a German pancake than bread.
As entrée, I had the 12 oz filet mignon that was perfection. The cut, temperature (medium rare) and sear were all fantastic. The Béarnaise sauce served separately was exquisite. There were several options for sides: onion rings, spinach, and potatoes, but the Chesapeake mac and cheese was most interesting. With sweet, chunks of crab meat in cheese sauce, the dish of penne pasta and crumb topping was exquisite.
I loved the banana cream pie with ice cream for dessert. Thinly sliced bananas made up a good portion of the pie that featured a Graham cracker crust and a thin layer of chocolate. The classic dessert was so good and made my sweet tooth happy. The ice cream topped with salted caramel was also good.
Other than the snotty greeting by the hostess, I thought that service was impeccable. The server and the busboy were attentive.

I was in DC for a conference and myself and a couple colleagues were really in the mood for steak. We saw good reviews for this place and figured we should give it a shot.
Food: Totally amazing. The bread was hot, fluffy and addictive. It took everything not to eat the whole thing. The tuna poke appetizer was both delightful and refreshing. The steak was decent. In my opinion, even though it was cooked to temperature, it was slightly over-​seared. For sides we ordered the jalapeño mashed potatoes and asparagus. Both were quite good. Finally, for dessert, we ordered the donuts and they were just heavenly.
Ambience: It just so happened that Michelle Obama was dining here the same night. We totally geeked out and this became the highlight of our DC trip!

After hearing so much about BLT Steak, I was finally able to try it out for my birthday. The service was phenomenal from start to finish, with the hostess recognizing that this was a special occasion, the waiter repeatedly checking in, and and several staff members coming by to wish a happy birthday.
The set-​up is great for an intimate dinner or a group, as there are several small tables with candles or larger tables where you can celebrate with friends or conduct business.
Although it is pricey, the food is on-​point and worth it! Come hungry and definitely try to sample a few of the appetizers and small plates. The popovers are a must, but fair warning, they are very filling. The grilled double smoked bacon was a meal in itself and was well worth the price. I am still craving more and look forward to returning specifically for this appetizer. The hen of the woods mushrooms are also very good and great for sharing. You also cannot go wrong with the mashed potatoes (we went with the truffle mashed).
The filet mignon was very tender and buttery and the 28 day dry NY was amazing! They also have an extensive wine list, cocktails (Pimm’s Cup was great), and if you are able, save some room for dessert. The peanut butter chocolate mousse was one of the best desserts that I have had in recent memory. BLT should be on your list if you are planning to impress a date, looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, or have people in town for business.

At a certain point, you start to wonder how good can a steak really get to justify the $$$$ price tag, especially from a restaurant with multiple locations throughout the world. Quality control’s gotta be more difficult, right? Then BLT Steak comes along and knocks out any doubts that may have cluttered your thoughts. The atmosphere at the DC location is dark and moody, with expense account and politician clientele scattered throughout the bar and dining area.
I had a Vinecar to start from the list of house cocktails and it was a mix of Hennessey VS, espirit de june, lemon juice, and orange bitters. I really enjoyed this one and it got the meal started off in happy spirits. We also had assistance in selecting a bottle of wine from someone who I’m not sure if he was the sommelier. My inexperience makes it hard for me to tell amazing wine from simply acceptable wine, but I can tell you that this bottle was pretty good wine.
I had the lamb and it did not disappoint. There were two chops with two ribs lining the perimeter of each chop. The menu was really overwhelming — not because there are a lot of options, but because I just wanted to try everything on the menu! Thankfully, we had a fairly large party, so I was able to sample some of the steaks, including the A5 Wagyu Top Cap and the Wagyu Skirt. The fat content in the Wagyu really takes the beef to another level. Each bite was incredibly tender and soft. We had a variety of the sauces to share, with the Blue Cheese being one of my favorites. The meat really didn’t need any sauce though; each steak that arrived at the table was seasoned well to begin with.
The service here is incredibly traditional and contributes a good amount to the experience of the meal here. The order is taken starting with the women, then men, starting from oldest to youngest. Food is served and plates are taken from the left side, but as a lefthander, this threw me off a bit since my left hand was pretty active throughout dinner. Drinks are served from the right side.
If you have a large party, you’ll get sat a circular table in the middle of the room. It’s usually better for conversation, but the restaurant is a bit loud so it makes it hard to hear the person sitting opposite of you. The valet service ($ 8) is worthwhile; otherwise finding parking around here would be incredibly stressful.

I’ve been to a lot of steak houses and I have to say this was one of the best. From the ambiance, to the music, to the fantastic food… this place is incredible.
There were two types of complimentary breads brought to the table as me and co workers waited. One being cheese baked bread and the other being bread with chicken liver spread (chicken liver is one of my favorites). The main courses rolled around and nothing but great flavor followed. The short rib I ordered was like butter, very soft and tender. Fork went straight through and was packing tons of flavor. The lobster almost made me fall out my chair. It was one of the dishes that taste so good that I slowly ate it to savor the taste.
Had a couple of beers after and left very satisfied with both the meals and service. Most definitely worth the visit if you’re in DC.
Sadly for me, the Los Angeles location is closed. WHY!!! LOL
Dinner 5÷30÷2013

After dining at my still number 1 steakhouse restaurant, Craftsteak in Las Vegas, one of our friends mentioned we should dine at BLT, as it is just as good. After coming here on many occasions, I must say BLT Steak is my favorite steak house in the DMV (Double Eagle Del Frisco’s in City Center comes a close second).
I like that that this place doesn’t have that standard classy steak house décor (ie. lots of wood, like Capital Grille). It’s more business casual type setting with a more modern feel.
For the steaks, I always order the waygu skirt steak. Tastes so good and quite flavorful. Reminds me of the Craftsteak Vegas Waygu flat iron steak. Also their prime hanger steak is is good bargain too. Their Wood of the hen mushrooms is a standout side (I do like masked potatoes too!). When I dine at the bar during lunch, their burgers and steak sandwiches are good dishes to eat at.
They offer happy hour at their bar from 5PM — 6:30 M-​F with $ 5 pre-​selected drinks (beer, wine, one or two other drinks) and some smallish bar snacks too.
From the gratis chicken liver pâté and popovers, to the perfectly crafted martinis, this is a great place for special occasions, business luncheons, dining solo at their bar, or just hanging out with friends. DC has no shortage of steakhouses and would highly recommend anyone looking for excellent steaks and good service, to take a look at BLT Steak.