Wolfgang’s Steakhouse

It was a gamble for Wolfgang Zwiener, the former Peter Luger waiter, to open his own steakhouse in midtown in 2004, and riskier still for him to attempt an offshoot of his offshoot. But this is one of the best (albeit priciest) restaurants of its ilk. While the space doesn’t have the Guastavino ceiling tiles that make the Park Avenue location so attractive, it is bigger and roomier, and has its own sleek, dark-wood elegance. The kitchen pumps out all the classics—shrimp or crabmeat cocktail, mozzarella and beefsteak-tomato salad, creamed spinach, sautéed or steamed broccoli—but also offers some tasty alternatives; the German potatoes (baked to a crisp with fried onions) are a nice change of pace if you’re considering onions rings and/or baked potatoes. Most important, the steaks kick ass: They’re thick, juicy and charred enough to be flavorful without tasting like carbon. Big groups can order porterhouses for two, three or four; solo diners can dig into a filet mignon, rib eye or sirloin and not feel like they’re getting the second-best item on the menu. Oenophiles will appreciate the hefty bottle selection, but there is no printed list of wines by the glass—a minor flaw.