My favorite is Smith and Wollensky's

If you've eaten there but think there is a better Steakhouse in the area, I want to hear it.

I've not eaten at Smith & Wollensky's, but I'd recommend K.C. Prime in Manyunck(sp?)(Philly 'burbs, right off the turnpike). Excellent steaks, chops, and a winelist to beat the band with.

"This wine should be eaten, it is too good to be drunk."
Jonathan Swift

I have been to Philly a few times!
(10,000?? over 43 years?)

I still like the Capital Grille. We have been there enough that the staff knows the family - that helps. What doesn't help is that I know, own or have owned a large number og the wines on the list at 40% the price they charge.

The Prime Rib has great food, but the crowd is older and the tables are small. The Palm is fun, but ordinary. Ruth Chris is a darker version of the Palm. Sullivan's in the King of Prussia Mall is a good time, with an experience comparable and maybe better than the Palm. The thing about KC Prime is that they are generally high priced, although the meat is a notch beeter than most others. Smith and Wollensky has more variety and also high quality.

Tough Call, lot's of B, B plusses.

DBW

PS - Grill 'em at home and open my own bottles!!!

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Originally posted by dbw4:
I have been to Philly a few times!
(10,000?? over 43 years?)

I still like the Capital Grille. We have been there enough that the staff knows the family - that helps. What doesn't help is that I know, own or have owned a large number og the wines on the list at 40% the price they charge.

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Yeah, its tough drinking good wine in the city. I don't consider myself cheap at dinner but I just don't WANT to spend 200.00 before the wines even begin to become interesting.

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Originally posted by dbw4:The Prime Rib has great food, but the crowd is older and the tables are small.

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I've been wanting to find someone who's eaten there. We've been trying to get there to give it a try.

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Originally posted by dbw4:The Palm is fun, but ordinary. Ruth Chris is a darker version of the Palm..

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I'd agree with you here except I think the Palm is VERY ordinary and Ruth Chris is a half a step up from the palm. It is cool seeing the odd celebrity at the Palm but.......

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Originally posted by dbw4:Sullivan's in the King of Prussia Mall is a good time, with an experience comparable and maybe better than the Palm...

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too far of a drive for this jersey boy.

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Originally posted by dbw4:The thing about KC Prime is that they are generally high priced, although the meat is a notch beeter than most others.

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Haven't been to KC Prime but my neighbor had a bad meal there (I know it happends)

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Originally posted by dbw4:Smith and Wollensky has more variety and also high quality.

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would you compare S&W with Prime Rib?

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Originally posted by dbw4:
Tough Call, lot's of B, B plusses.

DBW

PS - Grill 'em at home and open my own bottles!!!

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Now you're speaking my language. In summer we get together with the neighbors and cook on a charcoal grill either 2"filets or porterhouse from the local butcher. The flavor we get at home can't be touched by anyone in the city and the wine is the right price.

Larry's on City Line near St. Joe's. But that would be a CHEESEsteakhouse

12c,

For a Jersey boy you sound halfway OK.

The Prime Rib prime rib is awesome! I order strip steak and the occasional filet, usually, but once I had the PR prime rib, foggettaboutit. I would say the PR tries to be a little "dressier", but I have been to the Philly one 4-5 times, and S&W maybe twice. You should enjoy the food at the PR.

The best meal is a good, fresh steak and a nice bottle from my cellar. Given the choice, I do it here, and the places we've reviewed all come in 2nd through 5th. I guess I would go:

Cap Grille, PR, S&W, Palm-Chris tied

DBW

This is a little off topic of Steakhouses, but I travel to Philadelphia about once a month and have come to enjoy dining out there. There are plenty of BYO choices in Philly and many of them are quite good, especially if you like Italian. The problem is that the wine stores in Philly are HORRIBLE. The selection ranges from poor to passable and the prices are significantly higher than in Chicago where I live. So, when I visit, I just bring wine with me. Philadelphia offers the rare opportunity to share a special bottle while dining out.