I work as a server at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House. I'm biased, but not because I work there; I wouldn't have taken a job there in the first place if I didn't think it was a restaurant worth talking about. I first went to Del Frisco's almost four years ago, after they first opened. I had just read a positive (as I recall) review on Fat Guy's website and my girlfriend and I were on our way to a celebratory dinner at Aquavit. We were walking by and the majesty of the room beckoned us to stop in for a drink. Two months ago I applied for a job there because the room is so beautiful and because my sister told me about some positive experiences she had there. I don't go out for steak too often so other egulleteers can compare and contrast other similar restaurants; but I can tell you what I know about Del Frisco's. The main dining room is extraordinary. I think you could be teleported from anywhere in the world to the middle of the room and know that you're in New York City. You would know you are in NYC from the surroundings and energy within the room even if you don't recognize Radio City Music Hall or the GE building at Rockefeller Center, both part of the scenery across the street. You can see them when you look through the forty foot high floor-to-ceiling windows that span three sides of the dining room. The space used to be a bank and cost 13 million dollars to renovate. (Compare that with a reported 12 million dollars for Thomas Keller's Per Se, which I believe USA Today called one of the most expensive restaurants ever built in the country.) There's a million dollars worth of art on the walls and the three wine cellars hold 1.3 million dollars in inventory. The owners had a no-holds-barred approach to creating this restaurant. The steaks are, as with any high-end steakhouse, aged USDA Prime. If you want a steak that's been dry-aged for eight weeks, you have to go to Luger's (or Bern's, in Tampa). I've been to Brooklyn for steak (twice in eight years) and yes, the steak is delicious. But the other night at Del Frisco's I had a piece of 21 day wet-aged New York strip and man, was it good. Better than Luger's? I have no idea, and without a side-by-side comparison I'd never be able to tell. But I have heard more than one guest say to another, "Better than [such-and-such steakhouse]." Each steakhouse has it's own assets and as with any opinion formed in a restaurant, that comparison is an extremely subjective function of the atmosphere, service, and food. Which is exactly the point: at Del Frisco's those attributes combine to form a wonderful, exciting dining experience. And the steak really is amazing. There are many great things about Del Frisco's and I could go on for awhile: the service is upbeat and friendly; the sommeliers are eager to help and friendly (which is important if you want to quickly narrow down the selection of California cabernets); and the food is fun as well as delicious (we have mac and cheese, and the desserts rock). Is Del Frisco's a steakhouse for everybody? Show me a restaurant that's all things to all people and I'll show you another example of mediocrity (as if we need another). Is it a great place to have a party for 14 people? I can't imagine a restaurant environment better suited to facilitating a festive meal. Don't take my word for it; come in for a drink, check the place out. That's how I got there. L.R. Del Frisco's is located in the McGraw Hill building at 1221 Avenue of the Americas (on the corner of 49th Street and 6th Avenue).
